new to road cycling...could use a little help....
 

Hello everyone! I am new to road cycling and had a few questions. I want to get into cycling daily at some point in the future, however i currently am completely out of shape to do that.....which leads to my main question..... I am about 5"11, 220lbs. I used to be highly athletic and involved in alot of outdoor things. Im just going to be completely honest...since then ive turned into a couch potato and am pretty discusted with myself and apathy at this point. That said, I mustered up the motivation and self discpline to attempt to learn and start a weekly cycling routine...hopefully at some point from work to home (about 25 miles a day round trip).

so now that you have a little more info on me...here are a couple of my questions:

1) I am worried my height and especially my weight will prohibit me from riding a road bike. I am still very athletic and know i can physically ride...im just wondering about the durability of the actual bike with my extra weight currently?

2) Any suggestions for a first road bike? I am currently using an old DAWES compact frame, which is suiting my needs for now but i want to start researching on a decent road bike...maybe in the $750-$1000 range? Any suggestions?

3) Lastly I was curious if anyone had any previous experience being a little overweight and then starting cycling?...any success in shedding the extra pounds? If so...any training routines suggested?

OK, thanks everyone for reading my post, and thanks for any info you may have to give this newbee!!! Thanks again, Happy upcoming 4th of July to everyone!

Firstly, 5'11" and 220 pounds is absolutely NO PROBLEM for riding a road bicycle. Heck, I have been riding road bikes for almost 10 years now (started when I was 58 years old) at anywhere from 220 - 240, and I am 5'11"

My Lemond Buenos Aires has gone about 30,000 miles with me on it and nary a hiccup!

I'm not any kind of expert on road bikes. My best suggestion is to find a local bike shop in which you have confidence, and discuss with them your needs, goals in riding, price range, special fitting requirements, if any, etc. Let them do the work for you. Anyway, it worked for me. I have short legs and a long body, and the Lemond they fixed me up with has done great for me.

You will shed extra pounds by increasing your activity and decreasing your calories, making sure to decrease the correct foods and keep the correct foods.

In my humble opinion, in order to be a successful bicycle rider, you must first ride for enjoyment. If one doesn't ride for enjoyment, then most likely they will not ride very long.

Have fun

First off, welcome to the wonderful world of cycling. :)

1) I'm currently 5'10" and ~250lbs. I have no worries whatsoever about my bikes. Bikes are surprisingly strong. I have heard of much heavier riders riding road bikes similar to mine. So you really have no worries there. :)

2) I am a pretty big Trek fan, so I'd suggest a Trek 1.2. This bike is right in the bottom of your price range. For a little over $1000 you can get a Trek 1.5, which I would suggest. It has a nicer frame and nicer components as well. Of course, there are tons of bike manufacturers out there and your price range is really perfect for many of their entry-level road bikes.

3) I think that you'll find that many people in this subforum have experienced weight loss from cycling. Last summer I went from 265 to 225, then ballooned back up to 260 over the winter and now I'm back down to 250. I'm perhaps not the best example, but cycling can certainly lead to weight loss. I had no particular training regimen; I just rode my bike everywhere I could. I would use it to commute to school, and then if I was feeling up to it, I would take the longest way home I could muster.

Hi bresline, +1 with all that DnvrFox said.

Don't worry so much about the right bike for now, find the right local bike shop, the right bike will follow.
Also you may find that your weight may not decrease but your fitness level will increase.
I don't worry too much about my actual weight as long as I feel good and fit.
Try a ride to work someday, you will be shocked at how soon you will be able to make that 25 mile trip.
Good luck and happy cycling!

You'll have no problem with 99.9% of the equipment that is out there for road biking. The other .1% would be exotic stuff you probably wouldn't have an interest in anyway.

I'm currently riding a 2005 Large frame Giant OCR 2. This is an aluminum bike with a carbon fiber fork. I'm about the same numerical size as you although we all have individual differences that may effect details.

