Cannondale bikes seem to hold up well under heavy loads (6'3", 210). Watch the tire selection - I've noticed that Hutchenson Fusions seems to be a little sketchy, and other clydesdales I've talked to have had the same comment. GP 3000's or Michelins seems to hold up better.

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Live long and surf!

Stay away from anything lightweight unless it's megabucks. With bike stuff it's light, strong and inexpensive - pick two.

Big guys can find solutions. In our roadie group we have a couple of fast guys over 6'4/6'5" and 220+ lbs. They are quite fast but tend to hurt on the hills. But they make good riders for us little guys to draft behind.:-)

Since I'm about 100 lbs lighter than you, I'm not a great source of practical info, but there are other folks that can help you.

This has been covered before on ST. Do a google search and you should find something.

I am in the same boat-

For clothing I have gone to the 6xl euro sizing stuff and assos bibs xlt and xlg size are really big

My stats are - 6'0 230 10%bf Im distance

i also have had some good luck with the verge sports, voler and PI stuff.

My bikes are custom guru and serotta, I ride Hed3's and easton circuits as trainers and race on hand built 808's with king hubs

good luck

K

As someone who is 120+lbs lighter, I shouldn't be giving any advice, but some of the obvious bike stuff, is to get wheels with a higher spoke count. i.e, 32, 36 spokes (especially on the rear wheel). You may even want to look into a 3x lacing pattern. Also, using a 25mm tire on f/r, or even just the back, may help you to prevent from getting pinch flats, and can make the ride more comfortable. As far as bikes, and other equipment, basically, stay away from anything that is said to be "lightweight." I think most bike manufacturers produce frames that will work out just fine for you. In regards to that, I was thinking for seatposts and stems, you could look into Thomson. They are very sturdy and might suit you well.

On Pezcycling, Magnus Backstedt (6'4" 91kg. But used to be 100kg.) has a question and answer thing. Here is the link
http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=3875
Good luck! and just think, if you hang in there you'll get the weight off.

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250 isn't really THAT heavy. I have a friend who is about 250 and he rides a stock Elite T Class. He's been on it for 2-3 seasons and to my knowledge has never had any issues. My brother in law weighs about 250 as well, he rides a 2000 or 2001 QR and has done fine on it. Like others said, just stay away from anything super light and you should be ok.

Athena here, same same problem. I had the perfect bike professionally spec'd out for me (I'm well within your weight category :)), this is what I was advised on (oh and I bought a Litespeed):

FRAME MATERIAL: ideally, Titanium, with a combination of a 6/4 downtube and 3/2.5 for the rest.



Another great option would be a good steel frame, something along the lines of a Reynolds 843, or Columbus SLX tubeset.



COMPONENT SPEC: For wheels, either a pair of Mavic Open Pro rims, 32hole, built on Ultegra hubs, standard lacing, 3cross for the rear wheel…or a pair of Mavic Ksyrium Elites. These wheels are pretty bomb proof, no matter what you throw at them.

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http://www.PlusPerformanceFitness.com

A few things I have learnt as an ex-rugby player turned triathlete (starting out, I was roughly the same size as you).
-Wheels : Go with Mavic CXP 33's. I have 32 spokes ones, and those things are beyond bulletproof...so much so what if/when I get a cyclocross bike, I'm going to race on them.
-Steel is good. Alumninum is just fine, as well. Beware frames that are a mixture of aluminum or steel with carbon (ie, rear stays are carbon, rest of bike is steel). Generally, the manufacturers (and I'm speaking in BROAD terms) don't rate their mixed-material bikes up to Clydesdale weights.
-A little research is good...if the bike shop guy doesn't know if the frame can take your weight, a quick call to the manufacturer or looking up the tubeset manufacturer online will reveal ideal rider weight ranges.
-Hill will crush you. Don't get discouraged, it's a simple virtue of gravity.
-Triathlete clothing is made by triathlete-sized people for triathlete-sized people. Don't be surprised if you require a XXXXXL pair of shorts (apparently, in the triathlete world, "XL" starts at about 165 pounds).

Sorry to so obviously plug my bike for sale, but I've always thought this bike would be a perfect road bike for a big guy.

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...;;page=unread#unread

To answer your question generally though, I would take a serious look at cyclocross bikes. They're just as fast as road bikes, but a bit overbuilt for off road situations. Plus, the often times shorter top tube adapts well to an aero position.

