Originally Posted by
Ranter216
Probably at most in the 600$ range at the tops. If that's even possible. Eventually I'll be able to fork out a bit more, but for my purposes (right now) I don't need anything fancy, just something I can hit up the paved paths in the parks and stuff in the mornings.
And thanks for the welcome, howdy fellow newbies!
I don't live in Cleveland, but I'm visited both back when I was 400+ pounds and after I changed my life and lost 160 of them.
My suggestion is that you look at a basic mountain bike. Something like a Specialized Hardrock or one of the basic Trek models. Get one without a suspension fork or suspension seatpost - in other words, one that won't compress. The frame isn't the biggest concern, its the wheels. Mountain bike wheels are designed for rough treatment. Keep the wheels trued - in other words, straight without any bowing to one side - and you are being proactive towards heading off problems.
As for places to ride, the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath is beautiful, especially around Peninsula. Parts of the Bike and Hike Trail to the north and east of Akron are nice. During my stay in 2011 I enjoyed the Portage Trail in Portage County and the Holmes County Trail.
Speaking of visits, I should be outside Akron for a week the third week in July. As a fellow second shift guy I'd love to meet someone who knows how to spend a morning.
Get the bike, starting riding it, and meet me and Peter_C for a ride when I'm in town. In addition to Peter_C, thestoutdog is another good guy to ride with.