Majorvox

Here we go. I have been riding for one year now pretty much 4 to 5 days a week, even in hardcore rainstorms and at freezing temps. My commute is 14 miles round trip and on the leg home I have to climb a seriously steep hill. I have customized my current ride with body glove hand grips, Armadillo tires, specialized seat, Jand rear rack and Sport Gear waterproof panniers.

I have lost about 25 lbs riding but I am still around 250 lbs. My current bike is an early 1990's Giant Rincon 21 speed. I have added a luggage rack to the back and I have dual panniers which hold about 10 to 15 lbs a piece in clothing, laptop, school books, repair and emergency stuff.

I really need to get a new bike but I have no idea where to start. I inherited this current bike and even though it has gotten me from point A to point B it is lacking.

I would like seat post and front fork shocks, and I need enough gears to help the nasty hill climb at the end of the day. Believe me, the torque that I am putting on those pedals when I stand up on them on that hill is huge! I have popped spokes doing this and I have bent or warped my front left gear pedal so that it does not travel in a straight circle anymore. I also broke my bottom bracket and replaced it with a shimano enclosed unit. I also purchased two used Specialized double walled wheels.

What do you folks recommend? I am willing to go as high as $700 if I have to. Mountain bike? Commuter bike? The commuters do not seem to be geared very high.

exile

I myself have a 93 Giant Rincon (even though it is out of commission) that I love.

What you describe seems to be more of a gearing problem and/or components. First off fix the pedal. Second find out the reason your wheels are giving you trouble (low spoke count, not enough tension, poorly made, etc.). After that, look into changing the gearing.

However, you mentioned that you inherited your current bike. Does it fit? That is the most important thing. There are plenty of fit calculators, and if you give us your height we can give you an estimate of the bike size you should be on. For instance I am 5'9 and ride the 20" I believe (frame size sticker has long since peeled off). I wouldn't start changing much until you are sure you are on the right sized bike.

Now, how much are you willing to invest whether time or money wise into the bike? Changing the gearing and/or wheels will cost money. Changing the fork and/or seat post will also cost money. Truthfully I don't see the benefit in changing the fork and/or seat post if you are commuting on roads.

Basically it sounds like you want a bike that will carry loads and have low enough gearing to tackle a particular hill. In that aspect you are looking more along the lines of touring, sports-touring, or cyclocross bikes. New ones will be hard to find in your price range. You probably will need to shop used.

waynesworld

If that bike fits you, and if you don't have heel strike with the panniers, I would look into finding the proper components to make it reliable, as Exile mentions above. Do you have a suspension fork now? If not, you might want to consider keeping it that way. More efficient and less weight without it.

Majorvox

Thanks! Yes I replaced the wheels with better ones after the spokes blew out. I also probably need a larger frame. The bike I like right now that is new is the Gary Fisher Utopia but ouch, $729 is a lot of money.

exile

My suggestion would be to go into a LBS and see what bikes they size you on. Then compare that to the bike you have. If you feel you should be on a bigger bike then don't put to much money into your current bike.

Shopping used is a mixed bag of tricks. If you know something about bikes you can find some great deals. If you are unsure, then you need to gain some knowledge so you are not taken advantage of. Look at Coops, LBS that sell used, Craigslist, auctions, garage sales, and pawn shops.

I personally found the Rincon an excellent commuter. If memory serves me correctly it was originally marketed as a hybrid and not a MTB. Whereas the Iguana and Yukon were step ups from the Rincon and were marketed as MTB's. Except for the components and flat handlebars i don't see much difference between my Rincon and my LHT (26" wheels).

The late 80's to 90's rigid MTB's make excellent commuters. It sounds to me that you need something that fits better and has better gearing.

sauerwald

Everybody has a different shape and different needs, but I can talk a little about what works for me, and why I have made some of the decisions that I have:

1) I would rethink the need for a front shock absorbing fork. The fork sucks up a lot of energy that could otherwise be put into helping to get you where you are going. Most commutes are on paved roads where the shock does very little to help you.

2) For me, it is vital that I have a rack and fenders on a commute bike. I carry all my stuff in Panniers, and I don't have an alternative to the bike for commuting, so if it rains, I am riding anyways - which make fenders a necessity. Many newer bikes don't accommodate fenders and racks easily.

3) You are a bigger guy - make sure that the bike is strong - personally I would stick with steel, and wheels that are built with plenty of spokes.

4) To me it is important to buy the bike from a local shop who will be able to help with repairs and maintenance. You might be able to save a few bucks by buying online, but the experience of the guys in the shop is worth a lot more than what they charge. Also, they will be able to help you to find a bike that fits right.

Keep up the good work, keep riding and the weight will continue to come off, and you will be feeling better and better.

monsterpile

Others know much more about this than me, but at your current weight you might consider the wheels as something you need to make a priority on whatever bike you end up with.

Keep in mind that if you are riding alot everyday and riding it hard you are going to have to spend some money on that bike eventually. Buying a new bike will only solve the problem for so long. On the other hand that GF is a nice bike and if you ride it all the time its worth it. If you are not wanting to take such a big hit to your wallet a used hybrid might be a good chioce. It seems like around here people buy them and then never ride them and sell them a couple years later. For $200 or often alot less you can often get a barely used bike for half or less of its original cost. I don't know what your level of knowledge about working on your own bike, but spending a bit more on a lightly used Trek Giant or other name brand bike that you can tell doesn't need anything more than some basic adjustments can be a great way to go.

no1mad 

Before everyone starts throwing names out there, find out what brands are available local to you.