COGGIOLA

HELLO
there are "SCOTT SPORTSTER P4" in the shop with 28 inch rims but i cannot find frame size on bike.can you help me where can i find size writing on the frame?and i am 115kg 2m03cm tall man and are that rims stronger enough for me?
please help ok
thanks

downtube42

At the corporate annual health screening I weighed in at 203, so I guess my Clyde status is reinstated. So this year I rode 200k, 300k, 400k, and 600k brevets, and put on about 5 pounds. Probably all muscle

COGGIOLA

thanks
but can you tell me when i can find frame size?

Volshan

Hi guys. I weigh 315 pounds, and I want to get back into cycling. I mean, beyond the level I used to ride as a kid. I think bicycling would be a great, low impact way for me to exercise, and it would be very rewarding as well.

However, I do not know exactly where to start. I do not have a big budget, and can only invest probably $250-$350 on a bicycle. I want something beyond the level of a Walmart bicycle, but not up there to the $1000 or beyond bicycles for serious enthusiasts. Basically I want to get out there on a bicycle that is comfortable and doesn't feel like it could break on me, like any given Walmart bicycle.

Do any of you have suggestions for me? I would mostly be doing concrete trail bicycle riding or asphalt road riding, since I don't have much in the way of dirt trails here in North Dallas where I am.

downtube42

In used bikes, I'd recommend a hard-tail mountain bike with rigid fork. Strong wheels, strong frame, and usually quite reasonable. Replace the knobbies with some 1.5" 90psi slicks and you'll have a decent starter paved-trail bike. Fit is the most important aspect; I recommend doing some research online about proper bike fit if you're shopping used.

If you're wanting new, they probably will have hybrid/comfort bikes starting in your price range. They should spend some time determining the right fit. If they don't, or if you don't get a good feel about the shop, go elsewhere.

Just my opinions, others will think differently.
Here's an example in your area: https://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/bik/1869454820.html

Wogster

There are two ways to go, new and used, new you should probably look at the Hybrid or Comfort bikes offered by various companies, prices generally start around $350, Trek has the 7000, which has an MSRP of $379 so should be in dealers for around $350, this is an example only, I am not specifically recommending that particular model bicycle, just using it as an example of what you will probably find in your price range. These have 7 speeds (no front gears which saves you some money), so they would be reasonable for fairly flat terrain. If your in a more hilly area, you would need to go a little further up the food chain. They do have solid forks and no rear suspension, which gives them more weight carrying capability.

You need to really rethink your budget though, because for $400-$450 you can get a lot more bicycle, however you also need to include at a minimum helmet, pump, tire levers and spare tube. There are always 4 things you need to remember:

1) Fit, if the bicycle can not be fit to you, then whether you spend $500 or $5,000 it's wasted money.
2) You buy the shop as much as the bike, so have a look around, if the shop staff ignore you, or the mechanic has dozens of repairs to do, then skip it. Check the clothing sizes, if everything on the rack is XXS, XS and S with a couple of mediums that are ugly and you wouldn't wear in 15 lifetimes then you may wish to pass on that shop.
3) Fit.
4) Did I mention fit, yeah it's that important.

CraigB

I thought I'd post the bikes that have been hauling me around.

The road bike is basically a ca 1990 Trek 1500 aluminum, though the frame was replaced in the late '90s, I think, when the original developed a crack at one of the rear dropouts. Although it's too large for me now (I'm at least a half-inch shorter than I used to be, and my back and shoulders can't handle that long a reach to the hoods), I've kept it in mostly original condition. It came with Shimano 600 components (what later became Ultegra), though it wasn't long before I swapped the brake levers for something a little more anatomical in shape. The bodies and hoods of the old 600 levers were like solid billets of aluminum and were the most uncomfortable things I'd ever tried to grasp in my hands. The other oddity is that it came stock with a Specialized crankset and BB, which I would never complain about - they've been absolutely great.




The mountain bike is a very basic Fisher Marlin that I picked up 4 or 5 years ago when I was just getting under 300 and didn't fancy parking myself on the Trek. I never intended to take it off-road so I got a second set of wheels that I keep 1.5" tires on. It's worked real well.

