PWRDbyTRD

My friend recently picked up a specialized something or another w/ disk brakes n stuff. Anyways...I am a big guy and I've gained weight since I used to ride bike back when I was younger. I weigh about 400lbs now...is there even a bike I can safely ride? If so could you link me or suggest some...I rode a huffy or something of that nature...like a mountain bike frame and didn't have a problem with the seat or anything like that, so that's not my biggest concern. What I worry about is being able to stop and not break the frame or any components without excessive force. Any help would be appreciated. Biking is the one thing I used to like to do and I want to start losing weight so I figure I might look into something I used to like.....here is his new bike BTW....

Nightshade

Due to you weight I'd suggest that you AVOID any bike that
is built with a NON-STEEL frame. Now I'm not poking fun at
you weight, mate. I ,too, am well over 300 myself so I can
offer my experiance to help.

Suggest that you look for a used LUGGED STEEL framed bike that
has 36 spoke steel wheels to start with. If it's new you
want then look as "Worksman" industrial bike as they are
bullet proof (I rode one everyday,all day where I worked).

The one thing big guys like you & me have to becareful of
is that whatever we ride MUST be chosen on function & safety
first with cosmetics a distant second. Just 'cause it's got
a gee whiz paint job don't make it the bike for us,mate.

Also don't go cheap on a bike. You can save money used but
for guys like us if you don't buy a Worksman bike any other
steel framed bike is gonna be serious bucks.

DanO220

Kona bicycles markets a couple 'big guy specific' mountain bikes in their Clydesdale series - the Hoss and Hoss Deluxe. They are engineered from the ground up to support big riders with substantial steel frames, sturdy wheels and disc brakes. Just don't expect them to be real light weight. You gotta pay somewhere. Anyway, you can go trail riding with your friend or put some slicks on and cruise the streets. Congratulations and God speed. DanO

seely

Yeah the Kona Hoss and Hoss Deelux are the way to go if you are in the 300lb+ range. Just some encouragement, I know MANY forum members here have dropped significant weight... I dropped about 70lbs since I started riding though diet is a big part of it too. Good luck!

MMPC

Hey PWRDbyTRD - another "Clydesdale" here. First of all, let me say congratulations on investigating getting back into cycling; a truly a positive decision that will affect the rest of your life in great ways you can only imagine right now!

I was nearly 300lbs. when I started riding about a year ago. I'm now down to 225 (part riding, part low-carb lifestyle), in the best shape of my adult life and am still losing weekly on my way to a goal of 180lbs. I purchased the very Kona "Hoss" discussed above and it's been a fantastic bike (https://www.konaworld.com/2k4bikes/2k4_hoss.cfm).



Even now that I've dropped 60+ pounds, I still ride it at least a few times a week. The other days are taken up by a road bike I purchased in April of this year - but that's another story. Anyway, Kona put together a tank of a bike in the Hoss - I'm sure it would suit you well. It's also reasonably priced for the quality components included - things like disc brakes, strong wheels and a decent drivetrain.

Enjoying a ride on a good bike will motivate you more than any words can. You'll feel like a kid again and your health will improve drastically. Just start slowly and find a local bike shop that demonstrates how much they want your business through good customer service.

I wish you the best in getting started. This forum is full of advice - most of it good - and friendly people who want to help. Let me know if I can answer any other questions for you.

AndrewP

After you have ridden the bike a few times, take it back to the shop and ask them to retension the spokes in the wheels. This will save big trouble later, as spokes settle in to their seating and loose their tension in the first 50 miles or so.

rykoala

Congrats! When I started riding I was about 340lbs, now I'm about 310 but I need to watch my diet better. I could've lost much more if I had. Listen to these guys about what bike to get, they would know. Me, I got an older steel mountain bike and like it alot. It flexes ALOT though under my weight, at times. I think the Hoss would be a good choice.

A note on wheels- ride easy on the bike, and you'll preserve your wheels better. And getting them re-tensioned is a big deal too, if there's not enough tension on the spokes, then they will start breaking and all sorts of things. You don't want that!

