lephturn

I need some help. I am a big Guy. 6'4" and go a good 380 lbs. I am looking for a comfortable bike that I can ride frequently to get some type of different exercise. I was also thinking about possibly commuting to and from work 25 miles each way at some point when I get some pounds off and in a better cycling shape. Ever since I quit football I seem to keep packing on the weight.

Thanks in advance

Jason

phantomcow2

Kona Hoss Dee lux

twahl

What the cow said. We lovingly call big riders "Clydesdales" so check the forums using that term in your searches. Some of these guys are considerably larger than you, and some have great weight loss stories that inspire a lot of us. Mikabike PWRDbyTRD and Big_Lug come to mind immediately, and I think all of them are on a Kona Hoss.

tallpaul

Clydesdales !!! Thats is funny ! A guy I was just talking too that actually got me off my rump used that term a few weeks back. I am 6'5 270 myself and found it humourous. This guy was going on about the clydesdale class and it makes sense to me. I sure could not ride with a guy that is 100 lbs less than me and keep up. It kinda gives me thoughts of competing down the road- it might be fun. God Bless-paul

Maelstrom 

Actually at the 260 mark, some of us start calling them rynos.

Hoss delux for sure, the frame is built to take some serious abuse.

phantomcow2

We will see what PWRDbyTRD has to say. I know hes very fond of his bike right now

twahl

Look for a book called "Heft on Wheels". You want to talk about inspiring....

PWRDbyTRD

Ask Mikabike (05 Hoss owner), Ask Big_Lug (04 Hoss DeeLux owner), and Ask me (04 Hoss DeeLux owner)....We all love our bikes. I'm 450lb and I'm not light on my bike. I love it. Sadly all 05 deelux hosses have been sold from Kona apparently. You will have to find a LBS with one to get. They took off this year. If you have any specific questions, let me know I'll be GLAD to help you! I love seeing other big guys getting into cycling. Mikabike is the biggest of us at 550 I think? In a few months I will be questioning him about weakenesses in his bike. The only weakness I had in my bike was my rear wheel, I opted to go to a 36 hole rear wheel wheel, which has so far held up. So yeah...any questions let me know!

pj7

I'm on the list of Clydesdales frequenting these boards. My only advice would be to stay away from the 700c bikes. When I first got mine it was fine, for a few miles, then I started popping spokes left and right. After much frustration and cursing of the gods I happened upon a bike shop that felt sorry for me and cut me a big deal in getting a wheel that could support my weight. At full price I would have had to pay over $200.00 for a single rear wheel when my bike only cost $300.00
For the love of all that is good and sweet in Odens beard listen to what the others say here, though some of the threads sound like children arguing in a playground over whos dad could beat up whos, they all are pretty knowledgeable guys and gals and KNOW what they are talking about.
Hind sight is always 20/20 and looking back I wish I would have just asked the guys here what they reccommended. I know that if I had I'd be in a much happier mood, less frustrated about it, and I'd probably have commuted to work today instead of driven my car because my bike is still in the shop getting the wheel built.

FreakinNewDude

Kona Hoss works great for me at 270. I love it. May be hard to come by though.
You might look at the Haro Escape (8.1, 8.2, 8.3). Lots of closeout 04's out there
now, at least locally, as Haro didn't do get them in the shops here until 05.
There is some killer close out pricing. Hell pretty much all makers have bikes in
the Clydesdale class. These are just the two that I liked.

givempills

hey guys......

I'm a clydesdale alos 5-10 275....My Hoss Dee Lux is ready for me to pick it up tommorrow. When my dealer called Kona to order it...they had 1 left in a size 16...I got really lucky............i'm so stoked to get that thing.......did anyone swap their stem right away...i think i'll have to////

Bill

PWRDbyTRD

Nah I like my stem, but everyone is not me. a size 16 eh? I'm 5'11" and ride a 20"

givempills

i only have a 29 inseam...i have short legs....

givempills

how do you adjust these forks im gettin?

allgoo19

It seems like Kona had a right idea. Will the other bicycle makers get the message? It's their loss if they don't try to break into this market.

FreakinNewDude

They have gotten the message. In fact I rather doubt Kona coined the phrase. Like I stated before, they all have bikes in the clydsdale class. Most are calling
them something more pc so not to offend the market.
These is plenty out there.

