Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - New member Hello everyone

I would like to start off by saying that you folks are awesome. Many of you are already quite an inspiration to me. I weight 280 pounds and resently found out that my cholesteral and triglycerides are WAY too high. So, I need to change some things. Mostly my eating habits and I need more exercize. I've been eating much better and working out at night so far. My wife and I have been talking about getting bikes for 4 years. I think it's the perfect time to "get off the pot" and make a purchase. I want to be ready to ride once the snow is gone. I have no idea what to get so the process has only begun. We are going to check out the local bike shops and hope I can get something decent to start with. Just wanted to say hello. I look forward to spending a lot of time here.

Find a friendly local bike shop.

Buying new gives you quick help for questions, adjustment, and warranty work when needed.

Don't be bashful about asking questions in the many forums.

Go to a good shop. The bike you get all depends on where you are going to ride, bike trail, road or trails. There are a lot of options and the local shop will help the most. What I really liked when I got m first bike was getting a county map and exproring. When first riding on the road it can be nerve racking. The more you ride the more confident you get. Mountain bikes hold up well but tend to be slower on the road, but you can go anywhere. Road bikes go fast on the road but you are limited to the road. I got into it so much that I have several bikes. Make sure the shop works with you on bike setup. If it doesnt feel right keep shopping. Good luck and hope you enjoy the sport.

It looks like I will be riding pavement and crushed limestone the most. Not sure what I need but I have an obsession with road bikes. My wife thinks I'm crazy because I can look at page after page of road bikes for hours. Mountain and hybrid bikes just don't do the same for me. I'm certain I don't need a racing one but perhaps a performance or sport model would fit the bill. Are road bikes in this category good for crushed limestone?

Welcome!!! Go Illini. I wish I'd bought a Trek Fx series bike instead of the 7300 I did buy. You'll find as many opinions as owners here but that's what makes this so cool.

Go with a cyclocross bike. I had a Trek XO 1 10 years ago and rode it for several years. The frame was a tad small and I sold the frame. I just put together a Surly Cross Check, so far I really like it. It can handle wide tires. I use 32mm tires on it and it has a nice ride. When the single track dries out I will ride it in the woods. You may want to check one out. The top tube is long so be carefull. I bought the frame and fork and left the steerer tube uncut,it is the tube that you attaches the bars and fork together.

http://surlybikes.com/bikes/cross_check_complete/

http://salsacycles.com/bikes/casseroll/
This is another to consider. If you are doing crushed limestone make sure you can fit 32mm tires. 28's work but are squirlley.

I'm certain I don't need a racing one but perhaps a performance or sport model would fit the bill. Are road bikes in this category good for crushed limestone?

Welcome to the forums.:thumb:

If the crushed limestone road is hard packed then you should be fine and for all practical purposes the same as pavement. It may be a little rougher ride at times due to any washboards that might be present. If the roads have hard packed strips and other strips of semi loose then you will need your wits about you if you need to pull over to the side suddenly or hard braking.
I have ridden 700x23 tires on crushed limestone roads without any noticeable issue other than having to pay a little more attention to what's going on around me in case I have to change / move directions.

If I had to ride on it all the time, I would want to get wider tires, 28 or maybe even larger.

Thanks guys! The trail with the crushed limestone is hard packed.

So many options. I certainly have a lot to learn but I need a hobby to take my mind away from work.

Surly and Salsa don't have any local dealers so I will likely go with another but thanks for the suggestions.

I would like to start off by saying that you folks are awesome. Many of you are already quite an inspiration to me. I weight 280 pounds and resently found out that my cholesteral and triglycerides are WAY too high. So, I need to change some things. Mostly my eating habits and I need more exercize. I've been eating much better and working out at night so far. My wife and I have been talking about getting bikes for 4 years. I think it's the perfect time to "get off the pot" and make a purchase. I want to be ready to ride once the snow is gone. I have no idea what to get so the process has only begun. We are going to check out the local bike shops and hope I can get something decent to start with. Just wanted to say hello. I look forward to spending a lot of time here.

I'm in the same boat with you! (well, except that my weight is a lot higher). I found my bike shop and they have a Trek Navigator 1.0 that's calling my name. The wife is looking at a cool Electra (it's pink!?!?!?). Good luck, everything I've seen in my week or so of lurking has shown this to be an awesome place with supportive folks!

Welcome Kabong30
I've had two interesting experiences flying out of DFW. The first was when security escorted me to a special room where they were relieved to find my carry on contained a handheld oscilloscope and not something more dangerous.The second was where the 757 I was on had an engine failure about halfway thru our takeoff roll. I'm glade you have nice long runways

Thanks guys! The trail with the crushed limestone is hard packed.

So many options. I certainly have a lot to learn but I need a hobby to take my mind away from work.

Welcome to the forums!

Surly and Salsa don't have any local dealers so I will likely go with another but thanks for the suggestions.
You won't find many Surly or Salsa bikes on the sales floor, but any LBS can get them. They are sold through QBP, a major bicycle business distributor.

