Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Embarrassed At Bike shop

This reminds me so much of some bogus advice I got from a poster on the Bicycle Club of Philadelphia email list that I had to check the posting name to see if it was the same guy.

I agree. I wonder how many out there are too scrawny for biking and need to go to a gym and do squats and lunges and hamstring curls before you can ride out on the road...

this kind of thing really chaps my butt. Not only were they were totally wrong about not having a bike for you, but they were rude to boot. I started riding my all stiff cannondale mountain bike at about 365 lbs over 15 years ago. Everything but the saddle, grips, brake shoes, and tires are original on that bike.

maybe we need to have a big clyde ride to that bs...i could accidentally trip and break something...



^^^^^^^^^
+1000!

Oh man. I usually only come on this site to leach advice from the mechanics forum. But for some reason I clicked on your post and I felt compelled to reply. I'm really sorry you had this experience. Don't let this discourage you from cycling. Please don't take this the wrong way but you are a little stout to be getting on a bike right away. Maybe this is a great opportunity for you to shed some pounds. Find your self a COMPETENT personal trainer. Don't go to some bozo at the local gym who'll lure you into a year long contract. Find somebody who knows what they're talking about. I'm a certified personal trainer myself but I studied exercise science and physiology in school so I'm not you're typical idiot who plagiarizes Men's Fitness magazine. Anyway, drop a few pounds, get lean and mean, and then get yourself a nice hard tail and try mountain biking. Good luck man!

PS - You can still ride a bike BTW. The bike can take it.

I don't know about personal trainers, other then that good ones are rare and expensive, and poor ones are plentiful and can do more harm then good. You obviously don't know crap about the load capacity of a bicycle.

Bicycles are amazing feats of engineering done on the minimalist scale, the strongest shape in geometry is the triangle, and bicycle frames are a pair triangles, that share one side, except for extremely light racing bikes, most bicycle frames can handle an incredible amount of weight, for the amount of material involved. Your basic frame should have no trouble with 360lbs. Wheels should use sturdy rims, with 36 spokes, and wider tires. It's a common fallacy that mountain bikes are stronger then road bikes, they are designed for a different purpose, the stress loads on a frame used off road are different then the stress loads on a road frame.

So the OP needs to decide what kind of riding he wants to do, decide what kind of money he wants to spend, and find a good bike shop that can accommodate that need, without regard for his weight. Remember cycling is a low impact exercise, like swimming, these types of exercises are better for the person who is obese, where joints in the body are over stressed already. If someone can use low impact exercises and good diet to lower weight, that will take some of that stress off the joints, so that the person can use higher impact exercises later on. If your really even a half decent personal trainer, you should know this already. Something else you should know, is that mountain biking is higher risk for the type of injuries that are likely to make one quit riding, at which point they gain even more weight.

Whenever I see the phrase Please don't take this the wrong way it means that someone is about to be insulted, and that's never good when that person is wanting to make a lifestyle change.

Holy Moly. I have a similar experience, and I only weighed about 270 at the time. There is just accounting for idiots, or guys who should be selling anything other than bicycles.

First, please drop in to the Texas sub forum and ask about other shops in the San Antonio area. There has to be plenty of choices. While I admire you not posting the name of the LBS, I'd be willing to call and ask to speak to the owner just to go on a short rant about the ill advised approach of turning away good business, and the importance of inter personal skills for sales staff.

There are plenty of bikes out there for you. The only challenge you have is finding one the right frame size for your height and arm reach. Your weight has nothing to do with it what.so.ever.

I apologize for the nature of so many human beings. At a really preppy, racer oriented shop , i suspect such actions are more likely... Go to a family oriented shop with a greater variety of bike models. Congratulations on wanting to get healthier. Many here can give testimony ,that bikes can be one of your best remedies to a healthier life style.. Probably your starter bike might very well be a hybrid. A good non racer type sales person will walk you thru the best components to fit your needs.

