# road bike for clyde?



## TitanofChaos (Jun 13, 2011)

hey guys, I need something that I can put on loads of base miles this summer and I know little to nothing about road or cross bikes but I'm going to buy one in the near future

I'm currently 255# without gear, so call it 270#, I want something that will be comfortable and durable for long rides, 3 hours plus, and it has to keep me up with a pretty quick group of guys to boot (yes I know it's mostly the motor but you know what I mean)

right now my favorite bike to ride on road is my trek sawyer, it's rigid and the steel frame just feels good, I ran it with 32c tires last summer a few times and it was okay but not exactly positioned for speed

I'm not a huge fan of aluminum the few times I've ridden it with skinny tires, maybe it's better with carbon fork, bars, stem, and seatpost to take out some chatter?

so what should I be looking for? a pure road bike, a cyclocross, a touring bike?


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## GTscoob (Apr 27, 2009)

Cross bikes hold up really well under heavy loads as do touring bikes that are designed for normal weight folks carrying half their body weight in gear. Road bikes will have the sharpest handling and weigh the least, followed by cross bikes, then touring bikes will generally be the heaviest and worst handling. Factory cross bike will probably come with smaller chainrings than you'll need to hang with guys on road bikes but if you build one yourself you wont have this issue. 

Just like with mountain bikes, the weakest point will be wheels. Get something with a decent spoke count - at least 32 spokes, maybe more if you're in an area with bad roads. Budget in a decent wheelset on top of the bike purchase.

How tall are you? Not too many companies make bikes for tall guys. Wont be an issue if you're 270 and 6ft tall, is an issue for most of us that are 270 and closer to 7ft.


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## donalson (Apr 13, 2004)

the one thing that always amazed me about riding on a road bike was how fast/quick I was... 

my fav road build I've ever had was an early 90's trek lugged steel frame, I used a mix of new parts and old stuff... big enough that I could fit 32c tires front and back... it was super comfy to ride on but still a quick ride. the geometry was fairly mild and more of a "touring" type bike... 

all that being said I think the most important part is the fit... you hear that in nearly every thread on bikes but on a road bike I think that is far more important.

all that being said... I would certainly look at and consider a surly long haul trucker


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## donalson (Apr 13, 2004)

GTscoob said:


> Road bikes will have the sharpest handling and weigh the least, followed by cross bikes, then touring bikes will generally be the heaviest and worst handling.


"worst handling" is a subjective thing... a road bike is going to be far more responsive, you don't want that in a touring bike, you want the bike to go where you point it hour after hour, day after day... on the road i'd rather something stable then twitchy... if I was racing a crit then i'd want the quick handling road bike

sorry I just felt that needed some clarification...


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## TitanofChaos (Jun 13, 2011)

GTscoob said:


> How tall are you? Not too many companies make bikes for tall guys. Wont be an issue if you're 270 and 6ft tall, is an issue for most of us that are 270 and closer to 7ft.


6'1"


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## GTscoob (Apr 27, 2009)

donalson said:


> "worst handling" is a subjective thing... a road bike is going to be far more responsive, you don't want that in a touring bike, you want the bike to go where you point it hour after hour, day after day... on the road i'd rather something stable then twitchy... if I was racing a crit then i'd want the quick handling road bike
> 
> sorry I just felt that needed some clarification...


For sure, should have written 'slowest handling' since touring bikes are meant to be slow and stable. Relaxed geometry and long chainstays.


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

I'm on a Specialized Allez and it's pretty awesome as far as I am concerned. It handles my weight (285 now but 300ish when I rode it last time last year) no problem.


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## 14Stone (Jun 23, 2010)

I ride a Norco CCX1, carbon fork, alum frame (Shimano 105 loadout/FSA Cranks). Its completely stock other then some lizard skins I put on it last year and a cassette change a while back.

I've ridden this bike in multiple races where clay/mud and path are the primary flavor, I've ridden on the road, off the road, on single track, on rail trail. Literally thousands of KM, and I've spent most of my 300lb to 240lb drop ON this particular bike.

I would love to have a road bike... I would love to have a power meter and all the jazz that comes with it... right up until I pass by a path of some sort, and suddenly want to detour.

Primarily I ride rail trail and some less technical single track on it, mainly because I like to avoid the road as much as possible just on account of traffic, but I will ride it if I need to, so the Cross bike is obviously the right choice for me.

