mattgil

Hi all,

I am new to this forum and am looking to get into the sport for both fitness and fun, I am looking to buy my first real bike this weekend and just wanted to see if you all had some tips of specific things to look for in a bike for a rider like myself.

I am a big guy 6'4" and right at about 300lbs, hoping to get that down quickly. Most all of my riding will be on streets, my goal is to get up to commuting to my office which is about 7 miles from home but a bit hilly. I am going to my LBS this weekend and hoping to leave with a good bike. I have heard good things about Specialized Sirrus and some other Trek models, they are an authorized dealer of both. Any tips on specifics I should keep in mind for a big rider to make sure I am comfortable and the bike lasts? I am hoping to get out of the shop with a bike and basic gear for around $600 or so, is that realistic?

americanrecluse

In a minute or two someone with more knowledge is going to come in and tell you to look for bikes with a certain minimum number of spokes. I don't know that number or what the recommendations are, but that's something to remember.

I think $600 is possible but it might be tight. I recommend looking at the Trek FX 7.2. It is considered the "best" bike of its type by Sweethome/Wirecutter (nice long review that talks about other bikes too: The Best Hybrid Bike | The Sweethome). I got the 7.3 for two bad/good reasons - I liked the color options better (black with purple accents, aw yeah!), and I liked that the cables are tucked inside the frame. But the differences between the two are minimal, except the price difference - you should find the 7.2 for less than $500.

You'll know the right bike when you ride it. You'll ride a few bikes that make you think "sure, it's fine" and then one that makes you go, "I HAVE FOUND YOU" and that's the bike you should buy.

dr_lha

$600 including all the gear you need (helmet, lights, water, lock) is a pretty tight budget for a new bike. You might want to check out the used market as well as new. For your weight the biggest issue you're going to hit is wheels. Most new bikes come with low spoke/light wheels that simply won't hold up for a 300lb man (I speak from personal experience). You'll want wheels that have 32 - 36 spokes. Even then stock wheels are notoriously poor quality. Luckily lower spoke wheels are more typically found on road bikes (i.e. with drop handlebars), 32 hole wheels are quite common on hybrid bikes like the Trek 7.2 and Specialized Sirrus.

Best advice I can give is to buy the bike that makes you want to ride.

kc0bbq

The good news is with your current goal of being able to do a 7 mile commute you'll be able to hit that on any style of bike, though at 300 you'll probably want to look at something with mountain bike gearing, but it is tough to figure that out without knowing what your definition of hilly is. That FX is a good recommendation, and most of the big companies will have a hybrid closer to the no-suspension mountain bike side of hybrids like that.

You can also go used, but that's a little tougher when you're 6'4". You can also try a bike coop if one is in your area on the off chance that someone put together something that will work for you. You can get pretty good deals that way if you don't mind older/used stuff. Most people at coops are there because they love bikes and tend to like to help people get into the hobby.

How well the bike (well, the wheels, mainly) lasts depends on how your bike skills develop. If you're light on the bike (not hitting potholes, taking the weight off the wheels or even bunny hopping big bumps in the road, you stress them a lot less. Some of that is learned by doing, so you'll probably be rougher on them at first. If you choose a bike, ask the shop to double-check that the spokes have even and proper tension. I'd just ride the stock wheels and ride them until you start damaging them, if you ever do, and worry about that later.

Otherwise, you'll want at least one bottle cage, and a cheap one will do, and at least one water bottle. You'll also want a pump if you don't have one (most LBS bikes will have presta valves instead of Schrader, so if you have one already make sure it works with what you get), and spare tube and a few tools like a tire iron or two (cheap). I carry a Park Tools pouch with allen wrenches covering the sizes I'd need on the road which also came with a couple tire irons. I don't carry a pump on the road, but that's a choice - I prefer a CO2 filler and a few cartridges. You can get a CO2 filler pretty inexpensively, but if your LBS doesn't have a cheaper option there's always Red Rock Minnesota. I'm not worried about needing anything else, even on really long (100+ mile) rides, though I will carry a second spare tube. I carry my wallet/a little cash and a credit card in a ziplock bag in a pocket. A dollar bill has multiple uses - for example, it's a pretty good tire boot if you cut a sidewall of a tire and need to stick something in there to hold the tube in place. Some of the people I ride with make little rolls of a 2-3 feet of duct tape as another emergency tool.

