warrenevans

I would like to know if they make tire tubes for larger people. I weigh 297. The tires work great for me but my wife is like 100 lbs more then me. I was trying to get her into rideing so we could lose weight. Well we went and rode around my bike (Mt. Fury) we took turns riding it and everything was fine. The next day I took my bike to a park and I was only able to ride about half a mile. I did notice that the tire was low when I got on. I told her it didn't go flat because of her. But I would still like to get a tube that will hold up. ANy ideas.

Parafly9

ummm. your wife weighs 400 lb?

snakehunter

Look for something called a downhill tube.....they are about 2-3x thicker and heavier than a regular tube, they are made for downihilling, which runs low psi and heavy hits, so they are made to protect against pinchflats....also try thorn resistant tubes, they are thick, but not as HD as the DH tubes.....

big john

If you are going to ride pavement only, you can get slicks for your mountain bike that will take 100 psi. Carry a pump, spare tube and patch kit. A good bike shop can help you with stronger wheels if you need them. Get your wife her own bike and keep at it. Have fun above all and you will stick with it.

bobflyer

my suggestion.. jus run like hell.. one u have come down 195 pounds.. then start to cycle to lose weight.. cause cycling does'nt really help lose weight.. or atleast thats what my doctor says.. cause i was also about 250 pounds.. he told me to just run everyday for about 1 mile to start with and then slowly increase the distance.. but still cycle for fun.. don't use it as a means to lose weight.. and about the bike, check out the $500 mtb thread..

MsMittens

Uh.. why not? I've done that... works well. Running can be hard on the knees for those overweight. That said, there are bikes designed for heavier people (Kona; look for bikes designed for "Athenas" -- female term for Clydesdales) and it's probably worthwhile to get hand-built wheels with more spoke count to be stronger. A decent slick will run around 100psi and should be fine.

bobflyer

b\c it does not lose weight as fast as running.. thats why you start with 1 mile.. and increase the distance over a period of time.. i did cyclingfor about 2 months and lost 5 pounds.. but the moment i started running.. after 2 weeks.. i lost 2 pounds..

MsMittens

Odd. When I started cycling I was losing between 1.5-2 lbs a week. Still continue that today (only another 25lbs to go at this point). Speed isn't the issue, IMO, when it comes to losing weight. Keeping it off and staying the course is. I'd rather enjoy losing the weight than hate doing my cardio (I've done running but my knees are sorta wrecked from playing goalie for 8 years in ice hockey).

Dannihilator

How hard did you go at? Just simple spinning for 1 to 2 miles won't do much compared to like riding a distance of 10-20 miles at a slightly higher cadence than spinning. Running not only is bad on the knees, but really hard on the shin bones to boot. For me I'd drop the hammer on the bike and go for rides up to about 70 miles on the mtb to lose 5-8 pounds by the end of the week. You also have to remember it also depends on the diet one has, generally the Atkins doesn't work well for runners and cyclists, because when you cut the carbs, you also cut off the good carbs, take out the sugary stuff, whole grain breads and pasta are a great source of healthy carbs. Eat alot of fish, especially Salmon, if poultry, skinless chicken, when going with a red meat go with either venison, buffalo, or ostridge, red meat that is very lean and good for you. Vegetables are your friend as well.

thumbnut

Please do not start running right now. Way too much weight now to run. The biking together thing will be much better as long as you both can stand each other When the other doesn't feel like going out, it is the job of the better half to get them out, any way possible. After 15 minutes of riding, you will feel much better. We like to make "quests" when we go riding. Pick a destination to ride to, like the post office, a store you like (not for food ), a friends house, etc. We like to ride to an interesting overlook, drink a diet soda or something else, get fresh with each other (again, if you can stand each other), and ride back. It will be hard in the beginning to keep at it. We both needed to loose 20 or so lbs. Now 2 years later, my wife loves the attention she gets from other men and that translated into much more and much better sex for us. She even asked me if I would be open to bringing another woman into our well, you know! That should be enough incentive for anybody! As long as I don't have to reciprocate.

Pheard

Yea I would suggest not running, especially at your weight it will stress your knees, ankles and joints. Biking is perfect.

Raiyn

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but your Roadmaster isn't going to hold up for very long.
Check this thread for ideas
https://www.bikeforums.net/general-cycling-discussion/71678-i-want-bike.html

cod3man

I read an interesting story in Bicycling mag a while ago. It was about an overweight man who took up biking. I don't remember the month- maybe July, June... But a interesting read- maybe head to your Library to look it up.