Masperius

Greetings from Copenhagen.
I've just joined Bike Forums and thought I'd drop by and say hello.
I'm 4 pounds into Clydesdaleism and I've just got this great new bike as a birthday present.
It's a TREK S720, a sturdy bike which I use for commuting, grocery hauling, shorter pleasure rides and longer rides in order to lose lard.
I've tried to upload a picture but I can't seem to get it right. No matter what I do, it's still just a very small thumbnail.
Okay, it's clickable but still...

FunkyStickman

X2 on starting riding on a good used mountain bike. Many options, and they're easy to come by.

Looks like I may be out of the Clydesdale club... I've been riding and watching my eating portions, as well as eating only foods without artificial additives and preservatives (as much as possible) and I have lost 10 pounds in the last month to 6 weeks. I weighed in at 194.4 this morning, and I've been steadily losing every week. I think I'm going to reach my goal of 175, and at this rate, I will hit it sometime in October.

Holy cow, Batman!

massi

love the Trek ...and in the best colour too!

if you'll excuse the advice but if the reach is too long for comfort now I would advise you change the handlebars for a compact aerodynamic bar which typically have 80mm reach and 90mm drop measurements. That should bring your hoods back at least 50-75mm Changing your stem from 100? to 80mm will gain you a futher 20mm
I notice that you have your saddle set well back ? which obviously increases your reach.
Might pay to play around with your saddle setback too.
Anyway nice bike which looks a comfortable ride. Hope you are still using it

CraigB

Thanks for the kind comments on the Trek. The funny thing about the color is that the photo shows the yellow much warmer than it really is. The original frame was about the color this one appears in the pic, and it had the '90-era large block letters spelling "TREK" in dark blue. I think it was even on the seat tube, oriented vertically. It was definitely more striking in appearance than this frame.

As far as fit goes, there's no question that a different stem would help. I should probably bite the bullet and get a taller quill with less reach, while I still can. I don't imagine they'll be readily available too much longer. Especially since it's due for new tape anyway, so stripping the bars isn't as much of a big deal. I'm not real familiar with the "compact" style of bars, but if that compactness extends to their width, it's probably not a good option for me. My shoulders are pretty broad and this bar, at 42, already feels a little constricting.

And you have a keen eye to spot the saddle location, which is as far back on the rails as it will go. That's a result of my femur length, which is a little longer than normal for my height. That position is necessary to keep the front of my kneecap over the pedal spindle.

As much as I hate to admit it, I really have lost about a half inch in height over the years (I turned 56 today), and this frame, at 58 C-to-T, is too much for me. I'll make it work for the short term, but I'm holding out for a new road bike when I get under 200 pounds.

CraigB

I didn't mean to let your accomplishment go by without a hearty congratulations. So CONGRATULATIONS!!!

All Clydes know what a major milestone that 200 pound mark is. I'm *so* looking forward to it myself. I hate to put things like that on a timetable, but based on my progress over the past 16 weeks, it should happen for me in November. Then it's on to 165!

msalgado

Hello,

I'm new to the forum so I figured this would be a good place to introduce myself. I'm what you guys affectionately call a clyde. I'm currently about 249lbs and I'm looking to drop that down at least 50 and I'm hoping cycling can be a big part of that. I've ridden on and off for many years but having recently moved to Santa Fe, NM I'm finally in a place where cycling is more common than where I was located previously.

About a month and a half ago I purchased the a Giant Rapid 3:



Its the first bike I've owned from a bike shop and I really have enjoyed it. Currently I'm commuting with it everyday. Thats about a 5 mile trip each way. On the way to work I lose about 700 feet in elevation (from just under 7000 to 6300 feet above SL) so as you can imagine my ride back is quite "fun". Over the past month I've also done an additional 3 mile round trip everyday as I commute via train to Albuquerque for school and rode from the station to the school and back. Those were also some very large elevation gains and losses although I'm not sure of the actual amount. I will only be doing this 2 days a week in the future due to my fall schedule.

When I first started this commute I wasn't able to make the trip everyday but over the past few weeks I've done it and it has gotten easier every day. Soon I plan to start taking a weekend ride that pushes my endurance even farther.

When I purchased the bike I was about 6 pounds heavier than I am now so the progress has started. I am also working towards the goal of participating in a triathlon for the first time next Spring. When I was in my early 20s and through high school I was extremely active but my lifestyle became much more seditary through my late 20s. Now that I'm 30 I want to lose a lot of the weight I've put on and get back into being competitive at something so this is the outlet I have chosen.