Better yet, go to their primary competition, buy a bike from them and go back to the other place and show the owner the receipt. Ride for a few months, get strong, then invite the guys from the first shop out for a weekend ride, then as Mr. Beanz says "blow their doors off". :D

One comment. I was very harsh on the employees at the store before, and I think I'm entirely justified. That being said, there's one shop near where I grew up that does only ultra-light racer bikes for skinny guys. If you walked into a shop like that, well, maybe they were being direct and fair. Otherwise, everything I said stands.

One comment. I was very harsh on the employees at the store before, and I think I'm entirely justified. That being said, there's one shop near where I grew up that does only ultra-light racer bikes for skinny guys. If you walked into a shop like that, well, maybe they were being direct and fair. Otherwise, everything I said stands.

Fair enough, that a shop that specializes only in racing bikes would not sell a bike for a bigger clyde, BUT shouldn't they have sent him to another bike shop that did sell suitable bikes? It's not that they did not have a bike to sell him, it was that they really thought that he could not ride at all. That they were THAT ill-informed, and rude.

Sure, he was going to have bigger physical and equipment challenges than smaller people that start out. I'm sure that he is used to that. I was. But to suggest that there were no bikes for him...is stupid.

Bicycling is not the type of activity that you have to be a certain size or build to enjoy, anymore than you HAVE to be tall and fast to enjoy playing basketball, fast and nimble to enjoy hitting a tennis ball, or be built like a Kenyan marathon racer to enjoy running.

what helps me is my new LBS is owned and ran by a clydes as well, near 300 so when i went to him with my wheel problem he helped me a lot from his personal experience

I'd agree with what others have said about finding a different LBS - the good ones certainly do exist - mine have never made an issue of my weight being a problem and have always been very helpful when it comes to advice on the suitability of components. Hell, they're even pretty impressed at my weight loss so far :)

They're even a fairly roadie shop, so don't let that immediately put you off...

Hey man, I started out WELL over 400 pounds (about 440) and rode almost 1,000 miles on a ancient Raleigh MTB before I busted a couple spokes. Around 420 pounds I bought a Specialized Hardrock, that's two years ago, and the only bustedness was a crankarm (probably partially my fault, it was terminally loose) and the rear rim finally cracked this year after probably 3,000 (very hard) miles. I'm going to have a new wheel built for it next week, and honestly? I love that bike. It's always fun.

Around 360 pounds this year I bought a Surly Long Haul Trucker. Love it to death, had the rear wheel rebuilt by the shop I bought it from, and it's been great. It rides smooth as buttah, is fast enough, and did I mention how smooth it rides? Yeah. It's that good.

Go with a shop that cares about you, and **** those guys. Seriously, people like that should keep suckin my "fumes" as I drop 'em on my 30lb steel touring bike with cross tires hummin' away.. :D

A couple of other thoughts for you. First off, if the sales guy says he doesn't have a bike for you, I'd look at that as ignorance, and not discrimation. The ignorance is partly understandable. If you go read in the roadie forum, a lot of these guys think of biking as strictly something people do in pace lines at 25 mph. That's their whole biking experience and all they know. That's fine, but it's not the whole picture.

Secondly, hearing something like that from a salesman, I would go elsewhere, but it's entirely possible that you're just getting one guy's view, not a store's view, so you could conceivably go back to that same store, talk to a different salesman and have a completely different experience. I'd try another store first, but I don't think there's a reason to try to discredit the first store publicly.

As to getting in shape first, and then riding- that's up to you. But I find with myself, I can think of all kinds of reasons not to exercise, and saying I'm not going to exercise until I get in shape would be one heck of an excuse. In any case, I despise gyms and gym-type workouts. If you like gyms, great, but don't let that keep you from riding or doing other stuff.

HI,
I used to try and Jog and walk for fitness, But being a CD it was very hard on my joints, since I started riding my bones have never been better, Jogging can wreck your back if your light, CD's are asking for problems if they try and JOG...
I love biking and I ve only been riding since July, like I said take it slow try to ride every day watch out for cars they are pretty lousy around here towards bike riders.
be sure your comfortable with your bike its important to have a good fit. most bike problems are fit problems.:thumb:
Doug
Everyone around here wants you to ride and enjoy it, your health will improve almost monthly after riding a few miles a day, its amazing.

