I'm a 6'6" 375-400lb. ex-rugby player who needs a mountain bike so I can drop the ex- and get back on the pitch. I was budgeting about $1000 and called two reputable local stores.

The first one suggested a Trek 4900 Disc in a 24” with heavy duty springs in the fork, a set of Supra BH DH rims with Shimano Deore XT hubs, 36 spoke using Alpine spokes. The other place recommended a 21" Cannondale F400 with Head Shock suspension, and custom wheels.

Would any of you have any recommendations about which bike to choose, what other options to think about getting, etc.? I'm looking to ride it multiple times a week for fitness, not transportation, and just don't want to worry about getting the wrong thing or getting ripped off.

I'd appreciate any assistance that you may offer.

Thanks,
Michael.

I'd say the 21" inch frame should fit you better. But it's not inconceivable that you'd fit the 24" either.
You could look into a 29" wheeled bike too.

The size I can hammer out once I'm at the shop and get a handle on how it feels during a test ride, right?

I was more concerned about getting a beefy enough frame, wheels, etc. for my weight.

THe Kona Hoss is for clydesdale riders. Not sure how big they go though and I don't know much about the bike myself. Something to look into anyway.

I am 6'5"/250lbs. I ride a 22" Salso Dos Niner and love it. With such a large frame, the 29" wheels made the overall fit and fell of the bike a little more proportional. Plus you can roll over anything!

The Kona Hoss and Hoss deluxe were specifically mad for guys like you. This link will take you to the Kona site. I ride a Hoss deluxe myself, though Im around 230 lbs, I bought for the toughness of the frame and parts as this year I'm not going to
be able to hit the bike shop whenever I want. Here are a few piccies of my bike in this thread , mine is post number 2537

Definately a Kona Hoss, or Hoss Deluxe.

I would drop the Suspension.... GO RIGID!

6'4" 225 here... I dropped a bunch of weight. I have a front shock, wish it was rigid... I have it tight as possible.. can't lock it out, so I beefed it up.

Ok, thanks for the pointer.

So a 22" frame with some huge tires? Ok, I'll have to take that into account too.

So the Hoss line is even more sturdy than an F400 or 4900? I jusst figured that once you got to a certain level, that most thicker frames would be roughly the same...

Nice bike BTW, have you done anything else to it, or is it stock?

Or could I just get a suspension that locks out?

Not huge tires. He meant that his frame uses 29" wheels (and tires) rather than 26" wheels as the standard mountain bike. There were a few threads recently on 29"ers.

Yep

For a hardtail:
At your size it's either the Kona Hoss or custom steel. If you plan to ride real trails, I recommend the steel because an aluminum hardtail will ALWAYS break eventually.

For a soft-tail:
On a soft-tail, a all trail, free-ride oriented bike may do the job. Just make sure all the suspension systems use springs instead of air. You will have to buy special springs for your weight. But the air shocks are will likely leak at the PSI you will need.

Oh, and at your weight you should consider 42 spoke hubs on downhill oriented rims. I am a big guy. 6'3", 280 #. You are a BIG, BIG, BIG guy.

At 6'3", I ride a 23" Giant hardtail. It fits just right. You probably need something a little bigger.

For a 29er, you may look at niner bikes for a steel hardtail: https://www.ninerbikes.com/sir9.html.

For a soft-tail, lenzsports makes some good bikes. At your weight, you should enquire about their Behemoth frame. https://www.lenzsport.com. Lenz makes an XXL frame that is appropriate for a 6'6" rider. Or he'll make something custom.

Other 29er links are here: https://www.twentyniner.net/bikes/.

Just remember to avoid aluminum hardtails. 375# is going to be too much for them regardless of how thick the tubing is. They will stress fracture.

If you go with a 29er, 42 spokes becomes a MUST for you. As wheel size goes up, you need more strength from the spokes.

You will hear tons and tons of talk about the weight of your bike on various bicycle forums. For some people it is an absolute obsession. MOST of these people weigh between 120-170#. Us big guys fluctuate 5-10# of body weight in a single week. The extra 3# on your bike will simply not matter. The MOST important thing is the bike stays together.

For pedals, I would recommend the Time ATAC Z pedals. I ride Crank Brothers Mallet-Cs and I go through about 2-3 broken spindles per year (though I still love them and Crank Brothers gives me replacement spindles). You would shred Mallets. The ATAC Z people don't report that it is rock solid.

Yeah I think the Hoss would be a nice choice also.

You said a Kona Hoss or custom steel in your first reply, but then you're saying avoid aluminium hardtails (which a Kona Hoss is right?). So you're saying the Hoss will eventually break apart? I don't think that I could get a custom steel bike for around $1000, could I?

I am in agreement with you over the weight argument though. I don't care about shaving ounces or pounds off a bike, I want it sturdy and solid.

Sizing is all realitive, I'm 6'4 pushin 6'5 and ride a 19" hardtail. Just go with what feels comfortable.

I think you may be getting too much advice here, not that its bad but it quickly reach saturation point. Aluminium frames are generally regarded as having a five year life span, depending on thier use pattern. If you have a bike shop in your area that you think is reputable or you feel you can trust then have talk to them. Also it might not hurt to contact a couple of the manufacturers mentioned and tell them your situation and see what their responses are. I think Kona is still small enough to take time to listen to you and help out. Other smaller custom builders would be good for this too. There was member here about your size that rode a hoss deluxe but I cant remember if it was standard or not. Yes mine is standard except for the saddle pedals and now the hope skewers. Good luck and enjoy the bike you choose.

Thank you all for your advice. You were nice, upfront, and gave me many things to think about and to keep thinking about as I evolve with my bike.

I talked to Joe at Kona, and I've gone with their Hoss Deluxe in a 22" frame. He was really nice, prompt, as well as the guys I dealt with at Fat Tire Farm in Portland.

My bike should be here in about a week. I'm already stoked to get out and start dropping weight.

You'd pop the blow off valve on a sidewalk crack. Loclouts are good for racer boys, but they aren't made for Rhino's (next step up from Clydesdale).

Test ride bikes at a local bike store. Find one that is good for you.

Looking forward to seeing you on your bike,
Alex and Foxy

Best post I've seen from you so far. Keep it up.

The reason The Hoss is mentioned so much is due to the fact that most other bikes are engineered around a 160 lb rider. The Hoss is specifically engineered for the 200+ crowd so it would be a better choice for someone of the original poster's stature

Test ride, test ride and test ride.

You will find the right bike for you,
Alex and Foxy