Road Cycling - 1st bike in many years ...

I haven't ridden in several years and have recently volunteered to do a 100k MS ride with my wife :) . I have looked at several bikes and have narrowed my choice to a leftover 2001 Specialized Sirrus Pro, which I will be getting for $750. I pretty sure this is a good price and that this is a good bike.
My question is, I am 6'4" and about 250 lbs - am I too heavy for this type of bike? Should I worry about the skinny tires? Thought about putting street tires on a mountain bike but feel it would end up being too slow. Any feedback appreciated.
:beer:

Originally posted by Stor Mand

My question is, I am 6'4" and about 250 lbs - am I too heavy for this type of bike? Should I worry about the skinny tires? Thought about putting street tires on a mountain bike but feel it would end up being too slow. Any feedback appreciated.
:beer:

Those are what, 700x23c? I'd consider moving up to a 25 or 28 if they fit, but frankly I'd be more concerned about the wheels. In your position, I would insist that the wheels be taken off, stress-relieved, re-tensioned with a tensionometer, and trued. Spoke failure can be a real problem for heavier riders on unprepped factory wheels.

If the bike shop refuses, doesn't know what you're talking about, or tries to deny the need, find another shop.

(Personally, I'd prefer a touring, sport/touring, or cyclocross bike with 36-spoke wheels, heavy-duty rims, and 700x28 or 32 tires on a bike like this for a rider your size, but wheel/tire failure are real phobias of mine.)

Be sure also that you're getting a big enough frame. Shops like to sell tall folks like you frames that are too small, "making them fit" by using super-long seat posts and ridiculously long stems. Then you end up on a bike that puts your knees too far in front of the pedals (can you say "tendinitis"?) and your weight too far forward.

There's nothing wrong with the Sirrus if a flat-bar road bike is what you want, and $800 for a Pro is a good deal.

RichC

I'm 198 lbs and I'm snapping spokes every few weeks.

The more weight I lose the less spokes I lose.

At 250 lbs you'll need some fairly strong wheels.

I am 220 pounds, and haven't broken a spoke in years (knockin on wood right now). I ride the spokes that came with my bikes ('02 Cannondale RW700 and '90 Schwinn LeTour), whatever type spokes they are...
I used to have trouble when I lived down a 1/2 mile dirt lane, so I learned to walk the bike down the lane. Maybe I'm just lucky... I am careful too. I never ride on dirt or gravel roads, and I ease my bike over RR crossings, and rough pavement.
A big person shouldn't have trouble with spokes if they're careful.

The most important thing... like Rich said... is FIT. It makes all the difference.

:thumbup: :thumbup:

I'm hoping that riding will get me down to 220 or 230. As much as I like lifting weights, I think I need to reduce a little as I'm pushing 40. Plus, this will work my legs and heart nicely as well as get me outside.
I'm pretty sure I made the right choice of bike. Along with the nice price, I got 3 years free service too. Hard to turn down.

For what it's worth... I'm a former shop mech myself.

#1: I do agree with the stress-relieve, tension, and 25's or 28's for larger riders and/or touring. Heck, I'm itty bitty and I ride fatties on the road bike in winter. They're just more comfortable, and not significantly slower. Only racers really need to ride 23's or 20's pumped up to 120 psi. Give your butt a break and get the wider tires. And make sure those factory wheels are round, true and properly tensioned before you take them out.

#2: A good rider will not break wheels regardless of his/her weight. I've seen 140-lb flyweights who tear up equipment simply because they 'ride heavy' and don't pay attention to road hazards, etc. I've known a decent number of racers over 200# who never break spokes or dent rims because they know how to unweight their wheels before hitting bumps, avoid them entirely, etc.

It's all in how you use it.

Originally posted by lonefrontranger
#2: A good rider will not break wheels regardless of his/her weight. I've seen 140-lb flyweights who tear up equipment simply because they 'ride heavy' and don't pay attention to road hazards, etc. I've known a decent number of racers over 200# who never break spokes or dent rims because they know how to unweight their wheels before hitting bumps, avoid them entirely, etc.

