Road Cycling - Newbie Question

Hi All:

I'm new here so please be gentle :)

I'm a 45-year-old guy who just started riding a couple of months ago. I've been on a fitness kick for the past year and decided to start riding when I found an old "Columbia Commuter" that was left out in the trash. It was a 3 speed; somebody converted it to single speed. It's covered with rust.

I need a new bike and would like to hear your opinions on what might work for me.

My nightly rides are usually 45 minutes to one hour of pedaling as hard as I can on flat, smooth suburban streets and some bumpy paved bike paths. I'm 6' 215 lbs. and quite strong but my riding form is terrible (I'm working on it).

I like riding fast but feel that a real Road Bike might not take the pounding a hack like me would give it. I've test ridden a couple of Hybrids. I don't like the feel of suspension forks so have been leaning toward the Trek FX series. The 7500FX felt great although it costs a little more than I was planning to spend. I'll go for it if I can't find anything else I like.

Does anyone know of a Road Bike that will stand up to the punishment that an oaf would give it? Or should I just get a Hybrid?

Thanks in advance for your comments.

My opinion (for what it's worth) is if you're torn between a road bike and a hybrid, get the road bike. I started off with a hybrid (trek 7300) and bought a road bike four months later. I think that a road bike frame will support your size. I've ridden with a guy who is around 250 lbs. If you really enjoy riding you'll soon be riding for two to three hours (or more) at a time. That's when having a road bike makes sense.

Hi All:

I'm new here so please be gentle :)

. . . .
Thanks in advance for your comments. Welcome, Chop!

I am 54 and started riding 2 or 3 years ago. I was an oaf on the bike too (still am in some respects). I am larger than you.

I started with a pretty cheap Hybrid and when I was sure that I would stick with it, I got a better Road Bike. The cheaper bike is now my "Beater" bike. If you ride a lot you will eventually appreciate a nice road bike and a second "Beater"

BTW - the Beater is a DiamondBack I got at Dicks Sporting Goods for $150. It's a good bike for the money.

A road bike will be fine under you. You might want to be sure that a wheelset is stable enough that you won't notice it flexing under you, but I'd say that about a hybrid too. I'd imagine that almost all of the midrange road bikes you might look at, as well as the less expensive and even the high end race bikes, would hold up just fine. 215 isn't that big of a guy on a bike.

Chop, first of all, welcome to the Forums and the wonderful world of cycling. Your dilemma is really quite common. Two years ago, I was in exactly your postion. I thought that a hybrid would be the best way to get back into cycling after a long layoff, so I bought a Gary Fisher Utopia which is the same bike as the Trek 7500FX but with a front fork shock. I thought I needed the shock to combat the horrible streets around here - I was wrong about that. I absolutely love the bike. It's durable, quick, comfortable (to a point), and a blast to ride. After riding it for a season, I found myself craving more speed so I bought a Bianchi Veloce road bike last summer. This bike is what I was really looking for. The advantages of a road bike include speed, more hand postions to combat numbness (very important), weight, climbing ablility, and it's just a lot more fun to be able to sprint and take off like a rocket. Here's some of the questions you have to ask yourself.....is the bumpy path on your ride too bumpy for the thinner tires of a road bike? Do you see other roadies on that path? Road bikes will generally be more expensive than a hybrid - do I want to spend the extra cash? Do you ride a lot in bad weather? The 23 cm tires on most road bikes are a lot more squirrelly in wet weather than the wider tires that come on most of the hybrids. I use my Utopia for foul weather riding, riding with my wife, when speed isn't an issue, and on easy gravel and dirt paths in the mountains. You've already hit your LBS to look at the Trek - ask the guys there your questions. If it's a good shop, they'll point you in the right direction. They'll know what routes the bikes can take. Good luck in your search but remember that getting the right fit on your new bike will be the most important factor in your riding comfort whether you decide on the Trek or a road bike. Doing test rides is half the fun....

A bike like the Bianchi Volpe is great as a general purpose all-round bike.
It is a cyclo-cross/touring style of bike, so it is tougher than a racer, faster than a hybrid, and a bit more agile than a typcial touring bike. It is capable of riding on roads or trails. You can easily fit a luggage rack and fenders, to use as a commuter/shopping or touring bike. You can strip it down, add some narrow tyres, and use it as a fast bike for fun rides.
The drop bars are set a little higher and more relaxed than a typical racing setup. If you are not scared off by drop bars, then I would suggest this style.
Other models are by Jamis, Trek, Fuji...

Hello Chop,

I am a big guy (6ft 3, 260) who is interested in an entry level roadbike,too.
I'm currently riding an old GT all-terrain.
it's been good,especially during the winter, but i do want to find a nice roadbike.

Hi Chop and welcome.

