oppai

Hello I'm 19, 6'1 and about 240lbs. I have been commuting to work for the past 6 months now and have made the mistake of buying bikes from stores like walmart, 3 times. all those 3 bikes

of mine are already long gone, I've been saving up and have enough to buy me a "good" bike and so that's what I plan to do. (I want a bike that'll last me years ) I'm planning on riding 20 miles daily, my commute to work is 10 and then I'll do 10 later at afternoon/night

...the question... for us big guys is it really necessary to buy chromoly type frames? I've been looking at some bikes available to me through my LBS and Surly stands out at being the ones that offers the chromoly frame on all their bikes and their motto? FFF FattiesFitFine so I am tempted on buying a "touring" bike like Surly Long Haul Trucker or Treks 520

Are these bikes good for what I want to do with them or are they too much? will the lighter Aluminium bikes work for what I want? are there any good bikes you guys recommend for a lower price than the mentioned ones (they're both at around 1300ish)? there's a
specialized allez compact - 2013 for 700 though the Premium Aluminium bit scares me away and i think it'll be another walmart incident of money thrown away

Any and all responses are appreciated

Judi

What happened to the frames of the Walmart bikes? You just aren't heavy enough to be destroying bike frames from basic riding. It's generally the components that fail on the department store bikes. From what I've heard, the main reason to go with steel over aluminum would be that steel will bend when it fails, while aluminum will crack instead. But that's more a concern for someone 100 lbs heavier than you.

jaxgtr

At 240, it not about the frame it's about the wheels. I start riding Carbon when I was 280 without issue.

oppai

you're right all my problems were with components, on one i bent the rim on another i took it to a bike shop and they said something like "bottom brackets are busted" which then made the frame unusable? and the last was a beginner mistake of mine which was I bought a bike way too small and had all kinds of problems the seat was always wobbly and the pedals kept on braking and the chain snapped. The question about the Chromoly was just to see if its true that the bikes with them are "built to last" since I want one that will

headloss 

Fatties Fit Fine is a reference to tire size, not the rider. LOL

Anyways, it's not a matter of material steel vs aluminum vs carbon, but rather, what the bike is designed for. You aren't going to break a frame because you are too heavy, but a given frame may have a lot of flex if it is designed for racing (this includes steel, thin walled small diameter steel tubing isn't a good choice).

A touring frame is built to take a load, but it's also designed to carry bags over both wheels... so weight distribution is different and the ride isn't as "fun." That said, when I take all the accessories off of my Trek 520, it rides well enough so long as I don't want to make quick turns (and even then, a different fork would help).

So, to give an answer that has been heard 1000 (x10^10) times before: the best way to choose is to ride as many bikes as possible and see how they feel. Find a bike that doesn't feel too flexy under your weight and then up grade the wheels to something stronger for a sense of security.

If you want steel, look for a used LeMond with Reynolds 831 steel on ebay, you'll get a nice frame that is racier geometry. Also check out Surly's Cross Check and Straggler, maybe even their Pacer.

Ultraorange

So lets tackle this one step at a time. I was 240 at 6'3, I road an Aluminum frame for years in SF. When I moved to Kansas City(much more spread out) I got a used steel frame and some random parts and made that work I think I spend 250 total. I've since spent time upgrading that old frame and now I also own a very nice late 80's Italian Road bike that is made of steel so stiff some days it feels like aluminum.

When selecting frame material you are looking at 3 things Weight(of the frame), Conditions you will ride in, and Cost. You are not going to break the Allez, I'd be willing to bet that any bike you find in the 500-700 range of any material is going to be pretty awesome for you. When it comes to wheels, ride what comes with the bike save your pennies and watch craigslist this winter for someone trying to get rid of "training rims" these always see to be heavier and more suited to the stout rider or pothole riddled roads.

The major differences between Aluminum and Steel and Weight and plasticity. Aluminum is a more rigid material so you'll get a more feedback when riding a larger distance. This is remedied by using a carbon fork. Steel is heavier(generally) but absorbs the road feedback and many contest is over all a better ride. I'm neutral on this, I have both to suite my mood.

