Originally Posted by
Gravity Aided
I wouldn't worry too much. I got started in this at 400 pounds and was soon on a road bike. True, I had to learn how to work on wheels, but bikes have always held me pretty well. I'm down in the mid 200's now, and ride a Ross Signature with 700 x 25 Kendas. You may feel better with wider tires and heavier built wheelsets, but other than that you should be okay. Roadbikes are nice once you get used to them, but they do take some getting used to. The ride and response may feel very twitchy at first, but miles cure that.
I am not a Clyde so you may want to disregard my post. Most days I captain a tandem weighing about 400lbs and wheels can be a maintenance issue but my main concern would be the fork. Due to the higher inertia of sudden braking and hitting holes etc., I would hesitate to put a light weight single fork on my tandem. Some single forks are pretty heavy duty and may be fine but for me it is a real concern. I don't want to even think about the result of a fork failure at speed.
Like I said you may want to disregard this post. I thought you might want the opinion of someone who on most days drives a 400lb bike down hills at 25-30mph.
I hope you enjoy cycling. It it well worth the effort to get started.
Wayne