jplayland

I am a big guy looking for a bike. All the details on who I am and what I will use the bike for are listed below.

I have been looking at and considering the Schwinn bikes at Target. They are definatly better quality than any bike I ever had before (Huffy, Murry, Magna.) The bike I most recently rode (2 years ago) was a Magna. The Magna broke due to my weight on a cheap crank/pedal. The pedal threading on the crank was weak enough that it stripped itself causing the petal to sit at a weird angle in the crank before falling out about a block from home.

Based on what I have read I am going to guess that you don't recommend the Schwinn bikes I mentioned. I was hoping to get the bike for under $200, but could go as high as $300 if absolutly required. I expect with my budget, a used bike off craigslist or similar would be the best choice, but I don't know what to look for. I would be really greatful if any of you bike experts could either tell me what to keep an eye out for, or point me to a specific listing you would recommend.

About Me:
Weight 350 lbs (was 375 lbs, 2 months ago, targeting 275 by Oct)
Height 6' 1"
Age 24
Location: Inver Grove Heights, MN (55077) - Twin Cities (Minneapolis/St paul)

I have been overweight nearly my entire live, but never really tried to lose weight. I decided a few months ago that it was time to get into better shape. I have set an aggressive goal of getting down to 220 lbs by this time next year. That means I need to lose atleast 2.5 lbs per week. I have been able to meet that goal over the last 2 months with diet change, and adding a little bit of walking in (about 2 miles a day.) Starting monday I am going to the gym every weekday morning prior to work for about an hour.

Expected Bike Usage:
City Streets
Paved Trails
Dirt Paths
Grassy Fields
(Trips to Stores, friend's house, exploring my town, paved/dirt nature trails)

Not Expected:
Steap Inclines
Mud or Loose Dirt

Frequency and Duration of Use:
3-4 Times per Week
1-2 Hours per Use

Retro Grouch 

What I would recommend for you is a hard tail mountain bike with 36 spoke wheels and slick 2" wide tires. If you can find one with no front suspension all the better. That should be beefy enough to handle your weight without problem.

The trick is to find one. Fortunately, every serious mountain biker has such a bike hanging in his garage unridden since he got his new high-zoot full suspension rig. Talk to enough guys who mountain bike and somebody will salute.

barba

Specialized Hardrock (used if you can find one).

barba

This one might work:
https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/bik/631245602.html

StephenH

Check in the Clydesdale forum as well.
For heavy weight, the weak point tends to be the wheels rather than the bike itself.
For that kind of money, your best bet is likely to be a used bike, but it can be frustrating finding a good one if you're not already knowledgeable about them.