Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Am I too heavy for my Bicycle?

About 3 years ago, I used to ride and enjoyed it alot. I rode a Scott CR1 Team and weighed about 190LBS. I had no issues with the bike (It was fast...) Unfortunately, due to family issues, I had to give up cycling.

However, I am now getting back into cycling. I just purchased a brand new Trek Madone 6.5 and was wondering if I was too heavy for this bicycle. I currently weigh 238LBS.

Should I purchase another bicycle to ride until I drop weight? Or do you think this bicycle would be okay?

I am just worried that I might break the bicycle...

Wheelset: Bontrager Race X Lite

You should be OK, except for possibly the wheels. You don't mention what they are. Slap a set of 32H Velocity Deep-V's on there though and you'll be good to go!

Yes, check the wheels! I learned I needed stronger wheels after I kept breaking spokes. Your LBS should have done that for you, so maybe your already okay.

You should be OK, except for possibly the wheels. You don't mention what they are. Slap a set of 32H Velocity Deep-V's on there though and you'll be good to go!


I know that they are "the clydes choice" here, but I really don't think someone needs to go out and spend ~$250USD for new DeepV's with spokes and hubs, and then more $$ to have them built. Especially when most of the stock rims coming on middle-high end bikes are perfectly fine. Granted I'm only at the 350 mile mark on my stock rims, but they are still solid, still in a roundish shape and I haven't busted a spoke yet.


Sorry, I just hate seeing people getting the "gang" mentality that they need something that they should be fine without.

Ah,I see you added what the wheelset is. BontragersRacelites. OK...

Look at this: http://www.roadbikereview.com/cat/wheels/wheelsets/bontrager/PRD_303581_2490crx.aspx

I think you might be OK, here.

Granted I'm only at the 350 mile mark on my stock rims, but they are still solid, still in a roundish shape and I haven't busted a spoke yet.


Sorry, I just hate seeing people getting the "gang" mentality that they need something that they should be fine without.


I don't understand where you are coming from. You keep making the same statement in several posts. Not to be a snob but 350 is a warmup ride in most riders' journals. It's not about getting the gang mentality, it's about "do you want to ride your bike?"

BTW, I have posted in so many wheel threads that I'm sure some of the others get sick of my advice. BUT! I have suggested the V for several clydes that rode low spoke count wheels. Some, my exact bike and wheelset. The responses I get were, "yeah yeah, I'll worry about it when it happens or yeah yeah, the shop experts (sales people) said I'd be fine". Believe me, I keep track of those comments and several have vanished from the forum after suffering from broken spokes!...I had ben expecting that to happen. Riders don't listen, then get tired of the struggle then give up the riding figuring there is no cure. If they had taken the advice, they'd be happy riders today!:thumb:

I don't understand where you are coming from. You keep making the same statement in several posts. Not to be a snob but 350 is a warmup ride in most riders' journals. It's not about getting the gang mentality, it's about "do you want to ride your bike?"


+1.

I'd not have got what Mr. Beanz was on about a couple of months back, but I'm in complete agreement now. My stock rear rim (32h, Sun DS2) went from being fine to garbage between 300 and 350 miles. Within a week it'd come out of true once, popped a spoke (and naturally, out of true again), and started showing small but visible cracks around some of the eyelets - all as I'd started to ride more seriously. I'm not even close to putting out the distance of some other riders (my longest ride to date was this weekend at 25 miles), but 350 miles is *so* not good enough given that's now about 6 weeks (and falling :) ) riding at my current rate.

My advice now? What others have said - get a decent set (or rear, at least) of wheels built using one of the known clyde-friendly rims, go for 36 spokes, and have it built by someone who knows what they're doing. I'm lucky - my LBS has a very good wheelbuilder.

im with the guys suggesting new wheels, the madone 6.5 is an extremely light fast bike...those bontagers are super light (on top of that im not a bontrager wheel fan) If someone just dropped over $6000 on a bike another $300 to make sure the wheels hold up isnt anything.

trying to go the cheap route rarely comes out cheaper, do it right the first time and be done.

With your weight and since im sure you like light and strong stuff a 32 hole mavic open pro rim would get the job done fine at your weight, its light and super strong for its weight, the fact that its 32 hole instead of the low spoke count stuff helps alot with durability as well. Just lace it up to your favorite hub and be done (i like dura ace or dt 240's)

Heres my .02. I think it has a lot to do with how hard you are on wheels. I ran Bontrager SSR wheels on my old Lemond which were 20/24 paired spokes. They went out of true once from a friend bumping the wheel when riding. They were trouble free for me. I rode them at 280lbs!

I would say ride what you have untill they give you problems. Plan to upgrade but dont get rid of a working wheelset now. Use them untill they break.