I'm 59 and 6'. I started riding 4 years ago when I was ~235 pounds.
I bought a Raleigh R600 road bike. It has served me well.
In 2001 and 2002 it was my commuter bike. It is now my backup road bike.

My advice is to go with a road bike, not a hybrid. Visit a few bike shops and test ride the bikes that you like. Don't look for a "bargain" on the internet. Make sure you get FIT to the bike you select.
BIKE FIT is the most important thing about any bicycle.

Since you live in the flatlands of south Florida you won't need a triple. And don't get a really comfy saddle. You'll regret it on long rides.
Get components better than Shimano Sora. Tiagra is ok, 105 is good.
Most "entry level" bikes are aluminum and you may not like the harsh ride (I don't) but test ride it anyway.

Do some searching and reading of old posts on BF to learn more about bikes, components, accessories, clothing, shoes, pedals, etc. And feel free to ask questions. We're here to help.

Welcome, Chop!

It's amazing how many people like you (us!) there are. Three years ago I got back into cycling for recreation and fitness. I'm 49 now. I looked around, sort of undecided about what sort of a bike I needed and wanted. I ended up buying a Trek 7300 and rode it for two seasons, logging around 900 miles the second summer. Last year I began riding with some new friends with road bikes and also doing some longer organized (charity) rides. I got so frustrated with the weight and inefficiency of my bike that I bought my first road bike.

First, you're not too big for a road bike. I ride with lots of guys bigger than you. Just be sure your bike shop selects wheels that are right for a rider of your build. If you're going to be road riding, my advice is to get a road bike right away and be done with it. If you're not sure, will be doing several different kinds of riding (trails, roads, city), or don't want to lay down such serious $, then the Trek you're looking at will serve you fine for now. But I warn you... if you catch the bug and get serious about road riding (an easy thing to do!) you WILL want a road bike. Especially if you start doing longer rides, or find yourself in faster company. It will be much easier to ride longer, faster and with much less effort. This month I just bought a better road bike so, as you can see, I've got it bad :)

I now use my Trek only as a commuter/knock around bike, or on family rides on the rail trails and parks. It works great for those purposes and I've added a rack and bags for carrying all the family's gear when we go out together. Whatever you decide, enjoy your rides!

Get a touring bike with the drop bars, and mounting points for a rack on the back. 28 mm tires will be good for bumpy paths, without being too heavy.

Hey Chop! Welcome to the forums!

I'm another one who's going to echo the advice of 'get the road bike!'. I'm 6', and usually between 220-240 (though gradually getting that down...). I bought a hybrid about 5 years ago, rode it a bit, took a year or two off, then got back to cycling last year. After 3 months of trying to cycle seriously on the hybrid, I bought myself a road bike. The difference between the two is like night and day - I usually average about 4-5mph faster on the roadie. I commute on the hybrid these days (25+ mile round trip), but am looking forward to the day I can afford a beater roadie/tourer/cyclocross bike to replace it.

You'll be fine on the bike paths with a road bike - I'm sure even an entry level bike will last longer than your desire for new stuff! The only thing that might be affected by the bumps is the wheelset. Talk to your local bike shop when you've decided on the bike you want and they may be able to help you with a wheel upgrade if you need it. If you want a little bit more comfort, change the 700x23 tires out for 700x25s.

You may want to look at an entry level cyclocross bike too, just for kicks. I think the Bianchi Volpe was mentioned above, but also check out the Fuji Cross.

What's your budget for the bike?

Hi Chop,

I am 44 6'0" and 215 pounds dripping wet. I own a Klein Quantum road bike. I bought it new in 2002. If you like to ride fast and attack hills and stuff you will want a road bike and there is no reason why one wouldn't hold up. I started a couple years ago and did so by reading every book in the library, reading posts on the net and finaly going to three or four bike shops and asking a ton of questions. The reserch I did beforehand was invaluble once I reached the bike shop level and helped me sort out the good people from the BS'ers. In the end I plunked down some serious green for my bike, but it has paid back enourmous dividends as far as I'm concerned. Have fun!

Jim

Hi,
you won't believe this, and you certainly won't do it, but I know exactly what you should do....http://www.rivendellbicycles.com/html/bikes_romulusframes.html

Welcome Chop.
All I have to say is; "BIANCHI"
You can get a nice Bianchi for around $1000 the Bianchi Eros is a lightweight steel frame with a great groupo and strong wheel set. You wont be disappointed. Forget the hybrid unless you are planning off roading somewhere. Good luck and enjoy :D

I'm 6'5", 290lbs, 43. I've been a runner for years, and took up the bike a couple of years ago when I pulled a hamstring running. I started with a mountain bike because I thought it was best for my size, but after a year I had the "need for speed"! I bought an entry level Trek road bike which worked great. The only problem I had was popping spokes. The bike shop worked with Trek and they got me Mavic MA3 wheels at no charge, and I've had no problems since. I "love" the road bike! As a big rider just make sure you get a big enough frame, sturdy wheels and maybe an extension for your headset to get the handlebars up a little higher relative to your seat. Have fun passing those "beanpole" riders!

