I'm a big guy (6'3" 215lb on the leggy side) and I've been trying to figure out a smart buy for my next bike. I don't see myself ever taking a bike to the track but I'm looking for a track style SS bike that I can ride on the street for training purposes. I have a budget around $750 dollars and I don't mind swapping out some parts but I'm looking for a complete bike. I have heard so much about the Mark V, Rush Hour, Sputnik... and I know I am probably beating a dead horse about this class of bike but I was wondering if my weight and the fact that I ride pretty hard is something that I need to take into special consideration while making my decision (I tend to break spokes).

I am thinking the IRO Mark V would be a good choice but I don't know about their components and how important is it to change the fork out... (all the threads seem to be outdated has IRO stepped it up).

If I missed a thread in my searches please let me know.

Im by no means part of the use the search function army but seriously this time USE THE SEARCH FUNCTION.

The components on the IRO bikes are pretty good quality. You're definitely not going to have to worry about swapping out anything right away. The frame and fork are steel so it will ride smooth and be durable. Mark five will probably run you about $625-$650 complete. I've had my IRO for about 8 months and I ride every day - absolutely no issues.

I weigh about 195 and I frequently ride with a pack that weighs as much as thirty pounds. I've never broken anything in six months of riding a fuji track, which is probably comparable to what you're looking at. I wouldn't worry too much about it; it's not like you're tipping the scales at 250+ or anything.

Thanks for the advice guys, I'm gona go with the IRO I think.