StephenH,

It's worth noting that the OP did not name the store, so in my view, did not publicly discredit teh actual store. More like he discredited the experience.

I do agree that the attitude of the sales person could be limited to just him and not the entire store. The LBS that I had a similar experience in has turned out to be a reasonable resource. I did get advice from locals in other forums as to the sales staff to seek out when I go.

Hey man, I started out WELL over 400 pounds (about 440) and rode almost 1,000 miles on a ancient Raleigh MTB before I busted a couple spokes. Around 420 pounds I bought a Specialized Hardrock, that's two years ago, and the only bustedness was a crankarm (probably partially my fault, it was terminally loose) and the rear rim finally cracked this year after probably 3,000 (very hard) miles. I'm going to have a new wheel built for it next week, and honestly? I love that bike. It's always fun.

Around 360 pounds this year I bought a Surly Long Haul Trucker. Love it to death, had the rear wheel rebuilt by the shop I bought it from, and it's been great. It rides smooth as buttah, is fast enough, and did I mention how smooth it rides? Yeah. It's that good.

Go with a shop that cares about you, and **** those guys. Seriously, people like that should keep suckin my "fumes" as I drop 'em on my 30lb steel touring bike with cross tires hummin' away.. :D

I figured you would weigh in, so to speak, on this topic. Freepistol, take note, Big Ben has spoken. :)

Could everyone look at the current specialized catalog and give me some ideas. The local Bike shop carries this line and seems like they will at least sell me a bike. The Sirrus Elite and the Crosstrail Comp seem to come closest at the moment.

Thanks,

Dwight

This bike is my latest thought http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=39273&eid=121

Dwight, I'm pretty happy with anything Specialized puts out. Their bikes are good builds. I ride an 07 Allez for a road bike and it's just sweet. I did spec it for a heavier rider, though....perhaps overkill. I upgraded at purchase to a set of Velocity Deep V, 36 spoke wheels.

Looking at the spec's I would suggest the Crosstrail.

Crosstrail
9 speed cassette, triple chainring
700 x 45 tire
double walled rim
32 spoke count

Sirrus
8 speed cassette, triple chainring
700 x 28
32 spoke count

Starting off you will probably enjoy the wider tire width a little more. Its easier on the backside. The 9 speed vs 8 will mean a smoother shifting plus an extra gear up hills. Both have the same spoke count but the Crosstrail is double walled. Eventually you may wish you had a smaller tire width for more speed. But you will eventually need new wheels anyway. I truely believe you would be happy with either one but of the 2 my pick is the Crosstrail.

I am 6'3" and I weighed 355 at my biggest. Find your local Surly Dealer, and get a Long Haul Trucker.... about 1000 bucks and you'll love it, I love mine :o

I'm down 35 pounds right now.

A couple of other thoughts for you. First off, if the sales guy says he doesn't have a bike for you, I'd look at that as ignorance, and not discrimation.

Or as a statement of fact: "I do not have a bike for you."

That' the reason I say go rigid(no shocks, front or rear). Shcoks have weight limits. I am at the top of the limit on my bike and they DO bottom out!:eek:

Depends on height too. I am 6'1 and ride a 19.5 mtb. I have a 31-32 inseam and ffel fine. But others with the same inseam but 6 inches shorter may not like the long reach to the handlebars.


Im 6'1" with a 30-31" inseam and I ride a 18" mtb. Im more torso than leg though, so the bike fits me fine other than I'd really like to raise the stem (handlebars). I'm 315#.

You dont even need a new bike. Go find an old steel mtb to ride for cheap while you're getting started. Im riding a Trek 800 from 1993 which rides and looks pretty darn good for being 15 years old.

Im still playing with the saddle, but everything else should be fine for starting out. Other than maybe some gloves or grips to help adjust to the extra weight on the arms.

