Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Any opinions on a Trek 520 ?

This is the bike: http://www2.trekbikes.com/bikes/bike.php?bikeid=1432000&f=6

Is it going to support a 375# uber Clyde ?

Thanks in advance,
BN

They are beautiful and great bikes. Everyone that buys one seems to own it forever.

As far as supporting you, should be just fine. Ask the shop to rebuild the rear wheel prior to delivery, though, as machine-built wheels are always troublesome for those of us with larger frames :). Just tell them you'd like the wheel taken apart, and hand rebuilt. If anything, they might charge you labor (here it runs $25-$45).

Great bike. I've wanted one for a long time, just lacking the bank account to actually get it :).

bdinger is right about the wheels. I have a 520 and love it. Read more about my review at the link below.

I love my '98. Rides like a Gran Tour Sedan.

Thanks to all who replied.
Seems to be agreat bike.
How about the Fuji touring? http://www.fujibikes.com/2007/bikes.asp?id=290&subcat=2
Anyone using this bike for commuting ?

They have been a Rock Solid Bike for years. Some updates and parts changes over the years, but they have held on to their roots well. Shoot, the 520's I sold in 2000 look much like the 520's of today.

Chris

Thanks to all who replied.
Seems to be agreat bike.
How about the Fuji touring? http://www.fujibikes.com/2007/bikes.asp?id=290&subcat=2
Anyone using this bike for commuting ?

Take a look at the Chainstays of the Trek verses the Fuji. If you are going to do touring, the longer stays of the Trek will do you well due to the larger Pannier Bags that you can fit and not have a problem with heel strike.

The Surly Long Haul Trucker is a great bike with a lower pricepoint than the 520. Pretty good stock components, and burly enough for a clyde.

The Surly Long Haul Trucker is a great bike with a lower pricepoint than the 520. Pretty good stock components, and burly enough for a clyde.

Interesting choice, thanks for the suggestion.

When I get enough scratch my lbs is going to build me up a Surly which will probably be my 'final' road bike.

The wheels are more of an issue than the frame. Spend some good money on some great wheels and the bike will be awesome. Plenty of discussion of that in my siggie.

Well, the Surly is a great bike. But the smaller sizes (54 cm frame size and below) take 26" (mountain bike) wheels and tires, just in case you were a shorter clyde (like me) and wanted something with "road bike" wheels and tires.

Sorry, I forgot to describe my morphology.
I'm 6'2", 375, going down. Used to shot put and discus in my youth, in the past ten years have been throwing mostly junk food in my mouth, which settled as a large blubber belt around my waist.

Never really been a cyclist, I restarted biking last year on a comfort bike. I have been commuting everyday (weather allowing), and, as I drive part of the way, I can fix my distance to anything I desire fit.
Last year I used to do 12 km one way, this year I woud like to stretch it to 20 or 25.
That's why I think a faster, more performant bike would suit my needs better.

Thanks to all who provide their guidance to my quest.

BN

PS I forgot one major point, the biggest issue on my commute is the wind as it always blows on my route and it somehow always seems to blow inmy face, reagrdles if I go to or come back from work.
I am presently saving money for a bent with a windfairing, but in the mean time, a second bike will have to do.

I'm currently riding a Fuji hybrid bike (most similar to this year's Crosstown setups) for rides of anywhere from a few blocks to 10 miles around the city - it's basically a mountain bike frame geometry and components with 700mm wheels - it's built like a tank (weighs a bit too much like one too) and absolutely glides over any surface - great city bike. Their touring bikes look nice so I wouldn't talk you out of one, but the front suspension fork on the Crosstown series is nice if the roads near you are beat up. In any case, I think this thread identified the issues with the road bikes under load - rear wheels - make sure they're rebuilt properly before knocking around the bike too much.

I own the current model 520 (why did they paint the rotten thing black?). Converted to brifters. New neck to raise the bars. Lower granny gear. I love it. You can read about it on my website here - http://www.users.bigpond.com/richardspurling/trek.htm

I love her. Great bike.
If you do get one, change the gearing when you buy her. The large chainring is great for speed merchants and okay for me, but such high gears aren't necessary and a bit of a waste (I can top 70 km/hr in top gear without pedalling hard - don't want to go faster). The middle chainring is good but with a smaller large chainring, it could easily go lower. The granny is too high in stock form. I've just fitted a 26 tooth granny - lower would have been wonderful but didn't make a lot of sense with the size of the middle ring. Change out the whole lot when new - most recomendations are to go to an mtb set up and I think that's a smart move. If you change it when new, you'll save a lot of money over trying to do it later.

Richard

Agreed with Europa. I bought mine in 2000 stock... except I had the crankset swapped for a mountain one (XT): 44-34-22.

If I were to buy today, I would take a really hard look at the Surly LHT:

– Lower price in U.S. (never seen one in Canada yet).

– Lower stock gearing. The 520 comes with a 105 crankset (130/74 mm BCD) equipped with 52-42-30. It's possible to change one ring and have 52-42-26, or change all three rings and have 48-38-24 (but no smaller), or change the entire crankset. The LHT comes stock with a compact road triple equipped with 48-38-26 or 46-36-26. So no need to change the gearing, or if you really want low gears, you only have to change the small ring.

– A bit more room around the fork; on the 520 with fenders, you may install 700x37 rear and 700x32 front; on the LHT, it seems you may install up to 700x37 or 700x42 on both wheels, even with fenders. It makes the bike more versatile for soft and poor roads, and more user-friendly for heavy folks.

– Smaller frames come with 26" wheels. There are narrow slicks in 26" too (26 x 1" or 1.2" at 90-110 psi), so you can have performance too. And 26" wheels offer better geometry on small frames.

I loved mine back in college. Wish I still had that bike and the steel Specialized Stumpjumper I had back then. :(

They have longer top tubes than most bike companies.

I have a 1996 Trek 520. It's just right for a Clyde to commute on! I did change the crank to a 44-32-22 I got at Nashbar for $26. I built a rear wheel with 36 spoke, Sun Cr18(?) rim. not a bit of trouble for 10 years.
I've seen them pop up on Craigslist for $400-600(or flEabay) and only a couple of years old. The listers here maybe able to help out for a buy, if they don't want it first!:D
The Surly LHT is pretty sweet ride. I sometimes think about getting one, but the 520 is what I know works.

Best, John

I saw a reasonably priced 520 on ebay around my size 17in for $380 buy it now price. I was very tempted to buy it, but the top tube is waaaaaayyy to long for me at 54cm. One of the cons for the 520 is they have limited sizing in comparison to a Fuji or Surly. I'm still set on getting Long Haul Trucker. Give one a try though, you may have the right body type for one of the sizes.

This is the bike: http://www2.trekbikes.com/bikes/bike.php?bikeid=1432000&f=6

Is it going to support a 375# uber Clyde ?

Thanks in advance,
BN

I like mine. I weight about 243# but it seems designed to handle more so you should be fine. It took a little tweaking to get it just right but I was dealing with a bike that is probably one size too large for me. I have a 25 and from comments from others my size a 23 would be better. FWIW I took the stock seat off and put on a Terry Liberator and flipped the handle bars to give me a more upright riding position and now I much prefer riding it over my lighter giant ocr3. I have not toured yet but the stock gearing is way lower than the ocr and I like riding off the mountain. I put it in granny gear and it walks (OK I'm riding around 4 mph) back up. With the other bike I was pushing much harder to keep going. I'm still winded at the top but can ride on instead of crashing in a heap to recover.

My LHT seems to do a pretty decent job of rolling my 330# down the trail, and I'm not as scared of riding my Kona Jake-the-Snake as I'd been for a while.
The latter bike was the one I really got my start on, and took me through 7 centuries and over 30,000 miles before I got married, settled down, bought a car (oops) and got fat. I probably should have just swapped some components on Jake to give it 3 rings up front... but I was feeling a bit depressed and fell into the "new bike will make me happy, right?" trap.