I'd recommend some bike shorts at some point in the future (mountain bike shorts work if you're not ready for Lycra until such a time as you start riding more and more miles - at that point you don't want anything that can rub on your skin). A jersey is nice, but if you don't need the rear pockets wicking t-shirts from Walmart or wherever are just fine, and are inexpensive.

If the saddle on the bike feels bad immediately, ask the shop if they have some take-offs that you switch to. Sometimes you can swap one for another without any extra cost.

mattgil

Thanks for the reply guys! I did hear something about the wheels but didn't know the details to ask about. I know I am going to get a ton of gear eventually (what I love about sports), but I wanted to just start with a bike, helmet and maybe riding shorts if it is necessary for comfort I am concerned about comfort as I do want to enjoy the rides. For the first month or so I was probably just going to ride around my neighborhood there is a couple 2 mile loops I can do some laps on with some hills to get my legs under me. Later this simmer I would worry about getting all the other odds and ends like locks and other stuff like that. I'm not firm at $600 but definitely want it below 700, just didn't want to walk in and try to get outfitted for Tour de France and spend $2000.

mattgil

Thanks kc0bbq that is great advice! The commute to work according to google maps is up 318 ft and down 472 which is broken into about 4-5 hills, so at least the ride to work is the easier one. No sure if that constitutes hilly or not really.

jsigone

If you're in Socal, I'd suggest something like this and they have lifetime warranty
Cannondale Synapse Aluminum Sora - Trek Bicycle Superstore

upgrade the wheels later if you find breaking spokes to be a problem. You can always ask for the LBS to hand true the wheels before you take it home.

Bare min to ride:
Helmet
Flat tire kit (2tubes, patch kit, hand pump or C02 pump) ----or a wife to play taxi
Padded shorts are a MUST. Wear them under baggy gym shorts if you want. But do wear them.

rfmarotti

I think $600 is ambitious for bike+basic gear from an LBS. Any friends with a passing familiarity with bikes who could help you with a CL search? I know a lot of riders in this forum have started with older rigid mountain bikes picked up from CL, often for $150 or less. Those frames are built like tanks. Put some slicks on them and you should be good to go for awhile.

MRT2

Sounds like your are on the right track. At 6'4", you will probably need at least a 22.5", and possibly a 25" frame, which is the largest you can get in a stock frame. Don't let anyone try to sell you any smaller, as you will feel scrunched up like a clown riding a tiny bike.

At 300 lbs, stock wheels might be a concern, especially going forward. If you start busting spokes, then you know you will eventually need to get stronger wheels for your frame, but I would say to try the stock wheels out first and see how it goes.

I agree $600 for bike and accessories are tough, but doable. I would stretch the budget and go one level or two better in bikes to start out. Something like the Trek FX 7.4, Specialized Sirrus, Jamis Coda Sport, or Giant Escape 1 are all good options. You will probably have to get the largest size in any of these bikes.

As for getting started, at a minimum, you need a helmet, spare tube or patch kit, tire levers, floor pump, and frame pump or CO2 cartridges, for repairs on the road. Up to you whether you want to buy those at the bike shop or look online. Maybe good karma to try to get all that stuff initially at a bike shop, but you can save a few bucks if you buy accessories online.

If you buy from the bike shop, they might discount these things a little, maybe 10% because you are buying a bike there. If you go the online route, you can save another 20% off that, if you know what to look for. This is roughly what you can expect to pay at a bike shop.

Helmet - $35 to $50
Tube - $7
Patch kit - $3
Tire levers - $5
frame pump - $30
Floor pump - $40

So if you went with the Specialized or the Jamis, you might get in just above your $600 budget before tax.