Thing is, I can put some road tires on it, and do just fine with it as well should I end up on a massive road ride with someone.

After all the abuse, the bike owes me nothing, but keeps going day in and day out without anything but a wheel true here and there, and a new chain after a particularly grinding muddy race, apart from that.. I'd say cross bikes can easily get a Clyde Friendly stamp, as well as being fairly wallet friendly.

Try one out, then try a road bike. See which one you like. If you got a bit bigger bank, you can go look at a Salsa Warbird. Its designed with comfort and long hours in mind, on and off the road as well.

My .02

Good luck!


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## eric671 (Nov 21, 2011)

ToC-
I ride a KHS Flite 747. I love it. Cheap and tough. Made for a big and tall guy. Of course I am 6'7" and 240 so it might be a bit tall for you.

Designed by Zinn, but in production from KHS.

FLITE 747 | KHS Bicycles

Bang for the buck, one of the best bike for a tall guy around.

Eric


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## Midtown (Feb 24, 2012)

This one works well for a guy I know.

Salsa Cycles | Bikes | Fargo Ti


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## TooTallUK (Jul 5, 2005)

I've been lusting a Soma ES road frame for a while now. Steel, smooth-riding geometry and will take a bigger tyre if needed:

ES | SOMA Fabrications

One of them with some strong wheels and you'd be set. For the taller chaps, they make them all the way up to a 66cm!


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## Gigantic (Aug 31, 2012)

TitanofChaos said:


> 6'1"


at that short, you can pretty much have your pick of any make out there. Ask your LBS to fit you and which bikes have the strongest wheels and drivelines. I'd imagine a CX bike would be ideal for what you need.


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## ephillipsme (Dec 23, 2012)

I was a budget conastrained getting a road bike, I am riding a specialized Allez as a road bike and no isseus as I am 6'4: and 235. You can also look at getting a cross Frame which is similar geometry as a road bike but is generally a bit heaciery to handle off road riding as well as wider tires.


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## Graham77 (Oct 29, 2012)

What do you guys thinks about this design for big guys on road bikes. I'm mostly concerned with the wheelset not constantly having flats than I am with frame flex, but the added cross bar is intriguing. I'm 6'8 275lbs, wanting a road bike at a good price, but only if it holds up to my size.


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## Graham77 (Oct 29, 2012)

The bike comes with a Shimano 105 drivetrain and Shimano 500 wheelset. I'm totally unfamiliar with road bikes can some one tell me if those parts and wheels will hold up to the stupid amount of abuse I throw at my bikes?


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## TitanofChaos (Jun 13, 2011)

anyone have experience with this?

components look fine except for maybe the hubs

Pro Level Steel Road Bikes | Commuting | Commuter Bikes | Motobecane Gran Premio PRO


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## GOTA (Apr 21, 2011)

I put Big Apple tires and a Nine steel fork on my Jamis Dragon to turn it into a great commuting/touring road bike. Steel is great and the classic Dragon geometry works well on the road.

I also bought an actual road bike last year for the first time. It's a Raleigh Revinio 4.0. I rode it last year at 250 without any issues at all. I'm 220 now and expect it to be even more fun. I live in Connecticut and hills are everywhere. I've noticed that the weight of the bike makes a bigger difference on the roads than it does on the trails and a road bike in good weather is better than a mountain bike for the pavement.


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## bolandjd (Jul 23, 2008)

Graham77 said:


> The bike comes with a Shimano 105 drivetrain and Shimano 500 wheelset. I'm totally unfamiliar with road bikes can some one tell me if those parts and wheels will hold up to the stupid amount of abuse I throw at my bikes?


Yes, if you maintain them properly. I'll help translate roadie to mountain:
Dura Ace = XTR
Ultegra = XT
105 = SLX
Tiagra = Deore
Sora = Alevio
2300 = Acera

R500 is the budget wheelset which, like all low end Shimano, is well built but not light or blingy.


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## bolandjd (Jul 23, 2008)

TitanofChaos said:


> anyone have experience with this?
> 
> components look fine except for maybe the hubs


I disagree. This is the standard BD trick of hanging a decent derailleur on a generic frame and trying to sell it as some kind of great deal. Except for the 105 parts, everything else is bottom of the barrel. Servicable, but nothing to get excited about. And as for the "high grade steel" frame - Reynolds 520 is just plain old 4130 chromoly. Not bad, just don't be fooled it's something special.


