Originally Posted by
MRT2
Looks fine if you want a mountain bike. If you don't, well then, it isn't so good.
I have to confess my frustration with LBS and bigger guys. They see a guy more than 250 not sure what he wants, maybe some vague idea of getting in shape riding the local rail/trails or something, and they automatically want to put him on a mountain bike or comfort bike. IMO, these bikes are destined to sit unused in someone's garage or basement one way or another because for their intended purpose THEY ARE THE WRONG TOOL FOR THE JOB.
Look for something a little more lightweight, but still fairly robust. It doesn't have to be less than 20 lbs, but 22 to 26 lb range is certainly doable. You don't need to be looking at bikes that weigh more than 30 lbs just because you weigh close to 300. And don't be afraid of riding on 35, 32, or even 28 mm tires. They can handle your weight (it is the wheels you need to worry about but that is another kettle of fish).
Thanks for your insight. The salesperson was kind of young, but said he'd been there for a while. He was quite patient, but he was definitely recommending MTB. Based on what I learned on here, I think I need to really focus on the back wheel, so I've been asking about them. It might be a mental thing, but I do like the look of the wider wheels.
In other news, I learned Performance Bikes is owned by Fuji bikes (I am sure this is not news to most on here). As many bike shops are, they are discounting the 2017s to bring in the 2018s. They apparently are going to stop selling GTs and Diamondbacks after they get rid of their 2017 inventory, so those may be a bit more discounted than normal if anyone is interested.
At a different LBS, a gentleman was recommending a hybrid by KHS. He was quite patient and explained a lot of things to me, but had a very limited selection to show me. I'll be going to two other shops tomorrow, so I'm hoping to have a bit more success. I'm also hoping to see some of the Giant bikes in person tomorrow.