Then you can really start accessorizing. Here are a few things you will eventually want.
Lock - $30
Shorts - $30 to $100 (really varies)
Jersey - $30 to $60
Windbreaker - $30 to $100
Gloves - $25
Eyewear - $10 to $100 (some are fine with cheap sunglasses or clear protective lenses, others like high end bike specific gear)
Clipless pedals and shoes - $100 to $150
Replacement saddle (only if the stock saddle is uncomfortable) - $25 to $150 (really varies)

coney462

Find a Giant dealer and check out the escape 2. $ 480 for the 2016 model. If you ccan find a dealer with a left over 2015 you can easily get 10-15 % off.

jmls1994

I was in the same boat. I ended up with a Giant Escape 3. Really like the bike, only $350 out the door. Bought my wife a Trek FX 7.2, she loves hers. I will warn you though, it's easy to fall in love with riding, and with that you'll want to upgrade pretty quickly! I've been going back and fourth the last 2 months on which drop bar bike I'm getting. Ride a bunch of bikes including some drop bar bikes. I think they are actually more comfortable. It might actually save you money in the long run to buy a better bike now. Good luck & enjoy whatever you get.

mattgil

Sounds like you guys really like the Giant as well, there is a LBS about 30min away that carries Giant, Scott and Haro BMX bikes (Haro was actually the last bike I bought back in freshmen year of high school haha). Both no shop around me stocks all 3, I was originally zoning in on Specialized and Trek as I have heard a lot of great things and the shop in my town has those and is a pretty big shop. Do you guys think it is really worth going to the Giant dealer first, or is something from Trek or Specialized good?

I definitely know about the addiction to equipment in sports, I am a big golfer and have had more sets in the last 10 years than I care to add up, actually ended up getting a weekend job in golf to support my club habit. That is the reason I am not looking to spend too much right now, I want to just get a good quality bike I can get comfortable on and start getting back into shape and knowing myself if I get into it would not be surprised if I am spending $1200 on a new bike in a year or 2. Just cant warrant that expense before I ever start riding.

dr_lha

Trek, Specialized and Giant make good bikes, they're the top three mainstream bikeshop brands. Giant has a reputation of giving you a bit more "bang for your buck" than Trek or Spesh. If you have a Jamis dealer nearby, definitely check out the Coda Sport, it's a great bike with a tough steel frame that will be Clyde friendly.

Your best bet is to go to your local bike shops and talk to them. The brand really doesn't matter, if they're sold in a good bike shop, the bikes will be of good quality regardless of brand name (as opposed to bikes sold in say, Wal-mart or Target).

MRT2

A horse a piece, really. Make a few calls and see who actually has a bike in your size, which will be XL or 25 inches. Bikes shops usually won't carry as many big and small sizes as they will average sizes.

Brand isn't as important as quality, fit, and customer service.

As for what to spend on a bike, go with the best bike you think you can justify. If you really think you might want something in the $1,200 price range in just a year or two, maybe consider buying something used for a couple of hundred just to get your feet wet, rather than spending $500 or $600 on a bike that will depreciate by 50% the day you ride it out of the store.

mattgil

Made a trip to the LBS today, called during the week and they did have a Specialized Sirrus in stock in XL and also a Cannondale Quick 5 I think and tried both of them. Both were pretty similar I thought, not having ridden in years wasn't as in tune with the details of the bike as much as just riding but the Specialized felt and (and was a bit less expensive). We went through a quick fitting and was actually surprised that the saddle felt alright so I didn't worry about getting anything different. Only had a chance to do a quick 2 mile loop around my neighborhood but felt pretty good, gearing was plenty low enough to get my big self over a couple hills now I just have to get some more time in and work on getting my legs under me.

BigMo59

That's a good looking ride. May it bring you many miles of joy!

DMC707

Good looking machine ! ---- I'm glad you found something your size ! Have fun with it -- buying new means you can take it back for a tune up after a few rides and they can check out the wheels to make sure they are still spinning true for you

ColaJacket

Congratulations on getting your ride.

You will have to take the bike in after about 100 miles or so, because the cables stretch, and the gears have to be readjusted. When you do, make sure they check the tension on the spokes, as those are normally the weak point for a clyde.

GH