Anyway, I look forward to using this forum.

Thanks!

PRScott

Hello!

After being frustrated by riding a cheap x-mart mountain bike very sporadically over the past few years, I decided to get somewhat serious and get something good that actually fits.

I am 45, 6'3", 242 pounds, and I have spent the last couple of weeks going to area LBS' and lurking on this site - all I can say is thanks to all for the collective info!

Yesterday, I finally pulled the trigger on an '09 Giant Cypress DX that the first LBS that I had visited had marked down to $400 - not bad! So, after giving it a simple
neighborhood test drive yesterday, I decided to stretch out today. I was going to go for a simple 4-5 mile ride, but the addiction took hold immediately, and I ended up
going about 12 miles...I had NEVER, even as a teen, ridden that far.

Looks like I have been bitten by the bug; I'm already thinking of where to go tomorrow morning

CraigB

Isn't it an amazing feeling the first time you ride farther than you ever thought you could? Between the sense of accomplishment at what you've done, and the realization that your personal boundaries have suddenly expanded by leaps and bounds, you get almost giddy. That feeling never goes away, as long as you continue to bump your mileage. Do it gradually so you get a good base, and throw in some occasional rides that push your limits. Those are especially gratifying and fun if you have a friend or two or a group to ride with. The first time you go out and conquer 50 miles you'll feel like you can do anything.

Crazydad

Howdy!

New to the forum, but so glad I found it. I've struggled with weight for just about my whole life and at the beginning of May I decided I had enough of being out of shape, tired all the time, etc. So I started riding the mountain bike I bought some 12 years ago every morning before work. Best thing I have done in a long time. Started somewhere around 275 and while I'm not sure where I'm at weight-wise, I have gone down 2 notches on the belt and my clothes are loose instead of tight.

I started riding a 6.5 mile loop in the neighborhood that used to take me over 35 minutes and took me a long time to recover. I wanted to do that for a while to get my legs and lungs in better shape before I went off road again. I have since moved up to a 13.6 mile hike and bike trail as my weekday ride and finally started going off road again on the weekends.

Man I forgot how much fun riding is. I am even wanting to start road riding with the goal of doing the MS150 Houston to Austin ride next April plus a couple of centuries. Just have to get a road bike first. Which comes after the new fork I need for my Homegrown (I think the 12 year old Judy has had it).

finelargeaxe

I posted this in another thread, but something tells me it should go here, too.

I'm 21, and about 5' 10".

I started my biking season a bit weirdly this year. I'd been riding an ancient Huffy Mt. Echo I'd had since middle school starting in March or April, and for a while there I didn't want to ride at all because that thing sucked so hard. Back at that point, I weighed in (on my parents aging bathroom scale, so forgive the lack of accuracy) at almost 230lbs. The first thing out of my mouth was "Oh, H*LL NO!" That jolted me off of my a** enough to start checking out the local stores for something to spend my tax refund checks on when they came in.

Fast forward about a month. My state refund check had been in my pocket for about a week when I literally almost tripped over a near-mint condition Schwinn S25 tagged for only $75. The same bike I'd been drooling over at Target at over $250. A good sign. Cashed the check and paid. (Interesting time getting it home, though...had to stick one wheel out a window to get it to fit in the car!)

I've ridden (sic?) that thing close to 300mi this summer. As of now, I'm down to about 205lbs. Cold and snow should be approaching in a couple of months (not to mention a job...YAY!!!), but I'm still gunning by season's end for getting under 200lbs for the first time since senior year of high school. The good news is as the weather cools, I'll be able to ride to my part-time job (as a PC repairman) and still look presentable to customers. The new job should also pay enough to let me get some decent riding gear, or maybe even a nicer rig like some of you have!

May your wheels roll true, and the wind be at your back.

