Hello y'all:

I recently posted in the road bike forums that I was in a pickle about what to do with my bike. The truth is, I need to explore all options.

A few weeks ago on a lovely hike in nature I saw someone riding a bike down the dirt path. It looked really fun and relaxing. It looked like something I wanted to do.

BUT--with my weight (I'm 300 lb, which is decreasing--and that's part of the goal) and occasional back pain, I thought I had best stick to pavement. But, I haven't done anything to test out this theory, and it seems potentially stupid to give up something I might like before I even start. The guy at the well-respected LBS thought it was feasible to get me out there on the trail.

Because of the back pain, I'd ideally have a full suspension bike, but I know that these are only good when they're expensive, and I also know it's tricky at my weight.

Here's the summary:
-- Budget $1-2k total (tune up or changes included)
-- Right now, I'm not looking to jump off things or do anything crazy. Just a bike ride in the woods.
-- I currently weigh 300 lb.
-- It would be great if I could find a bike that would grow (or in my case, shrink) with me. In other words, one that is quality enough that it would be worth upgrading/repairing.
-- I am 5' 10", although my legs are a bit short.

And here are the options... Would any of these be a potential fit?

Cannondale Rize 3 Medium Full Suspension Mountain Bike

Santa Cruz SuperLight

Marin Mount Vision 5.8

2014 Specialized Camber L 29er with upgrades

IRON HORSE MAVERICK MOUNTAIN BIKE 26" FULL SUSPENSION DISC BRAKES

FULL SUSPENSION TRAIL BIKE

Marin Attack Trail - Full suspension mountain bike

Thanks!

If I were in your shoes, I would go with a hardtail. The rear suspension on FS bikes would struggle to work correctly at 300 lbs, so it might not add much benefit. Also, you could get a bike with better components. I ride both a FS bike and a hardtail, both are extremely fun bikes. I believe your back pain will diminish with your weight. Also, it is unlikely you are going to be getting real crazy as a new MTBer, so rear suspension or not, the impact on your back would be similar.

By the way, great job getting out riding. I promise, if you stick with it, eat appropriately, and adjust your effort as needed you will have great results!

Thanks for the encouragement! In addition to the craigslist finds, there's this bike in my price range, that my LBS can presumably get, that's a looker... KONA BIKES | 2016 BIKES | HONZO | Honzo AL

I'd recommend the Honzo over the used suspension bikes you are looking at. If you can afford it, even go for the Honzo AL/DL it is a bit over your budget but it has some good upgrades over the basic one (the Fox 34 fork would be a good idea for a heavier rider)

You may also want to consider the Kahuna DL from Kona. Less aggressive geometry but should still be a good bike.

Here's a possibility that's a little outside what's probably going to be suggested. You mentioned seeing someone on a trail and that it looked relaxing, so I'm guessing high speed ripping may not be what you're interested in doing. This bike may not appeal to you at all, but anyway, I thought I'd just put it out there for consideration since you're exploring what's available.

https://www.raleighusa.com/pardner

Fat bike tires run very low pressure and serve as the bike's suspension. Lots of traction. The fat rear tire may be easier on your back than a standard tire if you decide not to get a full suspension bike. I see fat bikes on the trails occassionally and the people riding them don't seem to be having any less fun than everyone else. You can ride them on snow, too, if you're somewhere you might want to do that. Downsides are that they're heavier, slower, bouncy at higher speeds, and not as nimble.

I've thought about a fat bike. They seem cool, if not superior to traditional bikes in many ways... and it does seem like it would be a good fit for me. Having a hard time getting over the looks... they aren't very attractive to my eye. Also, I'll admit, I feel like a boy shopping in the "Husky" department again.

I guess so many of them seem ugly because the fat tires seem like an afterthought... like a jackass put monster tires on a Camry.

This guy doesn't bother me so much. Looks cohesive...

https://www.norco.com/bikes/mountain...ot/bigfoot-62/

I wish looks didn't matter to me so much, but when I'm spending this kind of money on stuff, it does.

I hadn't seen that Norco. That really is a sharp looking fat bike. Alloy frame and fork. The up side of that is that it may be lighter than the Raleigh I linked to. Down side is that it may not have the extra bit of springiness that you get with a steel frame and fork. I have a couple of rigid singlespeed mountain bikes, one steel and one alloy, and the difference in ride is detectable. That's with standard tires though; I don't know if it's a factor at the pressures fat tires run at.

I generally recommend FS,, I like it and I'm biased, but in this case, have you looked at this.

https://www.specialized.com/us/en/bi...6fattie/107166

I'd get a $500-1000 class hard tail MTB and ride the snot out of it. I don't think the differences between any two brands are going to be a big deal; If anything, the biggest difference between two bikes will be tire size. The new extra wide "plus" tires should be great for a Clyde. My current crush is the Marin Pine Mountain 1 but you can find your own. I like that Fuse, too.

That Iron Horse Maverick is a stolen bike:

https://bikeindex.org/bikes/31750

Same pic as the CL ad.


The Specialized Camber is a 29er.

What's the rationale? I'd be great to only spend that kind of money, but I worry I won't be happy and it will cause back pain... whereas a FS would help alleviate that issue.

Good catch! But only the image is stolen, unless the thief also stole the camera!

I'd pick hardtail because the kind of riding you describe doesn't really need full suspension to keep the wheels on the ground, and it's fewer things to break, and costs way less; but your back is probably a good reason to ignore me, I missed that when skimming your first post and I apologize.

You shouldn't worry about durability. Any good-quality bike built for trail use should be sturdy enough for you. They're built to land badly, go off drops etc.

Full suspension has it's ups and downs. While, I'd suggest one as a quality do everything option, they aren't all that necessary unless you're riding more technical terrain, and even then, I still don't mind my hard tail most days. If you're thinking about light trail riding, you'd probably do just fine with a hard tail.

If this is something you're seriously considering, you should see if any of your local shops have any demo rides coming up, or even have demo bikes to try out. They have them all the time in Phoenix, usually sponsored by a shop or a bike company. You show up with your gear and your ID, you pick a bike to take out, and off you go to shred some gnar. This would allow you to at least try some different options before jumping into a larger money purchase. Also, after spending some time on a bike and really appreciating what it can do, spending a bit more isn't such a worry, since you know you like the bike you're about to purchase.

However, I would also agree with others and advise to look into fat bikes, 29+ and 27.5+ bikes, which have wider tires than normal, but not quite fat bike wide.

I have a little bit of everything. I would recommend a hard tail 29er to have fun with. You can also add a suspension seat post for some comfort if the bumps hurt your back. Also get a bike with disk brakes. They are great in off-road conditions AND your extra weight can be stopped safely.

If you have a larger budget, consider an electric mountain bike. (No flameage from the naysayers please!) They are great to help you get back into "condition" and enjoy being on 2 wheels.

There is a clydesdale forum for big people, and an e-bike forum if you need to get more specific questions answered.

Glad to hear you picking up cycling. I hope you enjoy it.

-SP