General Cycling Discussion - Looking for a new bike

I have been looking at the Trek 7700 fx, does anyone have any information on it. I am a big guy (280 lbs) but ride around 100 miles a week on paved roads only. Will the bike hold up to my weight? What about the bontrager select wheels?

I don't know about that specific bike, but I think youll be fine as long as you...
1) stay away from low-spoke count wheels. Ksyrium wheels are supposed to be OK for us clydesdales, but I haven't tried em.
2) I think we are supposed to stay away from Carbon-Fiber bike parts. I guess they aren't made to haul the load.

I have an old road bike that I got for <$150. It has suited me real well so far. I was afraid of the "skinny" road bike because of my weight, but the folks here @ BikeForums and my LBS assured me I'd be ok. Thank goodness they did. I am fully hooked now. I can't wait to get down to my next goal weight of 250 so I can get my new bike as a reward.

Oh, I almost forgot... I am 294. Weight Watchers and biking has me down from my all time high of 424.

Welcome to the forums.

ChipR.

Chip,
Kudos on the weight loss! That is pretty amazing! cycling actually makes exercise fun, doesn't it?
Regards,
Raymond
(Another gravitationally-challenged roadie)

Thanx Rayman,
Yes it does... Of course, I look ridiculous in my roadie kit, on my skinny little bike, but hey, it aint a fashion show :D

ChipR,

Thanks for the help, and great job on the weight loss!!!! I have set a goal to ride the HH 100 in Wichita Falls this summer and I just about worn my old mountain bike out and was looking for some kind of nice hybrid style bike, do you have any idea's of a good one?

Hi,
you have some choices. Take a look at the Specialized Seqouia Expert, the trek 520, and there a number of Bianchis to consider. I am not entirely certain that Specialized will be beefy enough for you. The Trek 520 is a touring bike with a long top tube. Both are around a grand; you didn't mention a price;that's a good starting point. Bianchi makes a flat bar road bike called the Strada. It's only around $800, and my major beef against it is the high bottom bracket. Try a number of different bikes, and see if one diesn't really stand out as a great bike. Here is a link to a bike I rode and loved. It's an awesome bike, if pricey.
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/habanero.html

I am a very rookie rider. I have only been on a bike seriously since early September. I will, however relate what I've learned as my situation was very similar to yours.
I started out on a Roadmaster rigid mountain bike that my wife and I bought about 10 yrs ago but never really rode.
The weight loss had really started to slow down so we NEEDED to start an exersize program, so out came the bikes. They seemed like pretty good bikes. We rode 5 miles a day at first. When we got up to 10 miles a day, I started thinking about a new bike. Because of my weight, I was pretty sure I needed a mountain bike, but we only rode on pavement. The LBS introduced me to hybrids and comfort bikes. I tried out a Raleigh and a Cannondale. I did not like either of them. I bought slicks for the Roadmasters. Soon we cracked the 20 mile barrier. I decided then that the bikes needed tune-ups at a minimum, so I brought them into the LBS. While we were there we noticed 2 used road bikes for sale. An 80's model Panasonic and an early 90's Specialized Sirrus. The Panasonic was $100, the Sirrus $125. Tune-ups were 50+ parts. We decided to hold off on the tune ups and test ride the road bikes (they both needed new tires, so we had to wait a day or 2). By this time I had learned, thru the help of the fine folks here @ BF, that I COULD ride a roadie. I gave it a shot. I nearly wrecked the thing on the test ride. I never thought there could have been such a difference in handling between bikes. After about 5 miles, I figured out how to stay upright and I was hooked for life. At the beginning of October, one week after getting the road bikes, My wife and I did a metric century here in West Palm Beach.
Since then I have test ridden a couple other bikes. A different model Raleigh comfort bike and, last week, a Cannondale R400 road bike. Nope. I didn't like them either. I also gave my old Roadmaster to my brother-in-law a couple weeks ago. I rode it around one last time for nostalgia. I almost wrecked because the thing didn't want to turn.:rolleyes:

Now that I've spouted off the opening chapter to my cycling autobiography, I'll actually get to the question you asked.
Get thee to a bike shop and toss a leg over a bunch of bikes. See what you like. If you are going to strictly stay on pavement, I think you should consider trying some road bikes as well as the hybrids. A nice steel frame bike, a good quality seat, a decent pair of bike shorts and some 25mm tires and you won't miss the seatpost shock at all. When I go to look at new bikes in a few months, I am giving dibs to Specialized. I like my old bike so much that they will be the first I test ride. I like the Allez line for road bikes and if I had to ride a hybrid I would definitely give the new style Sirrus (flat-bar road bike) a look see.
But you'll never know for sure until you get on them and try 'em out. And make absolutely double sure you get a bike that fits properly.