Where is a good place to get these 36H Deep V Wheels? I will probably get a set to make sure my fat *** doesn't break the rims. I would need a set with a Shimano Compatible Hub (10 Speed).

I would rather spend some money than have issues later. Plus, I will probably sell the old(new) wheels on Ebay.

At 238, you can ,most likely ride 32 with no problems. If you ride it enough, you won't be 238 very long anyway.

I ride a 36 spoke Mavic touring rim on my touring bike , but also ride 32 spoke tubulars on one of my road bikes, and 32 spoke 700X23 clinchers on another, with no problems. I started out at 272, and wouldn't go near anything that wasn't 36 spokes. Now at 240 and falling, I don't think twice about 32 spokes.

You might be able to trade your Bontragers. They are great wheels, and have a following.

Nice ride, you should be fine on it, especially if you are going to be losing weight.

bicycle wheel warehouse or colorado cyclist has custom made (to your specs) mavic open pro's on ultegra hubs that are exactly what you need. I ordered my set from bicycle wheel warehouse and love them. I got the cd version which aides in braking. I only have about 500 miles on them in the last week or so and they are holding together well with p3r's . I am about the same weight as you and so you should have no problems.

Or you can check out pricepoint and get a set of easton ea50's for 209.99 right now. most of the bontragers are not as great as you can get for a similiar pricfed wheelset, but they will get you by. ride them for a while before upgrading (say 500 miles) and see how they work out. might want to have the lbs true and tension them after the 1st 100 miles, since a lot of lbs folks just unbox and quickly setup a bike, totally foregetting to check the tension and true on factory rims. my lbs true and tension every rim on new bikes and you won't believe how bad some factory/stock rims are right out of the box from major top end bike makers.

I had a similar set of wheels on my Cannondale R600 and had very little trouble with them. I think I broke about 3 spokes in 4000 miles, with the first coming after the first 1500 miles. If properly maintained, I don't think you will have any problem that would require a new set of wheels for that bike. That being said, I'm jealous, I want a Madone 6.5.

Have fun riding,
D

Yeah I think you'll be just fine with 32 spoke 'Open Pros'. I put a good 7-8000 miles on a set of the old 'Open 4 CD' wheels (predecessor to the Open Pros) that came on my bike, and I started off weighing about 260 back then. Most any of those traditional 'box-section' rims that are eyeletted in 32-spoke would be a good choice for someone of your weight. The Velocity Deep V's that Tom suggested also build into a good strong wheel, as well as the Mavic CXP-33 rims which have a slightly taller profile than the Open Pros. Lots of good choices out there for some strong wheels, and some good deals too.

At 238 you will be fine on a decent set of 32-spoke wheels that are built competently. I'm 235, been as heavy as 255, ride anywhere from 5-10k miles per year and the only time I've needed anything stronger were for my bikes that get loaded down with an extra 60-100lbs of gear for touring. I've had great luck with Velocity Fusions on my two roadie bikes...about 4k miles on each set so far with no broken spokes and minimal re-truing.

YMMV, depending on what kind a abuse you heap on your wheels. If you are constantly jumping curbs, hitting potholes and off-roading, get the strongest wheels you can afford.

YMMV, depending on what kind a abuse you heap on your wheels. If you are constantly jumping curbs, hitting potholes and off-roading, get the strongest wheels you can afford.



yeah and if you are doing that sort of stuff you should've gotten a cyclocross bike instead :p

Yeah I think you'll be just fine with 32 spoke 'Open Pros'. I put a good 7-8000 miles on a set of the old 'Open 4 CD' wheels (predecessor to the Open Pros) that came on my bike, and I started off weighing about 260 back then. Most any of those traditional 'box-section' rims that are eyeletted in 32-spoke would be a good choice for someone of your weight. The Velocity Deep V's that Tom suggested also build into a good strong wheel, as well as the Mavic CXP-33 rims which have a slightly taller profile than the Open Pros. Lots of good choices out there for some strong wheels, and some good deals too.

+1 on the CXP-33s. I have 2 sets and love em. I even race cross on a set with 24 spokes (at 250 lbs) and have yet to have a problem.

About 3 years ago, I used to ride and enjoyed it alot. I rode a Scott CR1 Team and weighed about 190LBS. I had no issues with the bike (It was fast...) Unfortunately, due to family issues, I had to give up cycling.

However, I am now getting back into cycling. I just purchased a brand new Trek Madone 6.5 and was wondering if I was too heavy for this bicycle. I currently weigh 238LBS.

Should I purchase another bicycle to ride until I drop weight? Or do you think this bicycle would be okay?

I am just worried that I might break the bicycle...

Wheelset: Bontrager Race X Lite

You should be OK. Ride what you have. If you break a couple spokes, replace them. Spokes are cheap.

