chaosdsm

EDIT: Bike has been purchased: Schwinn Solara

Used to ride everywhere '84 through '98, but I broke down & bought a car in early '98 & my last bike, a modified '78 Schwinn road race bike, was stolen a few months later

In the almost 2 decades since, I gained about 75 pounds before dropping 30lbs in the last 5 years to my current weight of 215lbs. Ideally, I would like a road bike that can handle 325lbs....

Why 325 pounds you ask... well I have a few plans for the bike. Primarily, it will be used for fitness rides which may last 4 - 6 hours, which means a spare tire, 2 spare tubes, tools for repairs along the way, snacks, a rain suit, small first aid kit, a 20oz bottle of Vitamin Water for each estimated hour of riding, and at least 2 gallons of water.

To the bike itself, I'll be adding 2 LED headlights (about a pound a piece with the batteries & handlebar mounts) an LED tail light, fenders, a tire pump, a big fat comfy seat, and a rear luggage carrier onto which a bag (with most of the extras listed in the paragraph above) will be strapped.

My winter leather jacket weighs 8 pounds + my other winter gear weighs about another 8 pounds, which puts a theoretical max fairly close to 300 - 310 pounds & add 5% for margin of error. Realistically, there will probably be no more than 275lbs on top of the bike... All the bikes I've looked at so far have a stated load limit of either 225 or 250 pounds But haven't had the chance to hit up the good bike shops yet, hope to do so this weekend.


Budget for the bike itself - not more than $300 & preferably under $200.
Not sure what frame size I used to ride, I think it was 19" but it's been too long since I built my last bike. I'm 5' 10" with a 29 1/4" inseam
Wheel size 26" or 650c not more than 1.75" wide.

curbtender

You looking to ride a road bike or you want something more like a mountain bike. What city would work for you if you used craigslist?

dabac

325lbs on a $300 bike is unlikely to work out well unless you're skilled at buying used.
And on a road bike at that? Even less likely.
A touring bike might give you a drop bar and deal with that weight. But good touring bikes tend to hold on to their value better than road bikes.
If it was me, I'd look for an older rigid 26" MTB, then do a drop bar conversion with a Shimergo shifter/drivetrain.

gattm99

Far be it for me to judge, but I think your plans are a bit nuts, unless you're preparing to ride through a war torn country, zombie apocalypse, frigid wasteland ect...

At your weight you can ride anything out there, don't worry about it.

chaosdsm

What does any of my plans have to do with riding through war torn countries, the zombie apocalypse, or a frigid wasteland??? I've cycled thorough a tropical depression, I've cycled through days of rain, I've cycled below freezing... hell, I've ridden my motorcycle down the interstate at 75MPH when it was 28F.

What's wrong with having snacks, hydration, and tools to fix breakdowns on 50+ mile ride??? One of the last times I was inline skating, there was a cyclist on the trail with a blown tire about 12 miles from his car... Plus, this is Florida, we get rain when there is 0% chance of rain... What's wrong with being prepared for rain? Riding 30+ minutes straight line to get back to shelter in a unexpected downpour is so much more comfortable in rain gear What's wrong with not letting cold weather put a halt to riding?

I take it you've never been on a long bicycle ride without a support team. It's not fun getting 10, 20, 25 miles out & getting a blown tire in the middle of nowhere. I've had probably 6 or 8 times that I've had to walk 20, 30, 40 minutes to a phone & call 3 or 4 people to get rescued. Of course that was before cell phones, but still getting in touch with someone who is actually available to come help can be problematic.

At 215 lbs & a minimum of +20 lbs extras on long rides, I'm not riding a bike made for 225 pounds, that's just asking for problems.... I broke a weld on the Diamondback (cheapest one they made in the early 90's) I had before I bought that Schwinn, & I only weighed about 165 - 170 pounds then, but I also regularly carried 20 - 40 pounds of groceries on it 2 or 3 times a week.

rgconner

Man... I do 4hr rides with what fits in the jersey pockets and 2 water bottles.

