road bike 300 lbs image
John Smith
I want to start cycling to lose weight. I'm 6' and 300 lbs. I live on Long Island, NY. I know road bikes have narrower tires and you have to ride with your torso almost horizontal. Would a mountain bike be better? I have also heard of hybrids, that combine the best of both bike types. I plan to ride mainly on paved roads, maybe sometimes on grass, but not off-road or anything. The most important thing for me is balance and handling.
I haven't owned a bike since the 6th grade, so any and all info would be appreciated. I also like to tinker and build stuff, so I really like the idea of bike maintenance. What websites/retailers/resources would you recommend?
Thank you!
Answer
You want a Performance Hybrid. Also called a Sport Hybrid, Sport Performance hybrid, Fitness hybrid or even sometimes a "City Hybrid".
The small tires on road bikes will not be good for your weight. The hybrids will do you good.
Find a good reputable shop in your area and go speak to them about what you're considering. Don't buy a comfort bike or anything with a suspension saddle. You don't want anything with suspension, it's unnecessary money and weight for you. It's not good for someone like you trying to get a good workout from riding. Skip all suspension.
Sport hybrids:
Giant Escape, Cannondale Quick 4, Trek 7.2FX, Raleigh Cadent FT1, Specialized Ariel, Ariel Sport, etc.
Bike maintenance:
http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/bike-maintenance.html
Are you near Westhampton Beach? Have you ever heard of "Bikemanforu"? You could visit his shop Bike N Kite. He knows a lot about bikes and really stands behind what he sells. I know he sells Giant Escapes but they don't do a whole lot in new bike sales so they don't have a great selection of new bikes but good entry level bikes at fair market price that he stands behind.
Lastly, make sure you are prepared to spend on other things that will be really needed for your riding.
Things you should purchase right away with your bicycle:
Helmet
Padded Bike Shorts (I feel that 2 is the magic number) wash every 2 days.
Water Bottle Cage
Water bottle
Bike headlight and taillight - if you're going to do any riding at night.
Multi-tool - basically for all the needed allen key sizes. A good multi-tool will take care of the basic adjustments you'll need to do.
Floor pump w/ gauge - You want to inflate your tires to maximum PSI before every ride. Important to have a good pump.
Bike jerseys or wicking tees (I feel like 2 is the magic number and wash with the shorts every 2 days. Maybe 3 would be even better but I don't like having them sit around without being washed for longer than a day or two.
Other things to consider:
Bike computer (with cadence)- Something I hesitated on buying at firstbut it is something very nice to have to know how far you rode and that you're riding at a high enough cadence for you to be getting a good enough workout. Very important to keep your cadence up and to not mash on the pedals. You don't want much resistance on the pedals.
Repair stand - for doing your own maintenance. Then you need some brushes, lube, etc.
*IMPORTANT* Road cycling shoes (not MTB shoes) and Clipless road pedals - These two things are pretty essential. I would get these right away. Get used to riding for a few days and then put them on. Be careful to find out how they work too. If you want to ride for fitness then you need the pedals and shoes or else you'll be wasting time.
Mini pump to install on your bike in case you need to fill up while out on the road. In case you get a flat. You'll probably want a spare tube and tire levers so that you can repair a flat on the road also.
Saddle bag - or any kind of bag for the bike - Great to hold your phone, keys, multi-tool, tube, and whatever else you feel like bringing with you.
Safe riding. Enjoy
You want a Performance Hybrid. Also called a Sport Hybrid, Sport Performance hybrid, Fitness hybrid or even sometimes a "City Hybrid".
The small tires on road bikes will not be good for your weight. The hybrids will do you good.
Find a good reputable shop in your area and go speak to them about what you're considering. Don't buy a comfort bike or anything with a suspension saddle. You don't want anything with suspension, it's unnecessary money and weight for you. It's not good for someone like you trying to get a good workout from riding. Skip all suspension.
Sport hybrids:
Giant Escape, Cannondale Quick 4, Trek 7.2FX, Raleigh Cadent FT1, Specialized Ariel, Ariel Sport, etc.
