General Cycling Discussion - Best back tire for a fat rider?

I'm new to cycling in general, but read several threads on bike forums and Google Groups (dejanews) and purchased a stationary bike for training. After 2 weeks at 1 hour per day (3 on Sat/Sun), I figure I'm ready for the road. I've been dieting/weightlifting from a hefty 330lbs weight and now down to 300lbs, and figured it's time to leap into outside cycling. I'll be doing maybe 2-hour rides on general street conditions. Since no bike trails around me, I'm concentrating on the freeway "feeder" (side road that runs parallel to the freeway). Almost no traffic on it during the evenings.

So, bought a Trek Navigator 500 from my LBS with the default 32-spoke wheel. Should I upgrade the wheel to be wider with more spokes, buy a heavier tube and inflate it more? My LBS was less than helpful.

If so what width/size wheel do I need?
What type of tube would be best, and how much pressure should I pump it to?
How many spokes at a minimum?

TIA!

I'm new to cycling in general, but read several threads on bike forums and Google Groups (dejanews) and purchased a stationary bike for training. After 2 weeks at 1 hour per day (3 on Sat/Sun), I figure I'm ready for the road. I've been dieting/weightlifting from a hefty 330lbs weight and now down to 300lbs, and figured it's time to leap into outside cycling. I'll be doing maybe 2-hour rides on general street conditions. Since no bike trails around me, I'm concentrating on the freeway "feeder" (side road that runs parallel to the freeway). Almost no traffic on it during the evenings.

So, bought a Trek Navigator 500 from my LBS with the default 32-spoke wheel. Should I upgrade the wheel to be wider with more spokes, buy a heavier tube and inflate it more? My LBS was less than helpful.

If so what width/size wheel do I need?
What type of tube would be best, and how much pressure should I pump it to?
How many spokes at a minimum?

TIA!
I still weigh around 300# and I have been riding my mountain bike bike with 26 x1.5 slick tires aired to 85 #,with no problem. I recently switched to continetal top touring 26x1.75 aired to 60 #. the conties tend to be more "cushie"but at 60 psi I am not woried about pinch flats with a tire that wide.. last week after I broke my frame I got a loaner from the bike shop with 700x28 c tires .I think he put 100 # of air in them before I left. definatly smoother and faster then either of the others ,but with a noticable harshness to the ride. we bought a navigator 50 for my wife to start riding and I switched the contie to it las night. How ever,the stock 26x1.95 botrangers aired to the max have certainly been adequit(sp) for her. she has been riding it around town with me in the evenings since april 3(april 4 is her b-day.bike was a present) shae is up to around 5 miles or so a day and the stock wheel has held up. now before you say"well she is a woman" let me tell you she is a big woman (285# you didnt here it from me;-) ) anyway my suggestion to you would be to ride what you have, go back to the shop for your free 30 -45-60 day tune up(they do give you one right?) our shop wants it back at 90 days so some are differant.they should retension and true up your wheels at this check up,. I personaly am going to have some 48 spoke wheels built just because I want to go on a loaded tour and weekend camping and I know from my own history that 32 or 36 spoke wheels wont hold up under me with that kind of load.but...under general conditions,around town,commuting,etc. the stock wheels will and do work quite nicely. since you said you are new,when you take your bike back to the shop for its check up ,ask the mechanic to show you how to true your wheels(true is to straighten or take out wobbles by adjusting the spokes.) get a junk wheel to practice on so you dont screw up your good wheel. once you can do that,a 32 will work fine and you can take care of it yourself,as well as save money having the bike shop do it. the local shops charge 10 to 15 $ to do it. I used to ride a 32 spoke wheel years ago and I hade to true it quite often,but as a bigg rider who rode aggresively in the woods ,I abused them. on the street I do not believe I would havehad any problems,short of normal maintenance.
I hope this helps out. as a fat rider my self ,one thing I can relate to is rear wheel issues! :D

GOOD NEWS! as one Clydesdale to another, all you need to do is ride. I am near your weight and ride 700x23 tires on "stock" 28 spoke rims, with no tire problems. Two pieces of advice is 1.) keep the air pressue high (atleast the max rating, and I would add another 10psi) tire get snakebite flats easily with a lot of weight on them. 2.) make sure the rims stay true (do a spin check every once in a while) with big weight on them out of round rims will start poping spokes. Have a great ride!

GOOD NEWS! as one Clydesdale to another, all you need to do is ride. I am near your weight and ride 700x23 tires on "stock" 28 spoke rims, with no tire problems. Two pieces of advice is 1.) keep the air pressue high (atleast the max rating, and I would add another 10psi) tire get snakebite flats easily with a lot of weight on them. 2.) make sure the rims stay true (do a spin check every once in a while) with big weight on them out of round rims will start poping spokes. Have a great ride!


Don't think size of tyre is going to be a problem too much, as narrower the tyre, higher the pressure. I would suggest that if you have 26" wheels you don't go narrower that 2.1 on knobblies, or 1.5 for slicks, Inflate both to the max on the side wall +5 lbs, and you should not have a problem. Wheels are different. when they start going out of true, go to a good wheelbuilder and get him to retrue. Tell him the weight of the rider, and he may have to retension, or respoke, but it will be worth it. I would suggest better than that, is that you go to a wheel builder and get him to build new wheels,When the current ones are causing problems and not before. I have a clydesdale friend who use LX hubs, 36 spoke onto Mavic freeride rims, and these stay true for at least a year. The wheels are not that expensive either.(From a known good Builder)