Sorry for the ridiculous length of this post, I just felt like spouting.

ChipR

Originally posted by northtex
ChipR,

Thanks for the help, and great job on the weight loss!!!! I have set a goal to ride the HH 100 in Wichita Falls this summer and I just about worn my old mountain bike out and was looking for some kind of nice hybrid style bike, do you have any idea's of a good one?

Buy a road bike not a Hybrid!!!! as Another clydesdale that ride road, my advise is buy the best, prettiest bike you can afford. There is nothing like a $3000+ bike to make you really work at feeling worth being seen on it.

All the modern frames can take the strain that you load up on it.
I haven't seen 240# in several years and ride an aluminum canondale with ultegra and 28spoke rims. I have my old steel paramount that I have put about 20,000 to 25,000 miles on and have never broken a spoke.

Buy a bike that fits and spend every penny that momma will let you on it...you will not regret it.

I will see you at the HHH, I will be easy to recognize....252#, wheezing with asthma, oversized jellybelly jersey, Canondale Triathalon bike and my big shadow cast over LOTEK and several over forum riders. Can't wait to meet you.

Come spring we will be planning several ride meets along the texas/Oklahoma border.

Terry

I would like to thank everyone, the advice is great, I like the phrase "clydesdale". Now I'm not real sure what to do, like I said I was looking at the hybrids but now I guess I need to go to some of the bike shops here in the Dallas/Fort worth area and take a look at some of the road bikes. With all this said, whats a good road bike around 1000.00, (moma has set the limit around that) and what should I be looking for???

1OLDROADIE,

I would be interested in some rides in southern OK, if you could let me know and I will see if I can drag a couple of my riding buddies along!!

Hi,
I get to answer the easy questions :) Ideally, buy a bike that says to you...'Hey guy, let's do 200 miles a week'. I would avoid extremes. Extremely expensive, extremely cheap, extremely bentover, or completely upright. This is a little like looking for sneakers. You want something that fits, looks good, and is a good choice for your activity. It can be a confusing buzz of information, bottom line, buy what fits, doesn't kill your budget, and make sure it's domething you want to spend a lot of time on.
Oh yeah, there's no tearing hurry.

I agree with others. But be sure re the road bike or the hybrid. Specialized makes a "flat bar road bike" (Sirrus) or the Allez line of compact geometry road bikes are mighty fine too. You can get into something pretty darn good for $700 to $1000 with those models.

If you're not used to drop handle bars, realize that it does take some getting used to. The pay off may be a few months down the road, but it offers you more hand positions overall and actually more comfort after you get used to it. It may take awhile.

On the hybrid Sirrus you are sitting more upright, but with a compact geometry you'll have a little less bending forward on a roadie.

The old adage is "get a road bike, not a hybrid 'cause you'll just want a road bike later the more you ride." I tend to agree, but different strokes for different folks, as they say.

Congrats on your awesome progress thus far!! Ride on in good health and best regards..

I absolutely agree on giving serious consideration to a road bike. I've been riding a hybrid since this past spring, and the road bike lust began soon after I started. Had my old road bike been worth fixing (early '70s French, mass produced, few available parts), I'd have that thing on the road in a jiffy. This coming spring, this coming spring...

A few pieces of advice from another 'big guy':

1. I would go with a road bike - parodoxically, despite my size, I felt MORE stable and in control on a road bike. Therefore, I was much more willing to go out on streets, next to traffic, etc.

2. Drop bars kick a** -- but most likely you will want the stem up pretty high so you are sitting back more. This puts more weight back on your seat area, and less weight pressing down on your hands. If you are too far forward, you put a lot of weight on the hands and it will hurt. Even in the proper position, the hands will need to get used to the drop bars - but that is why it is great that there are so many different hand positions available.

