ovrrdrive

6'4" at 270, I started riding a walmart mb for about a year until it just about fell apart then made the step to a roadie with a Windsor Knight from BD last year. I never really got used to the roadie thing and as such that bike sat in the garage for most of the year. Just last week I got a Motobecane Fantom Trail DS and so far I'm loving it. We did a 3 hour ride last weekend at Santos here in Ocala and I didn't have any trouble with the bike at all. I just don't think being on a roadbike and laying on my stomach all the time was working for me. The MB thing was much more relaxed and enjoyable at least for me.

PlatyPius

That's exactly how I used to feel until I bought a road bike that actually fit me and had a professional fit done.

vXhanz

'08 Specialized Allez Elite @ 5'11" 278lbs

No problems thus far with the bike itself, though even small potholes/bumps knock the wheels out of true on long rides.

V

redvespablur

6'4'' 285 1 year on a Surly Cross-Check, prior to that on a Jamis Hybrid, Surly holding up great

SalminSam

5'11" 277 Bikes are listed below:

2007 Orbea Onix TDF "Ultegra", CXP-22/Vittoria Rubino Pro 700Cx23,
2008 Orbea Aqua "Ultegra" Mavic Aksium/Vittoria Rubino Pro 700Cx23 Mostly used on a trainer right now.

mesasone

Add another Surly LHT to the list. I weighed 345 last June and got the LHT in July... have had few problems with it. Just two broken spokes, and I broke the chain somehow. I think the chain was more of an oddity than anything else. Great bike.

I'm not sure how light I've gotten since I discovered the scale I was using at work was wildly inaccurate. I have definitely put on more weigh over the winter as I've cut my riding back to commuting only. I hoped on another, mechanical, scale at work the other day and it said 330 :x

PlatyPius

So far what I'm seeing is a lot of guys who weigh close to 300 pounds (or over, like me) who are riding "normal' bikes with normal wheels and not having any problems. Is any of this "Get 36, 40, 48 spoke wheels!" stuff really even necessary? I weigh 301 as of today (down from 320 2 weeks ago) and I rode a pair of Reynolds Altas all last year with no issues at all. They went with my Masi when I sold it, unfortunately, and had about 2000 trouble-free miles on them. I never even trued them.

In fact, in 14 years of riding mountain and road bikes, and always weighing over 270, I've never even broken a spoke. The only real failure I've ever had was 2 tacoed wheels when I landed a jump wrong on my Cannondale and separated my shoulder (all three attachment points! w00t!)

So is all this caution and "upgrading" I see really necessary?

bonzojohns1962

336 lbs...6ft 10ins..xl giant terrago
maqrk
uk

bigfred 

It depends.

It depends on riding style, local road/trail conditions and expectations. Road riding in warm climates that don't suffer winter road wear, lack storm water drains, sewer and water manhole covers, without steep hills, railroad crossings, etc. is going to lead to better wheel wear than the opposite. Additionally, riding style will play a huge part. Riding light on the saddle and allowing you wheels to flow up and over or down through and back up will save a lot of wear and tear as will proper tire inflation. From personal experience, 2 years riding in Florida and 7 years in Bermuda never resulted in the need for a truing. 2 months on the urban streets of Auckland and my rear (36, 14ga, 3x, OpenPro) is ready for a touch up. I have some pretty old custom wheels cluttering my life that are still in really ridable condition, but not a single pair of old factory wheels that are still ridable. I've also broken spokes on serious climbs, snap chains, broke pedal spindle, strip pawls in a free wheel, taco'ed wheels, etc. You're willingness to suffer more frequent maintenance and/or failure will factor heavily in the decision as to where to draw your personal "light vs durable" line in the sand.

Offroad? There's a monumental gap between gravel paved parkways or rail to trails and serious rock garden decents and drops. Everyone has to figure out what will work for their intended purpose and style.

At our weights, none of us are going to be contending for anything more than a PB in any race. So, why would we need the additional performance of lighter weight or aero wheels?

Additionally, I can say that my wheels and bicycle have garnered for me a degree of respect from shops and rides that I've walked or ridden into. Even the most sparrow like of bike mechanics/riders will look at my "made for work" wheels and the the other qualities of my bike(180 cranks, thomson post, stout bars) and either assume or enquire if, "You ride a lot?" I've recognized what my bike is for and it represents a no nonsense fitness machine and not a wanna'be attempted at being GL, LA, et al. I believe that has resulted in me and my ride getting more respect than if I or it were trying to be something we are not.