A road bike will work just fine for your purposes. Over the years, I have known quite a few people who are much bigger then you are who ride road bikes. A friend of mine is 6'6" and 240 lbs he rode various road bikes over the years with no problem at all. The only area you might have a problem on is the wheels.

A road bike will give you far better performance and handling and be more comfortable then virtually anything else. I think if you get a nice road bike, you will find yourself doing longer rides. It will FEEL SO MUCH BETTER. You must really love cycling given the fact that you are doing as much as you are now on your present ride. With your usage, I would suggest going with slightly larger tires then normal. I think 25 mm tires would be about right. A larger tire will give you a less bumy ride and slightly better flat protection.

I would suggest that you go to the Local Bike Shop (LBS) and test ride what they have. The most important thing is fit. I would just take the wheels that come with it, unless the LBS will swap them out for something more durable and ride them until they start to come apart. Then I would get something more durable.

Thanks for the help everybody.

The steel frame Bianchi's sound good, especially the Volpe.

Time to go shopping...

...can anyone recommend an LBS in the Broward area?

In your weight class I would stay away from normal diameter steel tubed bikes. Once you get in shape, they will rob your power with excessive frame flex. You want large diameter tubes, and that will probably drive you to aluminum.

Want really tough wheels for big guys? I don't think you can do any better than Aerospokes. Sure, $500/pair to begin with, but there is a one-year warranty, and after that a $150 exchange policy, which puts them right down at the cost of Shimano 105s, after you have initially purchased them. I haven't been able to destroy an Aerospoke wheel, except with very large potholes.

Chop-
I'm 6'1" and was 215 lbs when I got my new bike, just before Thanksgiving.

I'm now down to 205 lbs, just 380 miles and 3 months later.

My point: with a reasonable governor on your intake, if you get a bike you LOVE, you'll ride a lot, and you'll probably shed some pounds, so you won't even be in the "oaf" category (if you ever were!) So don't worry about durability too much, because you're not going to overload any of these quality frames even at the weight you're starting with.

Since the Bianchi that's essentially one price point below my bike has made an appearance, LeMond demands equal time:

They weren't out yet when I bought my Lemond, but you might want to find a Specialized dealer near you and test ride a Sequoia. Lots of people in my club are getting them, and they love them. The stem is adjustable, and they have a suspension seatpost. You can set the tension on the seatpost so it moves jsut enough to soak up road buzz and hard bumps. They have two sets of brake levers, and both work well. As mentioned above, the type of wheels will determine whether they will handle your weight. I weigh 223 right now, and ride Bontrager Race Lites.
Look around and test ride a few bikes, then pick the one you want.

Let me also welcome you Chop! Like most of the posters here, I started riding about 3 years ago. Although shorter than most (5" 9") I still weighed in at 215! The local bike shop (LBS), sold me a bike that was entry level and in comparison, not too expensive. I myself prefer the GIANT line of bikes. The LBS started me out on a GIANT OCR2. It is a solid aluminum frame. Although I, and underline "I", prefer the GIANT, go out and test as many makes and brands as you can. Some fellow riders recommend to ride as many as possible in the same day so that you can do a good comparison of each bike. I've heard many say that you will know when you have found the right bike. The LBS should also spend time with you fitting and adjusting the bike properly before you roll it out the door.

As a side, note: the LBS may have a riding group. Find a social riding group (versus a race team). This will help you keep motivated and riding.

Happy cycling! (Cycling does work! Weigh 180lbs!)

Though obviously it's a good idea to test ride a bunch of bikes, I'd definitely second the recommendation that you give the Specialized Sequoia a try. I tested one, and I wouldn't be suprised if they sold like hotcakes. Seems like it's designed just for people who want to go faster than a hybrid but want better comfort than a racy road bike. The one I road had the Bar Phat gel inserts wrapped under the handlebar tape. So plush.. If I'd a budget for 2 road bikes, I might well have gotten the Sequoia along with the Bianchi Veloce I chose...

But yeah, there are probably great bikes for you from lots of brands. So go for the best balance of a bike you love and the dealer who pays attention to your needs..

Good luck.


...you might want to find a Specialized dealer near you and test ride a Sequoia. Lots of people in my club are getting them, and they love them. The stem is adjustable, and they have a suspension seatpost. ...

HI Chop ,welcome you .Do you know how lucky you are ! In America, you and you fellows have so much choise------trek,bianchi,LBS,and so on.Each kind of those bike which are commended to are so excellent.In my country ,most of rider only choise is giant.So both of chinese rider wish USA bikepoducter and eur bikepoducter open up this great market ------China,and I hope one day we could like Chop have more choise .

