Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Newbie w/ a Question

I'm a big guy--295 lbs of raw man, I like to say. Just started an eating program that makes me count points and it's nice, but I'm in the mood to get in the saddle again and start pounding out some miles. I haven't done that in about 50 lbs and 5 years. I was bike shopping today and I never even thought to ask if the bikes I was looking at could handle my frame. So if I could ask a question or two:

1) Where do you find out if a bike can handle your weight?
2) Is it stupid for me to get a road bike at this weight?

I have my eye on a very cheap Dawes bike being sold on ebay by chicabike--it's simple, one-speed, and not expensive.

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-ROAD-BICYCLE-TRACK-BIKE-SingleSpeed-Fixed-Fixie-/150621934971?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2311c4557b

How can I know if this will/won't work for my poundage. Thanks!

PS - Very excited to join this forum--been lurking for days.

I don't have any suggestions about how to find official weight limits on a Dawes like that, as the US-sold Dawes bikes are basically Dawes in name only, and you won't be able to find any manufacturer information on it. I'm not saying it isn't a good bike, just that you don't have a bike company to go to for official info. Generally speaking though, at 295 I wouldn't be terribly concerned about the frame being a problem, I'd be more concerned about the wheels. It looks like these are 32-spoke, which isn't bad if they're built OK. Whether they're built OK at that price point, I can't say. You might do a little Googling of "Dawes MTA" and see what other folks have said about the general quality.

After saying all the things I can't help you with, let me add that I mainly wanted to respond to point out that the bike in question isn't just a single speed, it's a fixed gear bike, meaning you won't be able to coast. If you already knew that, and that's the kind of riding you want to do, cool. I just thought you might not have realized it.

Oh, and welcome to the forum! :)

@CraigB: Thanks for the reply--I had spent an hour or so looking for info on Dawes and found very little. As for the fixed gear issue, it says in the description that the rear hub is 16T Freewheel/16T Fixed-Cog (flip flop hub), which I thought meant I could ride it as a single-speed and coast. Am I understanding that wrong? (A solid possibility!)

Mea culpa. I didn't read the specs. If it's a flippable hub, then yes, you can ride it both ways.

As noted, the frame will not be an issue; the rear wheel might be. search the forum for more discussion on rear wheels and broken spokes.

No, you're not stupid wanting to ride a road bike. Its lower rolling resistance is as good for you as all the Lance wanna-bes.

Most bikes can stand your weight for a while, assuming you ride easy over any bumps. As Craig pointed out, the wheels are most likely to cause problems. That said, at twice the weight of some other riders, it makes sense to get wider tires to distribute the load, soak up bumps, and carry you for miles. There's a special name for road bikes that take wide tires: touring bikes. I'm about half way from what I weighed (a bit more than you, now) to where I want to be, and I still figure I'm the rider and the load compared to many touring cyclists.

Assuming you're discussing Weight Watchers, beware their exercise point estimates for cycling. Or better yet, ignore them completely. Eat your daily and weekly points, and ignore the exercise points -- they're just helping you lose weight faster. If you really want to count the points, use a better cycling calorie calculator, then figure 80 calories per point.

Assuming you're discussing Weight Watchers, beware their exercise point estimates for cycling. Or better yet, ignore them completely. Eat your daily and weekly points, and ignore the exercise points -- they're just helping you lose weight faster. If you really want to count the points, use a better cycling calorie calculator, then figure 80 calories per point.

+1. I think they way overestimate activity points for cycling when your average goes over 12 MPH. Under 12 is probably fairly accurate, but over 12 and I mean they're way overestimated. I'd say if your average speed is closer to 17 or higher, then their numbers might make sense. But not at 12. According to them, my TdC ride got me 49 points. That's almost 150% of my regular daily budget, and more than many active people rack up in a week.

Assuming you're discussing Weight Watchers, beware their exercise point estimates for cycling. Or better yet, ignore them completely. Eat your daily and weekly points, and ignore the exercise points -- they're just helping you lose weight faster. If you really want to count the points, use a better cycling calorie calculator, then figure 80 calories per point.

Excellent--I was curious about that. I'll probably leave them off my record.

Thanks all for the advice re: rear tires--I'll spend some more time looking at that info in the forums.

Hi again - I ended up passing on the Dawes and going with a Giant Cypress ST (http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/bikes/model/cypress.st/7354/44066/). It felt like a decent ride, it was a good price, and it seems to have some decent comments on here from other Clydes. Let me know if you have any thoughts, but otherwise, I'll be out riding. :D

Since you're new to the forum I'll add the importance of getting your bike tuned up after riding 50-100 miles. A new bike settles in during the first miles and the spokes,cables and fasteners need to be adjusted afterward. Your Giant dealer should do this for free.