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how to tell the strength of a bike?

Old 05-27-06, 01:53 AM
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how to tell the strength of a bike?

hi! i'm new and i'm big. 6'5" and 280 ish lbs.b (ok you guess it right, i'm old and big )

the kid rides all over the place and i want to be able to take him further afield so i'm going to need a new bike. but i can't find any information on what bikes can handle the stress.

even when i was young and slim i had problems with rims warping. are the problems still prevelant?

the bike shop guy showed me the M600 from releigh today, not bad and it seems to fit the bill. but i'm still concerned over it's ability to not fall apart and i'm pretty sure that sadle is going to hurt after a while.

are there rims made EXTRA tough and are there sadles for guys with massive bums? (some concern for the jewels, they need to stay unbriused.)

thanks for the reading!

cheers!
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Old 05-27-06, 03:09 AM
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Originally Posted by hugenewb
hi! i'm new and i'm big. 6'5" and 280 ish lbs.b (ok you guess it right, i'm old and big )

the kid rides all over the place and i want to be able to take him further afield so i'm going to need a new bike. but i can't find any information on what bikes can handle the stress.

even when i was young and slim i had problems with rims warping. are the problems still prevelant?

the bike shop guy showed me the M600 from releigh today, not bad and it seems to fit the bill. but i'm still concerned over it's ability to not fall apart and i'm pretty sure that sadle is going to hurt after a while.

are there rims made EXTRA tough and are there sadles for guys with massive bums? (some concern for the jewels, they need to stay unbriused.)

thanks for the reading!

cheers!
The bike would be suitable but the wheels are always a problem. Most wheels sold on new bikes are machine made and they are no-way as good as a hand built wheel from a good wheelbuilder. I would run any new bike for 100 miles and then put the wheels into my wheel builder. They work wonders on even a rubbish wheel.
I have a friend that is 220 lbs and he used to be hard on wheels- knocking it out of true very easily and snapping spokes just by looking at them. He went to a Good builder and got a 36spoke XT hub with a Freeride quality rim. These were a sensible price from a good wheelbuilder and cheaper for the pair than just the rear wheel from a retail shop.

Others can advise you on wheel builders in the US. but Look around for Good builders. I have my wheels built by one company- but My LBS keeps them in true and checked over. Incidentally- the first upgrade to improve a bike is the wheels so it would be money well spent
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Old 05-27-06, 05:53 AM
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I am bigger and taller than you and I have a 25" Trek 7200 (STOCK). No component has failed on it, and I have rode over 1,000 miles.
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Old 05-27-06, 07:41 AM
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Check that the wheels have 36, not 32 spokes. More is better for heavy riders.
If you twang the spokes you will probably notice variations in pitch and tension. A good wheelbuilder will even out and optimise the tension, and pre-stress the wheels so that they dont unwind. This will improve the strength of any wheel.
Make sure that you can raise the saddle high enough without exposing the danger mark on the seat post.
Some M600 bikes come with clipless pedals. If you are new and riding with kids, then swap them for some platforms for safety.
Saddles are always a gamble, they may work on some riders but not on others. Make sure the stock saddle is adjusted properly and see how it rides.
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Old 05-27-06, 09:03 AM
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I'm 300 lbs and have put 600 miles on my bone stock Spec. Sequoia elite, so that might work for you.
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Old 05-28-06, 12:02 AM
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thanks for that advice people!

it seems that the theme here is buy from people who sell good bikes and you shouldn't go wrong.

well i did that, i got the m600. i got a saddle upgrade and helmat at %50 off. plus he quoted me $50 less than the same guy yesterday

i am a bit dissapointed with the tyres he gave me. i wanted a mostly road tyre and it's gotten a puncture on it's first outing. will i need a better tyre or better tube? either way the free first years service means i won't get too dirty over it.

anyway it was loads of fun and i was gobsmacked by the speed and endurance of my 6YO son on his 16" bmx 45 mins flat out and he wanted to go more. he had to push his bike up the 2 big hills but he was just as fast still. i might hold off on his upgrade till i get a bit more Km's under my belt.

again many thanks.
cheers!
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Old 05-28-06, 03:56 AM
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Originally Posted by hugenewb
...i am a bit dissapointed with the tyres he gave me. i wanted a mostly road tyre and it's gotten a puncture on it's first outing. will i need a better tyre or better tube?..
Hi hugenewb!

You're my size and weight. I, as suggested by others, bought a custom-made pair of wheels with deep-V rims, 36 (OVERSIZED) spokes, and 3x cross pattern. I liked them so well I had a second pair made as spares.

To avoid punctures, get "thorn-proof" tubes. They're heavy, but don't puncture. Your tires won't make much difference unless they've got a kevlar strip inside (which you can add to your current tires). Don't bother with the "Slime" brand tubes, because in my experience, they're not only messy but also don't work.

Happy riding!
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