I went to every bike shop in town when i was shopping for a bike, i'm about 6'6" and 250lbs on the low end.

Some of them gave me a weird look, but I didn't really care, i was looking for a bike, not a pat on the back. If they didnt have one in my size i said thanks and have a good one and split.

I like to be very well educated about bikes when i go shopping at the LBS too, it helps you get respect and show them that your serious. This forum helps greatly with that.

I'd say you should at least know the names of pretty much all components on the bike (derailers, crankset, bottom bracket, ect.)

Also know about the product lines for components, shimono at least and mabye sram too like ( deore, lx, xt, xtr)

Also know some basic vocabulary about the bikes, like presta, shrader, lockout, clipless, ect.

Ive found a lot of solace in knowing what I'm talking about when I go to a bike shop, it really helps you get some respect when they don't have to talk to you like your an idiot.

I went to every bike shop in town when i was shopping for a bike, i'm about 6'6" and 250lbs on the low end.

Some of them gave me a weird look, but I didn't really care, i was looking for a bike, not a pat on the back. If they didnt have one in my size i said thanks and have a good one and split.

I like to be very well educated about bikes when i go shopping at the LBS too, it helps you get respect and show them that your serious. This forum helps greatly with that.

I'd say you should at least know the names of pretty much all components on the bike (derailers, crankset, bottom bracket, ect.)

Also know about the product lines for components, shimono at least and mabye sram too like ( deore, lx, xt, xtr)

Also know some basic vocabulary about the bikes, like presta, shrader, lockout, clipless, ect.

Ive found a lot of solace in knowing what I'm talking about when I go to a bike shop, it really helps you get some respect when they don't have to talk to you like your an idiot.

Researching a purchase can be a real eye opener, when you know more about the product then the guy selling it. I've asked questions of sales people of stuff they didn't know.

I would say that there is a possibility that there may be more ignorance on the part of the salesperson than discrimination...

But isn't discrimination based on ignorance? In this case we just don't know if the ignorance is about the customer or the product.

I have been very fortunate. I went into my first bike shop and bought my first bike. No mention of weight.

After I moved, and got into vintage bikes (it is also hard to find a shop sympathetic to vintage bike needs) my first stop was a new shop in town with co-owners who like vintage bikes, and have never harassed me about my weight.

I just went in last week after not going in for 6 months or so, and they both greeted me by name as I bought parts for a 35 year old bike.

I outweigh both of them together... Maybe almost as much as the two of them plus the other mechanic they hired. I kid with them enough that they have joked with me a couple of times about my weight, but it has been in fun.

I was in a similar boat finding my first bike. I'm 6'1" and about #450. I had built a custom quadrecumbent a few years ago ecause I thought nothing would hold my weight. Until I started poking around here. I too looked at the Hardrock and tried two LBS's but couldn't find a park spot at one. The guys at Epic Bikes in McDonough, GA were super. Tim the owner walked up to me and asked what I was looking for. He told me to hop on one to my surprise. I'm long waisted so for me the hardrocks, even the XL frame I felt like I was falling over the handlebars. I ended up with a Special Globe Carmel 3 26. This big looks beefy without looking industrial. I do advise starting off slow with just a mile or two each ride. Also invest in bike shorts. Above all, ride. Ride because you want to and ride because you want to be healthy. I've been a clyde all my life and I understand the looks and comments. For me though sometime back I took the approach that the good lord didn't put me here for them to like. If they don't like me that's their loss.....

I got that and I weigh 200 lbs at 6'5"... please say wtf with me.

They are just crummy people working there

anyway, dont worry. I know a big guy like you that rides his fixed gear around town a lot. All he needed were high spoke count wheels.

this is thread on another forum with people talking how they lost a lot of weight just from riding regularly
http://www.midnightridazz.com/forums.php?searchType=title&showThreads=1&keyword=i+used+to+be+fat&topicId=5554

like I am sure has been said that is not a good shop. when i bought my first bike i was 6' 292 lbs. i inquired about a road bike and they were very helpful. i even asked about my weight and they assured me i was fine. i even remember when they did the in store fitting on the trainer, i had never seen one before, and i asked if i was going to break the thing. they were very supportive and told me about others who lost a lot of weight cycling. find a better shop.

