Ryanlogic

Sold my car awhile ago...been taking the bus. Now that classes have started, I need an efficient way to get to work in the morning before the buses are running (I happen to be a bus driver on campus) and I need a bike that I can get around on campus with now that the Florida heat is starting to die down. Ive been riding my bike to work in the morning and then taking the bus around campus for class. But I got a warning from a police officer the other day for riding my bike on the sidewalk, so I need to get something I am confident enough to ride on the road with. (the Sedona is in disrepair due to neglect)



I just went around in circles trying to figure out the best way to rehab my Giant Sedona...but I am pretty sure the frame is the wrong size for my anatomy. I want to save money and fix up what i have but I don't have the time to do it. Repair costs would make keeping a bike the wrong size kind of non nonsensical.

I am tired of riding buses around campus after driving buses all day, I'm starting to get a bit stir crazy. Furthermore, I want to increase my overall cardiovascular fitness, and lose weight. Ideally I will get into the routine of riding my bike to work, class and around town while it is cool out and then when the heat and humidity starts getting out of hand it will just be a matter of dealing with it on top of my normal routine. (I am originally from Colorado, so this heat/humidity stuff is pretty traumatizing)

Its actually much quicker to get around on a bike than on a bus in the university area.

5'11"
265 lbs very built with a gut.
I started out at about 310 lbs about a year and a half ago, and I am down to 265lbs.

if I was 220 lbs, I would be about as thin as I could be.
@200 I would be sickly.

Hopefully you guys can take my size and weight into consideration when suggesting bikes.

Forum members have pointed out that there are a lot of nice used bikes in my area (Tampa) but there are a few things keeping me from going in that direction.

I don't know exactly what size I need, and I cant afford to get it wrong again..
I don't have too much time to play around/explore used options.
I don't know anything about bikes, and I don't want to get ripped off.

This is the trusted bike shop in my area:

UBC bikes

I have no idea where to start but these catch my eye and sit within a realistic price range:

Cannondale Adventure 2
Cannondale Quick 5
Giant escape 2
Giant roam 3

I'm pretty much limited to the selection at this store, unless someone can help me find a good used bike, and can help me effectively ensure that it is the right size...

I greatly appreciate any available help in this matter. So far this forum has been extremely usefully.

Thanks in Advance.

10 Wheels

My son-in law loved his Cannondale Synapse 6 and he weight in at 265 LBS.

See the smile on his face.

Ryanlogic

A bit out of my price range

sjt78

Nice well written post. My advice would be to check out that bike shop and tell them what kind of riding you plan on doing. Then test ride two or three bikes around your price range. For a hybrid type bike which is how I would describe most of the bikes you linked to, I think you will be able to do well at the $500-600 range. At your weight the wheelset is really the only thing you need to worry about. Make sure you get double walled rims and generally more spokes=a stronger wheel. I would not look at anything with less than 32 spokes and preferably 36 though you might not be able to find a bike with such a wheelset in your range. You will need to decide if you want a front suspension fork. I would say skip it for riding around campus and save the weight, cost and hassle.

10 Wheels

I know...I thought you might want to see that a 265 lb rider can do well on a road bike.

Ryanlogic

Gotcha, thanks!

10 Wheels

He is now is down to 175 lbs

Ryanlogic

OK, double walled rims and at least 32 spokes. Noted

fire

You might want to try Joe Haskins bike shop down on N Florida Ave, he's been there years, and he won't rip you off. You might find he has some used bikes in there too. The guy has a good reputation with the local bikers that I know, and I've always found them helpful. Don't expect a big fancy store though, it is what it is, a bike shop.
To be honest, I've always found UBC a bit "high end" pricey, and very sales focused.
There's another bike shop on 56th too, on the north side of Fowler, they've always been helpful when I've been in.

Good luck with the search.

oddjob2

On a hybrid or road bike, you need a 56-58cm frame, 23" or so. You could save a lot of money by finding an 18-20" frame mountain bike and putting 1.5-1.75" wide road tires on the 26" rims. I'd look for a steel frame mtb without suspension.

Ryanlogic

Thanks!

Ive been in the shop on 56th, and they were definitely friendly ...but several peers have told me not to go there for service work... That being said, that doesn't mean they cant help me find the right bike. and they might have something in stock that UBC doesn't or vice versa.

I don't know if iI can make it to N. Florida in a timely manner... but if i can make it there, I will definitely check it out.

I appreciate the help.

Ryanlogic

so like a used steel mountain bike, and just put different road tires on the existing rim?

no1mad 

You sure about that? I'm roughly the OP's height (my 5'2 and 3/4" wife swears I'm 6') and my bike has a 22" frame on 26x1.5 wheels and tires- and it's a bit too large for me, but I make it work. Depends on the geometry and slope of the top tube, but I've found on 700c/29ers that the sweet spot is 19" to 21".

no1mad 

Yes. And if there is a front shock, make sure it can be locked out, or least adjust the preload to be as stiff as possible.

no1mad 

<--- That is my bike. If you can find something similar that fits, you'd be golden.