I ride rough county roads and take my share of rough railroad crossings and surprise bumps and potholes, although I leave most of the curb jumping and stair climbing to younger riders.

I have had no equipment failures related to weight stresses in thousands of miles.

Started in Jan 08 at 223 lBs on $15 road bike.March 20 New $800 road bike.
Lost 25 lbs. Then Last week road 413 miles in five days, gained 1 lbs.
Pic: Me after 402 miles with Felt F-80 19 lb bike.


http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...miles5days.jpg

Welcome. A Trek would work good or a Specialized Sequioa if you want a little more relaxed fit. I would suggest go to your LBS and ride different style bikes. You might like a Trek FX series for commuting also. Main thing is find one that fits good and ride.

At that height and weight, you'll have no problems. Don't let anyone tell you different...

If I were you, I would consider buying a used bike. You'll get more for your money. You may also find that what you think makes the perfect bike now, isn't quite what you want in 3-6 months. You can often sell a used bike for exactly what you paid, so if you want something different a couple of months down the road you haven't lost a lot of money.

I recently got back into riding after putting on a few pounds and not having ridden for a couple of years. The first few weeks or month with seem terrible. I hated how unsteady my skinny-tired road bike felt and how I was huffing and puffing after only 2-3 miles of riding. Stick with it! I started out riding 3-4 days a week, doing maybe 5 miles per ride. I quickly got to the point were I was riding 15-18 miles day 5-6 times a week and doing at least one longer (30mi) ride on the weekend. That combined with eating a bit more healthy has me losing 1-2 pounds/week.

You'll have no problems. I'm 6'3 and there are still one or two sizes of road bikes larger than what I ride. When I started riding, I weighed 245-250lbs and was riding an aluminum road bike on 700x23 tires. No issues at all. I'm down to 210 now and am riding a full CF frame.

I would go ride the bikes from the major manuf. in your price range. I have always found Specialized bikes to work well for me, but that may not be the case for you. There are tons of bikes in your range, it's all about comfort for the individual :)

Just ride. If it's fun, you'll keep riding. And riding. And riding. Like I said, I started at about 250 and am down to 210-ish now (207 the other night, but I haven't been riding and have been to some sporting events, so 210 is probably a safe guess today). I don't do any special training, and I haven't changed my diet much, I just ride my butt off (literally) because it's fun and the benefits are clear :)

I'm 6'2", ~260. I ride a specialized allez triple and haven't had any problems with it; except a couple popped spokes on the stock wheels. It's a 2006 model bought in 2007 so it was only about $500. When you get a bike make sure you get also some padded cycling shorts, the lycra/spandex kind. I've got stovepipes for thighs so I wear athletic/basketball shorts over them when I ride to hide my big legs.
Make sure that when you are picking out your bike you get fitted well and ride several bikes before you buy. Don't let your LBS salesman talk you into anything you aren't comfortable with, maybe make trips to several bike stores. An uncomfortable fit can be the difference when deciding to ride for the day or not; if you are uncomfortable on your new bike, you won't want to ride it as much.
Don't underestimate your riding ability, riding every day may sound like a lot but it is probably an issue of motivation. You can take short rides on days between longer ones and if you start commuting 25 miles a day you will get in shape very quickly, even if you only do it a couple days a week at first. Don't be intimidated by the thought of 12 miles to and from, it will be faster than you think.
Good luck on your upcoming biking venture. I'm envious of your location, I'm sure Philly has some sweet bike trails.

Agreed on the LBS advice-befriend the experts, and they can help pick out your ride based on your needs and budget. Agreed, also, on the 'don't underestimate yourself' opinion. I was fearing my commuting experiment for almost a year before I finally woke up one morning and said 'F---" it. I budgeted 2 hours for the ride, brought extra water, etc. took me 48 minutes, and was still in good shape to make the ride home. it was painful, but doable. You will be surprised what you can handle if you are in decent health (no heart/lung/limb issues)

My experience: 5'11" and (was)250 here. Down 10+lbs in a month to 239+, and I am commuting 10 miles each way, as many days as possible. I am not using a road bike, but I think the fitness and weight experience would be comparable. Eat good stuff, just make sure that you know how much and when. Biking every day seemed like a lot when I started, but now it is getting to be a part of my day, and I get p!ssed off when I can't ride for some reason. On the weekends, I just try to incorporate biking into what I need to do- I have instituted a 3 mile rule which is basically, if it is within 3 miles, I bike. It is being moved to the 5 mile soon.