My secret is to have a bunch of spare wheels that I part off of old tosser bikes. Yup, I even ride steel a lot of time - especially in the rear wheel.

The only time I break spokes really is when I am riding terrible roads with a road bike. I was touring on a road a couple of weeks ago that was so broken up, I had to walk every hour or so because my butt was getting so sore from the saddle pounding. There was an eight inch gap in the road every 12 feet. Each gap was about 4 inches to six inches deep. I couldn't believe I was on a road in the United States of America. I have seen better cobblestone in third world countries. Anyway, besides that, I am not breaking spokes.

Hey guys, sorry to bring up an old post, but this one got me thinking for sure. I ride a Giant TCR with the Xero Lite 20/24 stock wheelset that comes on the bike. Currently just over 210lbs, I am planning on 185lbs in the not so distant future. I've only put 100 miles on the bike, obviously with no issues whatsoever thus far. I've got a 175 mile'r coming up in 3 weeks that I've been getting ready for, and by the time I get to that ride I'll have probably 3-400 miles on her. Am I going to encounter any kind of problems breaking spokes and whatnot? I really love these wheels, allbeit mostly for the look lol. I would rather not have to change out wheels if it's not necessary...just wanna make sure I'm not going to be putting too much stress on them. I stick to 90% freshly paved roads with bike lanes for now, with the other 10% being your average street with a few bumps/potholes in em.

Hey guys, sorry to bring up an old post, but this one got me thinking for sure. I ride a Giant TCR with the Xero Lite 20/24 stock wheelset that comes on the bike. Currently just over 210lbs, I am planning on 185lbs in the not so distant future. I've only put 100 miles on the bike, obviously with no issues whatsoever thus far. I've got a 175 mile'r coming up in 3 weeks that I've been getting ready for, and by the time I get to that ride I'll have probably 3-400 miles on her. Am I going to encounter any kind of problems breaking spokes and whatnot? I really love these wheels, allbeit mostly for the look lol. I would rather not have to change out wheels if it's not necessary...just wanna make sure I'm not going to be putting too much stress on them. I stick to 90% freshly paved roads with bike lanes for now, with the other 10% being your average street with a few bumps/potholes in em.

I'm 240# and ride a Giant OCR Limited w/ the same wheelset as your TCR. I have over 2,000 mi on them with no issues to date. I do recommend getting the wheels retensioned & trued in the near future. I did as a preventive maintenance. The wheels looked fine but it was recommended on this forum. And guess what, the spokes were in dire need of retensioning.
This will go a long way in preventing broken spokes, etc.

Enjoy your bike & your long ride!!!

I had a set of the Bontrager Race Lites and they were good wheels, but I never felt comfortable on them. I never had them go out of true, but I did feel the wind more when it was a cross wind. I ended up selling them to another BF member and he loves them.

Thanks for the advice Bone Head, I'll keep that in mind! I definitely love these wheels, but that's probably because I've never ridden on a thousand dollar wheelset so I don't know the difference between good and bad haha

I don't understand where you are coming from. You keep making the same statement in several posts. Not to be a snob but 350 is a warmup ride in most riders' journals. It's not about getting the gang mentality, it's about "do you want to ride your bike?"

BTW, I have posted in so many wheel threads that I'm sure some of the others get sick of my advice. BUT! I have suggested the V for several clydes that rode low spoke count wheels. Some, my exact bike and wheelset. The responses I get were, "yeah yeah, I'll worry about it when it happens or yeah yeah, the shop experts (sales people) said I'd be fine". Believe me, I keep track of those comments and several have vanished from the forum after suffering from broken spokes!...I had ben expecting that to happen. Riders don't listen, then get tired of the struggle then give up the riding figuring there is no cure. If they had taken the advice, they'd be happy riders today!:thumb:

I second that. The Velocity Deep V wheels are the way to go. I contacted eighteen different bike shops here in Southern California about ordering a set of Deep Vs or having them custom built. Six of those shops aree no longer mom and pop shops but they have ben sold to JAX Bicycle shops- a major Trek chain. Each of those shops tried to tell me that the Bontragers are just as good as the Deep Vs. I just let them talk. One pro shop that sells Trek (Santiago Cyclery in Tustin, California) was the only Trek shop that didn't try to sell me Bontragers. The owner actually suggested Deep Vs or Open Pros with 36 spoke setups. He flat out told me that Bontrager road wheels wouldn't be a good choice for a Clydesdale. Most of those Bontrager shops are convinced that these weels are bulletproof because Bontrager doesn't actually state a weight limit on their wheels. Tell that to a 250 lb rider that's putting out close to 2000 watts and they'll laugh at you. Spokes WILL break. The Deep V might sem like an overkill for many, but isn't durability the key for us Clydes?