athenarider

Hello everyone,

For my birthday I've decided to give myself the gift of health! I want to start riding a bike and losing weight but have no clue where to start. I have read some of the forums here and so far understand i need a certain spoke count, not sure about frame material, I'm guessing steel. I weigh around 320lbs and 5'6. i would be riding mainly on smooth road/bikelanes, few hills nothing major. I scouted my local craigslist and bike store webpages and came up with a few choices solely based on brands I recognized people have talked about, no specific model though just brand, in other words I have no clue what I'm picking except it looks like a good deal and comes from a bike store rather then walmart. (not that i have anything against walmart bikes, just from posts it seemed to be discouraged for persons of my size) Also not sure if I should be looking for a cruiser/comfort, hybrid or mountain?

https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/n...367859473.html
(the shock absorbing fork at front scares me like it will snap under my weight but that may be all in my head lol)

https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/n...365037308.html

https://revolutioncycles.com/product/...00-58575-1.htm

Not really picky on "latest model" or even getting a used bike, the bikes above will i have to replace things to accommodate my size? Thank you for any help/suggestions, sorry if i mumbled on. Thanks!

steve0257

Personal preference here. I loathe and detest suspension forks and seat posts for riding on the road. Every time is hit the brakes the fork would dip and it felt like I was going to dive over the handlebars. And the suspension seat post made adjusting the saddle tricky. Also, I am not a big fan of plush saddles. Get a saddle that is a little firmer with less padding.

jyossarian

Good gift to yourself! The first two mtbs would be good beginner bikes for mtbing. For on street use, the shocks don't do much except make the bike heavier. The hybrid is probably your best bet for relaxed riding and comfort on streets and paths. It's also got a bit more utility and practicality since you can add a rack, panniers and a front basket. The suspension post is kinda useless, but you can replace that. You won't be able to do wheelies on it or jump much of anything though. Being able to pop the front wheel up is useful when hopping obstructions or curbs.

Rhodabike

You don't necessarily have to have a steel frame, aluminum bikes are plenty strong enough. Personally, I like the feel of a steel bike, but that's personal preference.
I agree with steve0257 about suspension forks, they just eat your pedaling energy. If you're not hopping over massive tree roots and rocks out on a trail somewhere, you don't need them.

thcri

If you fit on one and feel comfortable get it. I would imagine your plan is to lose a lot of weight and when you do anything you get now will not be a good bike for you so don't spend a lot now. Just get out and ride. Start saving and looking to reward yourself in a year or two with a real nice bike that is suited to your style of riding.

Arvadaman

Since you are wanting to ride street, paths, take a look at a Jamis Coda Femme.
I think this would be a nice bike for you to begin with. Nice steel frame.

Another very nice starter option might be a Trek 7.2 FX WSD.

Or if you can find something similar to one of these used.

MichaelW

The MTB options will works but so will "hybrid" style bikes with 700c wheels.
Aluminium is plenty strong enough. The suspension fork is not neccessary on the road or even on most easy trails.
Look for the following features:
Sufficient step-through for your requirements.
Correct size frame.
Frame with threaded eyelets for attaching rear luggage rack, fenders and water bottle. You can get clamp-on accessories but the bolt-on versions are much better.
Tyre clearance for wide-enough tyres In MTB that will be no problem. For hybrid style bikes, 38-40mm max tyre size is good enough. You can always fit narrower ones and smooth pattern treads are much more efficient.
Most entry-level bikes come with 3x8 speed gearing which good for everyday use.
The advised Trek model 7.2 FX WSD has no step-through design but is a nicely specced entry-level bike.

Rhodabike

Buying from a good bike shop is a good idea for a newbie for several reasons:
- They can set the bike up to fit you. Poor fit is uncomfortable at best, potentially injury-causing at worst.
- The bike is properly put together. Chain stores such as Walmart hire cheap hourly labor to slap their bikes together as quickly as possible. A friend of my husband was nearly killed when the brakes on his brand new, improperly assembled department store bike seized up the first time he braked hard.
- A new bike from a shop will usually have some kind of warranty, and some will tell you to bring it back after a month for adjustments. Shops that take trade-in bikes may have similar, shorter warranties on used bikes.
Haunt a few shops to get a feel for whether the shop is the right one for you. A large show room isn't necessarily a sign of the best shop, A shop that's more general-purpose is probably better for your current needs than a race-oriented one. You should be made to feel welcome and not pressured into buying something quickly. Good luck!

athenarider

Thank you all for your help thus far, I visited a local bike shop today wasn't a very good visit, didn't really have any help so I just sat on a few, one thing I noticed was it felt like my knee was just about hitting me in my gut, and uncomfortably going high when the pedal was at the highest point, i felt like one of those clowns riding a super small bike lol. Is this just a "being big" problem or did I happen to choose all the wrong types. Thank you for any help

Arvadaman

You need to be able to go to a shop where someone is willing to take you seriously and is willing to help you pick out the the correct size bike. Some bike shops do not take clydes/athenas seriously and may ignore you thinking you are not worth the time or effort as a customer.

I am guessing that the bikes you sat on either had the seats adjusted too low or were
too small for you. You need to find a shop where they will help you get properly fitted to a bike. You will not be hitting youself in the gut if you are on a properly fitted bicycle.

athenarider

Gonna go visit another bike shop today, try a trek out. Seems to be a fav on these forums

goldfinch

Athenarider, I tried out a Trek7.3 today. Very nice bike. My husband likes his seven speed Navigator and he finds it very comfortable. Two very different styles of hybrids.