Commuting and errands alone are giving me around 115 miles a week, if I hit every day. It is working great!

I'm 6' and bought my new road bike when I was at 230+ lbs. It is an entry level bike and I'm nearing the 1,000 mile mark with no problems.

I bought a '07 Schwinn Le Tour GS for $500 at Performance. I figured it would be a good entry into a modern road bike and when I'm ready to upgrade, I can put some 32 spoke wheels on it and make it my commuter. In your price range, you will be looking at solid mid-level road bikes and, as everyone else here will tell you, fit is more important than brand. Try lots of different bikes and see what feels right.

30 years as a couch potato ended last September when I returned to cycling. Got more serious this year and have logged 2,000 miles and dropped over 30 lbs. so far. Only real diet changes have been the addition of eating breakfast every day instead of once or twice a week. Other than that, riding 100 miles a week has taken care of the weight loss.

Get out and ride a little more often and a little further every week and you will be amazed how quickly the miles roll by and the pounds drop.

You will lose weight if you expend more calories than you take in. That won't happen if:

• your "cycling workout" is done at such a leisurely pace as to not burn significant calories
• you "reward yourself" for working out with extra food

...or, avoiding either of those extremes, if you're currently chowing down enough calories that even with a moderate workout, you're still taking in more calories than you're expending. It doesn't have to be what most people think of as "massive quantities": a lot of people are aghast when they actually count the calories they're taking in each day.

You'll also fail if you don't commit for the long haul. If you're totally out of shape and unable to do significant exercise at first, or if you're not willing to clean up your nutritional act pretty radically, the pounds will come off very slowly. You need to be able to not quit because you don't drop 50 pounds in two weeks. Think of what you're doing not as losing weight, but as adjusting your activity and nutrition to what your body should have been doing all along, and will be doing for the rest of your life.

wow!!! This is all great advice!!! ...please keep them coming!!!! THANKS!!!!!

1st, Welcome !!

.....+1 to all of the above. Check w/ you physician before you start any strenuous exercise program.

I'm 5'10, 240 and ride a Giant OCR Limited (carbon frame) with 20/24 spoke wheels and I haven't had any issues.

Find a LBS that you like then test ride a few different (Brands/Models) bikes. You'll know which is the bike for you--it will seduce you! If you love it, you'll ride it. Local Bike Clubs in Philly can offer up some recomendations.

It is basically sensible eating and riding. Calories burned > Calories eaten.

Just do it. I started again after years of layoff. I was 250 lbs at 5'9", lost 12 lbs. While I want to drop another 40 or 50, I'm not overly worried about dieting. The first thing is to get in condition, the weight loss will come. I'm the king of weight loss, but decided this time to not worry about the weight and concentrate on the riding.

Welcome to the forum. Your weight will not be a problem with almost any bike. I started of at 6'1" and 329 pounds. After 6 months of steady riding an average of three times a week, I am down to 274 pounds. I started off riding an old Huffy mountain bike on the road. About a month ago, I picked up a 2007 Schwinn Fastback Race. I have put about 250 miles on it so far, with zero problems. The only problem that I am havingis that I made the mistake of letting my wife ride it the another night. Now she wants one.:rolleyes:

You can ride any bike you like that fits you. To reiterate, you must enjoy the riding for it to help you, mostly because the increased fitness and weight loss you seek will take time. An initial rapid weight loss of 5 or 10 pounds came for me, but after that it takes weeks for each additional pound. I think the older you get, the harder it is to regain fitness, so patience is required. But cycling does save lives! To continue with a sedentary lifestyle and gain weight year after year will take its toll, so I hope you enjoy it. To keep my enthusiasm up I:

Listen to music while riding bike paths

Commute to work, and take the long way home as often as possible.

buy whatever cycle equipment I want

train for longer distance charity rides (its a goal thing)

bike with my kids

Use a cycle computer to refine my cadence, maintain a pace, measure my improvements

clean and lube my chain frequently (its a stay involved thing even when drinking a beer in the garage)

buy any cycle clothes online that seem to fit me, and if it actually does fit me when it arrives, order another one

ride with a freind

do as many errands as possible by bike

I am just buying my first road bike - picking it up Saturday.
I am 6' 4" and 255 lbs

I went for a Cannodale CAAD9 6 - I swapped out the stock wheels for Kysrium Equipes.
Seems like a bulletproof frame to me, did not seem to flex or anything.

I will let you know how it works out after the weekend.

+1 for riding with a friend. Yesterday I was riding with a much-more-fit friend who took the lead at the end of a 28 miler and started doing 23 mph. I pushed myself as hard as I could and kept up with him, there is no way I would have maintained a speed like that without someone to chase.

Very good advice.
So thats why I'm still riding.

I'd save up another $500 and set your budget around $1500 or so. 220 is not that big, but if you are athletic you will put the bike through its paces. Better to buy an ultegra/105 equipped rig with some decent wheels from the get go than to try to upgrade.

Re: New to road cycling...
 

First, congratulations on your decision. Cycling can be a wonderful, addictive way to keep in shape, and loose weight.

Aluminum frames can be stiff and harsh for lighter riders, but for folks north of 200 lbs, they can be really nice. Nice aluminum bikes can be found in your price range. Many steel and carbon frames on $1000 bikes can be on the flimsy side. When you're looking at bikes, put the pedal down, and place a little weight on it. You will be able to see quite difference in bottom bracket stiffness for various bikes. If the bottom bracket is not stiff enough, the chain can derail while climbing, or out of the saddle. Make sure they don't put you on too small a frame. The top tube length is important, and watch for shops that will try to sell a smaller frame with a longer seatpost.

Try to find a bike with 105 shifters/deraillers, or if a lessor model, be sure that the bike shop is going to stand behind their performance (and adjustment). Wheels are also very important. You're not looking for the lightest, but a good strong wheelset. More spokes do not necessarily mean a stronger wheel. My strongest wheelset is 20 spoke model. Stick to 23-25 tires, or larger.

The seat is the hardest thing to fit, imho. My experience is that it is a very personal experience, what works well for someone else may or may not fit you. I rarely change seats models, but when I do, I look for a seat that fits my tail bone. The tail bone is actually what supports you. Wide and flat may feel good in the shop, but not on the road. When you're trying out bikes, note which seats you like and dislike.

Be sure and ride whatever you're considering. If something is not working correctly, take it back and make them fix it. If they're not willing to fix a problem to sell a bike, lotsa luck after you buy it. Try to show up at the shop on a weekday morning when they're less busy. Look for last year's model in your size.

If you're looking at used, I'd stay with a bike less than 5 years old. Wheelsets have come quite a way in the last five years. Find out what a shop would charge you to go over the bike. It should be $100 or less.

Have the bike shop show you how to check your spokes, and then buy a spoke wrench. Spoke tension is extemely important to a good wheelset. Ask them to set your position on the bike (not a full fit yet). Measure (to the 16th of an inch) from the tip of seat to stem, middle of bottom bracket to top of seat, and finally top of top tube to top of the tip of the seat. As you ride, you may want to adjust your position. Do so slowly, and in very small increments. Note your changes. This will help with soreness, etc. as you get your body used to cycling.

You've picked a great time to get started, during the TdF. Enjoy your shopping, and we'll see you on the road.

first off welcome, secondly, bah humbug on the height and weight, I am six foot and 330 and ride a road bike. You shouldn't have any problem with any road bike, just ride them all and buy what feels the most comfortable.