Ryanlogic

any criticisms of the Quick 5?

fire

The one on 56th is much more likely to do you a deal than UBC I think, because they're owned by one guy. I've bought a used bike in the one on 56th and he did me a decent deal for paying cash, they are generally a bit cheaper on parts than UBC, too. I can't speak for their servicing work though, I mostly do all my own stuff.

I'd completely recommend Joe Haskins without a problem if you can get down there, he's on Florida just at the intersection of columbus. its a proper bike shop, not a bunch of high school kids that don't really care. My biking buddy uses them for servicing on his trek 7.2fx, and he's always pleased with what they've do for him, and the prices they charge for their work.

oddjob2

Yes. I have a Trek 850 that never goes on dirt. Using Kenda K 838s, which are 26 x 1.95. Faster and no vibration from knobby tread. Narrower will be even faster.

As far as size, I am 5'9" and heavy. I ride an 18" mtb, and road bikes from 21-23", no special duty wheels. But I prefer at least 28cm tires.

oddjob2

https://tampa.craigslist.org/hil/bik/3309188960.html. Fuji Mountain

Ryanlogic

I'll definitely look into this one! Thanks!

Ryanlogic

What about something like this?

silmarillion

Dude, I love riding in Tampa.

Traffic can be a bit hectic like anywhere, but it's as flat as a board. Great place for a single or a fixie.

Local paper, craigslist, or maybe even a few pawn shops may have a decent bike you could get for less than what you are planning to spend on a new one. I have bought my kids bikes this way in the past, and you would be really surprised what you may find if you look. Of course, you would have to be able to work on them. You can get some pretty good replacement parts at bikenashbar.com or performancebike.com

But, if you want to avoid the hassle, then an LBS may be the best choice. Any shops in St. Pete that may give you a better selection?

Another avenue may be to try someplace like Dick's or REI or Performance. You could also see what Bikesdirect may have in the size you are looking for. They seem to have some pretty decent prices, but I myself haven't looked at them very close.

scooterfrog

no to take advantage of a shop, but talk to them seriously and honestly and ask them what size you need. I am 5 10/ 210 I went to a shop ant told them I was cross shopping used road and hybrids with their new stuff. the fit me to some trek fitness bike.
tried the 18 it was a a bit too small tried the 20 it was it was a hare to large but it was the rightest size. let me take it for a spin. then he fit me to a 54cm road bike for comparison. I bought a water bottle to 'pay' for his time.

So I learned my size, made a friend, bought a bottle and I now have 'a shop' for when I get over my head.

I ended up buying an old steel hybrid in a 19 inch frame. its perfect size but needed 5 hours of my time rehabbing it. I bought some of my tools at said shop and tubes and tires. (i went with 700c x32)

If you are buying used makes sure the frame is the right size and that you like the wheels (I really wanted 700c) because those are really hard to change. On a used bike everything else can be changed

That being said you are bigger than me and the 26 inch mtb bike rim might be better. You basically want to find an mtb bike. A hard tail. Even the fork is easy to change later on if you change find a rigid fork as noted above if lockout is an option it means you wont need a for any time soon.

Also unless you giant is realy trashed ( it doesn't look that bad) consider that you MAY have parts you can swap over to your new used bike. anything aluminum wheels and thr rear deraileur Will swap from mtb bike to mtb bike with no issues. seat to.

Other things may swap but depend on sizes being the same. seat post needs to be the same diameter, same with stem and handle bars.
brakes and levers probably will swap. grips, stem handle bars depends on their diameters front mech depends on the tube diamter and mount type. pedals yes

Other things may be harder to change but even the cranks look good to me.

Ryanlogic

lacking a car, or friends with time... I wont be able to check out anything too far from the USF area. but thanks for your suggestions!

the online route is tempting because I buy everything online anyway, but i want to get whatever I buy adjusted from by someone who knows what they are doing...so unless the cost savings is astronomical, it may be better to buy in a brick and mortar shop...not to mention...the sooner I have a working bike, the better. I assume a bike would have to be shipped oversize freight.

Ryanlogic

upon joining this forum and really taking a look at my bike, I am reaslizing that there are a lot of things I really dont like about it....it has mounts for a rack, but the frame shape would make it difficult. I dont think I need the front shocks.

most importantly I realized that Ive been riding it like a BMX bike, standing on the pedals above the seat...and just using the seat for cruising.. Any time I've tried to actually use the seat for long distances...my knees and legs would hurt.. the geometry is all wrong for my body. i would have to put the seat all the way up to the last part of the seat post to make the bike ride right, but then the bike would be goofy looking and i would probably be top heavy possibly affecting balance and handling.

the bike really isn't that bad and I know someone could put less than it would cost to buy the same bike new into it to get a great bike. considering the fact that its been left on a porch in Florida for years.....it looks great.

the main issues are the bent rim, and the out of wack gears...but I don't want to put money into it unless it is going to be a good match for me.

the reason I don't want to dissect it for parts is because then I am going to have a bunch of parts and a frame laying around my studio apartment forever... I don't want to leave any bikes on the porch or my apartment bike racks from now on because they might get stolen so that would mean that I would have a whole bike, and a bike in pieces next to my bed every day.

Id rather get as much as I can for it, and put that towards something that just works.