I agree with this -- especially the point about learning to unload the wheels as you hit bumps that you can't avoid entirely -- with the proviso that the wheels in question still have to be properly built (tensioned, stress-relieved, round and true).

Even a non-expert can get a sense of whether the spokes are properly tensioned by "plinking" them -- all of them -- and looking for consistent tone (no "thunks") on all front spokes, and consistent tone per side on the rear (the drive-side spokes will be higher in pitch). Vertical and horizonal trueness can be assessed roughly by eye with reference to brake pads. Unfortunately, I know of know way to determine whether spokes have been stress-relieve other than asking the mechanic and watching his eyes as he answers.

It's safe to assume that factory-built wheels have not been stress-relieved.

RichC

I'm 41, and I lift weights regularly. It really helps when your upper body has the added strength to support itself over long distances. I used to "pump iron", and that is why I carry 220 lbs. on a 5'10" frame. But, now I lift lighter, with higher reps. Cycling will strengthen your heart... weights will help you ride longer.

Good luck with the new bike... sounds like a good deal.

At your weight, I would not even consider any bike with fewer than 36 spokes on the rear wheel, and at least 14 gauge, at that!
Maybe you should look at touring bikes-they mostly come with wider tyres-I think you should consider a 28 to be the smallest you could safely ride.

Well, this is what I have for tires. spokes and rims.

Spokes - Ritchey 14GA, bladed stainless
Rims - Ritchey Pro Aero, 28h, w/ CNC sidewalls
Tires - Specialized Turbo Armadillo Lite, 700 x 23C, kevlar bead

The dealer doesn't feel my weight is much of an issue. He has actaully spoken to several bike makers about this same thing in the past and they seem to feel that there is nothing to worry about anymore than a rider of a lighter weight. Any other views on the subject.

Heck, I'm 225 (on a good day!) and I've never had any problems with spokes breaking! I have tacoed my share of mountain bike wheels, but that was rider error. If you're constantly breaking spokes, my quess is you have an inpoperly built wheel. Either the spoke tension is too high, or inconsistant and you have some tight, some loose spokes. If you wheel is not built well, you'll fight it for the life of the wheel, which is short if this is the case!

L8R:beer:

Originally posted by Stor Mand
The dealer doesn't feel my weight is much of an issue.

It isn't an issue if the wheels are well-built. If the dealer was conscientious preparing the wheels, his confidence is well-placed. The quality of the build (especially tensioning and stress-relieving) is far more important than the specific components. You can get tens of thousands of miles from even very ordinary parts if the build is good.

If the build is not good, a heavier rider is likely to reveal the wheel's deficiencies sonner than a lighter one, all other things being equal.

RichC

Well, I finally got to ride the other day and I couldn't keep up with my wife :rolleyes: . It didn't kill me (only 6 miles) but it showed me how much work I need to do. My legs were okay but I think I need to get myself a little more aerobically fit :rolleyes: . It can only get better, I hope.
:beer:

Wheels are funny things. I tend to break wheels up even though I go over rough patches pretty carefully. I am 6' and weigh 195. I know people who are a fair bit heavier who have no problems.

Right now I am riding Mavic T519 (36 spokes) on 25 mm tires. The T519 rim is basically a light mountain bike rim rolled out on a road wheel size. They have been pretty bullet proof. I have 30000 miles on a pair with no broken spokes while before I used to destroy MA40s in about 10000 miles.

If you have trouble with wheels you can always go out and get something that will hold up.

I'm closer to your body weight than I'd like to admit. Breaking spokes should not be a problem. I ride well-built Mavic Open Pros with 32 14g spokes. I rode with a college club at the same time I played football and again problems due to weight were non-existant. Wheel repairs were invariably the result of rider error.

FWIW I ride 700x23 pretty much universally though I have 700x19 on a fixed gear. Ride what you like not what other people tell they think is good.

Obviously, rider weight is a factor but not the overriding one, at least not at our weight. Keep lifting too, as noted above it'll help your cycling.

Just keep riding.

:beer: