Thinking about picking up another bike because I need to start riding again. I'm fat. 300+ 6'1". Looking at beefed up road looking bikes. See how good my terminology is. Me being unknowledgeable along with the explosion of categories means I don't even know what to ask for. I currently have a Jamis 29er Hardtail that I've been using and I bought a Trek Roadbike against advice about it being too small for me and surprise it's too small.

I don't care about the latest greatest or fancy materials unless they truly help and don't cost a fortune. I am not a racer tourer or bikepacker. Just want something to grind out some miles on and have it last. Might put a rack or racks on eventually but not really needed immediately. I don't want to spend a lot so lets say $2k tops but would love for one of the $1000-$1200 to be great. I have a couple friends big in the bikes that I bounce questions off but I figured one thread to ask questions might help my brain. The main reason I settled on these style bikes is they seem to be built a bit tougher than what I would call a standard road bike and the few that list weight limits frequently have them up in the 250-300 range which is where I need to be.

Questions
Bar end shifters? Never had them. Friend hates them. Trek had the ones built into the brake levers and that seemed slick my Jamis has the thumb shifters.
Frame and Fork materials? Steel seems like a good option from what I've been reading. Carbon Frames are probably all out of my price range and I'm not sure they'd be good for my fatness anyway. Forks I have no idea.
Pedals- I have no shoes with clips but probably need to pick some up. I have always just used flats.

What else do I need to be asking? I am going to spend some time reading and measuring my current bikes so I get the right size.


The Surly Disc Trucker seems like it would be a good choice for what I think I want.
Surly Disc Trucker $1799


REI has their ADV bikes.
ADV 1.1 $1599
ADV 2.1 for $1249 Think this is the older model
ADV 2.2 $1599
and a Salsa whatever the hell that is
Salsa Marrakesh $1799

Jamis does their Renegade series
Jamis Rengade $1200 to the sky

Trek 520 bikes which I think have been around forever
Trek 520 $1750 they do a standard and a Grando which sounds fun

First thing I thought was Surly. Find one you like and go with it. My wife has a Bridge Club and does everything she wants to do. It can handle light trails, pavement, whatever. Best part is it can be made into a bike packing bike, mountain bike, whatever. She has it set up with some swept back touring bars and a basket.

I'm a bit smaller than you, but you've really got to look at weights over 250. I beat up one of my bikes by overloading it with bags, etc, as a commuter, when I was pretty close to it's limit just by myself.

The frame was fine, but the wheelset just wasn't built for it - I'm on my 3rd set of wheels (and those are holding up; though I stopped bike commuting a while ago).

Part of the question is - are you 300 and trying to get smaller; or are you 300 and gonna stay that way?

I'm built like a linebacker; even when I'm in shape (which I'm not at the moment) I'm in the 230's - and a lot of bikes are rated at 250; which doesn't leave you a ton of room (and why I had problems putting on a rack and carrying my work stuff; that was all in back and the rear wheel kept going out of true). There are some rated at 275, but over that you're generally looking at specialty bikes - or touring bikes, those are meant to be loaded down with gear and generally are a bit tougher. But if you're trying to lose weight... you can give a 275-rated bike a shot and try to lose the 25#.

Get a good shop, whatever you do. My second set of wheels didn't hold up hardly at all; they took care of me on that third (and final) set.

Asphalt only or some gravel etc ?
Sounds like you want a cyclocross bike which is a drop bar road style bike that can do gravel.   Definitely do some research and watch your weight ratings.
If your doing more off road gravel or mild trail combined with urban then maybe a XC hardtail.  

Tell us more about the conditions you want to ride on.  A hardtail cross country mountain bike would be the most versatile IMO

I won't be carrying any gear for quite a while. Like I said I am looking at these because they seem to be rated for more weight without getting into the specialized cargo bikes. Definitely looking to be smaller. I went through the wheels on my Jamis and bought a tougher set. I actually emailed Surly and the person that replied said the Disc Trucker was a good choice but I might need to look into wheels.

I try and take it easy and not even hop curbs and the like because I realize that without having something built these bikes aren't made for me let alone rough and tumble airborn me.

Pretty much pavement but a lot of the areas have dirt trails in sections. Absolutely nothing even slightly technical if that's the right term. I'm not going over roots or baseball sized rocks. If it's gravel it would be gravel like you'd find at a park or nature trail. Like I mentioned I have a Jamis 29'er Hardtail if I need to do rougher terrain.

I really like the looks of a lot of the cyclcross/gravel bikes but the more I look at the specs they just seem to be built significantly lighter which makes sense for their purpose but I worry about how they'd hold up with me. I definitely don't need the performance advantage of a lighter weight bike. I know weight is a big deal but I am really high drag low speed.

https://hiconsumption.com/best-gravel-bikes/

I think this may be some of what your looking for.

Surly Bridge club would be a good choice. They are all steel and should be fine at your weight. My local shop had a custom one they built out but they wanted $1800 with the better components they added. They are saying $1200 retail if regular bike.

I am a little less weight than you but went with a salsa journeyman which I would recommend looking into as well. Weight limit is 300 or more. I can't remember exactly, but it might be 350.

