Questions about building a bike for a Clydes!
10-24-07, 12:34 AM
#1
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Questions about building a bike for a Clydes!
I'm 6'7", 260lbs. I bought my friends 61cm Klein Aluminum Frame. I'm just starting to look in to building it out. I've read about all sorts of Issues for larger riders and it's starting to make my head spin. If possible I'd like to spend less than $1000 on building it. With that sort of price range what sort of components should i be looking for? Is it better to buy Components individually or as a group? Same question with wheels? If there is any particular parts to splurge on what would they be? I don't expect to be doing any racing, just touring and recreational riding. Need to lose some weight!
I haven't ridden a road bike for over 17 years and have always wanted to get back in to it and am pretty excited. Any help is greatly appreciated.
I haven't ridden a road bike for over 17 years and have always wanted to get back in to it and am pretty excited. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Last edited by Gclipse; 10-24-07 at 12:47 AM. Reason: Spelling Edits
10-24-07, 01:24 AM
#2
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Suncoast, FL
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I would focus on the rear wheel...14ga. DT spokes, a quality rim and a quality hub.
Next I would consider a Thomson seatpost.
A quality crankset
A quality stem
SS chain
At 260# you aren't THAT big. I'm 340# and with the exception of the chain, spokes, hubs, seat and seatpost, I have put nearly 7,000 miles on my stock Trek 7200 (Aluminum)equipment. The BB and stem are about shot, but they have lasted this far.
With $1,000 I think you are well within your budget.
Next I would consider a Thomson seatpost.
A quality crankset
A quality stem
SS chain
At 260# you aren't THAT big. I'm 340# and with the exception of the chain, spokes, hubs, seat and seatpost, I have put nearly 7,000 miles on my stock Trek 7200 (Aluminum)equipment. The BB and stem are about shot, but they have lasted this far.
With $1,000 I think you are well within your budget.
10-24-07, 07:42 AM
#3
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. “He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.”- Fredrick Nietzsche
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. “He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.”- Fredrick Nietzsche
"We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." - Immanuel Kant
10-24-07, 08:44 AM
#4
Destroyer of Wheels
Welcome!
In order of importance from siggie:
Look to spend $250-$400 on wheels that you won't have to worry about. Still cheaper than massive dental work.
Pedals -$25
Tires - $70
Seat - The Brooks are highly recommended but take a while to break in. Also, if you're going to go with a Brooks you really need to get padded shorts or bibs. ~$100
Gloves are tough - a few lbs' have plenty of gloves that are really expensive. I've gotten a few pairs from Performancebike or Nashbar and they shred by the end of the season. I'd say keep trying pairs on sale till you find ones you like, I'm finding I really like the Cannondales. Between $20-$40.
For a seatpost I'd recommend Thompson. Really, really strong and a seatpost up the arse is as much fun as massive dental work without the Novocaine.
Now you got the safety stuff out of the way you're left with about $300. If you really want to skimp you can get go to your lbs and get:
- cheap top mount shifters
- front and rear deraileurs from the used bin
- used brake calipers
- brake & deraileur cables and housing
- used crank set (I'd go with a triple and check out a fitting site for the right length, when I went up to 175 I felt a HUGE difference (I'm 6-1") from the 170s - I'd never go back) and:
- have them install a sealed bottom bracket so you can have them worry about the right spacing based on the cranks
- ($10 shifters, $40 deraileurs, $25 for brakes, $25 brakes and housing, $25 for bb, $25 labor, $25 crank set, $20 for gently used chainrings laying around (or could spend $60 for new ones there, get steel they're much stronger (I've bent the aluminum ones))).
brake handles ($15)
cassette ($20) and chain ($10 - 6/7/8 are all the same size and are thicker than 9 and 10 speed (which I tend to snap).
Total on the 'group' - $215.
Another option is to buy a 'group' which will be all those things together and better shifters that will probably start around $400.
Lastly the fork, headset ($40ish), and handlebars. Some people love carbon and some people you wouldn't pay enough to put it on - you can read the threads for yourself to decide. Maybe $100 though probably could go cheaper especially if your lbs has one laying around used. Use a fitting site to get the right width for your handlebars - that will make a huge difference. You can go drops, flat, or treking or touring (which I have and love - $25). If you do the treking bars treat yourself to some grips (3 pairs for the trekking bars) and THEN wrap grip tape over the top ($20).
So, my estimate there is $1100. You might be able to find a used bike on CL and strip the deraileurs and brake calipers off along with the cranks and chainrings so there's a little wiggle room but that should get you started.
Whew!
In order of importance from siggie:
Originally Posted by Hambone wrote a while ago
1. wheels (upgrade before you get your bike. If the shop won't work with you find another shop.)
2. tires (gotta take high max psi)
3. pedals (if you ride light (another of my diatribes) your pedals take serious abuse -- splurge for good ones.)
4. seat (especially on compact frames)
5. shorts
6. gloves
(probably in that order....
* Good gel bibs do soooo much to take pressure off the parts that contact the seat...
* A good seat is invaluable. It helps keep the tingley dingley from getting too bad. I have a Specialized with the Minkoff Wedge. I like it a lot. Others like other designs.
* Wheels -- I am down to from about 350 pounds. When I started riding my 36 spoke Mavic Open Pro Rims on Ultegra hubs -- they were perfectly round. Almost 2,000 miles and about 75 pounds later, they are still true. Excel in Colorado built my wheels. My understanding is that who builds your wheels can be as important as whet they are built with/from. Either way, the higher the spoke count the stronger the wheel.
