dtretv100

Yea you read it right. I am around 398 pounds. And just like many of you, I loved riding bikes as a kid. And I wanted to bring that passion back and drop this weight. Only problem is I have been researching for about 2 hours and haven't found a deifnitive answer or reasonable price. I am thinking maybe I should drop more weight before I ride. Another reason I wanted to start biking is because I don't have a car, and I thought about there being no better way to lose weight and save money than buying a bike!

FBinNY 

Probably, any non suspension mtn bike will serve. You'll see faster wear and tear than a lighter person, but if it comes from regular use and you see improvement in how you feel you won't mind repairing or replacing it when needed.

Don't spend big bucks, and consider a used bike. In short consider this a step from where you are to where you want to be. Then you can decide on the next step. Also don't expect too much early on, take it slow and easy and give yourself time to build strenght, especially if there are any hills.

I don't know the length of your commute, but if it's anything over 5 miles or so, put that off until you've workd up to where you can ride 1.5 times the distance without suffering. That will give you a sense of the time needed and allow you to complete the ride with something left in the tank.

BTW- don't be too surprised if weight loss is slow, especially at first. Muscle is denser than fat, and any fat weight lost may be offset by muscle weight gained. To avoid being discouraged, measure yourself at chest, waist and hips before starting,and consider size reduction a victory even if there's little or no weight reduction for a while. The weight ill come off later when the phase one conditioning is over.

Duane Behrens

Also, avoid white spandex riding pants for now.

Seriously, the above poster is probably correct. You need a solid mountain bike frame until you've lost at least, I don't know, 170 lbs. or so. (Not sure, but I think my CF Tarmac literature suggests 200 lbs. max).

The above poster is also correct in the time it will take. When I started riding, I rode hard and daily. I saw no weight loss at all for about 3 weeks, after which it began to cascade off of me. That part was fun.

Don't just bike. Walk, walk, walk and walk some more. Good luck; stay with it, eh?

IAMAMRA

Started at about 450 on e bike i have listed. A raleigh detour 4.5 with double wall rims. I did have to replace the rear wheel last year but the new wheel is holding up nice.

More important though is a proper diet, I recommend weight watchers! If you have any questions feel free to message me, or read my blog.

Myosmith

You are not the heaviest rider on this forum and you can certainly enjoy riding again.

My suggestion is to find a 1990s rigid steel mountain bike like a Giant Boulder or Yukon, Specialized Hardrock, or Trek 800 series. Look for bikes from the early 1990s with no suspension and chrome-moly frames. They were very popular and are still fairly easy to find. I flip 3-4 a year as college commuters. They are very durable framesets and came with 26", 36-spoke wheels on decent hubs most of the time. The cranksets were quite strong and the pedals usually had chrome moly spindles. This is a recipe for a great clyde fitness bike/commuter. I started with a Trek 820 Mountain Track. The only modification I made was to replace the knobby tires with 1.5" Bontrager H2 Eco tires (cheap, durable, a little heavy but not bad for a commuter tire). I can't say enough good about these old steel MTBs for being bulletproof urban commuters and good bikes for big riders to get started on at a reasonable price. They are plentiful and usually fairly inexpensive running in the $100-$200 range in good riding condition, sometimes less if they need a little work.

If the stock wheels are in good shape and properly trued and tensioned, they should hold up for a while, especially if you put the 2.0" H2s or similar tires on them for a little extra cushion and distribution of force along the rim. Eventually, you might want to get or have built some heavier wheels. Butted SS spokes on a 36-hole double walled rim and a Deore hub makes a reasonably priced but very strong wheel. If you really want bulletproof, 40 spokes on a tandem hub for the rear wheel would give you even more peace of mind but it's going to cost more.

1992 Giant Yukon in a 22" frame. Very Clydeworthy bike. Purchased from private seller for $75.

corwin1968

This is fantastic advice. I would say any cro-moly frame is going to be fine, even at 400lbs, unless you abuse it. Where you are most likely to have problems is wheels and those are easily repaired and if done well, will last a long time...even at 400 lbs.

But, it's commonly accepted that 80% of the battle to lose weight is DIET. I used the word "diet" to mean a permanent, healthy way to eat rather than a temporary one. Riding a bike (and walking) will change your biochemistry and augment your diet in your goal to lose weight but at 400 lbs you won't be able to out-exercise a bad diet. It's just not possible. If you eat well consistently and start riding & walking consistently, you'll make amazing progress. It isn't easy and I haven't mastered it myself, still sitting at 400+ lbs, but others on this board have and they are always happy to provide encouragement and good advice!

nymtber

Yep, early-mid 90's cro-moly steel mountain bike in good shape from the bigger names (giant, diamondback, GT, Trek, Specialized, etc).