I must be crazy.

1 spare tire, one patch kit (overkill imho, but I carry it anyway in case I help someone else), tire levers. Debit card, $20 in cash in slim wallet and the cell phone.

Oh and snacks.

Out of curiosity, you are in central Florida? What the heck is "winter gear" for?

rgconner

BTW, the Sekai touring bike in my sig cost me $25 at a garage sale. $175 more than covered getting it into running condition.

Sure, it was old Suntour gear, 7 gears, but that stuff is built like a tank. Get the grime off it and it works like a charm.

chaosdsm

In the last 10 years, I've skated on inlines dozens of times at temps under 40F & a few times near freezing. I've ridden my motorcycle at temps as low as 26F. Sure we don't get a lot of "cold" days here, but I don't let the few we do see stop my routines as long as there's no ice around.

NoGears

I routinely do 4-6 hour rides and never need to take 50 pounds of gear. That's insane. A couple tubes, some CO2, maybe a pump, patch kit, levers, multi-tool, tire boot....will all fit in a saddle bag and weigh a couple pounds. Two bottles on the bike and if you can't plan refill stops on your route, use a hydration pack for more water. A top tube bag can fit 6 hours worth of nutrition no problem.

And an 8 pound leather jacket on a bike is about the most ridiculous idea I've ever heard on a bike. Get some proper lighter weight cold gear. You should be able to ride in 40 degree weather with not much more than a long sleeve jersey or arm warmers and a very light windproof jackets, gloves, and maybe a beanie under your helmet. All that is light enough and can pack up in your hydration pack.

curbtender

https://orlando.craigslist.org/bik/6076033252.html


https://orlando.craigslist.org/bik/6079497737.html


https://orlando.craigslist.org/bik/6081005521.html


https://tampa.craigslist.org/pnl/bik/6072286563.html


https://tampa.craigslist.org/pnl/bik/6068776257.html

jimmie65

Find a good hybrid and then carry the least you think you'll need.

Here's my hybrid with racks and all, on a 4 hour ride yesterday. In Texas winter, I usually have a small trunk bag with a jacket in it.

longbeachgary

I hate to say this but your post sounds more like a Troll than someone really looking for a bike. Two gallons of water? Eight pound jacket in FLORIDA? Yeah right. You haven't ridden a bike ten feet in the last 20 years but you're going to be doing 6 hour rides? Give us a break.

chaosdsm

No I haven't ridden in 19 years, but I've inline skated in several half and full marathons, last marathon in 2014, and I currently walk between 75 & 90 miles a week, about 90% of that as part of my job. Yes the jacket is big & heavy, but it's all I currently have that actually blocks wind.

Sorry if I drink more water than a fish, always have, used to go though about a gallon in those skating marathons.

I'm only looking for used bikes. I've scratch built several bikes & repaired dozens more for myself & friends, so even a bike in relatively poor condition - as long as the frame in still in good shape - is fine.

I'm not looking for "life" advice here, I'm looking for bike advice based on my personal preferences & needs as stated in my original post, please stick to that. Everyone has their own personal preferences & tolerances. What works for you might not work for me, what works for me might not work for you - like being prepared for multiple contingencies in a single ride... In that vein, are there any brands that I should stay away from based on my original post?

I hate Craigslist.... but that 2nd Cannondale looks nearly perfect, and I know stock Cannondale road bikes can handle close to 300 pounds....

