Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Your experience: weight loss and bike fit

I have done some searching about the issue of loosing weight and bike fit. In general, folks seem to think that some minor changes usually occur, but nothing that would require buying a new bike. I am curious about your experience with moderate weight loss (20-30 pounds) and any changes that were made in bike fit as a result of weight loss ...

I am asking the question because I am having a new bike built and have received some advice that perhaps I should wait until I am at my desired weight and fitness level ...

I have no first hand experience with this, and you don't give your starting weight or desired finished weight
but nothing ever stopped me shooting my mouth off, even when I don't have the facts.

Bike fit, within reason, is based on your skeleton, which doesn't change during weight loss.
So, loosing 20 to 30 lbs isn't going to affect bicycle fit. However, a 400 lb person has difficulty reaching the drops on a racing bike, but if they loose 200 lbs, they can, and their ideal bike fit will be different than their fit when they were 400 lbs.

I don't think the size of the bike will change, more like the type of bike. I got my CAAD in the middle of Oct at 315lbs, as of last Sat morning I was 275lbs. The fit hasn't changed for me.

From my own experience, I found my that my flexibility changed / improved which led to better riding posture on my road bike. I probably lost around 25-30 lbs. after being originally fitted as well as becoming much fitter.

This didn't change any dimensions, but I did make some minor changes to seat position and drop bar angles in line with my change in flexibility / fitness improvement.

Pretty much what the others have said, nothing that would require a new frame etc. just some minor tweaking, which should be done at some point after your original fitting any way.

To quote some people that really know what they're talking about:

Fit and fitness go together.

Core strength [or lack there of] is an important factor in fit if you're looking for the non-bar stool position down the road. The stronger your core is the more 'aggressive' your position can be [comfortably I might add] and the more power you'll be able to generate in that position.

My coach advised against getting a custom frame until I had a solid year of training back on my legs/body. And that year was coming back to training after being a Cat III roadie years ago and living a very athletic life style since then.

Of course [again] it depends on your goals.

Your mileage my vary.

I have done some searching about the issue of loosing weight and bike fit. In general, folks seem to think that some minor changes usually occur, but nothing that would require buying a new bike. I am curious about your experience with moderate weight loss (20-30 pounds) and any changes that were made in bike fit as a result of weight loss ...

I am asking the question because I am having a new bike built and have received some advice that perhaps I should wait until I am at my desired weight and fitness level ...

I built my current road bike in 1996 and spent at lot of time in the saddle under 150 pounds. Then I gradually grew old, lazy and big and quickly grew much bigger after breaking a leg and not walking for months.

At 215 pounds, the drops were uncomfortable so I didn't use them and I often rode on the outside curve instead of the hoods.

At 205 pounds I rode on the hoods more but the drops were still out of the question.

At 195 pounds with about 1,000 base miles over the preceding 5 months the hoods were perfect but the drops too much for more than occasional use.

At 180 pounds with another 2,206 hard miles over six months the hoods are perfect and I find the drops comfortable and a good way to pickup a few more RPM if I'm riding an interval on my 19 cog and the 21 would be a bit much.

I'd guess that if I bought the bike when I was big I'd have swapped a compact drop bar for something deeper, shorter/higher stem for something longer (or perhaps just lost spacers), and a bigger cassette for a tighter one none of which are terribly expensive.

If a new bike is going to encourage you to ride more because it fits better and is otherwise more comfortable or let you ride harder because the gears are closer or have more range it'll get you to your desired fitness and weight levels sooner.