They have a couple different builds for the journeyman starting with the Claris version which I ended up with firt $800.  The other models have better components and carbon forks instead of aluminum. They are offered in both flatbar(what I went with) and drop bar as well

Pic of mine

Attached File

A gravel bike or a CycloCross bike is probably a good pick; they're going to be built stouter to handle the pounding off pavement, so if you aren't doing that, they'll probably hold up fine.

When I was still commuting, I looked at those... I was doing it in a Roadie but there were some areas I could have cut corners if I had something that could handle even mild dirt. (Canal roads around here can let you cut across)

I have a Carbon Road Bike from Ribble in the UK I like a lot. It's my 'race bike', which also means it used to get the lion's share of the road miles. (Currently I'm mostly on the Peloton and my 'real' bike miles are mostly on a 29'er MTB, both so I can pile on a few trails and because it's slower so I can better pace the kids and wife for family rides)

But they have a Steel Frame Gravel bike that might suit you. And you can custom build the bike - so you could talk to them and put the stoutest stuff on there.

https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/bikes/gravel-bikes/

All of the bikes you've listed as possibilities are drop-bar bikes but you say you also have a hardtail, which I'm assuming is a flat-bar bike.  Are you committed to drop bars or is the drop bar vs flat bar question still open for you?  That is going to be a huge factor in looking at possible bikes.  Bike frames are generally designed for one or the other, while some, like the Long Haul Trucker, try to split the difference.  

If you aren't set on drop bars, try to find a bike with a Jones bar or something similar to a Jones bar.  They are a game changer for a lot of people, having as many (or more) hand positions as a drop bar, while providing the excellent slow speed control of a flat bar.  The Jones bar has a 45 degree sweep and there are a lot of other bikes out there with similar bars.

Wheels really are the number one priority for big guys.  I've test ridden several Salsas and all had spokes pinging when I rode them.  I've  test ridden even more Surlys and never heard a sound from the wheels, all at a weight over 350.  My own bike has custom built wheels and they have been almost flawless.  The one exception was one spoke that came just slightly loose after I accidently rode off a curb in the dark.  

I've said this in a few other threads, but knowing how I like to ride (mostly pavement and packed dirt/grass but sometimes gravel/looser dirt), my first choice would be the 650b version (fatter tires) of the Surly Bridge Club.  

Being a big guy, I also prefer a steel frame and especially a steel fork.  

My bike was designed as an off-road touring bike and it's basically a 29'er version of a late 80's/early 90's mountain bike:

Attached File

I liked drop bars on the Trek and yes my Hardtail has a flat bar. I'm sure that H bar would be fine. I like having multiple hand placement options.

In.  I'm a 300lb 5'10" guy who just started bike commuting again.  I hope I stay with it.

Bikepacking looks very interesting to me.

ETA: You listed the Salsa Marrakesh as an option...Did I misread the ad, or is its largest size 55cm?  That won't work for you, I think.

The Surley straggler and the Trek 520 would be top on my list. Steel frame good components.
I have a Specialized AWOL, similar to what you posted. Great bikes for what you want. I also prefer drop bars to flat bars, gives you more hand positions.
Attached File

RE: CO-OP

We bought this model for my son last year:

https://www.rei.com/product/162208/co-op-cycles-drt-11-bike

Pro:  it is a sturdy, budget hard tail.  Has held up well to lots of trail abuse (better than my daughter’s Trail7 Cannondale).

Con: had it shipped to the house and the brake disc was bent, the derailleur cables were all slack. But,



Co-op had us bring it in and their shop fixed/tuned it while we waited in under 1 hour.  Service was excellent.

It’s been the fitness-key for me.  

I used to run.   It running is comparatively boring and harder on my knees. Cycling changed everything.  I’m now 6’2” and pushing 200.

I like your choices.

I've always been a fan of cyclocross/adventure bikes.  My primary road/gravel machine is an old Lemond Poprod cyclocross bike.  (Thinking I need to spring for a new Ultegra groupset with disc brakes.)  

Relaxed geometry, steel frame, straight fork.  It's a good ride.  

Stats: 52 Years old, 5'11", 190-200 lbs.

If I go with one of theirs I have a REI locally so I would have it shipped their and lean on them for the free tune ups

I have a TREK and have to say that it's as good if not better than the Raleigh and Giant I had before it.

Disk brakes are for idiots who like to throw money away because a salesman sucker's then or want to be in a certain "crowd"
Traditional brakes are lighter offer better feedback and control and they last longer.

I ride hardtail springer MTBs  because front suspension won't wear out your arms.
If you upgrade get rock shox.
Weight and tires are the biggest factors when it comes to bikes.
The only tires I run are Serfas drifters. Puncture resistant and the same ones the bike cops use. Low drag on asphalt and I've NEVER had a flat running them.

All the bike cops here have volcanic hardtail springers. They have the same tires and tranny as I do but have disk brakes.
Both my Trek and Raleigh are faster. One of them actually t-boned and crashed into me while I was on my Raleigh when he ran a red light.
Poor cop went flying, he was so mad he just picked up his radio and gear and didn't say a word to me, even when I asked if he was alright.

Good plan!  

We bought our REI at peak “bike shortage” during the lockdown here in the swamp (near DC).  REI told us:  1 month backlog for bikes from the store (or we could have it shipped to the house in 2 days).  I had to install the pedals myself.  And the handlebars.

Once we noticed the shipping and pre-assembly issues, REI fixed it up right away!