Do a search for the word "clydesdale" on this forum, you'll get LOTS of good advice :-)

scrantr

https://www.schauf.de/ makes a model called the "Sumo" that uses Shimano's "Saint" component line. It looks like a very sturdy and rider-friendly "city bike" design that would encourage riding it. Also consider getting a decent rigid (no suspension) MTB and have someone put tandem wheels on it for you. It's a shame that most bikes available now are built to (barely) stand up to a 140# rider. Not everyone wants to be a racer boy. Good luck and good riding.

Joeagain

Best part of cycling is that it can become a part of your lifestyle and you'll find yourself looking forward to things that you might currently look upon as chores. You'll look forward to things like eating right, treating yourself better, getting out to exercise, etc. Don't doubt it, just do it and you'll see it come true, no matter how far away it seems right now.

Lots of inspirational stuff on the web, and the best part of all, (ok, isn't that two best parts? I'm sure there are more), is that after you reach some personal goal, and have attained some holy state, just like runner's high, you'll see you're not the only one, and there are others who understand. You'll wonder what took you so long to find this... hobby/ lifestyle/ curse/ whatever you want to call it once it grabs you.

If you have a friend who likes to ride, then you're a high probability addict.

Just as a note, don't underestimate the advantage of a good bike shop. Even if you have to travel some distance, it's worth it to find a good bunch of people, (there is unfortunately no shortage of snobbish a-holes. Everybody has a funny/ horrible/ ironic story about them). Don't settle for a less-than-great bike shop. They're out there, you just have to search a bit.



Good luck,

Joe.


Btw, there's nothing wrong with buying a used bike, as a matter of fact there might be some advantages. Just make sure you keep the wheels maintained, it's easy and gives you something bike-related to do when you're sitting around. Keep it fun, don't get into the "calories burned," "watts produced" BS.

forum*rider

Good luck finding a bike! I would recommend the Kona Hoss series as well, made the slightly bigger riders out there and if you care for it(i.e. keep drivetrain, brakes running smoothly) it should last a looooong time.

BTW About the riding to lose weight thing, don't let that become the sole purpose of your riding. My dad recently got back into riding to lose some weight and for the first 2 months or so all he concentrated on was "How far am I going? Am I going fast enough? How many calories have I burned?" etc. After the first 2 months he started making excuses not to ride, "My hands are sore, and I'm tired. I'll just ride a bit more next time..."
Had to remind him riding is supposed to be fun and you should be enjoying your time in the saddle.

PWRDbyTRD

Thanks guys I'll look into that Hoss bike then. Hopefully I can figure out something with a local bike shop here that my friend got his specialized from, he's been friends with one of the guys there for a while and they're pretty well known in knoxville (that's where I live) so I will get to work. Also, the whole reason I was inspired was I used to remember how much I liked riding my bike. So I guess I'll go from there! Thanks for all the advice and I look forward to frequenting this forum!

PWRDbyTRD

What's the worthwile differences between the Hoss and the Hoss DeeLux...anything worth 250USD?

forum*rider

The Hoss deelux comes with an XT rear derailleur, Hayes hydro discs, XT shifters, and a better fork.

rykoala

I looked, it also comes with better wheels.

seely

For a larger rider, the $250 would probably justify the better wheelset, hydraulic brakes and an improved fork.

PWRDbyTRD

Of course the cloest Kona dealer has to be freaking 60 some odd miles away. Any other options I should consider before driving all the way out there?

alanbikehouston

Schwinn sells a bike through bike shops, (not its Wal-Mart line) called the "Heavy Duty" or the "Heavy Duti". It was designed for use in large factories. One speed. Extra strong frame. Extra strong rims and spokes. Massive tires. It weights close to 50 pounds.

But, Schwinn also puts high quality bearings in the crank, and the wheels. The HD rides very nicely on level streets (this bike is NOT for hill climbing). It has classic geometry, which makes it very stable to ride. The best mountain bikes of the 1980's "stole" their geometry from these "classic" Schwinn designs.

Because it is comfortable to ride, an owner will spend more hours riding an HD than a bike that is hurting his hands, neck, or rear. I know a guy who lost about one hundred pounds riding a similar bike for one hour each evening INSTEAD of eating supper. He would ride an hour, then come home for a light salad. In a year, he was a totally new man, and looked ten years younger and two inches taller.