Bike maintenance:
http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/bike-maintenance.html
Are you near Westhampton Beach? Have you ever heard of "Bikemanforu"? You could visit his shop Bike N Kite. He knows a lot about bikes and really stands behind what he sells. I know he sells Giant Escapes but they don't do a whole lot in new bike sales so they don't have a great selection of new bikes but good entry level bikes at fair market price that he stands behind.
Lastly, make sure you are prepared to spend on other things that will be really needed for your riding.
Things you should purchase right away with your bicycle:
Helmet
Padded Bike Shorts (I feel that 2 is the magic number) wash every 2 days.
Water Bottle Cage
Water bottle
Bike headlight and taillight - if you're going to do any riding at night.
Multi-tool - basically for all the needed allen key sizes. A good multi-tool will take care of the basic adjustments you'll need to do.
Floor pump w/ gauge - You want to inflate your tires to maximum PSI before every ride. Important to have a good pump.
Bike jerseys or wicking tees (I feel like 2 is the magic number and wash with the shorts every 2 days. Maybe 3 would be even better but I don't like having them sit around without being washed for longer than a day or two.
Other things to consider:
Bike computer (with cadence)- Something I hesitated on buying at firstbut it is something very nice to have to know how far you rode and that you're riding at a high enough cadence for you to be getting a good enough workout. Very important to keep your cadence up and to not mash on the pedals. You don't want much resistance on the pedals.
Repair stand - for doing your own maintenance. Then you need some brushes, lube, etc.
*IMPORTANT* Road cycling shoes (not MTB shoes) and Clipless road pedals - These two things are pretty essential. I would get these right away. Get used to riding for a few days and then put them on. Be careful to find out how they work too. If you want to ride for fitness then you need the pedals and shoes or else you'll be wasting time.
Mini pump to install on your bike in case you need to fill up while out on the road. In case you get a flat. You'll probably want a spare tube and tire levers so that you can repair a flat on the road also.
Saddle bag - or any kind of bag for the bike - Great to hold your phone, keys, multi-tool, tube, and whatever else you feel like bringing with you.
Safe riding. Enjoy
Should I buy a mountain bike or a road bike?
Kyle
I'm a college student interested in buying a bike. I'm going to use it mostly to ride around campus and around the city. I'm 6'3" and about 300 lbs. I have only ever ridden mountain bikes but have good things about road bikes. I keep asking my friends but am getting mixed answers. Which should I get?
Answer
If you are only planning on every riding around campus it doesn't really matter. I would guide you towards a hybrid style bike (or commuter) which tend to be the cheapest options for bikes. They generally don't have suspension and the tire width is around 27-30 mm (between the road bike and mountain bike). If you want to get more into riding than think a bit about your geography. If you live by hills or mountains there are likely good riding trails, so maybe get a mountain bike. If you live somewhere that is very flat, they perhaps a road bike will suit your needs better.
My recommendation would be to find a local used bike store that fixes up and resells bikes. A big problem on college campuses is theft. So if you get a super nice bike, it is a big target. However bikes last a long time if taken care of and thus a used one will provide you with a good ride while still keeping the peace of mind that it won't get stolen as likely.
If you are only planning on every riding around campus it doesn't really matter. I would guide you towards a hybrid style bike (or commuter) which tend to be the cheapest options for bikes. They generally don't have suspension and the tire width is around 27-30 mm (between the road bike and mountain bike). If you want to get more into riding than think a bit about your geography. If you live by hills or mountains there are likely good riding trails, so maybe get a mountain bike. If you live somewhere that is very flat, they perhaps a road bike will suit your needs better.
My recommendation would be to find a local used bike store that fixes up and resells bikes. A big problem on college campuses is theft. So if you get a super nice bike, it is a big target. However bikes last a long time if taken care of and thus a used one will provide you with a good ride while still keeping the peace of mind that it won't get stolen as likely.
Powered by Yahoo! Answers
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar