I Currently Ride A Specialized Expedition A Great Bike For Riding Around The House But I Need Something A Little More. I Dont Want A Mtb I Really Would Like A Road Bike. However I'm A Big Guy 5'9" 350lbs (working On Losing Weight) So I Dont Think A Road Bike Is The Ticket A The Moment. I'm Leaning Toward A Cyclocross Bike Particularly The Specialized Tricross Sport. I Would Opt For The Comp However It Has The Roval Pave' Wheel Set Witch Has A Lower Spoke Count Than The Sport And It Has Carbon Seat Stays Also I'm Not To Sure About The Carbon Fork With My Weight Any Advice Would Help Thanks Aj

Upgrade the wheels to a 36 spoke Velocity deep V, and you should do OK on pretty much any steel road bike. Aluminum will also hold you, chunkyd in the CLyde Forum here rides a Dawes Lightning, Aluminum frame and he's built like an offensive lineman.

You coulld try a test ride of any of these, if they're available, 700c wheels, drop bars and disc brakes as standard:

trek portland - http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/2008/urban/portland/portland/

cannondale cross xr7 - http://www.cannondale.com/bikes/08/cusa/model-8XR7C.html

Brodie romax - http://www.brodiebikes.com/2007/2007_bikes/romax.php
brodie ronin - http://www.brodiebikes.com/2007/2007_bikes/ronin.php

lemond poprad disc - http://www.lemondbikes.com/bikes/cross/poprad_disc.php

rocky mountain sherpa - http://www.bikes.com/bikes/2007/TOURING/sherpa-10.aspx

kona sutra - http://www.konaworld.com/08_sutra_w.htm

orbea diem drop disc - http://www.orbea.com/ingles/interior.php?tipo=1&familia=6&gama=13

focus cross disc - http://www.focusbikesuk.com/focuscyclocrossbikes/cyclocross_bikes_cross_disc.php

devinci caribou2 - http://www.devinci.com/10479_an.html

raleighusa sojourn - http://www.raleighusa.com/items.asp?deptid=5&itemid=427

rei novara element - http://www.rei.com/product/744808

co-motion mazama - http://www.co-motion.com/mazama.html

rocky mountain Solo CXD - http://bikes.com/2008_preview/2008_preview.html

rotwild rs1cx - http://www.rotwild.de/en/ (street bikes section)

fixie inc. pureblood - http://www.cycles-for-heroes.com/2008/download/pureblood.html

maxx roadmaxx custom (you choose the color and parts at the LBS and the factory puts it together, i.e., not a custom frame) - http://www.maxx.de/frmain_bikes.htm (road - roadmaxx custom)

Salsa la Cruz - http://www.salsacycles.com/laCruzComp08.html

What is you budget?

Insist on hand-built wheels. @350 pounds I ran some Bontrager rims with only 32 spokes for nearly 4,000 miles. I trust the hand-built with DT spokes is what kept me going.

I would not recommend carbon fiber.

custom built wheels are the way to go w/deep-v and at least 36 spokes MY BUDGET IS $2000-$2500 ANYONE HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THE SPECIALIZED TRICROSS

...ANY THOUGHTS ON THE SPECIALIZED TRICROSS

it doesn't have disc brakes - deal breaker for me

Ok So The Tricross Is A Bad Choice Because Of The Cf And Lack Of Disc Brakes, So Out Of The List You Posted Whats Your Top Choice

I thought I would like a tri cross so I rode one right after I road a couple of roubaixs. I thought it was gonna beat me to death.

Ok So The Tricross Is A Bad Choice Because Of The Cf And Lack Of Disc Brakes, So Out Of The List You Posted Whats Your Top Choice

If I had to I'd probably choose the lemond poprad (even though the name bugs the heck out of me), followed by the trek portland.

They should both be relatively easy to get hold of to test ride, via your local trek dealer, and shouldn't have any major issues with spares.

I'd prefer to get frame and have it built up with a campagnolo shifters+derailleurs and mixed parts/wheels - there's a one size fits me list in cyclocross if you're interested.

Shamino works well but I got tired of shamino components needing complete replacement when they borke rather than just replacing the broken part.

I Like The Idea Of Buying A Frame And Building It To My Own Specs. What's This One Size Fits Me List You Speak Of?

one size fits me - that is, this works for me - it may not work for you so do test ride/question as much as possible.

Headset super quality sealed cartridge, e.g., chris king or similar quality

Handlebar cheap and strong, e.g., deda big piega

Stem cheap and strong, e.g., deda big logo

Bar Tape cheap, black, cork

Saddle whatever is most comfortable to sit on for you, i.e., saddle comfort is like shoe comfort and needs to be tried for fit

Seat Post cheap and strong, e.g., deda metalstick

Front Derailluer personal preference, i.e., I'd go for campag chorus or downgrade to shamino dura ace if that wasn't available

Rear Derailluer personal preference, i.e., I'd go for campag chorus or downgrade to shamino dura ace if that wasn't available

Shifters personal preference, i.e., I'd go for campag chorus or downgrade to campag centaur if that wasn't available

Crankset cheap and strong and NOT isis

Bottom Bracket super quality sealed cartridge, e.g., campag record, shamino dura ace (yes, shamino do make good quality BBs) or similar quality

Cassette to match shifters

Chain to match shifters

Brakes avid BB7 road disc brakes, i.e., so you can actually stop in ANY conditions

Cross Levers cheap and strong, e.g., tektro alloy

Levers as shifters

Fork strong, carbon, disc only or something similar to winwood carbon dualist

Wheelset super quality sealed cartridge with good spokes and nipples, hand built onto a quality deep section rim (better mud shedding), e.g., dtswiss 240s disc, dtswiss 14.0 stailess straight guage spokes laced 3 cross with brass nipples onto mavic cxp33 rim (an alternative with a deeper section is the velocity deep-v)

Tires ground dictates, i.e., if it's deep mud use mud tyres, if it's hardpack dirt use semi-slick/hardpack tyres, etc.

pedals - Time, every time! All Atac, all the way, e.g., time atac xs.
http://www.mtbr.com/reviews/pedal/index_T.shtml (http://www.mtbr.com/reviews/pedal/index_T.shtml)
http://www.time-sport.com/us/home.htm (http://www.time-sport.com/us/home.htm)

brake and shifter cables - good quality without going overboard on cable housings or goretex, i.e., stuff you don't mind replacing regularly as it's going to be pressure washed, abused and generally thrashed.

...and, yes, when I made the shamino comments I was being facetious :D

Hey Markhr Thanks For All The Info. So You Think I Could Go With A Carbon Fork?

... followed by the trek portland.

They should both be relatively easy to get hold of to test ride, via your local trek dealer, and shouldn't have any major issues with spares.

I could not find one of these within 300 miles on my house when I was looking and no one was willing to order so I could think about buying one. I was really interested in it, but no dice.

I Like The Idea Of Buying A Frame And Building It To My Own Specs.

Then build yourself a Surly CrossCheck

Then build yourself a Surly CrossCheck

Alas, if only Surly would put disc brake mounts on the Cross Check...

Alas, if only Surly would put disc brake mounts on the Cross Check...

Karate Monkey. :)