Shop for a good bike shop that listens to you and treats you well. When you find one, take their recommendations seriously. There is a lot of duplication in the bike world, and there are many different bikes that would make you happy, so you don't need to stick with a shop just because it has a particular brand.

Given what you've said so far about what you like and where you expect to ride, I'd say you want a 'cross bike if you can afford one. Ride a few and see how they feel.

Welcome aboard. This is a great place for tons of advice issues. You are starting out, so the best thing is to get a good start. Trek, Giant and Specialized are all Bedrock Brands that have been around forever and are the main line for most shops. I like the idea of a CX or a Hybrid bike. Listen to the Local bike shop people. Surly and Salsa are like buying a Tommy Bahama shirt. Very cool and worth the money, BUT WHOA!

I have found that many doctors ride bikes for sport and exercise. See if there are any local bike clubs that have doctors as members. See if you can book an appointment with them. Have them monitor your first year with you as you begin riding.

I started here @18 months ago. My weight and conditioning were horrible. I lost weight, got my blood pressure and #s in good shape. Cholesterol 160, RHR 62, TRIGs 160s. It is a good journey you begin, ride SAFE and ride often.

Welcome to the club.

Weight loss and exercise can do terrific things for cholesterol and associated numbers. My last trip to the Dr was after losing 50#, and after resuming riding after a layoff of several years (plus a few months of 3-4 mile brisk walks 4-5 times a week). My total chol. was 124, HDL and LDL were each 60. At my physical 6 months prior, total was just under 200. I don't remember what the individual H and L figs were.

First off Welcome Crawfish and Kabong 30

First off get a bike you will ride. Make sure it fits and you should be good to go. Truthfully I don't think you should spend that much on your first bike. Unfortunately a lot of them become decorations in the basement or the garage.

Since it sounds like you are a newbie I would look for a LBS that sells used or find a LBS that is very helpful. I'd say start looking now since most LBS won't be that busy and would be able to go over your questions with you and the wife. They may have a few bikes lying around or in storage that they would be willing to part with for a discount because new inventory will be coming in.

Hopefully your doctor went over with you what you can do about your cholesterol or eating habits. If not, most of us are "experts" because we had to deal with similar problems as yourself.

Anyways welcome to the herd.

Welcome. I also think it sounds like you would do well on a cross bike. You can put 32s on it for cross and get another set of wheels with 25s or 28s for long road rides. Very versatile setup. If I had more areas to ride off road or limestone beds I would have gone that way. I may eventually add one to the stable anyway... that or a 29er for a dedicated off road ride.

Thanks Guys. I really appreciate the support. Headed to the LBS this weekend to look and talk things over. Not sure if I can afford a cross bike right now. I'm thinking I want to spend 500 to 800 on my bike. I need to buy my wife one as well... The shop that I'm planning to go to first have Cannondale and Giant. We'll see what they recommend. Thanks for all the suggestions. Keep them coming!

I would like to start off by saying that you folks are awesome. Many of you are already quite an inspiration to me. I weight 280 pounds and resently found out that my cholesteral and triglycerides are WAY too high. So, I need to change some things. Mostly my eating habits and I need more exercize. I've been eating much better and working out at night so far. My wife and I have been talking about getting bikes for 4 years. I think it's the perfect time to "get off the pot" and make a purchase. I want to be ready to ride once the snow is gone. I have no idea what to get so the process has only begun. We are going to check out the local bike shops and hope I can get something decent to start with. Just wanted to say hello. I look forward to spending a lot of time here.

The three most important things in a bicycle purchase, whether it's new or old, whether it's cheap or expensive, are these:

1) fit.
2) fit.
3) did I say fit.

This is most important, because a bicycle that doesn't fit is like a pair of shoes that don't fit, you quickly quit using it and then it becomes wasted money. There are a couple of other things to keep in mind, first is tire clearance, if you go with a road oriented bicycle, and in a later post you say you do, some are designed for only 23mm or smaller tires, forget those, you want a frame clearance for a 35mm tire, the wheel rims need to be wide enough for a 35mm tire as well. Wider tires are better able to handle heavier loads and can be more comfortable in that they require lower pressures to handle that load. Still with tires, if you live in an area with a lot of road hazards, a puncture resistant tire and thicker tubes can be helpful. Nice thing about thicker tubes, they tend to be cheaper.

You buy the shop as much as you buy the bike, this is where you get your service, equipment and tools. The minimum equipment needed, a spare tube for each bike, a set of tire levers, a bike mounted pump (or CO2 inflator) for each bike, a good floor pump (with gauge) a helmet for each rider, a seat mounted bag for the tube and tire levers. Always figure that by the end of the year you will have the same amount (or more) invested in equipment and tools as you do the bike.

Welcome to the herd.

Nice to meet you Crawfish and Kabong. Try lots of different types of bikes and make sure it fits you. Then ride like you're 12 years old on summer holidays!