Cubsfan317

i'm not looking for anything too expensive. Just something I can ride around the neighborhood with my family.


Thank you.

sodbreaker

I am pretty close to 330. I have a older model (early 2000s )diamoond back outlook that i have been happy with. I average 100 miles a week and it has held up realy well. Had to replace a few things but i got it used. Wife is bigger lady she has a specialized hardrock that has also held up realy well

chasm54

Try the Clydesdales forum. Lots of help available there from heavier riders.

martianone

Check out Worksman Cycles, I believe they make a basic cruiser with +400 lb capacity ?

fietsbob

^^ thats good , maybe Cargo bikes heavy load capacity though most will be on the saddle.

other bikes regularly serviced may be adequate .. add the 3rd wheel , Trike?

JohnX

Surly long haul trucker is best bet but a used one will cost around $700

the diamondback hybrid is a good suggestion also-I rode one of those at that weight with no problem. could pick one up used pretty cheap.

Jarrett2

I start back riding at 375. I started on a Specialized Expedition Sport but soon got bored of it. I then got a Trek Fx 7.2 followed by a Trek DS 8.3. I think the DS series is a good bike for bigger folks.

If you want to do a drop bar/road bike type, the Specialized AWOL/Salsa Vaya/Fit well Fahrlander I or II are great bikes for big riders. Fitwell has a sale going ride now I think.

no1mad 

Moved from General Cycling.

dagray

any 29er mountain bike, most road bikes, most hybrid bikes, most bikes in general will hold you just fine (yes even carbon fiber). If you are on a budget go shopping at a local bike store that has used bikes as well as new.

Good luck, and get a bike to turn the pedals

if your kids are young you might think of a Burley trailer to pull them with your bicycle (trailer is also good for a quick jaunt to the grocery store). don't forget the helmet, gloves, eye protection

bassjones

Trek Shift is a good bike for what you want to do with it. Stay away from department stores. Go to your local bike shop and they'll get you on a bike that fits you and should help with a basic fitting. Welcome to the addiction!

Phineas

I second the mountain bike suggestion. I am about 300 lbs and I bought a hybrid initially and had some issues with wheels...replaced them twice because of broken spokes. I got a specialized hardrock, put slick tires on it and haven't had a single problem. Mountain bikes are built sturdier than road bikes and hybrids.
It's a comfortable, rugged ride.

BigMo59

+1 on the Trek Shift but stay away from the cheaper model without the locking suspension fork. I have a Shift 4 that I bought when I was 350 and it's held up extremely well. Only have 1600 miles on it but I'm sure it's capable of many more. I recently bought a Surly Disc Trucker and I'm liking it but it's a very different bike. Good luck and have fun!

TrojanHorse

Look on craigs list for a 90s vintage hard tail mountain bike with a rigid fork. (like the one sodbreaker mentioned. Trek also has similar models)

Cheap bikes at Xmart tend to be cheap and don't work well.

ExtremeSquared

The weak points will be the wheels and seat. Also, the comfort of the rider, so don't be afraid to go straight into wearing good padded gloves and bike shorts. I've been happy on used 1970's Japanese steel frames, aluminium mountain bikes, and on a steel touring bike. On all of these, I broke wheels and seats until I started building my own wheels (except the LHT). You can get a set of decent 36 spoke wheels online or at a local shop for whichever frame you end up with.

ColaJacket

Actually, MTB's can be worse than hybrids, as any type of suspension without a lockout can fail for a heavier rider.

I agree that just about any type of bike will suit a 330# cyclist. But, you'll need to make sure you have good wheels with properly tensioned spokes. Over 300#, you probably want 32/36 spokes in the f/r. The key is that the spokes are double-butted and evenly tensioned. It wouldn't hurt if the tires were at least 28mm wide, and 32mm or wider would probably be better.

Hybrids might be better than road bikes just due to the clearance for wider tires. But there are plenty of endurance geometry road bikes and gravel grinders that will have that kind of clearance.

If you do get a MTB, make sure it's a hardtail with either no front suspension or a lockout for the front suspension.

A lot of this is going to be dependent upon what type of riding you want to do? What percentage of riding do you plan to do on the following type of roads/paths?

Roads
Paved MUTs/MUPs
Hard-packed gravel
Loose-packed gravel
Well maintained dirt roads
Not so well maintained dirt roads
Single Track MTB trails
Beach / Loose sand riding

Depending upon the type of riding you want to do, you should choose a different type of bike.

GH

Midtown

Look for a used Pugsley on CL.

dogfather69

Im 330 pounds and I ride a GIANT ESCAPE 3, just did a 63 mile ride yesterday, clsing in on 1500 miles on this bike. I have changed the seat (Walmart seat that had more cushion) and had the rear wheel rebuilt with stronger spokes ($70). I paid $480 new

DMC707

I am closer to that weight than i want to admit and i ride a Cannondale Synapse carbon fiber bike --- it looks racy, but this model is their more upright "comfort oriented" model -- To date i am using stock wheels with 20 spokes rear and 16 front - i dont recommend that few, but after 2 years they are holding up for me and the way i ride
----

On the mountain bike side, - i ride a full suspension bike and never -- ever - lock out the suspension. The need for lockout is drastically overstated unless the fork is under damped and under sprung (my experience that is )

At 330 pounds, your a big guy, but your not a moose -- you can still ride something sporty and fun --- a nice MTB with semi slicks, or an older road bike with 32 or 36h wheels and a decent steel frame would serve you well for getting back into it ----the thought that popped immediately to my mind was something like one of the old Centurion Ironman road bikes - or something similar. Cheap enough when you can find them, but still iconic enough to hold their value

This is mine the day i drug it home from someone's garage purgatory - i doubt it has more than 2000 miles on it, -- sadly, i havent ridden it either, - i have too many bikes to ride as it is , --- but something along these lines can be had cheap (sorta') --- ride as is, or install some more upright mustache type bars and wider tires for neighborhood cruising
Good luck on the search

craigrrr

The Trek Shift 4 has 36 h double wall rims and the rear has 13 Ga. spokes It is a nice bike for riders up to 350 pounds.

konflict

I'm just like you, 6'1" and somewhere over 300. Just made this exact thread a few days ago.

today, I became a happy owner of a Cypress DX.

Flatbroke

Pick what feels good and ride it. Lots of heavier folks out riding on the big box brands bikes. May have to fix a wheel eventually

Downr@nge

I am 280 and I ride a Specialized Tricross. Works well for me. There is a local guy that's gotta be 400lbs or more and he rides a Surly LHT. Gotta give that dude kudos, he's probably lost over 100lbs over this past summer alone riding that bike!

arex

An old, high-quality steel mountain bike. It'll take whatever you throw at it, and won't be expensive. Avoid shocks...they aren't built for people as heavy at us. At best you'll expend too much energy pumping them up and down instead of on forward motion, and at worst they'll up and fail on you. Road tires like Schwalbe Marathons roll better, and can be found in large sizes.