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## bolandjd (Jul 23, 2008)

In my opinion, the most important aspect of a "Clyde" roadbike is adequate clearance for wide tires. Most frames are plenty strong for clydes, but many can't fit tires wider than 23mm. 23mm tires are for skinny racer boys. Not us. Not if you want your wheels to last. Try to find something that will fit at least 32mm tires. Cross bikes and touring bikes can usually fit wider tires, which is one reason they make great "road" bikes for us big guys. I'm about the same size as the OP and a ride a Surly Cross Check. I find it has a great balance between speed, comfort, and durability.


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## jeffj (Jan 13, 2004)

Priorities for me on a road bike are the frame, wheelset, tires, and brakes.

I run 23c or 25c tires on my road bike, and since switching to Specialized Armadillo type tires, have had no flats (3 years). The ride a little rougher, but that is a compromise I am willing to _live_ with. I was running on a set of wheels with 20 rear (bladed) spokes and 26 front spokes, but after I found a broken spoke, sold the wheels. I am not comfortable with the thought of a road wheel grenading while descending at 40 mph to 50 mph. When you only have 16 or 20 spokes, breaking one means more than if you have 32 or 36.

A good quality brakeset (Ultegra or DuraAce) is another place clydes are smart to invest the extra dollars.


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## TitanofChaos (Jun 13, 2011)

so basically I'm back to what I was kinda thinking about before this thread

Salsa Cycles | Bikes | Colossal 2

"fat" tired steel road bike with disc brakes


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## GOTA (Apr 21, 2011)

TitanofChaos said:


> so basically I'm back to what I was kinda thinking about before this thread
> 
> Salsa Cycles | Bikes | Colossal 2
> 
> "fat" tired steel road bike with disc brakes


That's a great looking bike but it's not cheap. At 250 last year I had no problem on a regular alloy road bike with Ultegra parts. Even the wheels didn't give me an issue. If anything I think that clydes might be harder on mountain bikes than road bikes because of the surface.


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## 14Stone (Jun 23, 2010)

GOTA said:


> If anything I think that clydes might be harder on mountain bikes than road bikes because of the surface.


Pretty much this.


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## donalson (Apr 13, 2004)

yes but the wheels are still the weak link on budget road bikes... also with wider tires you can run less PSI and get a lot more comfort out of them 28 is the smallest I would ride on the road...

the wider tires with a good saddle will give you the comfort to sit and spin which is much easier on the entire bike then standing to mash


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## DrDon (Sep 25, 2004)

I have tubeless Fusions on my Eurus. Only two slow leaks. Reliable set up so far. Building a wheelset with Stan's rims might be an option. I feel tubeless for this clyde has worked well especially with winter debris.


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## scarkinsmel (Mar 18, 2004)

Yes, the wheels would be the weak link in budget bikes. No disagreement there, but the 28s? 

I understand that it is a personal preference, but having logged, best guess, 4000 road miles last year on my CAAD 9 with 23s at a 100 psi and about, best guess, 1000 road miles this year, on 23s and 25s at 100 psi the "comfort" you talk of is, well, IMO very, very, very slight. 

28s at 100 psi I know, from having down 4 600k Brevets on my Jake the Snake with 28s are about as "comfortable" as 23s. I rode the 28s as they were cheap and didn't seem to flat as often. I rode (ride) the 200k (really only 200k now as I'm a bit lazy) and 300k on whatever tire I have on my bike. 23s or 25s. The 28s are too slow for short sprint efforts. IMO

The biggest and best thing, again, IMO a fellow of our size can do is buy a bike that fits well, make sure the contact areas are comfortable and ride. 

It is always personal preference that make someone like how a bike rides. The OP is 6'1" and can ride any off the self 60cm frame. A good cross bike would be the start, if I was he/she. 

As for the frame material, the OP is going to be hard pressed to find a steel or carbon frame that will suit his/her needs. A well designed and well built alu frame will give you 1000s of good miles. My 2cents and likely you need a refund.


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## bolandjd (Jul 23, 2008)

scarkinsmel said:


> Yes, the wheels would be the weak link in budget bikes. No disagreement there, but the 28s?
> 
> I understand that it is a personal preference, but having logged, best guess, 4000 road miles last year on my CAAD 9 with 23s at a 100 psi and about, best guess, 1000 road miles this year, on 23s and 25s at 100 psi the "comfort" you talk of is, well, IMO very, very, very slight.
> 
> ...


