xtoefield

Hey guys/gals,

Looking for recommendations for a road bike around the 16-17lbs. mark. I'm 6'2 and about 339 lbs. I know most wheels wont work right outside the box(I'm ok with that), but am wondering if anyone here has some feedback on the SL 5 or any other bike in that weight range packing some extra lbs.'s like me .

JimPz

They list a max weight of 275 for tht line of bikes. I would also think you'd want a bike with a taller head tube for a slightly more upright riding position.

Axiom

Pretty sure the weight limit is 275 for the frame. It will hold up far beyond that, but the warranty only covers up to that weight. And you'd be surprised. If you buy the Emonda, stick with the stock wheels until they break and, when if do, get them fixed. If you continue to have problems with the wheels consider buying custom built wheels.

Is there a reason you want it within a weight range? The lighter you go the higher the risk of failure at a Clydesdale weight. There are aluminum frames that ride just as good as carbon, and are still exceptionally light. And a steel bike, while only several pounds heavier wouldn't make any noticeable different in ride quality.

sstorkel

A lighter bike will also flex quite a bit more in both the frame and wheels...

TrojanHorse

I'm not normally a participant in the "don't get a light bike because it's easier to lose 5 lbs" discussions because I like a nice responsive bike but... even at 215 I have zero interest in:
[h=2]the lightest line of production road bikes ever offered.[/h]
Matter of fact my current wheels are pretty heavy at about 1950 grams and I like them because they stand up to a lot of use. My Roubaix is probably in the 17# range and it's frankly not worth going lighter. It just isn't.

Anyway, it's your money and if you want to get "the lightest production frame ever" and then go for it.

ill.clyde

Perhaps losing a little weight from the rider would be more prudent first, rather than being a weight weenie from the outset

xtoefield

wow guys. I appreciate the responses. I do not know how i missed the max weight. I am educated now after reading the responses and doing a little reading up on the forums. Is there any recommendations then for a good aluminum or Carbon Road bike for a 339lbs. rider you guys suggest? I figured I would do the emonda just because. I'm a Trek lover but have been really digging the S-works bikes lately. Maybe I'll go take a walk on my lunch break to the bike shop and see what they suggest. Thanks again for the inputs .

gsa103

Honestly, I'd be a little more concerned about your ability to comfortably ride a race bike than the overall weight limit.

Carbon frames can be every bit as strong or stronger than Al or steel frames. Maybe less so for the super high end where weight is considered a downside. I would imagine you'd be fine on a Emonda SL (with beefier wheels). A lot of the stress on a bike comes down to riding style, being light in the saddle will significantly reduce stress on the bike.

The bigger question is can you realistically get comfortable on a bike with "race" geometry? The riding position is different than most hybrids you're used to, you'll be leaned much further forward and may not have the requisite flexibility in your hamstrings & lower back.

sstorkel

Agreed. Race bikes are great if you're a racer. If you're not a racer the "responsive handling" will make the bike feel nearly unrideable. Then there's the issue of constantly kneeing yourself in the gut due to the ultra-low handlebars. That loses it's appeal after the first couple of dozen pedal strokes, in my experience. An "endurance geometry" bike (Trek Domane, Specialized Roubaix, etc) might be a better choice...

xtoefield

Well, I'm hoping it is more comfortable than my hybrids which have me in an upright position moreso. Don't let the weight fool you, I ride 40+ miles when I ride multiple days a week, and will be on my bike for 4+ hours when i do 50+. I'm looking for something Faster/more ergonomic to support my endurance/need for speed.

Handlebars, that's a great point!! coming from a flat bar world, I did not think of handlebar placement while "getting low". I will look into the Domane and the Specialized. I will go to a bike shop and check out a Roubaix as there's one close by that has one i believe. Thanks for the responses.

Ernest_T_Bass

Wow! I just learn so much reading these posts. Thank you forum.

sstorkel

There are lots of other endurance-geometry bikes to consider: Giant Defy, Cannondale Synapse, Specialized Secteur, Fuji Gran Fondo, Fuji Sportif, Felt Z-series, etc. These bikes generally feature a taller head tube (for a slightly more upright seating positions) and a slightly longer wheelbase (for more predictable handling), among other things.

spdracr39

In the new Trek lineup the Madone is now supposed to be a compromise between the race (H1) geometry of the Emonda and the Endurance (H3) geometry of the Domane. I love my Madone but I don't know the weight limits. It did weigh in new off the shelf at 17.2 lbs.

sstorkel

It appears that you only get the H1 fit on the uber-expensive Emonda SLR. When I compared geometry of some of the lower-end Emonda bikes and similarly-priced Madones, the numbers were exactly the same. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if the Emonda SL and S lines are just repainted Madones...

gearhead82

If you want something sporty and light but still comfortable, something like the Cannondale Synapse (available in both Aluminum or Carbon I believe) would be worth looking at. It's one of the go-to comfortable but fast road bikes.

xtoefield

Guys, I appreciate the awesomeness in the responses. I have wrote all the bikes mentioned down and will be spending my lunch hour doing research on the suggestions. Muuuuch appreciated.

Wilfred Laurier

it is totally understandable to want the best of something
but don't be fooled into thinking that lightest and raciest always equals best
for every particular rider

a good analogy
as it often is
are cars

it is possible to buy the lightest fastest car
which would be a F1 race car
if you have the money
but even of people who have the money
very very very few actually buy personal f1 cars
because they are completely impractical for actual use

even street legal race style cars
like a caterham for instance
are very rarely purchased by someone who wants a performance street car
because they are impractical

even though there is a 275 lb published weight limit on the bike you mentioned
that is almost certainly a very conservative number
and you could likely ride the bike safely
but you would not in any way be able to appreciate or enjoy the benefits of riding such a bike
nor would you enjoy riding it
due to the race oriented layout
this is why companies like trek
offer super lightweight high performance bikes
designed for more casual cyclists

anyhow
i might be wrong
and whatever bike you wind up getting
ride the hell out of it

xtoefield

ha! great analogy Wilfred!! thanks!

adrien

What are you looking to achieve? You say you're riding hybrids now -- so why a road bike? Is it handling, ability to ride longer distances, races, charity events? Do you envision racing? Do you want to join some clubs and start pace line riding? What's the typical terrain like where you envision riding? Any gravel or dirt involved? Do you ever ride in the rain?

Point here is the discussion to-date has jumped from race bikes to endurance bikes. Nothing wring with either, but each serves a purpose and is built to that. It will do the other, but not as well.

And on to you -- where do you carry the weight? Are you a weight lifter with a massive upper body and a 6-pack, or are you carrying more belly weight? Any muscular / skeletal issues?

The advice you're getting is sound. But we can be smarter if we know more...

And a guess on my behalf -- target a weight or an ability, and reward yourself when you get there.

Sullalto

No, that depends on the design, material, and construction quality. Weight is not necessarily a direct correlation. Look at butted tubes for a bicycle relevant example.

volosong

After riding my "Classics Bike" for several months now, I'm a believer! Unless you are going to race, the endurance/comfort bikes are best for the masses. All the bikes mentioned above, including the Domane and Roubaix are good bikes. They are all stable, predictable, and still fast. In my case, I went with a Pinarello KOBH. They are now sold as the Dogma K, (so they can be expensive, I purchased a two-year old frame that I built it up myself. It was new, just an old model year.) They now have a lower cost version that is called the ROKH. Same geometry, but a lower grade carbon.

side_FX

I wonder if there would be much different in flexing between the Emonda and the Domane with a 250plus rider on it? I read that the Emonda is the lightest, so probably more flesh. Then I read the Domane front is really stiff and the back feels like you're rolling a squishy tire. I'm afraid the truth won't really reveal itself in the time of a test ride. maybe I'll just base it on color. the S5 with the Matte Black and Orange really speaks to me.

Willbird

When I first test rode a Fuji Sportiff at 260 and 5'8" tall I could not breathe well even riding the hoods, forget about the drops, fast forward to 230 lbs, totally different story, I can breathe riding both ways :-).

You can get pretty low with a flat bar tho depending on the stem.

Bill

Jarrett2

OP, check out the Giant Defy, Specialized Secteur, Felt Z-series, Trek Domane and Specialized Roubaix if they are available to you. I rode all of those and the Roubaix was my favorite out of them. If you would rather have aluminum until you lose more weight, the Secteur is the same geometry as the Roubaix only in aluminum rather than carbon fiber.

I rode the Secteur with stock wheels when I was over 300 with no problems whatsoever. Now that I'm down in the 250's and dropping, I went ahead and got the Roubaix (which has a new weight limit of 240lbs. It used to be 275, but they dropped it this year for some reason.)

I've also owned the Trek FX 7.2 and going from that to the Roubaix was a substantial improvement in riding comfort and speed for me.

dagray

I weigh in between 370 and 383 right now depending on time of day, and intake/output of food and drink. That said I have a Raleigh Revinio 2.0 with carbon forks that I really like. It is about 20 pounds give or take (I haven't weighed it). This is an aluminum frame bike and I love riding it on the stock wheels with 700 x 23 tires. I also have a Raleigh Talus 29er that is about 30 pounds (guestimate on weight) that I enjoy riding on stock wheels (I do run the pressure closer to 100 pounds as I am riding on the road, and not on trails).

Neither of these bikes have a maximum weight listed, and I was upfront with the LBS on my weight. Both bikes each were under $1000.00.

Dave