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Tire Problem -- The Rider is too Heavy!

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Tire Problem -- The Rider is too Heavy!

Old 06-08-06, 08:31 PM
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Tire Problem -- The Rider is too Heavy!

Hello all,

I'm sure I'm posting in the wrong place since there are mostly hardcore riders here, but I thought I'd give it a try anyway. I bought a mid-priced Mongoose Mtn Bike about 8 years ago, and almost immediately ended-up moving for a new job somewhere which was not bike friendly and didn't even put 10 miles on it.

Here I am many years later wanting to start riding again, and I hate to admit it, but I've gained quite a bit of weight since then. It obviously still has the stock tires on it, but now when I sit on it, I seem to weigh way too much for the tire (I'm 6'1" and around 250.. my weight is the reason I want to start riding again ). Given that it's an older bike it has 26 x 1.5 tires on it. I don't know what PSI the tires are inflated to, but they seem to be a good pressure and it's still not able to hold my weight. Is there a tire/tube combo you'd recommend (maybe my OEM tires and tubes are old/weak)? Am I just too heavy to be on a bike? Would upgrading to a bike with 2" wide tires be enough if there is no hope for me on the 1.5" (the bike is inexpensive enough that it doesn't make sense to upgrade to wider wheels and tires.. doubt they would fit anyway)?

As far as rides, I plan on doing mostly casual stuff on paved bike trails, with the occasional off-roading on gravel trails and what not, but nothing too serious (if this is of any help for a tire suggestion).
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Old 06-08-06, 08:57 PM
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If the bike's been sitting for 8 years, the tires are most likely low on air. Check the sidewalls for the max inflation pressure and try pumping the tires to that pressure. Should hold your weight no problem.
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Old 06-08-06, 09:00 PM
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The tires will be fine for your weight and likely they have aged well. Check them for obvious signs of neglect, but other than that just pump them up.
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Old 06-08-06, 09:10 PM
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I weigh over 300 pounds and I ride 26 X 1.5 tires without problem. I have ridden these tires for about 1,000 miles, and I will be riding them for a metric century on Saturday.

Check the pressure rating on the tires, and inflate to the maximum.

The tires I use are shown here:

https://www.serfas.com/tires/CTR-15.shtml

Your bike shop may have these, or something similar if you need to replace what you have.
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Old 06-08-06, 09:12 PM
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If you do decide to get new tires, then consider getting the extra-thick "thorn-proof" inner tubes while you're at it. They're not only resistant to thorns, but they're very resistant to "pinch flats" too.

And there are some inexpensive 2-inch tires like these ones that might be worth a look. Your local bike shop probably has these. They have a wide slick center section with thick rubber that's hard to puncture by glass & thorns, and some knobs at the edges. For casual riding, they might be just the ticket.

The downside is that all that rubber weighs a lot, so the bike will accelerate more sluggishly. But I'm going for the low-maintenance thing here
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Old 06-08-06, 09:16 PM
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Originally Posted by barba
The tires will be fine for your weight and likely they have aged well. Check them for obvious signs of neglect, but other than that just pump them up.
Oh sorry, I should have mentioned, I have aired them up, but maybe the pump I'm using isn't inflating them quite properly.

But, I just read dgregory's post and it sounds like it shouldn't be a problem! Sorry for a such a silly question! I guess I'm just gun shy after not riding for so long and feeling like I've gained a lot of weight over the years.
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Old 06-09-06, 01:20 AM
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You'll be fine.

Every weekend I fly down the road, all 220 pounds of me, on my 700 x 23's.

I also commute 15 miles to work every day on a pair of 27" Vittoria Zafirros 1 1/8" tires -- that includes 4 miles of gravel.
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Old 06-09-06, 06:07 AM
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Originally Posted by agator
Sorry for a such a silly question! I guess I'm just gun shy after not riding for so long and feeling like I've gained a lot of weight over the years.
Don't be hesitant to ask anything... But you should do so after some quick searching (once it is enabled again) to avoid too many duplicate threads.

Asking questions is what keeps the forum alive.
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Old 06-09-06, 07:14 AM
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Two things that you should do:

First, get a pump that works and has a built-in pressure gauge. You need to know how much air you put in your tires.

Second, get a new set of tires. After eight years sitting around, your tires may be deteriorated. A new set of rubber is pretty cheap and is good insurance.

You might also get a tune up for your bike, including repacking the bearings. The grease may have dried up over the years.
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Old 06-09-06, 09:02 AM
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You need a tire that will allow you to run high pressure so you won't get pinch flats. The high pressure version of the Kenda Kwest 1.5 is a decent cheap tire that can take 100 pounds of pressure. I have them on a couple of bikes. I paid $10 per tire.
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Old 06-09-06, 11:22 PM
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Originally Posted by supcom
Two things that you should do:

First, get a pump that works and has a built-in pressure gauge. You need to know how much air you put in your tires.

Second, get a new set of tires. After eight years sitting around, your tires may be deteriorated. A new set of rubber is pretty cheap and is good insurance.

You might also get a tune up for your bike, including repacking the bearings. The grease may have dried up over the years.

I went and bought a pump with a pressure gauge earlier this evening and sure enough, the tires were grossly underinflated. I do think I'll pick-up some street friendly tires, and a new saddle since this one is just completely uncomfortable no matter what postion I adjust it for.

Thanks for all of the advice-- I'll get my bike a little bit updated as budget allows.
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Old 06-09-06, 11:48 PM
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Did you say new seat? Believe you sit pretty upright on a mountain bike, so most of your weight will be on the seat. I'm also 250 pounds and after 14 seats, including the Brooks B-17, I found the Big One from Seatguy.com the best for me. https://www.seatguy.com/ It's 11 inchs wide, nice for weighty butts. Once you slim down, I suppose the more normal 6 to 8 inch wide seats will do. Anything on the wall at Wal-Mart will not work, too soft.
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Old 06-11-06, 05:29 AM
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That seat looks awesome! Damn good price too.
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Old 06-11-06, 07:02 PM
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Originally Posted by agator
I went and bought a pump with a pressure gauge earlier this evening and sure enough, the tires were grossly underinflated. I do think I'll pick-up some street friendly tires, and a new saddle since this one is just completely uncomfortable no matter what postion I adjust it for.

Thanks for all of the advice-- I'll get my bike a little bit updated as budget allows.
Good deal. Stick with it and you'll loose some weight.
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