CraigB

Good for you for getting off your butt and on your bike, finelargeaxe. And congrats on the new bike. I see from your post you're still a relatively young guy. In that case, all the more kudos to you for recognizing the seriousness of your situation early enough to avoid a lot of the long-term health effects of a lifetime of obesity. Keep up the good work!

dino2000

went to the Doc for the first time in 3 years about 3 months ago. Weighed in at 278 and I'm 5'9". Went back Tuesday to find I was down to 250. I got back on the bicycle right after the first appt. and have been logging at least 100 miles a week. Started w/ a 03' Kona MTB and a set of extra road wheels and then bought this:


Raced in the 80's, quit, got married, and packed on the pounds! Have tried the gym over the years but never got into it. My 9 year old and I are riding together now and he's keeping me going!

CraigB

Not terribly different from me - I also raced in the 80s, though only in citizens' class. Though where I competed, I'd swear there were Cat4 ringers in the pack. Those races seemed waaay more competitive to me than the Cat4 crash-fests I saw. I think there was a certain type of racer there who wanted to dominate an easier class, rather than race with those who were closer to being their peers.

Anyway, keep up the good work with the weight loss!

finelargeaxe

My parents are approaching somewhere between 250 and 300lbs, and my father is a diabetic. He just had to go to a full-time insulin pump to keep himself alive about 2 months ago, and just had a second stent inserted in an artery near his heart. Not to mention all the problems they've both had with their feet and knees because of their weight.

Here, at my beginning, I've seen how it could end. And I will not bow to that.

massi

fantastic ! well done. Reading posts like yours in this thread has inspired me to start cycling and watching my diet again.
I think I've gone up to 245 again which is a great shame as I'd managed to get down to 230 last September... groan
Bring it on!.......


keep it up peeps

massi

well done Craig. Oh and thanks for encouraging the rest of us and being an inspiration to us all

CraigB

Thanks, but compared to what others have done here, I feel like I'm still more of a cheerleader than anything else.

It's an interesting phenomenon - I feel like I won't sense the accomplishment of it all until I get under 200. Maybe that's because even though I'm down 78.5 pounds from my highest about 5 or 6 years ago, and 42.6 since my wife and I started WW in April of this year, I'm still not under the weight I reached when I last lost weight back in my late 20s. So in some way, this is revisiting old territory and because of that I have trouble giving myself credit for it. That time around I got down to 212 - maybe when I break that I'll feel like I've actually done something.

Plus I don't see the same degree of change in my pictures that I see in some of the others here. I know the differences are there, because the scale tells me so, but it doesn't look as readily apparent as I would have thought. Maybe it's just me; maybe familiarity makes it hard to see. Maybe it's kind of like trying to see changes in your image in a mirror on a day to day basis - you see them so gradually that you don't really see them at all. I suppose it doesn't help that after 4 months of pretty consistent 2+ pound per week losses I've been stuck for a while. Not exactly plateau'd, since I'm still losing, but now at about a half pound a week. I'm determined to keep going, but it's hard to be as enthusiastic about it. I think the key to it is convincing myself that the loss isn't the result of a "diet" that I can leave behind when I get to my goal, but a permanent lifestyle change. Viewed in those terms, the timeline aspect of it is removed from the equation completely, and there's no reason to be in a rush. The change is behind me - now it's just my body catching up.

The psychology of weight loss is pretty weird. I don't know if I'll ever feel like I'm not a fat person. But even if that's the case, I guess if I take the good part of that (constantly being on guard against weight gain) and not the bad (discouragement that leads to old bad habits), I'll be OK.

Wow...I didn't expect to go on like that. I guess I needed to vent a little. Thanks, Massi, for prompting that. I feel better now.

scott kursk

Hello, it's this part of the forums that got me to sign up. I didn't remember that there were non-medium size wearing riders out there. I used to play rugby and powerlifted for years as well as rode in a few metric centuries. Then I got married, became a teacher, got seriously hurt playing rugby and quit it all to focus on work. So, I put on a ridiculous amount of weight. I weighed in at 350 at the beginning of the last school year. So, I got disgusted with myself and started watching what I eat (comparatively at least) and start exercising again. I used to ride a bike to commute instead of driving for years but only picked up a new bike when I got laid off a couple months ago.

I LOVE being back in the saddle. I love using my bike to get groceries and run just about every other errand I have now. The wife thinks I'm insane but is supportive. Given that I'm riding 10 or so miles a day in the Houston summer heat/humidity, I must either be insane or where I need to be...

I'm down to 307 now and don't have a goal weight. My goal is to get back to 40/42 pants so I can shop in normal people's stores for pants.