Fastflyingasian

i have a full CF fuji CCR1 which i had since i was close to 300 pounds. i have rode that all the way down to 238 in november. since then i have bought a surly pacer and i am back up to 260 from the 2 month layoff in anything related to athletic type activities. the ONLY problem i had with the fuji is the rear rim. it took a year, but because the low spoke count i finally started poping spokes.

Bearonabike

At 370, I had a Trek 7100 hybrid with a rear wheel rebuilt to a 4 cross lacing pattern. Performed well. Still ride it but now, I sometimes ride my vintage Fuji S-10S.

Theologic Bear

I am 6'1" 315 lbs. I ride an '09 Gary Fisher Piranha. I got it a month ago and have put 270 miles on it. I took it to the LBS where I bought it for the free 30 day check/tune up. The guy said that everything looked good and that the wheels needed only minor truing. I'm very satisfied with it.

WhiteSSP

6'1 285lbs, I ride a Windsor Hour fixed gear bicycle.

Griffin2020

I am 6'2", 360# (down from 385#) I currently own and ride two different bikes. My road bike is a Specialized Allez. I have only had it about a week and a half, and have only put about 50 miles on it, but I absolutely love it so far.

I also have a Fuji Sagres hybrid that has served me well. The Fuji's frame is a little tall for me, but is very rugged.

Mt_Top

Rans Citi Crank Forward. Been riding for the last 5+ years, gained 5 lbs last year (2500+ miles).

jferna

6' 285 lbs. 07 specialized hardrock sport, 07 scott sportster p5 (sold it when i got =>), 08 specialized roubaix triple....

bbeck

im 340# 6' i ride a 2008 Specialized Sequoia Elite with stock everything. i dont have as many miles under my belt as some of these guys but it is holding up well. i made my first ride of the year today it was great just a nine mile round trip on a mup. good luck on your decisions.

paul43

I'm 320# and I ride a set of==VOLUS==from Cane Creek Products
https://www.canecreek.com/==they have the spokes reversed with the tightening nuts at the hub--the spokes are also--STRAIGHT PULL--to the rim. No bend at all on the spoke. The spoke looks basically like a long skinny nail with threads on the end.
Look good, Lightweight & carries my fat rear end around.

Nice people to deal with--call them up and talk to them and tell them your situation and they will fix you up.

Also you can try Mike Garcia at "Odds and Endos" wheel building in St Petersburg, Fl.(1-866)292-0124 I went over to see his operation and to talk to him and learned more about wheels, hubs, & spokes in the 2 hours I was there than I thought possible. He can get any wheel/hub/spoke combination you want and will suggest the right one for you---probably would build you a 75 spoker if you needed one.
https://www.oddsandendos.com/main.sc;...3.qscstrfrnt02

jubal117

I am up to 285 again and up until last year I was riding my 16 year old Trek 820. It started giving me a lot of problems that weren't worth fixing, so I bought a new bike this year. I have over 150 miles on it so far, and it is due to go back to the LBS for some adjustments, but man is this bike sweet compared to my last one.

https://www.raleighusa.com/bikes/mountain/mojave-8/

The main reasons I got this is because it has a lockout shock, it is a little longer than other bikes I tried and it has pretty nice components for the 640.00 I paid for it.

Jerry in So IL

I'm currently on a Giant OCR2. First roadie that I could comfortablely ride. Upgraded to 32x heavy duty tires and put on my rack and trunk bag. Light and nibble.

Jerry

d18rc

I was 5-11 and 270 when I started riding a Trek 1000. After 2300 miles and 35 less pounds, never had a problem. I changed to 105 brakes, put on a new seat, handlebars, and tires (700 X 28 Gatorskins), but everything else is still stock and trouble free. It's now my winter bike and I have replaced it with a Specialized Roubaix and added a Surly LHT (hopefully to do the Silver Comet this summer).

RC in Chattanooga

barndoor

6'7" 275#

I ride a special order 2006 Waterford R14.....steel frame, carbon fork, seatpost....

Mavic Deep V Velocity 36 hole wheels.....you can hop curbs with 'em....

Jynx

I started at 292lbs on a 2006 Lemond Reno.

Rodjs

283# on a 07' Trek 820, 21" Frame.Over single track, 25 miles to work and back daily all last summer, Its doing great! No problems to report.

buttmonkey

6'2" and 260 when I started in Oct. Took a month or so off because of weather and work and just getting back to pedaling again. '08 Giant FCR1 has been good to me. Rack and I carry lots of junk around, be it groceries or tools for my job or who knows what. Switched to Specialized Armadillo tires also but no real changes otherwise.