If I decide instead to go the scratch built route yet again, who are some good frame manufacturers still making cromoly steel frames???

dabac

The bicycle industry is very homogenous. Similar money buys you similar quality regardless of brand.
Even department store bike frames and forks will usually do OK structurally.
Aluminium frames seems to be more prone to cracks than steel frames.

chaosdsm

Well, I was trolling in a sense, just not in the flame bait sense, at least not intentionally. I trolled around town for 6 hours today till I found this Schwinn Solara road bike, at Target of all places. I had hoped to find a better used steel frame bike, but the aluminum frame Solara is rated for up to 300 pounds and was $200. At 26 pounds, it's not the lightest bike I've ever owned, but it's not too bad

Definitely gonna need some changes like 26" or 27"wheels in place of those 28's to lower it down a hair, the larger more comfy seat I've been eyeballing, and top rail mounted shifters, as well as fenders, frame mounted tire pump & rear rack, but all-in-all, seems like a decent bike that should last at least a couple of years!

longbeachgary

I stand corrected - you are not a Troll. Enjoy your bike.

dabac

Bike parts are a lot more expensive bought piecemeal than when bought on a bike. Buying a bike with the immediate thought of thorough changes is usually poor economy. Unless you're very skilled at bargain hunting, or have a big stash of parts, you may well be looking at another $200 to get the bike like you want it


27" tires have a bead seat diameter - where rim and tire overlap - of 630 mm, while 28"/700C tires have a BSD of 622 mm. For the same width tire, going to 27" will make the bike ride HIGHER, not lower.
Or are you thinking about the 27.5" size?
Those have a BSD of 584 mm, and will for the same tire width lower the bike with 19 mm, abt 4/5".
The most common 26" have a BSD of 559 mm and would lower the bike by 31 mm, abt 1 1/5".
Since the bike has rim brakes, any big change of wheel diameter will require you to rework the brakes too, as the pads will no longer line up with the brake track on the rims.
Unless you plan to offset some of the lowering by using wide tires - of switching to shorter cranks, I'd be real wary about riding a 28-to-26 conversion. You'd better learn fast not to pedal while turning.

A 14-speed, from a department store, for $200 is quite likely to have a freewheel - as opposed to a cassette - rear hub. Those are well known to bend or break axles under heavy riders/riding. Count the teeth on the smallest sprocket. Freewheels usually start on 14, while cassettes tend to start on 11-12.
The frame might be rated for 300 lbs, but I don't think a 7-speed freewheel would last long under that load.
What's that?

chaosdsm

a rail = horizontal bar or tube

Guess you've missed this part of my earlier post: [/quote]I'm only looking for used bikes. I've scratch built several bikes & repaired dozens more for myself & friends, so even a bike in relatively poor condition - as long as the frame in still in good shape - is fine.[/quote] I was already prepared to spend an additional $300 over my $300 bike budget to get it how I want it.

As for the wheels, being brand new, I can easily trade them in at my local shop, possibly even straight across for a decent set of used 26's, though I'd still need new tubes, tires, & possibly new cassette. Looks like a Shimano Hyperglide Freewheel copy on there.

dabac

I know what a rail is.
But I've never heard any part of a bike referred to as the "top rail"

For bikes, the most common use of of the word is in "saddle rails".

Which doesn't seem to fit.

Are you talking about the top TUBE? And want top tube shifters?

Never seen one in person since the old banana seat muscle bikes.
Given that I've scraped my knee even on an overhanging cable stop, I wouldn't want one.

To each his own I suppose.
No.
And obviously you aren't, since you bought a brand new bike from Target.

Indeed it is.
I still think spending $600 on a complete bike would have gotten you a better bike.

Your shops and your used parts scene must be different than mine.
Basic wheelsets are plentiful at those few shops who deal with used and take-offs. I wouldn't be able to make a straight trade unless I accepted a BIG drop in quality.

So what are you going to do about the brakes when you swap from 28" to 26"?

Dennis609

I find this thread oddly captivating.

ill.clyde

Like a car crash ... wow ...

tunavic

Leather jacket to ride a bike in winter? You haven't lived until you ride in fur. My preference is sable.

Dennis609

Car crashes. 16 pounds of H20, plus an additional pound for each hour on the bike. Midget porn. All of these things are impossible to turn away from, try as you might.

OP, I salute you.

DMC707

No love for chinchilla? That would be my choice. Am requesting Sidi make me some Custom shoes made with blue stingray also

DjDavo

I actually scrolled down twice to double check I didn't miss a page LOL