Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - new Athena asking for bike suggestions

Hello! I'm so happy to find this forum. I had no clue there was such a network for us 'thicker' peeps!

I know this has been asked several hundred times and I did some searches, but couldn't find anything with my specs, SOOOO: I'm asking for suggestions before I purchase a new bike. I'm 5'7" at 240, I carry weight evenly but am concerned about my weight for the performance and lasting of the bike and for the pressure my bottom will have to endure.

I'm totally new to brands of bikes and type of bikes. I rode as a pre-teen and teen on several huffy and schwinn 10 speeds and loved all of them. But I was also 100-135 lbs lighter and better shape. OOOH the days!

Sticker shocked, I don't want to spend over $800. That's a big number for me regarding buying a bike so I'm nervous about my future purchase. Big commitment and cost if I get the wrong bike.

I've been looking at a Trek 7.5 FX clearance listed $550 in my area. It's a men's 15". What do you guys think?

I've never rode women's bikes, they feel crunched up; like I'm jam-packing my big body into a bike for a littler lady.

The Trek 7.X series bikes are very nice. If you fit the 7.5 offered I'd go for it. I've got just short of 4000 miles on my 7.3 and am very happy with it. Still running the original tires but have worn out two chains and a cassette.

My Bike is over your price range ($1144) - but you never know what the shop has. It's a Women's Bike - Specialized Dolce Elite. I am sure specialized makes other Women Specifi Designs as well. I would try the WSD or let the Bike Shop guide you - so they can tell you if you are scrunched up. It was tough - but i told the skinny little bike shop guy how much I weighed...and like the guys here- they said no issue with my weight and a bike.

FYI you may also want ot hit the fitness cardio machines as I work out a lot on the elliptical/treadmill which helps me to a lose weight and b handle the aerobic part of cycling....

My fiancee is about your size, a little bigger and we just bought a 7.2 FX for $460 after tax, kickstand, and bottle cage. We got a 20" men's (:eek:) but in her case, she's got a longer inseam (about the same as mine at 32-33", but I'm taller up top for an overall height of 6'3"ish, she's around 5'8"). The 17" we were looking at was just too small for her.

Having said that, make sure the bike REALLY fits well before you buy. We went through two bikes from Target (at least their returns are painless) before ending up with the Trek. Both the Target bikes just weren't right. If the bike isn't the right height, you'll just end up hating it and not want to ride.

The other thing is to make sure you get to at least ride it around the LBS parking lot or adjacent parking lot (we had a nice empty church lot right next door to try it out). The one we test rode even got an inspection before he let her on it. Make sure it shifts well, brakes well and feels good.

Hopefully this was helpful, the 7.2 seems like it's going to be a really good bike. We're likely going for a ride tomorrow sometime, I'll let you know how it goes with the new bike if you haven't bought one yet.

With your budget you're prolly better off with the FX or similar. Should be good quality in that price range. A roadie for $800 will need too many upgrades in the near future. The wheels at 240 won't do too well on an $800 roadie. You'll need a rear wheel upgrade which is about $200 for something more durable. Something that won't makes sense if you're only willing to spend $800 to start.:)

LIke Himura says, make sure th bike fits before you buy. Take someone with you that knows something about bikes if possible. Or try different sizes before throwing the money down as some shops will try to sell you something from the shelf rather than what you need.

I've had shops say, "'no, I won't sell that bike to you cause it's not your size" and some that say," the 17 looks good, so does the 19, and the 21":eek:

I'm new at this too, last year I got my first hybrid, and just recently bought my first mountain bike. Definitely visit a couple of shops and try a couple of bikes, or even just a couple of sizes. Not that the FX isn't a great bike, it is, but just to learn some differences and try to get a feel for what you prefer. At first it's hard to tell what feels right for you, because you won't know how they are supposed to feel. Try to ride for longer than just a few minutes, although you may be too nervous to get out on a road or something- just make a lot of laps around the parking lot. I'm almost 5'7", and my trek 7200 hybrid is 17.5 size. Try out a larger one, even if it feels too big when you get on it, it might feel perfect when you ride it. I think as kids we had our seats low on our bikes, and a correctly sized bike with the seat at the proper height really seemed very big to me, at first, I was worried about falling over if I couldn't get my feet flat on the ground.
You'll get good advice here.
vickie

Agreed with what the others said, it really depends on your riding...do you want a road bike, hybrid, mtn bike or a cruiser. Figure that out then go test ride as many as you can then buy the one that fits best. Don't worry about the back side, it will get used to the seat after a few rides.

My mom purchased a Trek 7.5FX and she absolutely loves it (she's 65). I checked out her bike and it is a 15". It fits her perfectly. She is also only 5'4" and petite. The bike shop spent a lot of time with her finding the right fit. So, I wonder if the 15" that you are looking at would fit you. I'm 5'7" also and pushing 200 and there is no way in heck I could fit on my mom's bike. :eek:

Seriously, take the advice to heart and make sure the bike FITS. It is a lot of money to spend. If the bike doesn't fit, you won't enjoy riding it. I've heard wonderful things about the Trek 7.5FX. Without the proper fit/size - great reviews don't mean much!

Hello! I want to thank everyone for their thoughts. I did purchase a new bike: Trek Soho 1 in size 17.5. I love it! It's an urban hybrid. I went riding last night for 10 miles and feel it today. Got work up but it feels so good to be back on my bike. Best wishes to everyone!!

Hello! I want to thank everyone for their thoughts. I did purchase a new bike: Trek Soho 1 in size 17.5. I love it! It's an urban hybrid. I went riding last night for 10 miles and feel it today. Got work up but it feels so good to be back on my bike. Best wishes to everyone!!

Congrats on the new bike! It really pays to buy a bike in the right size. I've been through a few too many situations where the "best deal" wasn't the best deal. The fiancee and I are still on our 5 mile loop, but we're working up to going longer. Keep up the good work, and enjoy your new ride!