Originally Posted by
DJDeep
Hi Guys -
I can't say how much I appreciate this forum and this group especially. I've been reading everything I can for the past 3 weeks trying to figure out how to get into road biking and what I should start with.
About me:
I'm 6'2" and about 270lbs. My friends and I have signed up for the MS150 from Houston to Austin, TX in April. Before this, I had never really been interested in bicycles or knew what the difference between Ultegra and Tiagra were. Through this site I feel I've learned a lot, but still have a long way to go.
Since we are about 3 months away from this race, I know I need to get on to the training and need to purchase my bike.
As of now, I'm leaning towards a 2010 Fuji Roubaix ACR 2.0. I'm getting what I think is an ok deal of $999 from Performance Bike via a price match.
I test drove the bike for about an hour last week along with a few others. After sizing properly, I do feel comfortable on the bike and I don't really know how to explain it, but it just "felt good".
Due to my size, I am wary of buying a bike and making a bad choice. I just wanted to double check with the experts on this forum before I made the purchase later this week. Since I don't have any experience with a purchase like this, is there something I should be looking for specifically whether it be in sizing, feel or possibly a different brand/model of bike that might be more Clydesdale friendly?
If you guys have any suggestions/tips/advice for a first time Clydesdale before picking up my first bike - I am more than thankful in advance.
Again - thanks for the great advice, and I hope to be a long time learner/student on this forum.
-
Deep
The most important thing is fit, the bike needs to feel good, it also is a good idea to get a professional fitting. Beyond fit, the next issue is wheels, the wheels need to have the proper spoke tension. Spoke tension is not an actual number, it's a range of values, the maximum value is fixed and depends on the strength of the hub and rim, the minimum value floats around. A lightweight rider with a lot of spokes can have a very wide range, the heavier the rider and the lower the spoke count, the smaller the range. The smaller the range, the more experienced the person doing the adjusting needs to be. I wouldn't count on the guys at performance, being experienced enough at wheel building to set up those wheels for a rider your size. You really should take the bike to a wheel builder to get that done, preferably you get the fitting done and the wheels done. before you ride or ride very far.