A lot of the new bikes come with the stem low - and the seat high, and for big guys, its just asking for trouble. Flip the stem around or ask how to raise it so that the seat is more level with the bars. You can always creep it down as you get more used to it.

IMHO, of course.

Since you mentioned shopping in Dallas, you might as well go by Richardson Bike Mart at SEC of Campbell and Coit. The place is huge and while I have not been by recently, I would think that their inventory would be as good as any at any given time.

I purchased my first pair of road shoes/cleats there a couple of months ago and received very good service/setup/advice from a lady named Jane (my opinion, of course). From what I gather, Jack Johnston Bicycles on Garland also offers good service, but I have not been there..............yet.

Best of luck to you.

NorthTex,

A touch late but welcome.
Hybrids are ok, but you will probably be beyond
that style of bike by the time HHH rolls around.
Bike Mart is good, but there are good shops in
Ft.Worth area and Bedford (name slips me at the
moment).
I'm of the mind that while you want the bike
NOW wait about 2 weeks, let the xmas rush
pass, you might pick up a sale or two.
Stay away from the chain type stores (Spectrum?).
As for rides, well I try to get to white rock at least
2x per month, and I'm thinking of starting a BF texas
schedule, so we all can meet up.
I'd suggest Ride for the Roses in Oct (austin) just so
ya can say you rode a bike with Lance!
will see you and 1oldroadie at HHH

Marty

Again I would like to thank everyone for the great info, by stumbling on to this web site it has given me a lot to think about also it's people with like interests. Most people you talk to monday at work ask what you did over the weekend and find out you have put 50 miles on a bicycle in 100 degree weather think your nuts, let alone spending a grand on one!!!!

I'm NOT in a hurry now, although at first I had my heart set on the trek hybrid and after reading all of this it has changed my mind as far as the road bikes are concerned. I have quite a bit of time off the next couple of weeks so I'm going to check out some of the shops you folks have mentioned. I'm not only looking for a good price but also I want GREAT SERVICE too, I don't want some kid trying to tell me how great the bike is and find out later it may not have been the best choice for me. I have already experienced some of the problems of fingers going numb because of putting to much weight on my hands and having to replace the gooseneck and handlebars on my old bike, I don't want to be forced to do the same on my new one!

Thanks again everyone!!

John

Hi! Do you ride with a club or group. You will learn a lot just listening to others. Fort Worth Bicycling Association has a large group of all skill levels and start rides from various parts of town.

This last HHH was my first century. It is a good one, plenty of support. The last 20 miles has a rest stop every 5 miles. (Thank goodness 'coz I needed it)

NorthTex,

Shop I was thinking of is Bicycles Inc. with shops in
Ft Worth, and Bedford. Good selection, Serotta
Size cycle etc.
If you've gotten numb fingers be sure to get
a good fitting done and mention that to the LBS.
Hope all this helps,
Marty

Since you are pretty informed about the importance of finding a good shop, I'll skip that part of my diatribe.

I'm also a "clydesdale". This term that so affectionately describes us 200+ lb riders is a goal for me. I hope to loose that moniker by summer! I started at about 270 lbs, down to about 220, then due to a family illness and lack of training, I'm back up to 240.

I ride a LeMond Zurich, it's an 853 Chromoly Tubing frame that rides like a dream. I'm using low count spoke wheels w/o any significant problems. I hit some rocks and knocked the front out of true, but a couple of turns on the spoke wrench and it's fine again.

I work PT in a shop, and right now, IMHO the best deal on a road bike is the FELT 65. It's complete Shimano 105 for just under a grand. Felt 65 (http://www.feltracing.com/f65.html)
We started carrying these after I bought my LeMond, or I'd be riding one of these!

L8R

WOW, that FELT is nice...lot of bike for a grand.

The felt looks good, I will be checking it out. As far as riding with a group / club, not really, I have a buddy that I ride with most of the time otherwise I ride by myself. I live in far north Ft. Worth so their is a lot of open country roads out here with very little traffic on them, it makes it nice because I don't have to drive somewhere to go riding.

I have a felt book in front of me.I am getting,i hope,the SR71.Great prices for what you get.