Diet is definitely a must. I have nothing more though to add for that, I've maintaned some shape even though I need to lose a good 40lbs myself. Others can add a LOT more than I can, but you need your calories in to be LESS than your calories out, and weight will come off!

Most importantly, Just keep at it once you start. Cycling is fun, and we are here to support you!

MarAthena

I am new to the forum, and will be new to starting to ride again. I am a 340 pound 5' 6" Athena who wants to start riding with my husband. Your notes above have given me some inspiration on what to look for (honestly - biggest fear is being humiliated by breaking a bike).

Looking at Craigslist I saw this bike. Could you give me some input: Pacific Evolution 26 Inch Women's 18 Speed Mountain Bike listed for $45.00.

Seemed to meet the criteria of mountain bike, no suspension in the picture (solid frame), and there seems to be a lot of spokes (with that said, I would still take it to a big shop to see if I should replace wheels).

The other craigslist possibility was: Roadmaster "Mt Sport SX" Women's 18-Speed Mountain Bike in great condition. It has: Grip Shifter, Reflectors, Comfortable Gel Seat, 26" wheels and tires, Kickstand, and 17" Frame.

What do you think?

FBinNY 

Pass on both. Very dollarput into features like suspension is a dollar taken from quality parts elsewhere.

Sticks to the basics. A plain steel mountain bike, with 26" 32 or 36 spoke wheels. You don't want anything fancy, just something solid.

MarAthena

Seriously new to this, please don't think my question is dumb....... these two did not show pictures of the suspension (or so I thought). How would I know/tell that there is suspension? They both looked solid frame (not that hanging gap area like on some bikes - isn't that the suspension?).

I will look again. Are steel mountain bikes usually listed as steel? I searched under women mountain bike (because I want the dip to help with mount/dismount). Only 7 bikes came up on the search.

MarAthena

Here is the pic for the Pacific Evolution. If you are able to tell me what in the pic would note to me good or bad...........that would be so helpful.

FBinNY 

I didn't find a photo link in your first post, but this one definitely has a suspension fork. (aluminum upper part slides into painted lower).

Low end suspension forks don't hold up well under the best of conditions, so your allocating some value to something that will just cost you more dough sooner.

MarAthena

I think I get what you are saying - the part over the front wheel where the white goes into the blue? That part is suspension and not solid? That helps me to know what to look for (thank you). I was thinking of the back parts only (related to suspension) where I've seen the bike seem to 'free hang' instead of be connected (best way I can think to describe it). Again - thank you! I will avoid these.

FBinNY 

I don't know your budget, but generally you'll do better with a yard sale "bike shop" brand, such as the Giant pictured above, than a department store bike, which wasn't high quality when new. If you have a friend who rides, ask for help scouting yard sales, or better yet see if there's a bike co-op in your community. Co-ops sell decent quality refurbished used bikes, plus you'll get some advice and a proper fit (fit is trumps in bike selection).

Myosmith

MarAthena

Stop by one or more local bike shops (LBSs) not big box stores like Walmart or Target. Look for stores with brands like Trek, Giant, Specialized, Raleigh, Fuji, and Surly. Most will have used bikes that were traded in. They are probably your best bet for assuring that you actually get what you need at a fair price. If there is a bike co-op in your area (usually a volunteer organization that rehabilitates old bikes) they are also a good possibility. If you are going to buy from a private seller, take someone with you who knows a bit about bikes and what to look for in size, quality, and condition.

BenVoiles

I don't have any specific advice but I wish you all the luck in the world. I think maybe a rigid mountain bike would be a good choice. If you have the money you could probably buy a set of heavy duty wheels that would last a long time. Keep us posted on your progress. A young woman that works for me went from 270 to 125. I'm trying to get her on my "Tour De Cure" team but she still won't wear spandex. Where you live you could probably bike most of the year and do some weight training when you can't. I'm sure you will do well.

Myosmith

Why make her wear spandex? Our TdC team has a choice between tech T-shirts or club fit jerseys and only a few wear spandex, most wear MTB shorts or liner shorts under some other recreational short or capri. TdC isn't competitive so there is no reason everyone needs to be in kit. BTW, major cudos on her weight loss.