+4 or whatever to the LHT for 1000 bucks will work now and you can grow into it. If you ever do upgrade it is a great backup bike.


I have never had the problem with weight... I normally feel as if I am treated poor (as in no money) at the high end shops (i weigh less tho), normally anythign selling Surlys will not mind big guys.

And in my mind the shop caters to a certain client type...if it isn't you don't worry about it, they have reasons no matter how bad they are (I imagine they think you woul cause them more free labor on services)

+1 on finding a bike shop that will provide better service.

280 (right now), and I've been riding on what basically amounts to cheaper pieces of junk for a year now (plus a couple weeks). They have their problems (that's more my discouraging thing), but for other reasons than my weight.

Progress may take time, but you'll get into it once you find something to ride on. And even if it gets you down, remember that the simple act of getting out puts you ahead of about 80-90% of those out there today (weight or not).

Unfortunately there are a lot of idiots out there. I’ve experienced plenty of negative comments and embarrassing moments at the hand of these idiots. Most of the time I just ignore it, but sometimes it just builds up. Like this week when the last straw for me was a couple of little kids in a crowded store said, “He’s fat” and continued to laugh uncontrollably. These comments and attitudes build up over the years and make some folks not want to leave their house. Screw them, get out there and ride. I think you will find a lot of support out there in the cycling community; sometimes it’s just a matter of looking a little harder for it. Glad you’re hear and sharing. I’m 5’11” 450lbs riding an old Bianchi mountain bike twice a week, no serious problems with the bike so far.

Find you a good shop and you will find some good people to ride with also! I know for me it was not much having to ask if I would break a bike because of my weight but I am definately over it now. I started at 6'0" 250 Lbs and down to 216 Lbs this morning. All I can tell you is that after taking 34 lbs off I can run off and hide from some of the skinny punks that might turn their nose up. Everyone has to start somewhere!

This is an old thread that got bumped from last October. I wonder if the OP is still around? I'd love to hear how things ended up.

Freepistol. You have the power of your wallet. Tell the owner of the shop where you were treated badly that you are in the market to spend and it won't be at his shop because of the way you were treated. Spend some time and find a good shop that will help you along the way. They are out there.

I've heard the story of two shoe salesmen that went to Africa. One came back in a week all dejected and said "Nobody wears shoes over here." The other one sent a message back to the home office that said "Send me some help. Nobody has shoes over here!" Fictional story, I'm sure, but I think that's what you're running into, and it's been seen before. And you don't have to weigh 350, either. Just some of these places have a preconceived idea of what a cyclist is, and if you don't walk in wearing lycra, you're obviously not a potential customer.

Read around on the Clydesdale forum here and try to get an idea of what kind of bike you're interested it and what other people ride. Generally, it's the wheels that give heavier people problems, not the frame itself, so check into the wheel cost while you're at it.

Then go visit another bicycle store or two and see what you find.

Don't assume it's all about your weight, either. One of the biggest stores in town here, I've been in there two or three times and was just pretty well ignored. Then one time I was in there and had about 7 different sales people ask if they could help me. The difference wasn't me, it was how busy the store was. I'm not saying that's the case with your first visit there, but if you walk in other stores and don't have salesmen jumping all over you, don't write 'em off too quickly.

I like that, to the OP dont be dejected, look on it that they lost a sale. Id find another shop and be done with them.

It gets worse when you decide you want to wear clothes that fit the sport. I will give you a hint right up front. I wear XL in most shirts I buy. I wear at the very minimum a 2XL for Jerseys, and most don't fit right unless I can find a 3XL. I am 6 even and 250. It seems the companies that make bike equipment, especially apparel, have bought into the idea that if you weight more than 150 in full kit then will never be interested in what they sale.

