My step-daughter is an Athena at 510 and about 280. When she wanted a bicycle to tool around on, I put together a bike I knew would hold together as she lives some 300 mi away. For a frameset I choose a Surly Long Haul trucker and for wheels I used a 7 speed 48 spoke tandem wheelset. for the rest you'll have to read my blog http://onespeedbiker.blogspot.com/20...l-trucker.html. It certainly cost more than a department store bike; but not by as much as you'd think!