If you run cheap tires at 100 psi, they will ride harshly - no matter what size. Guaranteed. That's why your 28's don't feel any better than 23's. A decently supple 28mm-32mm tire run at more reasonable 80 psi, or so, will be much more comfortable. That's the point of having wider, higher volume tires - you can run lower air pressures. Just like we do with mountain bikes. For a comfortable ride over the distances that the OP is talking about, he'll want wider tires. Wider tires, run at lower pressures, aren't any slower than narrow tires at high pressure. I highly recommend the Bicycle Quarterly article on the topic.


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## Xx.elemental.xX (Feb 23, 2013)

*Hardtail / FS*

Not to try and highjack the thread but I have a related question. I'm 6'2" and 265lbs. I want a F/S bike for the added comfort on my way to work, 12 miles. Will the rear shocks on the market today hold up to somebody at my size? Or will they just max out every bump and just be a pain in at neck? I'm between a Cannondale Jeckyll or a Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Comp 29.


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## donalson (Apr 13, 2004)

it's been quite a while since i've looked into it but the PSI that a typical smaller roadie tire "should" run based on my weight was quite a bit higher than they are rated to run.
this is a good writeup about it http://www.bccclub.org/documents/Tireinflation.pdf and has a nice little graph at the bottom... in short at my weight (300+ plus bike weight with a 23c tire I should be running over 150psi... goto a 28c and it's a more reasonable 120ish psi and with a 32c it's at 80psi or so...


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## donalson (Apr 13, 2004)

what sort of roads/trails are you riding?... if it's paved trails then a FS is just going to make you work harder... a bike that fits you well, with a saddle that fits you properly will go a VERY long way to making for a comfortable ride, also as we've been talking about the tire size can have a big affect along with the pressure the tire is run at.

if I was going to do a 12 mile daily ride to work (is that one way or both?) a reasonably sized tire road bike (32c as i've mentioned above is what i'd prefer to run for comfort) and perhaps a good suspension seat post would be a much more efficient combo and prob cost a lot less (cane creek thudbuster is rated for 250lbs btw)

but yes you can get a FS bike that works well at your weight, the rear suspension design plays a lot into that... I know we've got posts on it in this forum somewhere but honestly it's been a while and a FS isn't in the cards for me any time soon... but it's certainly worth looking into if you really want a FS


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## Xx.elemental.xX (Feb 23, 2013)

All the posts on here about tire size, spoke count, and even double layer rims make sense. Seems to be tire pressure, tread, and psi affect it too. So its more a tire system than a tire. Thanks for the reply!


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## Xx.elemental.xX (Feb 23, 2013)

...And I live in the Puget sound area. Hiked Mnt Saint Helen's and have walked several of the local foot trails. A lot of co-workers ride around here and make it sound like a good time. The vast majority of my time on my bike will be spent commuting. Trails will be a weekend thing.


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## scarkinsmel (Mar 18, 2004)

Conti GP 4000s aren't cheap and I don't read magazines that a guy who I have ridden Brevets with writes. 

As for your assertion that fatter tires can be as fast as skinny.... that's exactly why the pro peloton rides 38s..... oh, wait..... they don't. 

The Pros now run 24s as a happy medium. They also run higher pressure than you or I. 

I know the fellow who makes this mag, and as for taking his advice, I'd rather not. Take that for what's worth. 

Also, I'd like to see you run 28s at 80 psi and not pinch flat on the road debris that is all over the shoulders and bike paths. 

I'm 6'3" and at 225 find 100psi good for me. Good for me at 50 miles, 75 miles and even the occasional 125 miler. 

As I stated in my post, and will say again, THE BEST THING THE OP CAN DO IS NOT READ ALL THE LINKED ARTICLES OR WHAT WE THINK, BUT GET A WELL FITTING BIKE AND RIDE IT AND SEE WHAT HE/SHE FINDS GOOD FOR THEMSELVES.


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## Knight511 (Nov 26, 2010)

Are you looking for a bike to use mostly on the street for commuting? If yes, then both of those bikes are a bit much. Both are WAY more "all mountain" than you would want for road use (the Stumpy is WAS squishy IMHO). If you are looking for a mainly commuter, but competent off road XC to AM bike for weekend stuff, looks at the Specialized Camber Comp 29 (aluminum). I weigh more than you and picked one up in December. The rear shock can handle even more weight than me, so it would be GREAT for a fella your size.