Otherwise, pay attention to wheels - make sure some manufacturer didn't thro on some skimpy wheelset. Alex rims are particularly popular and weak.

I would also HIGHLY recommend a 25mm tire at least on the rear wheel... maybe even a 28. your wheelset will thank you later.


Ti would be great for you if you can afford it. Steel is a great option too, but if you want it to be responsive, make sure it is a compact frame (I have this problem at 6'3" 180)

Bianchi Pinella, Custom Steel or Ti from IndyFab or Seven, Lemond Spline frames (ie. Zurich, Maillot Jaune, Buenos Aires or Tete De Corse)

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The Dude abides.

Welcome to the game big man!

I am 6'3" 250lbs. (up 30 lbs since thanksgiving <sigh>) In terms of a bike, I ride a stock Cannodale R1000(aluminium) with Kysirium(sp?) elite wheels. 23 tires. My trick to avoiding pinch flats (what happens when you hit a pot hole and get a flat.) is watch where you are going and keep the tire pressure at 100psi. It will be tougher on your taint until you adapt, but no trouble afterwards.

As for clothes, who cares how many X's are on the label? PI is good stuff. SIDI makes good bike shoes if your feet are proportionate. I am a size 14 4E and the SIDI's are an easy fit. On the high end of pricing though.

For running shoes, I like the New Balance 991. Good fit and you can get a pair for under $100 on sale. Just accept it as a price of doing business that you will be buying 3-4 pair a year.

Good luck.

i wish ksyriums were bomb-proof. i trashed a pair in just over a year of normal riding, and only 1500 or so km's. i was just over 200lbs at that point, but they went out of true, and we could never get them fixed again.

went to open pros to 105's, and they have been immaculate since.

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"Anyone can work hard when they want to; Champions do it when they don't."

Its true that its hard to find tri clothing. From doing tons of research I can tell you that the Desoto Power Tr Shorts fit me (2XL)just fine. Desoto was actually kind enough to give me a free pair to try and/or use as inspiration to fit into. Fortunately they fit :).

For cycling shorts, I get mine from www.aerotechdesigns.com. I prefer the pro version and ask for the blue padding. These shorts are awesome.

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http://www.PlusPerformanceFitness.com

you should post here more. you have a lot of good information to offer.

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Striving to have sex more than 66 times per year

hijacker aboard!

How bout those Mason Patriots! Bet Texas's Rick Barnes wishes he was still in Fairfax where it all started...but I am glad I left

I will weigh in on this one. Not as tall as you guys, but 205-225 lbs is my "normal " heft.
Frame
I have never done too bad with frames as I ride a 57cm. I wouldn't get stoopid light, but My Moots ti roadie is plenty stiff, as my Ves M Alum. and Soulcraft Steel. I have a steel Waterford tri bike that is pretty sweet, but for stiffness I have a Rock Lobster Alum aero bike that the builder can go any size. The nice thing is Paul S. builds them custom at about a grand sans fork. If you are 6 foot 4 plus you need to watch your head tube length or you will either have a bunch of spacers or a huge drop from the seat to bars. A custom aero frame for a grand isn't too bad.
The other option is to go with round tube steel with S & S couples. Will save big bucks if you fly much.

Clothing wise, good luck finding bibs long enough in the torso. I save my wornout ones and cut the straps to make extensions on the new ones. I like DeSoto tri suits, except they are a bit hot. Nice for transitions though. I think a lot of the jersey mfg make a club or sport cut that fits bigger guys better than the Euro cut.

I never needed too much support in my shoes, but I know a lot of the biggies seem to like New Balance line with their Wide and big sizes. Pay attention if you need a support shoe or just one with padding.

Wheels are an important item. I train on 36 hole 3 or 4 cross wheels with Velocity deep or Mavic OpenPros. Never had a problem. Low spoke count wheels are begging for problems so I shy away from them. Racing the HED 3 front and Hed 3 or disc rear work fine. I would recommend buying the wheels from a place that have several you can spin to get a pretty true one. I would rather pay a hundred bucks or so more for a really accurate front wheel than have one with a big wop in it. If you only race on them they should last 5-10 seasons or until the rear end standard gets spaced 5mm wider as they threaten to do every few years. I still think Renn has the best for less disc.