PWRDbyTRD

you can adjust the preload on the top of each stanchion (or better termed "leg"). You want to screw it down or clockwise til it's as far down as it goes, you will most likely want to go with the stiffer springs, 35-45 dollars through your LBS who sells marzocchi parts.

PWRDbyTRD

If Kona didn't coin it why don't more people have offerings? The Kona Hoss is ruling the clydesdale series. Here is the thing...I'd rather someone name the big "for fat people" than me have to rig a bike up with parts that will work for me....I don't understand how someone who is big or fat or chubby is going to be offended by being called that!!

FreakinNewDude

The biking community labeled the Clydesdales, Kona just had the nuts to use
the term. Just because it is not called a Clydesdale does not change the fact that
it is the same animal. For instance, when I bought my Kona, my LBS called it a
"Big Hit Bike". LBS guy did not want to offend me by saying... Hey your fat...
you need this one. I mean really, go to any shop, you'll find a nice sturdy frame
with more surface area weld points. Take the Gaint Rainier, Haro Escape,
Specialized Rockhopper, and the Kona Hoss lines for instance. Are they not
about the same? They are all stout hard tails comparably speced.
Does Kona calling theirs a Clydesdale make it a better bike for the "those who
aren't afraid of a few extra calories"? You and I are about the same, I call a
spade a spade. I know I'm fat; however, do you think that maybe other
manufacturers may not choose to stigmatize an entire line of product to being
a fat persons bike. Looking at the world and time we live in, you and I may call
it like it is, however marketing dictates that you don’t want to hurt anybodies
little feelings. When you can play to people’s egos and let them think that they
are not vertically challenged (a little pc lingo) and let them think that they need
that burly frameset because they are rougher or tougher, why stigmatize a line?
Kona has an in your face attitude about things along with a sense of humor.
That is one thing I love about them.

FreakinNewDude

Realistically, what do you base the sentence "The Kona Hoss is ruling the clydesdale series" on? This board? Our recommendations? Do you have the stats
to qualify that? Just because Kona under produced for the year does not mean
that Giant, Specialized, Haro, K2, yatta yatta yatta... didn't smoke-em on sales
for the equivalent spec'd bike.

FreakinNewDude

As for the original question, I guess we all assumed you want a mountain bike.

What kind of biking do you want to do?

lephturn

Wow..... I did not mean to get people in a fat man's fight. I am looking at riding on pavement mostly and then at a later time get a mountain bike. I was also toying with a gas power assisted bike if I like my first bike for the long commute to work 30 miles each way . I saw a semi recumbent bike but know nothing about them. I will be looking around some more. Keep the fat guy bike suggestions coming.

LEPHTURN

PWRDbyTRD

The hardrock frame looks beefier, but is made of a lesser metal and is not quite as stout, if I recall correctly! If I am incorrect, someone please correct me...with proof

givempills

rode my new baby today a 2005 Hoss dee lux.....The color looks much diff in person than on the site....Only bad part is I fell (more like tipped over) because of my eggbeaters....gotta sleep so i can ride in the am.....

FreakinNewDude

No fat guy fight here, just making a point. Go into any bike shop and they will
get you on something pretty much equivalent.
7005 Aluminum is a very common material in the bicycle industry. There is really
nothing special about it. As for the A1 premium aluminum being a proprietary
aluminum, as I am no metallurgist, you have to get with Specialized to get
proof. Either way, the warranties make whatever differences almost a moot
point.

givenpills- congrats on the Hoss DEEEeeee LLLuuuuxxxx. See you have to drag
it out to get the proper effect. Is the blue like the blue on the Kona Coiler? That
kind of electric blue that is smokin hot. I know the metallic blueish gray of the
normal 05 hoss looks a hell of a lot better in person than on the web page. Also
I did not swap my stem either. It's juuuusssttt Ffffiiiinneee.

Lepturn- Sorry bro, I don't know jack about road bikes. I will say, I do love the
versatillity of my mountain bike. Road it, trail it, jump it, curb it, whatever, it's
always comfy cozy. The extra size of the tire is alot more forgiving with the
weight issues for which we speak. You'll have to go with a mountain bike unless
they make some pretty bad ass roadie rims and tires. Although it may not sound
like it, I do recommend the Kona Hoss or Hoss Dee Lux. Hell, that's what I went
with; however, you don't need to limit your choice to these two just because of
marketing.