Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Calling all Clydesdale types!

All you 150-180lbs riders that climb hills like bits of dandelion fluff in the wind go away i hate you all!!

I want to hear from you "BIG GUYS" that have ridden/own either a giant reign 2 or a heckler. I am 250 myself and ride XC and downhill (60%DH, 40%XC), i don't do the big drop freeriding type stuff as no one packin this much weight should ever do! I am wondering which is the stronger bike, better climber, better decender for us big boys?

Thanks

ouch, hate is a strong word!:cry:

How about us Athenas? :o

OK so i don't actually "HATE" all you lightweight types......but i do hate how easy you climb!

Athenas.....well can't have too many of those!

Still waiting to hear from the "Big Boys"

250 checking in. I ride a Specialized Enduro SX 2005.

I go for strength, not lightweight equipment. I changed out all the stock 9-speed stuff to my older 8-speed. I had a couple bad experiences with 9 speed chains coming apart on me. And no, not at the connection link. I think 8 speed chains hold up better. They're still available, so I'll keep my 8 speed until I can no longer find parts.

I swapped out the headset for my Chris King.

I've got a set of chromoly cranks (Profiles) that I may throw on there.

I also switched out my grips.

http://bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=58652

but i do hate how easy you climb!
"
What was that? I couldnt hear you, im too far ahead of you up the hill, your voice just doesnt carry all that well :D

2004 Giant Rainier.
Replaced the Rhynolite wheelset with Velocity Cliffhangers (can't seem to hurt these wheels)
Replaced the grips
Swapped clipless peddals for toe-clip/strapped peddals
added riser stem

Other than that it is all stock. I commute 20 miles a day and do trail riding on days off including table-top jumps, switchbacks, rock gardens, mud, roots, sand, hills, etc and couldn't be happier with my setup.

What was that? I couldnt hear you, im too far ahead of you up the hill, your voice just doesnt carry all that well :D

See everyone?? That is EXACTLY why i used the word "HATE":lol: Actually the voice carries very well you just cant hear it over all the huffin and puffin!

a2psyklnut If you don't mind can you tell me what problems you had with the 9 speeds? I have had zero experience with them. I also look for strength in a bike and parts as savin a few pounds on the bike means nothing next to the 250 pounds riding it :beer:
CrosseyedCrickt thank you...i heard the rhinolites were supposed to be perfect for us big guys now i will check out the cliffhangers.

Any more "Big Guys" want to weigh in on the matter?

I think 9 speed chains are slightly thinner and a little more lightweight, whereas the 8 speed would be possibly stronger. I've never noticed a difference before, you'd have to be putting a lot of pressure down for it to break...

I went through 3 shimano XT 9 speed chains on my bikes at the time. One bike was a Specialized FSR Extreme, the other was a Cannondale F2000.

The trails I ride are generally about 80% XC oriented, the other are some rougher small sections. Think of it as randomly scattered fun spots connected by XC trails.

Anyways, our climbs are short and steep inclines to get up to the tops of these ridges we ride. They are quick bursts of climbing with a lot of torque on the cranks/drivetrain.

I've literally ripped links apart. Not where the shimano pin is inserted, just in sections of the chain. These were not worn out chains either. I was working at a shop at the time and was continually replacing parts as needed.

I swithced to Sram chains and that helped, but then bought a bike with 8 speed XTR, so I've stuck with it, and haven't had any issues since.

as for a2psyklnut, I also found shimano chains to be less than satisfactory. NOW I have a high end SRAM 9 speed chain and it seems to be the stronegst chain I've ever dealt with, I love it not to mention the powerlink. I'm sor tof on the small end of clydesdale I suppose, I weigh in at 225, which sort of goes above the average but below most clydesdales, I tend to buy heavy duty stuff, because I'd rather not have a problem at all, then deal with one, I don't ride a climbing friendly bike, so I really can't weigh in on the climbing matter, but heres to all my big bodied biking brothers, holy b's batman!

I Ryde Clyde (6 foot 3, 240#) on an '05 Stumpy FSR. I just got through dissing the 05 Manitou black fork that came with the bike, (way too weak/soft, even with the stiffer springs) but other than that, no major problems.

200+ here. I ride a Devinci Guzzler and the only thing I would change is the chain. I upgraded to Time ATAC xs carbon pedals last summer as well as Panaracer Cinder tires. everything else is stock

~250lbs (6ft4) and have been much heavier
I ride a Titus racer X with just some 36-hole x517s, I ride 100%XC. The key the machine is the Z2 atom race which is absolutly unkillable. Oil bath is just awesome. I run the heavy springs. I bend way too many cassettes, but no chain problems using XT chains.
My touring bike is much more extreme with 48 holes tandem wheels with high flange XT tandem hubs with a shortened axle.

