Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Recommend a road bike for me!

Last week I finished my longest one day ride--60 miles in 5:45 with several breaks on my 10 year old Trek 820. It felt great. Last year I rode 100 miles over two days without difficulty. Tomorrow, knowing that I'm capable of finishing, I'm shooting for a sub-five hour time over 60 miles.

I'm 6'2" 260 lbs. and looking for a lighter bike. I'm going to be riding on two charity rides this year--a century in June, and a 150 mile event over two days in August.

I've considered a recumbent, but I feel that I'll get more bike for my money by going with a diamond frame road bike. I was leaning toward a Cannondale Synapse or a Specialized Roubaix. My riding is primarily on smooth trails so I don't think that the aluminum will beat me up. My budget for my first road bike is $1000. This first road bike will also allow me to see what I like and don't like in a bike before shelling out $4000-5000.

Thanks in advance for the advice.

I bought the synapse as soon as it came out. for most of us, we don't need a true race bike but we want to look like we do. we don't want a super slack heavy touring bike. we want a light weight comfy credit card tourer. that's what the cannondale synapse and trek pilot are. there are obviously lots of others out there as well, but i've always been a cannondale fan (i have 4 now) and am a huge synapse fan.

Hi

A number of these fit your price bracket and may even be discounted now.

700c, drop bar, disc brake bikes that could be used for racing, training, commuting, touring, cyclocross, etc.

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 Ronin '08 - http://www.brodiebikes.com/2008/2008_bikes/ronin.php
Brodie romax '07 - http://www.brodiebikes.com/2007/2007_bikes/romax.php
brodie ronin '07 - 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

Just did a second metric century yesterday. I can't wait to ditch the hulking Trek 820. Now the frame feels small to me as well.

At this point I'm leaning toward the Synapse 6 based on frame geometry, price, and high visibility optional white color. Do you guys think that the wheels will be appropriate? In the future I can gradually swap out the components with something lighter to make the bike even better.

http://www.cannondale.com/bikes/08/cusa/model-8RAS6C.html

Last week I finished my longest one day ride--60 miles in 5:45 with several breaks on my 10 year old Trek 820. It felt great. Last year I rode 100 miles over two days without difficulty. Tomorrow, knowing that I'm capable of finishing, I'm shooting for a sub-five hour time over 60 miles.

I'm 6'2" 260 lbs. and looking for a lighter bike. I'm going to be riding on two charity rides this year--a century in June, and a 150 mile event over two days in August.

I've considered a recumbent, but I feel that I'll get more bike for my money by going with a diamond frame road bike. I was leaning toward a Cannondale Synapse or a Specialized Roubaix. My riding is primarily on smooth trails so I don't think that the aluminum will beat me up. My budget for my first road bike is $1000. This first road bike will also allow me to see what I like and don't like in a bike before shelling out $4000-5000.

Thanks in advance for the advice.

I bought a Roubaix a few months ago. I'm not disappointed in it - but it all comes down to how you feel on it, as you know. If your 820 had flat bars you may feel a little bent over on a road bike. A bike fitting will help, but overall I don't think you'd go wrong with a Roubaix.

The Roubaix is a great bike. Can't go wrong with it.

This year I bought a new Felt F75 and really like it in the handful of times that the weather has been nice enough to get out this spring. I had been riding a Raleigh road bike, can't remember the model, but an aluminum bike about 12 years old that I had bought used. The Felt is faster and more comfortable.

Just did a second metric century yesterday. I can't wait to ditch the hulking Trek 820. Now the frame feels small to me as well.

At this point I'm leaning toward the Synapse 6 based on frame geometry, price, and high visibility optional white color. Do you guys think that the wheels will be appropriate? In the future I can gradually swap out the components with something lighter to make the bike even better.

http://www.cannondale.com/bikes/08/cusa/model-8RAS6C.html

Okay the 820 is a mountain bike, yeah you can do a metric on it, but mountain bikes are not intended for much road riding, I wouldn't get rid of it though, mountain bikes make great "winter" bikes, when the weather is too ugly to want to take your nice road bike out in it.

Best thing to do is visit the bike shop(s), try all the roadish bikes that fit your budget, and see which one fits and feels the best to you. Consider racing, cyclocross and touring bikes. A bike that is say 1kg (~2lbs) lighter will feel different, but if your talking a 450g component versus a 455g component, it's often going to lighten your wallet considerably more then the bike. There is also the issue of strength, often the way they save that 5g is to make something thinner, that means the more expensive component may not be as strong, clydes often have more torque then thinner riders, so a thinner crank that might last well for a 150lb rider, might break with a 250lb rider putting full steam to it.

felt Z series, Z70 can be found for ~$1000... it is alot of bike for the money better components than the cdale for the same price

i have a fuji which is very nice as well giant has alotof options too, which retailers are avilable to you?