That kinda reads like a dumb post--

-cheers

thejoe

In the latest edition of Dirt Rag (i think that was it). The guy lost about 200lbs, maybe more, riding mountain bikes and eating Subway. It was an interesting story.

iamthetas

[QUOTE=bobflyer]b\c it does not lose weight as fast as running.. thats why you start with 1 mile.. and increase the distance over a period of time..

how much they gonna lose when they blow their frackin knee out and have to have surgery? none sitting on the sofa rehabbing.
if someone is excercising in any form they do well. as the commitment grows to be a habit then the switch to other forms can take place.
warreneveans my hat is off to you for the commitmet to feel better and lose weight as a biproduct.
I started bike riding then lifting light weights to build muscle. that burns calories and THEN the weight flew off.
when I quit smoking and gained 50 pounds thats how I took it off again, by lifting light weights and still biking. sorry I didnt have an answer to heavy weight tubes other than Ive seen some downhill tubes that are almost as thick as a tire

warrenevans

I am not going to run. Cause I was in boot camp and I never could pass the run part of the PT test.

harov3

You keep at it warrenevans! Good for you!. The Kona hoss is made for you. Its pricey but its tough and will last you.

willtsmith_nwi

It depends on the type of riding you do. Intense, hilly MTB riding isn't great for weight loss because it's anaerobic exercise (it's like playing basketball). But riding on relatively flat terrain where you're not getting winded is good for losing weight.

cod3man

Are you saying that interval exercises is not conducive to weight loss? I am venturing to say that you are wrong...I would also add that the type of advice you (warrenevens ) need is specialized and not best answered by the gentleman ( willtsmith_nwi ) in this forum.

kritter

Whomever recommended the Athena bike needs to take a step back and rethink that...she will def need a clydesdale bike. I say kona Hoss for the both of you. I have one and although it creeks and makes weird noises its one tough SOB and I am over 300 with almost 400 miles of trail riding on it since I got it a few months ago.

THere was a guy on here named mike who was 540lb riding a hoss with a rigid front fork...havent seen him in a while on here, hope he didnt quit.

MasterSezFaster

Was the tire psi low or did you have a flat? The tube will slowly lose air on its own so you should check it every few rides.

You should not need a thicker tube and depending on your rims/tires a DH tube may not fit.
If the psi was on the low side to start with you may get a pinch flat at your or your wife’s weight. Try and keep the tires inflated close to max if you are riding smooth trails or paths.

Going by the title of the thread, are you asking about a bike for your wife? If it is purely going to be used for weight loss (since it seems she is not ready to bomb down hills and sprint up them ) then something like a Giant "Iguana" or even one like yours will work. For light riding (meaning the type of terrain and not the rider ) those types of bikes will work fine. If she is really out of shape (was a couch potato and now is getting active) then even a good comfort/hybrid bike will work to help get her active and lose weigh and may even be more comfortable for her to ride since there will not be as much pressure on the shoulders or lower back. Then when the weight comes off and if she still enjoys cycling she can upgrade to a better mountain bike if she wants.


Since this has also turned into a bit of a weight loss thread as well, you should concentrate on length of time and energy output rather then distance. The longer you are riding the more calories you will burn whether it be on hills or flats, bustin’ you’re a$$ or just getting your heart rate up a bit. As your weight drops and your fitness level increases you should increase time on the bike which in turn will increase your distance as well so do not worry about distance.



p.s. I know a lot of people will say you two need a Clydesdale/Athena type bike but it is not neccesary. I raced DH and XC for 5yrs in the early '90s on a 21lbs full ridged carbon fiber bike and weighed in at 265 at the time. I have also beat the hell out of an "Iguana" (the bike not the reptile), a few other low budget hard tails. Now if you two get serious into mountain biking then I wouls suggest an upgrade but for now there is no need.

Parafly9

I think running will help lose weight faster; but definitely not at the weight they are starting at. Just waaayyyy too bad for the joints. I ran the Boston Marathon last year and that was killer... the training was brutal. I would get horrible shin splints and pain. Missed the bike a lot!

I know a guy who was 300 pounds and switched from Coke (he was drinking 8 liters a day!!) to diet coke and lost 60 pounds in like 4-5 months. I think it's mostly small eating habit changes that make a diff.

MichaelW

You need to find yourself a good bike shop. They will help you select the right size for your wife. You need a good shop, not a box-shifter, preferably one who can build/tune wheels.
A well built 36 spoke MTB wheels will probably hold up for easy riding. Use a wide semi-slick tyre and you should have a reliable and effective bike. Most frames are overbuilt for average riders and as long as your wife sticks to easy trails she is unlikely to break the frame. The Kona Hoss is built for overweight riders who want to do real MTB trail riding.
As for excercise, cycling is one of the best for people with potential joint problems. Ride by time, not distance, staring with 20mins and extending as your wife feels comfortable. It would be a mistake for her to do a hard workout if she is not used to excercise. Stick to a work-rate where she can ride and talk.
Just Riding Along is ideal for beginers. All this talk of 70 miles or interval training is advice for fit people who want to get fitter.

wargate

I hate to chime in on this but it must be said.....Running Is the DEVIL!!!! Dont get me wrong i love to run, infact I HAVE to run in my line of work, but running isnt what warren needs. Just to clarify when going from couch potato to ANY FORM OF EXERCISE WILL raise a persons metabolism enough to start weight loss. It might not be as fast as say running or swimming but in the case of severely overweight people it will be fast, assuming a good diet is behind the excecise. I talked my mother-in-law into taking up biking, and minor dietary changes, and she went from 325 to 250, shes still big but not "Im going to have a heart attack in 5 minutes" big. All I can say is Good for the both you and i hope you both keep at it.

slagjumper

Check out dirtrag magazine. They often review bikes for "Clydesdales" as they call those heavier than the traditional rider.

https://www.dirtragmag.com

Sun Ringlé makes some "Mammoth" wheels which might be worth investigating.
https://www.mtbr.com/reviews/Rim/product_22619.shtml