Originally Posted by roseparade

Hey all,

I'm new here, and new to the world of (semi-)serious cycling. I broke my second axl on a cheap cruiser yesterday (after already sinking a lot of extra $$ into repairs/replacements) and I've been inspired to make the jump to something better suited to my needs.

I'm 6'1", 300lbs., and ride (commuting) mainly on the shoddy streets of Toronto. From what I've discovered through researching, a suitable bike is going to set me back around $1000 CDN (approx. $850 US), and this is about the most I'd like to spend. But I'm also open to cheaper choices...just haven't come across any.

After trips to a couple LBS' today and suggestions from their knowledgeable employees, here's what I'm looking at:

2006 Kona Hoss Dee-lux ($1000 CDN)
2007 Kona Dr Dew ($1100 CDN)
2007 Specialized Globe City 6.1

The guy at the LBS that recommend those second, commuter bikes said that the Hoss would be fine, but possibly overkill/needlessly heavy for city riding. And after riding, I did enjoy the lightness of those two bikes. Alternately, the guy at the LBS that recommended the Hoss said it's basically the only bike out there that can handle my weight at that price. Considering it's on sale, it seems like a better deal than the other two.

Thoughts on these recommendations/prices? Is the Hoss needlessly heavy for my requirements? Any other suggestions?

Thanks so much in advance! And sorry if I've missed another similar thread...I tried to find one, but most content seems to be MTB-related.