HI Chop ,welcome you .Do you know how lucky you are ! In America, you and you fellows have so much choise------trek,bianchi,LBS,and so on.Each kind of those bike which are commended to you are so excellent.In my country ,most of rider only choise is giant.So I think chinese rider wish USA bikepoducter and eur bikepoducter open up this great market ------China,and I hope one day we could like Chop have more choise .

Hello Chop,
after this thread, you're not a newbie any more and, WOW, are there a lot of people like me out there. I've just started on my a road bike this year as I was'nt losing weight on my mountain bike for the last 8 years. Everyone has given great adivice about bikes, but you said you ride as hard as you can for 45min. If you're into weight loss, try what I'm doing. I ride a minimum of 1 hour, 4-5 times a week, at a high cadence (easier gear). My brother-in-law, a competitive ranked tri-athlete and personal trainer/coach, told me you start burning fat after 45min of easy riding and the longer you go after that the more you burn. Since the begining of July to this posting, I've gone from 240lbs to 213lbs and eat whatever I want during the day and ride in place of dinner at night. I wish I had a good before/after pics, I'd post them. I hope this helps.

Welcome to the forums chop!

There are more than a few big name frame makers out there these days making "relaxed" geometry road frames, built to be more comfortable. They're certainly not as relaxed as a hybrid but are a nice compromise. Specialized is the first name that comes to mind, the Sequoia and on the upper end, the Roubaix both have a more relaxed geometry. Lemond is another great company with a couple of great bikes in the $600-1000 range.

Don't get me wrong, I love my Bianchi, but they tend to have a slightly more aggressive geometry. If you're trying to decide between a roadie and a hybrid, perhaps a Bianchi isn't ideal. Then again, if you're like most around here, who quickly get consumed by cycling, you may eventually want a more aggressive geometry bike down the road.

Either way, and I'm sure you'll hear this on these forums a million times, get what's comfortable for you. And not what's comfortable after a 1/2 mile test ride, see if your LBS will let you take a bike out for a 20 mile ride and then decide on comfort.

Good luck!

If you're into weight loss, try what I'm doing. I ride a minimum of 1 hour, 4-5 times a week, at a high cadence (easier gear). My brother-in-law, a competitive ranked tri-athlete and personal trainer/coach, told me you start burning fat after 45min of easy riding and the longer you go after that the more you burn. Since the begining of July to this posting, I've gone from 240lbs to 213lbs and eat whatever I want during the day and ride in place of dinner at night. I wish I had a good before/after pics, I'd post them. I hope this helps.

I've been biking pretty religiously since March (I had a hip injury that prohibited me from biking for 6 months prior to that). I eat whatever I want, whenever, and I've still gained two holes on my belt. I don't know what that equates to in pounds, but I'm as fit as I've been in the past 6-7 years. Feels damn good too :D

The Trek FX series hybrids look NOTHING like most road bikes, due to the sharply dropped top tube. But, when you look at the actual measurements (chainstay length, wheelbase, head tube angle) the FX series uses geometry similar to the better road bikes of the 1970's and 1980's. And, like the better road bikes of that era, it will accept tires from as narrow as 25mm, and as wide as 35mm. That range of tires means you kind use a suitable tire for any weight of rider, and for any sort of road.

After the "mountain bike boom" of 1985 killed road bike sales, the larger bike companies decided to market road bikes as "racing bikes". So, many road bikes, even the $400 road bikes, are now using the aggressive racing geometry "Lance uses". Well, Lance weighs 160 pounds, is the world's most fit guy, and makes millions for enduring a lot of pain. Comfort and relaxed riding is not what Lance is looking for in a bike.

The "rest of us", guys who weigh 200 pounds, or who are 50 years old, or who want to return from a long ride feeling better, not worse, do NOT need the exact same bike Lance rides. Who drives an Indy 500 car to work, or when they go on vacation?

Take a Trek Fx bike for a test ride. Take a Trek 1200 for a test drive. Unless someone is going to pay you money for setting speed records, judge which bike feels more comfortable for you, on the streets that you ride, and at the speeds that you ride.

If a "road bike" is any bike that is enjoyable to ride on roads, the Trek FX series are road bikes. If a "road bike" is a bike designed to help you pretend to be a "Pro" bike racer, an FX is the wrong bike.

Welcome Chop, from the only guy on the forum with a total hip replacement at the age of 46!

Started at 230 two years ago.
Now, 190 and steady. Six footer like you.

Hey, don't give up on that Trek 7500. That's what I ride and I love it. But you have to trick it up a bit. It will be more comfortable than a pure road bike and cost less.

Put drop handlebars and maybe nicer rims and thinner tires and it's a road bike basically that rides real smooth and even with the upgrades will be way less than the grand you will spend on any half-decent road bike.

Again, welcome to the gang and enjoy shopping!