Any bike can be improved in the comfort department by adding fat 32mm tires (or 28mm on "modern" designs too narrow for a 32mm tire), by adding gel tape to the bars, by getting a saddle as wide as your rear (NOT the saddle that comes with most new road bikes) and by getting a proper fit that leaves you with a good "front to back" weight balance on the bike.

But, among road bikes, one design excels at comfort, especially for riders over 200 pounds. The classic steel frame and steel fork "loaded" touring bike. One with 18 inch chainstays, a 42 inch plus wheelbase, and 32mm or larger tires. REAL touring bikes have rims and hubs designed to stay true on rough roads and under heavy loads.

Although such bikes were easy to find from about 1980 to 1986, today, a true touring bike with steel frame and fork is harder to find. The only one stocked "everyday" in my neighborhood is the Trek 520. A Fuji dealer might be willing to special order a Fuji Tourer, which lists for much less than the Trek 520.

In a saner world, most riders who do NOT race would have a touring bike in their stable of bikes. A bike designed for "loaded" touring can handle a wide range of tires, loads, and roads. The take-over of the road bike market by "pretend" racing bikes is tragic.

The notion that millions of everyday riders should be limited to "clones" of the bikes used for the Tour de France has turned OFF countless people to the enjoyment that comes from riding a road bike that matches both the size and the needs of the individual rider.

For example, the 2005 Cannondale catalog has 24 models of "pretend" racing bikes (bikes no Pro would ride unless someone put a gun to his head) and just TWO touring bikes (one of which lacks the braze-ons for front saddlebags).