Maelstrom 

For fit and such the drive would be worth it. I have the original hoss (in 2003 the Kona roast was turned into a djing bike but in 2002 it was just a sturdy strong freeride bike) It will be worth the drive. The upgrade will definately be worth it for stronger wheels (you wil likely still go through the upgraded ones, at your size and my size wheels are almost always the first things to break)

Test ride what you can do for fit purposes. Another thing to keep in mind. Avoid parts labelled with the XC or cross country branding. They will be too light weight and generally weaker than what you need. When I was doing xc I kept breaking parts until I started buying downhill or freeride parts. You likely won't have all those problems until you start getting onto technical trails, just something to keep in mind. If the hoss fits, it will be a worthy frame to help you loose weight and let you progress as far as you want to go.

allgoo19

Are you sure of this? It says it's a beer brewing company.

allgoo19

PWRDbyTRD, I suggest, while you are shopping for a bicycle, start doing some lighter excercise like walking. I know some people so out of shape, start breathing hard just by walking for a short distance. It is very likely that climbing even a moderate up-hill will be very hard for you when you ride it the first time. Walking takes much less time. Start doing it today for 30 min everyday. If you lose weight far enough, you maybe able to choose any bike you want, that's another benefit.

PWRDbyTRD

I try to walk around my nieghborhood a couple days a week it's probably a solid mile all the way around my neighborhood in one big loop. The lame part about it is it's setup like a square almost...2 short roads parallel to each other and 2 long roads parallel to each other. Anyways the short roads are flat and straight. The two long roads on the other hand make two HUGE Vs so you end up walking down a huge hill and up a huge hill on each side. Oh such joyous fun. Also since I don't have a car anymore I have to walk if I ever leave work i.e. to get food or whatever and I've actually gotten used to walking up the hill we have infront of my work. So that is working out well for me, but I don't think I'm going to drop the kind of weight that I would need to drop within 3 months to purchase any bike I choose, ya know?

MMPC

That's ultimately your call, but if you do choose to proceed with a bike purchase, you're looking at a good time of year. Cycling - in many parts of the country - is entering the "off season" and many stores are looking to unload their stock in preparation for '05 models. Therefore, you might be able to get some very good deals on '04s if you check around. As for Kona, they're still somewhat of a "small player" compared to Trek and Specialized so you may have to travel further to get one. I think you'll find it's worth the effort/distance, though.

I have the base-level "Hoss" (non-DeeLux) and the frames are the same. As others have said the differences you'll find are in components. They may be worthwhile upgrades in terms of durability so I wouldn't discount them - but for me they didn't prove valuable enough to spend the extra cash on 'em.

Whatever you decide, just remember to start slowly! I really can't say it enough. I suffered a needless overuse injury last year after really getting back into riding. Quite simply it was caused by doing too much too soon (riding every day, tackling steep hills, etc.). One last thing to keep in mind while you're looking are the other costs you'll incur besides the bike. Minimally you'll need a helmet, cycling gloves, water bottle/cage (though many bike shops will throw these in), pump, spare tube and patch kit; this can add up to around another $100. Other things you'll probably want very soon include cycling shorts with a built-in chamois (you can get baggy shorts so don't stress out over wearing lycra). A good pair of cycling shorts will make an incredible difference in your riding comfort - trust us on this one! Eventually, if you really start riding a lot, you may also want to get "clipless" pedals and the shoes that go with them. These keep your feet on the pedals and allow your cycling to be much more efficient, transferring more of your pedal strokes to bicycle movement.

PWRDbyTRD

That's not ultimately my call. LoL I'd have to drop basically 200lbs in a matter of 90 days...that would be incredibly unhealthy even if possible.

PWRDbyTRD

I've started eating at home more and in the past 2 months I've lost about 15lbs w/o much exercise...now I'm looking into exercise...what do you all think about workout bikes...like at court south, the rush, etc...work out facilities.....as far as the physical benefits.

MMPC

LOL, no that's not possible. What I meant, though, was whether you felt you needed to drop the weight first (even if it took a year) before getting a bike or just get a beefy bike now.

As for stationary bikes, they're a decent workout but most will probably agree one word sums them up. BORING! On a "real" bike, you're getting fresh air, seeing new things and feeling the wind in your face. No comparison in terms of enjoyment - at least for me...