Hey all you Big Boys what do you think of this parts spec for a 250lbs rider (about 60%DH 40% XC)?


fork Manitou Nixon Super Air w/20mm thryu-axle 145mm travel
shock Fox Float RP3
handlebar RaceFace Evolve XC Low Rise, 31.8
stem RaceFace Evolve XC, 31.8
seatpost RaceFace Evolve 350x30.9 mm
saddle WTB Pure V Race
shifters SRAM X.7
front derailleur Shimano LX
rear derailleur SRAM X.9
brakes Hayes HFX-9 XC
levers Hayes
cassette SRAM PG980 11-34T, 9 speed
chain Shimano HG 53
cranks Race Face Evolve XC X-Type
BBr Race Face Evolve X Type
rims WTB LaserDisc Trail
hubs DT Cerit disc with formula thru axle front
spokes Stainless Steel
tires Hutchinson Bulldog MRC

Best make those spokes DT/wheelsmith
also how many of em are there? I'd want at least 36 and better 40/48 for DH

uh, I'd forget the shimano chain....but of course you knew I was going to say that.

I'd go for the Prodigy DH cranks vs. the Evolve XC.

I'd also get the Hayes DH, not the XC version of the HFX. Bigger rotors.

280ish here and I don't hate anyone...I love everyone...(thats the rye talking)

Personally, quick peruse of your list I don't like the monitou fork. I realize you are probably trying to save weight, but having owned one based on the same technology I blew that freak up. Throw in for a little more weight and get a z150...it will be wrth your time in a year when its still works and someone else on the manitou has blown cartridges :)

280ish here and I don't hate anyone...I love everyone...(thats the rye talking)

i love you too buddyt.. thats the guinness/scotch/hoegaarden/warsteiner talking...

Another Clyde chiming in. Last March ('05) started riding again after a 7-10 yr hiatus. Built up a Heckler (X9's, El Caminos, various Race Face parts, Mavic 729's, Fox F130RLC and 5th Elem Coil). Absolutely loved the bike and w/ me at 283lbs starting out it really held up great. Mostly XC, singletrack riding w/ a little downhill thrown-in where I can. I think its about the pinnacled of the simple single-pivot design.

I let my brother talk me out of the Heckler as he wanted to get back into the sport and I'd been talking so much about building a Nomad. Built it and love it too!!! VPP is different from the SP but its really saved me a couple of times when climbing on the least bit damp roots, rocks, etc.

Never ridden the Giant but have nothing but praise for the Heckler.

280ish here and I don't hate anyone...I love everyone...(thats the rye talking)

Personally, quick peruse of your list I don't like the monitou fork. I realize you are probably trying to save weight, but having owned one based on the same technology I blew that freak up. Throw in for a little more weight and get a z150...it will be wrth your time in a year when its still works and someone else on the manitou has blown cartridges :)
Honestly, clydes should just avoid air forks in general. Marz being the best for clydes.

6'2" Started at 360#, now at 340#

Trek 7000 (2004) with rear wheel re-spoked to a 4x pattern (1500 miles total, 1000 miles since a popped spoke)

Trek 7.3FX Disk (2006) with NO Changes, that's right, Stock. We called Trek before I bought the bike and they said I didn't need to change a thing. (500 miles total)

What was that? I couldnt hear you, im too far ahead of you up the hill, your voice just doesnt carry all that well :D
Free Pizza, remember this when we knock you off the bike with the sonic boom as we shoot by on the downhill!http://forum.gamestar.de/gspinboard/images/smilies/atomrofl.gif

I'm a lean-ish 6 foot, 215lb at the moment, I don't buy into the belief that climbers have to be ultralights. I've worked hard on my climbing while coming down from 260lb over the last 2 years and I can climb with at least 80% of the ultralights I come across. On short steep climbs that take no more than 60 - 90 second I get out of the saddle, shift up 2 or 3 gears and generate enough torque to visibly flex the frame and bars, and if I get the jump on the little guys I sometimes even manage to drop a few. :D

What I'm saying is that we clydes can hammer hard uphill if that's how we train, ofcourse training to do that is really hard, you have to hurt a lot.

I used to be a Clydesdale but am now just a tad under at a lean 195lbs.

Up short sharp hills I've always been able to hammer the smaller riders. Its those long relentless ones that still knock the wind out of me!!

Anyway, just want to say that you guys are inspirational. :)