When you go clipless I recommend the Specialized Tahoe shoes. I have had great luck with mine, and just bought the wife a pair last month.

It gets worse when you decide you want to wear clothes that fit the sport. I will give you a hint right up front. I wear XL in most shirts I buy. I wear at the very minimum a 2XL for Jerseys, and most don't fit right unless I can find a 3XL. I am 6 even and 250. It seems the companies that make bike equipment, especially apparel, have bought into the idea that if you weight more than 150 in full kit then will never be interested in what they sale.

When you go clipless I recommend the Specialized Tahoe shoes. I have had great luck with mine, and just bought the wife a pair last month.

Part of the issue is that most cyclists have, in the past, been smaller. Especially those that wear the cyclist uniform. It's only been in the last few years that it's been discovered how nicely it can work in a diet and exercise program for weight loss. It's only in a few places, North America and Australia mostly, that there is a large weight problem in the first place.

The biggest reasons for that weight problem are cheap gas that encourages driving everywhere, an infrastructure that encourages driving everywhere, massive amounts of television watching and a diet that is high on sugars, low on nutrition.

I was given a lot of flak when I started riding again a few years ago. At that point I was probably 430+ and 6'2", though I had stopped weighing myself in 2004. I found a local shop where they were nice to me and made mods to the wheels as needed. I still stick with them. I figured out there are *REAL* bike shops for people who are actually going to ride the bejesus out of their bikes, and there are the other shops and stores for people who are going to spend money on garage decorations. The real shops will know how to build wheels and won't sell garbage.

As a Clyde, I can sympathize with your frustration. However, let's not tar and feather the fancy bike store so quickly. If the OP didn't do any research and wandered into a store that catered primarily to the go-fast crowd on their plastic-fantastics, he got the appropriate response.

"No sir we can't really sell you a bike, we don't have anything for people like you". That's a statement of fact. You can't sell someone a bike if you don't have one specific to their need. Would we have preferred they set him up on something inappropriate, just to garner a sale?

You don't visit a Lexus dealer when you're looking for an inexpensive commuter.

As a Clyde, I can sympathize with your frustration. However, let's not tar and feather the fancy bike store so quickly. If the OP didn't do any research and wandered into a store that catered primarily to the go-fast crowd on their plastic-fantastics, he got the appropriate response.

"No sir we can't really sell you a bike, we don't have anything for people like you". That's a statement of fact. You can't sell someone a bike if you don't have one specific to their need. Would we have preferred they set him up on something inappropriate, just to garner a sale?

You don't visit a Lexus dealer when you're looking for an inexpensive commuter.

Yes, but a good Lexus dealer would probably refer you to Toyota dealer across the street. :rolleyes:

Lots of times, for people new to cycling, or returning after many years, it's tough to tell which are the pro level shops and which are the regular people shops. Rather then saying we have nothing for a person of your weight range, there a much nicer ways of saying the same thing. The reason being, that 250 or 300lb rider might just lose enough weight that they could shop there, but will not, because the staff were rude to them when they were heavier.

Yes, but a good Lexus dealer would probably refer you to Toyota dealer across the street. :rolleyes:

Lots of times, for people new to cycling, or returning after many years, it's tough to tell which are the pro level shops and which are the regular people shops. Rather then saying we have nothing for a person of your weight range, there a much nicer ways of saying the same thing. The reason being, that 250 or 300lb rider might just lose enough weight that they could shop there, but will not, because the staff were rude to them when they were heavier.

And do we know whether the OP asked the snooty bike shop employee for advice? Or is it easier for us to play the victims?

A great bike designed for big riders is the Kona Hoss. In Canada, they list for $950 so should be a bargain in the US. I am a Specialized fan and was looking for a bike for my neighbor who is similar in stature and had the same embarrasing experience you did. The Hoss really impressed me.
Simple solution, don't give him your business but do tell them why they lost it. Enjoy cycling when you get going. It is a sport that offers a lot to all shapes and sizes.