* I shredded a cheap pair of pedals. Lets be honest, none of those spindles are made to hold up 300+ pounds. Get a decent pair, pay attention to them...
* Tires. If I knew then.... I built my road bike with a nice pair of Continental tires. They were rated for 120psi. I ran them bald faster than I thought they should have gone. So I switched to "commuter tires" but they had a lower psi. Big mistake. Tried several different tires. None of them as good as the Conti's. I have a new pair on order now!
2. tires (gotta take high max psi)
3. pedals (if you ride light (another of my diatribes) your pedals take serious abuse -- splurge for good ones.)
4. seat (especially on compact frames)
5. shorts
6. gloves
(probably in that order....
* Good gel bibs do soooo much to take pressure off the parts that contact the seat...
* A good seat is invaluable. It helps keep the tingley dingley from getting too bad. I have a Specialized with the Minkoff Wedge. I like it a lot. Others like other designs.
* Wheels -- I am down to from about 350 pounds. When I started riding my 36 spoke Mavic Open Pro Rims on Ultegra hubs -- they were perfectly round. Almost 2,000 miles and about 75 pounds later, they are still true. Excel in Colorado built my wheels. My understanding is that who builds your wheels can be as important as whet they are built with/from. Either way, the higher the spoke count the stronger the wheel.
* I shredded a cheap pair of pedals. Lets be honest, none of those spindles are made to hold up 300+ pounds. Get a decent pair, pay attention to them...
* Tires. If I knew then.... I built my road bike with a nice pair of Continental tires. They were rated for 120psi. I ran them bald faster than I thought they should have gone. So I switched to "commuter tires" but they had a lower psi. Big mistake. Tried several different tires. None of them as good as the Conti's. I have a new pair on order now!
Pedals -$25
Tires - $70
Seat - The Brooks are highly recommended but take a while to break in. Also, if you're going to go with a Brooks you really need to get padded shorts or bibs. ~$100
Gloves are tough - a few lbs' have plenty of gloves that are really expensive. I've gotten a few pairs from Performancebike or Nashbar and they shred by the end of the season. I'd say keep trying pairs on sale till you find ones you like, I'm finding I really like the Cannondales. Between $20-$40.
For a seatpost I'd recommend Thompson. Really, really strong and a seatpost up the arse is as much fun as massive dental work without the Novocaine.
Now you got the safety stuff out of the way you're left with about $300. If you really want to skimp you can get go to your lbs and get:
- cheap top mount shifters
- front and rear deraileurs from the used bin
- used brake calipers
- brake & deraileur cables and housing
- used crank set (I'd go with a triple and check out a fitting site for the right length, when I went up to 175 I felt a HUGE difference (I'm 6-1") from the 170s - I'd never go back) and:
- have them install a sealed bottom bracket so you can have them worry about the right spacing based on the cranks
- ($10 shifters, $40 deraileurs, $25 for brakes, $25 brakes and housing, $25 for bb, $25 labor, $25 crank set, $20 for gently used chainrings laying around (or could spend $60 for new ones there, get steel they're much stronger (I've bent the aluminum ones))).
brake handles ($15)
cassette ($20) and chain ($10 - 6/7/8 are all the same size and are thicker than 9 and 10 speed (which I tend to snap).
Total on the 'group' - $215.
Another option is to buy a 'group' which will be all those things together and better shifters that will probably start around $400.
Lastly the fork, headset ($40ish), and handlebars. Some people love carbon and some people you wouldn't pay enough to put it on - you can read the threads for yourself to decide. Maybe $100 though probably could go cheaper especially if your lbs has one laying around used. Use a fitting site to get the right width for your handlebars - that will make a huge difference. You can go drops, flat, or treking or touring (which I have and love - $25). If you do the treking bars treat yourself to some grips (3 pairs for the trekking bars) and THEN wrap grip tape over the top ($20).
So, my estimate there is $1100. You might be able to find a used bike on CL and strip the deraileurs and brake calipers off along with the cranks and chainrings so there's a little wiggle room but that should get you started.
Whew!
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Last edited by Air; 10-24-07 at 09:54 AM.
10-24-07, 10:26 AM
#5
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you guys are acting like he is 460lbs not 260lbs. I started riding at 280lbs on an 06 lemond reno. Wheels were 20/24 spoke and everything held up fine.
Building up a bike is actually a little more expensive then buying new but here is what I would recomend.
Wheels: Ultegra hubs, Open Pro rims, 36 spokes.
Seat post: thomson
The rest whatever you want. To keep it within budget try to buy a groupset with as many parts as possible.
look at this
https://cgi.ebay.com/Shimano-Tiagra-9...QQcmdZViewItem
then u just need cranks, cassette, brakes and chain for the group.
you can get bars and stem for cheap too.
Building up a bike is actually a little more expensive then buying new but here is what I would recomend.
Wheels: Ultegra hubs, Open Pro rims, 36 spokes.
Seat post: thomson
The rest whatever you want. To keep it within budget try to buy a groupset with as many parts as possible.
look at this
https://cgi.ebay.com/Shimano-Tiagra-9...QQcmdZViewItem
then u just need cranks, cassette, brakes and chain for the group.
you can get bars and stem for cheap too.
10-24-07, 12:41 PM
#7
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Are you happy that the bike fits? 61cm seems pretty small for a big chap like you. I'm not looking to put a downer on things but you should be sure before you commit to the build. I guess if you're not particularly long-limbed then it might be OK.
Tom
Tom