I also like to ride 25 and 28mm tires, check frame fork clearance before you buy. Some bikes are designed with 23 mm max as the tire of choice. The larger volume tires ride nicer and seem to take the hits better.

That is the story I am sticking to.

Yet another clyde perspective for you to mull. I am 6'4'' 220 lbs, though in the off-season it can be as high as 240 if I am not careful.

I don't think the bike matters too much, as others have said the wheels are important. I have had two sets of Velomax Circuits and think they are great. I sold one since I did not need two and my current set has not been in need of truing for over a year despite holes and chip seal. I have had a Cannondale (steel), currently riding a QR Caliente (aluminum/carbon) and just bought a Trek 5200 OCLV (all carbon). The Cdale was great, I just got to the point where I was putting too much into the bike so I picked up the QR. The QR is VERY comfortable though the softness of carbon takes some getting used to when climbing. As mentioned, we clydes don't go up hills very fast, but look out on the descent and somehow everyone loves us on a windy day.

Clothing is pretty tough, only because you really need to try it on to understand the fit. De Soto is different from Louis Garneau is different from TYR. If you don't have a local retailer nearby, check out a local race as most expos will have someone selling clothing and offer the option to try items on before buying. One thing no one ever told me, but I learned for myself, chamois buttr, assos cream, desitin, whatever you got, they are your best friends. It can be the difference between 30 as a warm-up or 30 miles as a long ride. Use it, takes some getting used to, but you won't regret it.

I am surprised that none of the posts (that I read, it is late for me) said much if anything about the fit on your bike. Another important aspect to consider, one that is imporant for everyone, but when you consider how much pressure you will be putting on your hands, arms, shoulders, neck, etc, you can quickly see how sitting in the right position makes all the difference in the world.

This sport is great, and in my opinion guys our size are better built for the endurance distances. We were not built for speed, certainly not over a long distance (32 miles for an Oly/Intl race), but when you get into the 1/2 and full IMs going slower, our bodies can sustain a slower pace for a lot longer. Not to mention that from a support stand point the athletes in this sport are great. Just as much as you will find good information and support here, on the course you are likely to hear plenty of encouraging words. Good luck on your search, training and racing.

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Formally azclydesdale, back in Northeast Ohio.

Pulled this off the Campag website:

80kgs is 176lbs.

"Last year I weighed 80 kg and now I weigh 83 kg. Can I still use Campagnolo products, or am I too heavy?

There is no clear dividing line defining when someone is "too heavy" for Campagnolo products. Many factors need to be considered.
Campagnolo products were designed for "racing" type bicycles used on smooth asphalt roads or tracks. Any other use of Campagnolo products is improper.
Magnified stresses and loads caused by a "heavy" rider, coupled with forces from an uneven road surface, greatly shorten the lifespan of Campagnolo products, especially if your bicycle is equipped with tires, wheels, or stiff frames that are poor at absorbing shocks and vibrations.
The weight of the rider, type of bike and the style and conditions of use are all critical factors affecting the lifespan of your product.
Technical knowledge, experience, common sense, and prudence are required. If you weigh 80 kg or more, you must be especially vigilant and have your bicycle inspected regularly for any evidence of cracks, deformation, or other signs of fatigue or stress. Check with your mechanic to discuss whether the components you selected are suitable for your use, and to determine the frequency of inspections."

I am 6'5" and 215lbs.
I ride 2005 Campag Eurus' (1500g, 16/21 spokes) and a full carbon frame with no problems at all. No pinch flats, untrue wheels, only a little bit of flex in the bottom bracket.

[reply]
i wish ksyriums were bomb-proof. i trashed a pair in just over a year of normal riding, and only 1500 or so km's. i was just over 200lbs at that point, but they went out of true, and we could never get them fixed again.
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Yeah - One of my roadie pals is an XXL - 6'4" and 250. He's broken so many Ksyriums (spokes and hubs) it's not funny. I tried to tell him aluminum is a BAD idea for spokes (I learned something in my engineering classes!), but he wouldn't listen. Mavic keeps fixin' them for free, but he often has to drop out of races due to broken wheels. And everybody at the LBS says "Ksyriums are bullet proof". Don't drink their Kool-Aid!


Save yourself some grief and stay away from stooopid light, special spoked wheels, especially for the rear wheel.