Myosmith

Pacific is a big box store brand. While the frames might be OK, they are probably a lower grade of aluminum or hi-ten steel and come with lower end components such as drive train, wheels and brakes. The biggest problem with the one i the picture is the suspension front fork. At that price point, the suspension fork is going to be very low end, not much good to start with and with a very short lifespan. Even decent entry level suspension forks cost more than this entire bike did new. You can get bikes with no suspension, just front fork suspension, or full suspension with a rear shock absorber as well as a suspension fork. Low end quality suspension is much worse than no suspension at all and you don't really need suspension on a bike that isn't going off roading.

There aren't many entry level steel mountain bikes made any more because they have gone to lighter, less expensive aluminum. Some of the lower end steel frames on older bikes, and a few newer bikes are made from high tensile (aka hi-ten) steel which sounds good and actually can make a durable and serviceable frame, but it isn't as strong and resilient as chrome-moly (aka cro-mo) steel so hi-ten frames tend to be heavier and have a "dead" feel to them. The good news is that the mid-level and higher steel bikes from the 1980s and early 1990s were usually chrome-moly. Some had a mixture of steel components such as a chrome-moly main triangle with hi-ten fork. Most of the bikes made with chrome-moly steel bragged about it with stickers on the front of the seat tube (the rear tube of the main frame triangle) and on each leg of the fork.




Again, the help of a reputable bike shop or bike co-op will get you pointed in the right direction.



And please, don't ever worry about asking a "dumb" question. Everyone started in the same place, knowing pretty much nothing and we all learned as we went along. I asked lots of "dumb" questions when I first started (and a couple last week ).

MarAthena

Thank you to everyone. I hope to get into one of the local bike shops in my area (Oregon) this weekend and see about getting some help. Your advice will definitely help me know what to ask for!

REDBEARD_WS

I was 400lbs when i started riding my sedona. It has held up amazingly. Only thing I did was go with 100psi 1.5" tires

JackoDandy

I agree with the yard sale advice. Next month, you will see yard sales picking up in your area as people start the ritual spring cleaning. Ive picked u p some awesome deals over the year that I have rode and sold for a profit when Ive grown bored of them. For example, last year, I picked up a 1990's Specialized Hardrock for $10. Solid frame, no suspension and if I remember correctly 18 gears. All for the princely sum of $10. It had two flat tires that held air fine after a quick pump.

One suggestion i would give is to give yourself a goal - register for a sponsored ride in the summer/fall of lets say 25 miles. Its a goal and a challenge. Works for me

chriskmurray

It has been said a lot already but it is always worth driving the point more. A quality used bike shop bike like an older Giant/Trek/Specialized/ext is far superior to a new big box bike like you would find in walmart or target, even if the used bike is 15 years old.

As a heavier rider the wheels are usually the first thing to start to fail, verifying tensions are even and at the proper levels are a great way to save future headaches and a good shop would not charge a lot to check that for you. I also always suggest fitting the widest tire you can fit in the frame as it makes the wheels life just a little easier.

The best advise I can offer is keep it fun, and ease into longer distances. If you keep it fun you will ride more and it will not feel like a chore and the ease into longer distance part goes well with the keep it fun. Hurting yourself from trying too much too soon is a quick way to get burned out. Congrats on the changes you are making and let us know how it goes.

DoubleTap

I started near where you're at (I was 380 lbs.) on a Trek 7.2 FX that I bought new for around $550 in 2009. It served me well until I finally lost enough weight and upgraded to a road bike. I sold it shortly thereafter. I had no trouble with the wheels or tires, and I always made sure to inflate the tires to max pressure before every ride. I don't disagree with what's been posted above, but I also think you'd be fine on a commuter style bike for a while. I enjoyed the heck out of mine for almost two years, quickly working my way into a 35 mile round-trip commute 3-4 days a week.

Be careful, though, it's addictive. In five years, I've lost 140 pounds, I now own 11 bicycles, and I'm beginning my second year of competitive amateur racing as part of a sponsored team. I don't say this so much to boast, but rather to offer encouragement about what's possible. I hope it comes across that way. I've said it before; cycling has changed my life in immeasurable ways. At 47, I'm in the best shape of my adult life.

acdronin

Can't add much more other than good eating habits, good luck and those old Treks are bulletproof.

IAMAMRA

I always pump my tires about 10 psi over the max as well