Cead_tinne

I'm building new commuter bike, most of the parts in the garage now. But I've been waffling on the frame, but I had decided to go for a Gunnar Sport. But it turns out Gunnar recommends a max of 200lbs for their 60cm Sport model. I know I'm packing soma extra weight around the middle, but that weight limit seems low. Even during swimming & foot ball in high school I weighed 204. After basic training i was up to 209.

So to my questions, any 200 lbs+ riders out there on gunnar sports? If so, would you mind sharing your experiences? Frame flex going up hill, ect

TK LP

Where did you get that weight rating? I'm down to 255, riding a 66cm. Plenty of hills around me, no problems.

Cead_tinne

In an email from Gunnar

chriskmurray

I do not know if the tubesets are similar but I once had a Gunnar Crosshairs and at 180lbs at the time, it only took about 20lbs in the rear panniers to make the bike feel very noodly and unstable. They do offer custom options as well if you are able to spend a bit more and you could ask for a different tube set that would be better for a heavier rider.

JohnJ80

I have a Gunnar Crosshairs (built in very early 2012). I did opt for the custom build option for some other reasons (arms are short). The bike they built for me fits perfect, but it's way overbuilt. I was looking at a new frame to replace my carbon road frame and I looked at having Gunnar make a frame for me. The weight they quoted on frames was between 300g to 500g heavier than other frame makers. When I talked to them at the factory, the whole issue was using a heavier tube set than normal. Ok, I get that, but this thing is way over spec'ed for the weight compared to other frame builders. So my take on this is that Gunnar is really conservative on their frame specs. There is no convincing them otherwise.

I will say this, I like the Crosshairs frame a lot, but they made the bottom bracket overly stiff as result. I could jump on a pedal on one side and barely get a response out of the frame in terms of deflection. Part of it, I suppose, is that it is a cyclocross frame and it's expected to do quasi-mtb sort of terrain. But still.

If I was doing it over again, I'd get the sport frame since it would handle any tire I wanted and since I'm never going to use fenders. I'd probably have my LBS fudge the numbers when I sent the specs into Gunnar on the weight. Every other frame I've had has been a factory frame and there have been no issues. I did have a Basso racing frame on a bike I built in the '80s that I could get a lot of BB deflection out of, but it's still doing just fine under my 220lb 20 year old athlete son. It's got that supple sort of Italian racing bike ride; very nice but you have to be smooth. So, it's not like you're ever going to break the thing.

Everything about Gunnar is conservative - part of their mid-Wisconsin heritage I suppose. When I started looking at this frame, I wanted to have internal routing of cables and have it set up so that it could support internal Di2 and partially external mechanical routing. I knew that would be a challenge. Gunnar just couldn't get their head around it (Waterford, the more custom side, either). Other frame builders came up with some creative solutions that are going to work great. So, again, Gunnar is just conservative. It's part of what you get with the brand - it's a consistent product.

J.

TK LP

My 66cm Sport is a stock size frame, and as far as I know, nothing special was noted about rider weight when it was ordered. The area where I live is pretty hilly, and I'm not noticing any issues with deflection. I can stand up and hit it as hard as I can without indication that anything is "flexy". No brake or chain rub under stress. I was also about 30 lbs. heavier when I got it. I'd agree that the weight limit you were given is probably conservative.

Steve M.

I'm a clyde and ordered my Sport from Yellow Jersey in Madison, which deals a lot with Waterford/Gunnar. When they put in the order they specified beefier tubes for a beefier rider -- no extra charge. Rides like a dream.

laxpatrick

I collaborated with the head of Gunnar/Waterford, Richard Schwinn on my build of a Sport to accommodate long cranks (210's).

Mine's based on a 64cm, that weight limit sounds silly. Call them or send an email asking to hear that from him personally.