Originally Posted by
michigan0626
Hello,
I am looking at buying a bike to get in shape (350 lbs) and spend more time with my son. Being really fat means I need a strong bike. So yesterday I went to a couple LBS's. One box store girl recommended the Verve 2. The other shop suggested the Electra Townie. Looking online last night I saw somewhere that they recommended a touring bike because they are overbuilt tanks.
I am trying to stay near that $500 mark so that if i don't enjoy it i won't be too much money. So this has me looking used. Prices I am seeing are a lot higher than bicycle blue book. 😳
I found a used Fuji Touring for $450 with a small frame. Fuji size guide says 5'3" to 5'7". I'm 5'8" with only a 28-29' inch seam. Would this be okay to jump into?
Should I be looking into certain brands? Or different style of bikes completely?
Hi Michigan 0626...I'm guessing for your price point you want to consider used. My go to for used bikes, if it's not Kijiji, is a website called Pinkbike. It's free and it has a buy and sell section on it that will allow you to search for a particular bike. You may be really lucky and find something in your area.
I think you need to ask yourself what kind of riding you plan on doing before you can decide on a bike. Will you do dirt trails, roads, moderate singletrack, etc. That will be the decider for you when you're considering what kind of bike to get. Old mountain bikes are good all around bikes for me but may require some modifications when you buy them to suit your style. You might luck out and get an all around bike that would suit your weight.
Once you figure out what kind of riding you want then you can search for a bike. Take your time on the forum here to learn as much as you can about what it is you're into. If you choose to do some touring you may want to break it down further...do you like bikepacking or biketouring? Take a look around and if you can you might get a used bike through this forum...
Ask a lot of questions once you narrow down your initial choice to narrow it down further. Keep doing that until you're better informed and know what it is you're looking for. Questions cost no money.