Basz

The above advise for me was right on. I worked with a LBS that let me take out as many bikes as I wanted. I never thought there could be that much difference in similar bikes. It made all the difference being able to ride the different bikes.

I read a lot of the post here before I bought and it really paid off. I am very happy with my Trek 7.3.

SeaDawg

Yay to you! We made a decision over a month ago to do the same. I've described our rides in my blog, and as you can see, we're uber-beginners, but it's been fantastic!

What helped me most, once I realized that regular bikes will be fine for me, was getting out to some of our local shops just to look around, get the lay of the land of modern bikes (lock-out forks and mechanical disc brakes, what?), and get on and ride some. I found test riding the bikes reassuring because I loved riding the bikes, and it just reaffirmed that this was a good idea.

I test rode a Specialized Ariel, Electra Townie, and Giant Roam 1. I felt that I had to work too hard on a Townie compared to the other bikes. I liked both the Specialized and the Giant bikes, but we got a better deal on the Giant, so that's what we got. So get out there and see what you like!

Then make sure you get a good fitting. Our LBS has a bike fitter who spent about 40 mins. with each of us. I ended up getting a new saddle that I LOVE. The fitting is important b/c if you're not comfortable on your bike, you won't ride it - so make sure whatever you get fits.

Then, come back and show us pics of what you get!

P.S. We found that the Trek bikes with the same components we wanted were much more expensive than Giant and Specialized, so we didn't go that route.

athenarider

Finally bought my bike thx to all of you who helped Gonna pick it up today, shop didn't have time to adjust everything yesterday Decided on the Trex FX 7.2 WSD, test rode it everything seemed comfortable, the associate assured me the 32 spoke count would be ok for my 310ish pounds, i was skeptical at first reading on here i should have 36, seat had some minor discomfort but I'm assuming my tush needs a lil time to get used to it, the only real discomfort i noticed after about 10 min was the pedals, it especially irritated one of my knees, it felt super tiny and had to keep my foot super straight to stay on it. I don't foresee a bike shoe just yet (if you all think it would be better i would reconsider because i know nothing on pros/cons of pedal/shoe/clips) I noticed nashbar has been mentioned a few times in the forums and they seem to be having a "pedal mania" sale, can anyone recommend a decent pedal that would accommodate some minor knee pain or what I should be looking for in a pedal? Thank you all so much for the support and help, it has truly given me a much needed motivation boost!

goldfinch

Good choice! Congratulations!

I am not going to get clipless pedals (where cleats in your special bike shoes clip in) or toe clips (the straps that hold you foot to the pedal). I don't feel like falling and I am not convinced of their benefit.

I'd also ask at the bike shop about the pedals. Be sure to have the bike shop help you fit the bike to you, getting the seat and and handlebars in the right position.

jyossarian

Congrats! Post pics! It's a rule. Read the TOS.

Re: pedals. Don't bother w/ clipless. You don't need them yet. That's because you don't know what's causing the knee problems. If the pedal is small and you have to force your foot to stay straight, you might be torquing your knee. The pedal needs to allow your foot to rest naturally while it rotates/swivels as you pedal. If you meant to say you have to force your feet to stay flat, you might need shims to allow your feet to angle in so you're not stressing the knee out. Also, it could be your saddle position. It might need to be adjusted forward or backwards so your knee is over the pedal spindle (KOPS).

When you pick it up, they should adjust the saddle height/tilt/fore & aft position, pedals, brake lever reach, etc. You can tell them you want an upgrade or swap if the pedals aren't big enough for you. They usually have a box of old pedals laying around that they can swap on at no charge. If you need shims, they should be able to order some. Same w/ the saddle. Have them use the Specialized measuring thing to figure out how wide your saddle needs to be, then determine if the saddle you have is wide enough. You can ask for a swap/upgrade if you see something better, like a Terry Cite X or something. See the other Seat thread in here for more info/suggestions. It takes about 2 weeks/10 solid 1 hr rides for your bum to get used to sitting on a saddle. Carry some tools to adjust the saddle as you ride to find the right position. If after that, it still hurts, consider a different saddle.

Good luck!

Onedayrider

I Agree - when the shop sets you up, it should be set to your body so knee probelms might go away or at least lessen.

Something else to bear in mind - most new riders tend to use too high of a gear because they feel like they get more energy transfer and power. This is a common mistake amongst clydes/athenas especially, because believe it or not, we have much stronger leg muscles than smaller people.. Be sure to use your gears to get about 80 strokes or more per minute on the pedals. This is a bigtime knee saver!

Sounds like you got a great bike!
Enjoy, Andy

Rhodabike

One style of pedal that might work for you is the pegged bmx style platform pedal. It looks like this.
https://www.jrbicycles.com/storefront...productId=1763
As long as you're wearing a shoe with at least 1/4" of soft squishy material in the sole, the little steel studs dig in and give you lots of grip. I used SPD for 6 years on my old commuter bike and never really liked them. This style of pedal came with my new commuter and I love the way it works with almost any shoe and gives me almost as much grip as the SPDs did. For stop and go in-town traffic, they're perfect.
Onedayrider is right, you don't want to be pushing down hard on the pedals. The idea of using a pedal that gives you a good grip is, you can use the hamstring muscles in one leg to pull back and up at the same time the other leg is pushing forward and down. This divides the load up between the front and back of the leg and avoids overstressing the knee joints.