Am i too heavy for a decent road bike?
Discussion
Hi guys, currently riding 6 miles to work and back on my Claud Butler Cape Wrath Disk MTB 5 times a week, and have applied for the £1k ride to work cycle voucher.
As the CB is pretty competent off road, i have been thinking about spending the £1k on a proper road bike. Looking at Cannondale/Boardman/BMC's and no doubt they will be awesome after the CB, but i'm knocking on the door of 19 stone. (not all fat honest!)
Would 19 stones and the generally poor roads in and around Leeds kill the wheels quick time?
My riding style is smooth and i'm always looking for holes in the roads etc but would i be better off spending the £1k on a MTB with road biased tyres? I'm happy to go fully ridged as i have the forks locked off on the CB all the time anyway.
Must say ATM i'm leaning towards the Cannondale CAAD's & BMC jobbies because i have this idea in my head that Carbon is fragile!
Any ideas? Thanks!
As the CB is pretty competent off road, i have been thinking about spending the £1k on a proper road bike. Looking at Cannondale/Boardman/BMC's and no doubt they will be awesome after the CB, but i'm knocking on the door of 19 stone. (not all fat honest!)
Would 19 stones and the generally poor roads in and around Leeds kill the wheels quick time?
My riding style is smooth and i'm always looking for holes in the roads etc but would i be better off spending the £1k on a MTB with road biased tyres? I'm happy to go fully ridged as i have the forks locked off on the CB all the time anyway.
Must say ATM i'm leaning towards the Cannondale CAAD's & BMC jobbies because i have this idea in my head that Carbon is fragile!
Any ideas? Thanks!
You could definitely get away with something lighter weight as long as your careful.
Rather than a full race bike you could look at a Roubaix/distance bike, or even something like the Specialized Tricross.
This would be significantly stronger than a roadie and I sold plenty of these over the past years to people commuting round Leeds.
Rather than a full race bike you could look at a Roubaix/distance bike, or even something like the Specialized Tricross.
This would be significantly stronger than a roadie and I sold plenty of these over the past years to people commuting round Leeds.
Also to add ....
regarding wheels. Perhaps look for a bike that has a regular, full complement of spokes.
Factory Mavic/Roval etc type wheels are generally still quite strong, but only having maybe 8 or 10 aero spokes makes them very difficult to true.
If you go for something with regular, handbuilt (well machine built, but you get me) rims with full (28 or 32) regular butted spokes - they wont neccassarily be massively stronger than the type of wheels mentioned above, but they will be a damn sight easier to keep true and to get replacment spokes for.
regarding wheels. Perhaps look for a bike that has a regular, full complement of spokes.
Factory Mavic/Roval etc type wheels are generally still quite strong, but only having maybe 8 or 10 aero spokes makes them very difficult to true.
If you go for something with regular, handbuilt (well machine built, but you get me) rims with full (28 or 32) regular butted spokes - they wont neccassarily be massively stronger than the type of wheels mentioned above, but they will be a damn sight easier to keep true and to get replacment spokes for.
Brilliant thanks for the advice re wheels.
Am going to still focus on a full road bike i think, but will check out some strong/easy to true wheels.
Couldnt beleve how light road bikes are in this price range. Lifted a Carbon Boardman in Halfords the other day and was wondering if it would collapse under me like a stack of cards.
I think my brain needs to adjust to whats possible these days! The CB is an absolute tank in comparison.
Am going to still focus on a full road bike i think, but will check out some strong/easy to true wheels.
Couldnt beleve how light road bikes are in this price range. Lifted a Carbon Boardman in Halfords the other day and was wondering if it would collapse under me like a stack of cards.
I think my brain needs to adjust to whats possible these days! The CB is an absolute tank in comparison.
snotrag said:
Also to add ....
regarding wheels. Perhaps look for a bike that has a regular, full complement of spokes.
Factory Mavic/Roval etc type wheels are generally still quite strong, but only having maybe 8 or 10 aero spokes makes them very difficult to true.
If you go for something with regular, handbuilt (well machine built, but you get me) rims with full (28 or 32) regular butted spokes - they wont neccassarily be massively stronger than the type of wheels mentioned above, but they will be a damn sight easier to keep true and to get replacment spokes for.
I'd go as far as 36 spokes, all my bikes have 36H rims front and back, though to be fair I don't have them for the strength (i'm only 10 and a half stone) but it does mean you can lace them with a 3 leading 3 trailing pattern, which looks awesome and is as strong as 3Xregarding wheels. Perhaps look for a bike that has a regular, full complement of spokes.
Factory Mavic/Roval etc type wheels are generally still quite strong, but only having maybe 8 or 10 aero spokes makes them very difficult to true.
If you go for something with regular, handbuilt (well machine built, but you get me) rims with full (28 or 32) regular butted spokes - they wont neccassarily be massively stronger than the type of wheels mentioned above, but they will be a damn sight easier to keep true and to get replacment spokes for.
Some good advice re. the wheels. You could get a good strong pair of 32h or 36h handbuilt wheels from a good bike shop and sell the standard ones to recoup the cost.
I'd also replace the standard tyres (likely 23mm) with 25mm or if clearance allows 28mm tyres.
With strong wheels and higher volume tyres a roadbike will be fine.
Edited to add: The CAAD frames are sturdy and well liked by some large riders I know but the Boardman is also particularly sturdy around the head tube and bottom bracket areas.
I'd also replace the standard tyres (likely 23mm) with 25mm or if clearance allows 28mm tyres.
With strong wheels and higher volume tyres a roadbike will be fine.
Edited to add: The CAAD frames are sturdy and well liked by some large riders I know but the Boardman is also particularly sturdy around the head tube and bottom bracket areas.
Edited by Roman on Monday 16th November 10:17
GreatGranny said:
Why don't you have a chat with a local shop, eg. Chevin Cycles or take a trip to 18 bikes in Hope Derbyshire. They can custom build a commuter bike for you within the £1k limit and spec some stronger wheels.
Good idea, but i'm pretty sure my scheme is Halfords only. They can supply any cycle apparently, dunno how flexible they are with custom builds etc. Will ask though.Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff