Szerek

I've been given the green light to buy a bike. From my post about two weeks ago I'm a uber clyde just south of 400lbs.

I think I'm going to do with a Giant Sedona but I'm stuck trying to decide between the ST and the regular Sedona. My budget is ~$400

I need some opinions. Here are the advantages and disadvantages to each.

Sedona ST:

The good
ChroMoly Fram
Rigid fork
rigid seat post
36 spoke wheels

The bad
Single wall rims.

Price: 2009 left over @ $279

What I could do is have a double wall rear wheel built after/if I break the first rear wheel.


Sedona:

The good:
Double wall wheels

The bad:
32 spoke wheels
Suspension seat
Front suspension fork

Price $350

What I could do is have the fork and seat post replaced but I'm not sure how much that will affect the price, I still need to talk to the LBS about that.

This same LBS deals in Trek as well, and I'm going to take a look at the Trek Navigator today, but the Sedona seems like a solid choice.

I'm looking for opinions on which bike you think will not only hold up better, but which one I will have to put the least money into in the near future for upgrades due to the stress I will put on it.

RedWhiteandRed

Get the cheapest one. The wheels will be more or less fine and the 'suspension seatpost' only works if you are a featherweight.

Giant bikes are a mainstay of the larger person.

jyossarian

Get the cheapest. You can replace them w/ double walled rims if you break the first set. If you're up to it, you can try negotiating an upgrade to the double walled rims, basically asking them to swap the wheels on the bikes.

bautieri

Have you looked at a left over Trek FX? Even if you bought new the FX 7.1 is only 40 bucks over budget. I really think you will grow tired of the Sedona once the speed bug bites. A little more aggressive FX might be just the ticket.

gattm99

Its a no brainer, that bouncy crap won't work for you go with the ST. When you are under 300 pounds and feel like something more performance oriented you'll have a plethora of options.

DoubleTap

I agree with Bautieri, although I'm biased. I started with a Trek 7.2 FX when I was at 350 lbs., and it's never given me a bit of trouble. Now that I've been riding pretty seriously over a year, I upgraded to road wheels and tires and ride a 35 mile round trip commute work. I think you'll be amazed at how quickly your riding will progress and you'll be looking for a better, faster bike. Four months into my riding last year, I upgraded to a road bike for my weekend bike training and kept the Trek for my work commuter.

I have nothing against the Giant, I just wanted to offer some advice from personal experience with another bike.

Szerek

I was leaning toward the ST myself, but I will have to take a look at the Trek FX when I head over.

bautieri,
I live in the same area as you, which LBS do recommend? I've been to just about all of them, but I'm not totally sure what to look for in a bike shop.

Edit: About the speed bug. When the time comes and I get my weight down to about 300# (probably a year or so) if I feel the need, I'll get a road bike. Right now I just want something to get my big @$$ out of the house that will be comfortable and I can start slow with.

DoubleTap

That's a good plan; just let me add another thought. I followed much the same path you describe, but even now I find myself riding my Trek commuter a lot, and I still want to go faster. There are times when I don't want to take my road bike
because the weather is questionable, maybe I want to carry my panniers, whatever. But, I still want to ride fast, so I've been finding ways to make my Trek faster.

Enjoy-it's been a heck of a journey for me.

deep_sky

We have some guys in the club who are fairly north of 300 lbs who ride trex fx's of differing models. They like the upright positioning, and the fact that it can go pretty fast if they want to. As with any bike, just be wary of the wheels as thats what's going to give on you. If you are buying from an LBS, communicate your concerns, and see if they can help you out. I'll agree with the others that suspension seatpost is pretty much worthless at your weight.

bautieri

Turn that into a , I'm here to help!

I'll send you a private message in a little bit (have to go soon) as I don't want to name names in the public half of the forum. I don't know if that violates a rule, but me giving my honest opinion of that particular shop on Market Street would be in bad taste.

Szerek

I'll wait patiently for the PM!

2Klose

Ha, Ha. Boy you are still torqued up about that
FWIW I have heard good things about Mountainside Ski and Sport on Trindle Road. I had a friend, new to cycling, go there and had a very positive experience. I have never even set foot in that shop, so I have no bias.

Szerek

I've been there, but my experience wasn't positive. I think part of the problem may be just being new. It is a lot to take in and it can be difficult to make sure you are making the right decision.

spthealien

I would recommend the cheaper one...just don't jump any curbs and check the trueness after a few weeks.

spthealien

Concur.