PapaNer

I'm very new to this forum and this would be my first post. If this is misplaced please direct me to where it is better suited. I was directed here when I posed my questions on the bicycling sub******.I'm 6'6 and weigh ~260 lbs. I was on a better tack losing weight but now with the current situation where I live I've been working from home for a month and the gyms are (rightfully) closed. I haven't ridden a bike in years but my wife recent bought one and has been really enjoying the ride.

My thing is - I'm a big guy both in height and in weight. I have zero idea where to start for purchasing an affordable and suitable bike for general biking/exercise. I googled first and saw there are various sizes needed for my height and not much about weight (but looking a lot of bikes have a limit under my weight - so that's a bit harder) and then I need it to be tall enough (like 63 centimeters?).

I guess my main question is - are there any sources/distributors that are trusted in this community that I should look into?

squirtdad

What type of riding are you looking to do street and trail only or ? What is your budget? where are you located generally (people can give ideas on used bikes in the area from craigslist)

biggest thing for you will be fit with your height 260 lb is not really too big...just get wheels with 32h spokes

PapaNer

Thank you for the response!

I'll literally only be street and trail riding. I'm located in central Alabama. Honestly not wanting to drop a ton of money on a bike - trying to stay under $300 if at all possible, and honestly would love to spend half that, though I have zero idea what is a good idea and what isn't haha.

Wheels with 32h spokes - will keep that in mind.

squirtdad

ok did a quick look

used mongomery craigslist...and birmingham

not a ton of tall ones out there saw these 2 possibles

this is listed with a lot of errors, but it looks pretty close older bike boom japanese bike, but good brand and big frame would probably need a littl TLC, but if you are handy could work out

Univega Maxima sport road bike - $175

https://columbusga.craigslist.org/bi...108064559.html

Cannondale CAAD5 Speed Bike - (Birmingham) - $445 (Birmingham)

https://bham.craigslist.org/bik/d/bi...092519010.html

PapaNer

Thanks for checking these out! I appreciate the time you've put into helping a stranger - sincerely.

That Univega looks dope - it's over in georgia but I may check it out anyway.

squirtdad

univega is a good brand..... and if you are a little bit handy it would be pretty easy to work on if needed check out the C&V forum *classic and vintage there is a lot info and help there on bikes like this

good luck

MRT2

Better yet, 36 spoke wheels, but you can always replace the wheel.

The big thing for you is your height. Really large frames are less common, and yes, you need at least a 64 cm frame or you will likely feel rather squished and cramped.

PapaNer

Thank you! I really appreciate your input!

I'll keep that in mind while I'm looking!

JayKay3000

I can confirm. Having been blessed or cursed with such height 63cm / 64cm or 25inch is what you will need.

PapaNer

Thank you kindly for the confirmation!

SethAZ 

I second the suggestion for 36h spokes if you can find them. What you want to avoid are wheelsets that are advertised as really low weight, with low spoke counts designed to cut weight and make the wheels more aerodynamic. At this stage of your cycling career, and with your size, those are two priorities that should come way down the list after durability.

As a personal anecdote, when I first picked up my used Trek bike 8 years ago I got a pretty good deal on it, paying around $400 used for a bike that had cost a couple grand when it first came out a decade earlier. It had Trek's house brand Bontrager wheels with fewer spokes than folks here are recommending. I may be misremembering but I think it was 28 spokes rear and 24 spokes front or something like that. I had a hard impact with a railroad track as I rode over it and didn't just pop a spoke, the spoke at the J-bend actually broke off the hub flange that the spoke's J-bend was attached to! My weight was similar to yours as the time (and still is). I replaced that wheel with one using 32 spokes and a lacing pattern that put less stress on the hub flange and was fine thereafter. Another thing to learn is to "ride light" when you're going to run over something hard like this, taking your weight somewhat off the seat so your legs act as a shock absorber for your weight as you cross over something like railroad tracks, potholes, large cracks in the road, etc.

TrojanHorse

That univega is a 54! The CAAD5 looks spiffy though. 62+ cm bikes are hard to come by

squirtdad

I was looking at the pictures.it is defineitly closer to a 64 than a 54 ....none of the data on the listing was correct it is not aluminum, not a cruiser not 26 in wheels and totally not a 54 based on the picture Still a good budget option if it is still around

justcynn

I am 6'4 and 260 and ride 25"/63 CM Frames for older vintage bikes like schwinss, etc. I do have a Specailized Roubaix. I want to say its a 58 CM but I could be wrong on that. The bianchi axis is a 58CM but it rides pretty tall. The seat post and handle bar stem length can make a bike taller as well (just be sure to abide by the minimum insert) good luck, and welcome to the sport.

Nishiki Cresta GT

25" Schwinn Traveler

Specaiized Roubaix

Bianchi Axis 58CM

brawlo

Pretty much anything with at least a 58-59cm(23in) top tube (measured from the centre of the steerer tube to the centre of the seat tube) will be rideable for you to get your foot in the door of riding. I myself at 6'5" spent 4 years on a 59cm top tube bike and even kept that bike as a permanent trainer bike once I had upgraded to a larger frame road bike. Bigger would be better, but something at least that size can get you out and about and maybe opens up more options for you to look at. Also, rather than just looking at pure road bikes, take a look at city and hybrid bikes. You can generally find them well within your price range and barely used. You could even stretch the budget a little and buy one brand new from the likes of Giant/Trek

TrojanHorse

You are definitely correct about the size... assuming that the pictures are more correct than the text! Who knows.

cchmilar

I agree with those above, a used steel bike would be your best bet/value.

Luckily, there seems to be a lot of older steel bikes in the larger end of the size spectrum.

Ronno6

I am similarly built.........6'6" for most of my adult life (before father time and gravity intervened) and have ridden at as heavy as 270#
I have ridden early Cannondale 63cm race bikes since 1986. Gotta use a 300mm seat post tho...
I do NOT like the circa 1989 3.0 frames,tho. Those have the funky rear drops that stick out past the junction of frame tubes.
CAD 3 on up bikes are OK,and can sometimes be found in 66cm size.
My current fav is an '87 SR frameset with components I have selected.
Earlier this year I weighed 265#, but have lost 30# so far.
I have ridden 32 spoke rear wheels of my own construction and NEVER had as much as a broken spoke.

These bikes are almost always available at bargain basement prices and last forever.
The only real limitation is the 126m rear dropout spacing, which typically limits you to 7speed rear wheel, but I have ways around that.

ST frame bikes in frame sizes up to 27" (68.5cm) can also be found and are extremely comfy as well as efficient.

Anyway, that's my $.02

That, plus...ROLL TIDE ROLL..........