I would suggest just dropping 300-400 on a used craigslist bike that is your size and put the extra money into gear and possible future upgrades(i.e. Wheel set). But if you have your heart set on something a bit more premium either of your suggestions will be great. Go test them both.

oppai

Thanks for the answers, good to know steel is not needed, will go to the store later today and ride a few, also feels good knowing I can spend less than the $1000

headloss 

In practice, yes. But it isn't that the aluminum is inherently more rigid... aluminum tubes have a larger diameter which is what gives them rigidity. You can make steel just as rigid, but all else equal that steel will be heavier for the same size tubing (and even that isn't guaranteed, it depends on the grade of the steel).

I agree with you that an aluminum framed bike is generally more rigid, but I disagree that it is a "more rigid material."

AbsurdChalk

I would suggest going on cl and finding a Reynolds or Columbus steel bike as said above. I use bicycles as my main choice of transportation and steel has been very reliable for me. Rain or shine, an old 80s road bike will last you years. Let us know what your local cl area is so we can point you in a good direction.

AbsurdChalk

Although aluminum is nice, it does fatigue and is prone to cracking... Also, steel can be just as fast as aluminum when it comes down to who's riding.

MRT2

Steel is not necessary, but a quality steel frame is nice. That said, aluminum rides much better than it was years ago.

jaxgtr

Also, I just sold a Trek 7300 Aluminum frame I have had for 11 years. I have over 4000 miles on it and it has not had problem one with the frame. I upgraded all the components on it in 2009. If I had a choice of AL vs nice steel...... I pick steel just for the nice feel of the ride, but I dont discount AL (see CAAD10)

Willbird

There are tons and tons of good used road bikes out there, if you could only FIND one. In the case of older bikes alu might even be better ?? I know I fondly wish I could find a Bianchi Premio like I had back in 1992, but I read that many are actually dangerous to ride due to internal rusting over the years.

Bill

chasm54

At 240 lbs, frame material is pretty much irrelevant. You'll need to take care to get reasonably robust wheels, but I'd have no issues with a 240 lb rider borrowing my Giant TCR carbon frame and forks.

jsigone

When I started riding on the road I was almost 250# and started on the cheapest good looking bike I could get. An alum Felt Z90 with sora 8spd triples. Back when $500 would get u a complete entry level bike. I rode the piss outta it and the stock wheels for almost 10k miles before I upgraded in late 07' bianchi alum w/ carbon stays. Gave the felt to a friend that was still using downtube shifters for crit racing.

I don't think u need to worry about the frame or wheels until you start having problems. Just ride the piss outta them!!! If I could go back in time. I would have used better bibs. Night n day difference than the closeout canari once I used than to some better ones I use today. It would have made many of those rides more enjoyable.

noglider 

Chrome Moly may not be necessary, but it can't hurt. It costs more, so chances are, you'll get a quality bike.

What really matters is quality. And you know that now.

Ultraorange

Title of post is newb, not metallurgist. As frames go when the material used is aluminum most would agree that it will be stiffer.

oppai

so everybody thinks steel isn't necessary and aluminium will work just fine, I tried looking in Craig's List though couldn't find anything worthwhile after searching extensively, I live in the Phoenix area AZ. Might go with the Specialized is the cheapest I can get at around 700

AbsurdChalk

VINTAGE BIANCHI RANDONNEUR STEEL TOURING BIKE 58 CM

This looks really nice.

headloss 

Title of post is irrelevant. You made a false statement (as written) which some people will read and repeat. I don't doubt that it isn't what you meant and I wasn't attempting to correct you; just clarifying the statement so that it would be universally true.

Wilfred Laurier

i misunderstood
necessary to exist
but you dont need it

rollingtourer

I think that if you keep your eye on Craigslist you will find an excellent bike that will fit your needs perfectly. My wife and I both have vintage lugged steel bikes with great components and absolutely love them. Have just over $400 in both bikes (88' Miyata 512 & a Trek 330). Be patient and be discerning and it will pay great dividends. Also, don't let things like needing new tires deter you from buying a vintage bike, it comes with the territory. Just my .02 cents..

AbsurdChalk

+1 Agreed.

oppai

e-mailed the guy on Craigslist still waiting a response and I've been looking around though it seems most entry level bikes have either Shimano 2300, Claris or Sora reading around the forums these seem to be low end sucky ones but are they better than what most department stores have or are these the "Shimano Parts" that they are equipped with, as the logo says?

noglider 

I believe Claris has replaced Sora. Can anyone confirm or deny?