Xx.elemental.xX said:


> Not to try and highjack the thread but I have a related question. I'm 6'2" and 265lbs. I want a F/S bike for the added comfort on my way to work, 12 miles. Will the rear shocks on the market today hold up to somebody at my size? Or will they just max out every bump and just be a pain in at neck? I'm between a Cannondale Jeckyll or a Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Comp 29.


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## bolandjd (Jul 23, 2008)

scarkinsmel said:


> Conti GP 4000s aren't cheap and I don't read magazines that a guy who I have ridden Brevets with writes.
> 
> As for your assertion that fatter tires can be as fast as skinny.... that's exactly why the pro peloton rides 38s..... oh, wait..... they don't.
> 
> ...


Dude, how many over-200 lbs clydesdales are there in the pro peleton? What the pros use has nothing to do with what roadbike clydes like us should be riding. The pros run higher tire pressures because they running hand-made tubular tires that are far suppler than the standard clinchers that most of us daily riders run. The pros can also afford to run higher pressures because they they are not affected by the higher stress that high air pressure tires put on the wheels - they don't buy their own wheels and they get brand new equipment every season and maybe more often if the need it. And, as you alluded, even the pros are running lower pressures and wider tires than they used to, especialy at races like Paris-Roubaix. In fact, according to VeloNews, last year at R-B, Team Europcar ran 30mm tires on their Cognago bikes and most of the rest of the teams were in the 26-28mm range. I tend to think that R-B, with its famously terrible cobblestone roads, is a better approximation of real-world riding than most pro road races.

But, getting back to my main point, none of us are pros. None of us are running tubulars (okay, very few of us are running tubulars). All of us weigh more than pros. All of us buy our own wheels. So it behooves us to be as nice to our wheels as possible so they last us as long as possible. And that means high volume tires run at low enough pressures that you get some suspension effect. Yes, I lean more to the Grant Peterson/Jan Heine side of road bike thinking.

In general, the bike industry does not serve we who are not emacited roadies particularly well, although it is getting better. The OP should just be aware that he will probably want wider tires than what will fit on most "roadbikes" that are pushed by the major OEMs these days.


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## TitanofChaos (Jun 13, 2011)

Knight511 said:


> Are you looking for a bike to use mostly on the street for commuting? If yes, then both of those bikes are a bit much. Both are WAY more "all mountain" than you would want for road use (the Stumpy is WAS squishy IMHO). If you are looking for a mainly commuter, but competent off road XC to AM bike for weekend stuff, looks at the Specialized Camber Comp 29 (aluminum). I weigh more than you and picked one up in December. The rear shock can handle even more weight than me, so it would be GREAT for a fella your size.


I also have a camber, I would not recommend it for commuting duties, being around 270# last year even with the lockout on the rear shock it's going to be a not so good compromise, the camber is an excellent trail bike but riding it as such requires a tire that will not be road ride able, I have ridden mine on occasion 6+ miles to the local trail for a lap and back and it just isn't worth it IMO, honestly if I had to ride to the trails and then ride the trails I'd rather ride my fat bike and bring a pump to re-inflate for the ride home

Back to the original topic, I got to check out the salsa vaya and a few other cross bikes this weekend, none of them in my size  FWIW, I'm definitely trying to find something between a trekking bike and a cross bike now for sure, riding to work and hitting the trail for a loop on the way home, and still keeping up on lower paced road rides sounds perfect, I'm really looking for a 1 bike solution that will hold me over for the next couple years as I lose more weight and build endurance


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## cpfitness (Nov 19, 2012)

bolandjd said:


> Dude, how many over-200 lbs clydesdales are there in the pro peleton? What the pros use has nothing to do with what roadbike clydes like us should be riding. The pros run higher tire pressures because they running hand-made tubular tires that are far suppler than the standard clinchers that most of us daily riders run. The pros can also afford to run higher pressures because they they are not affected by the higher stress that high air pressure tires put on the wheels - they don't buy their own wheels and they get brand new equipment every season and maybe more often if the need it. And, as you alluded, even the pros are running lower pressures and wider tires than they used to, especialy at races like Paris-Roubaix. In fact, according to VeloNews, last year at R-B, Team Europcar ran 30mm tires on their Cognago bikes and most of the rest of the teams were in the 26-28mm range. I tend to think that R-B, with its famously terrible cobblestone roads, is a better approximation of real-world riding than most pro road races.
> 
> But, getting back to my main point, none of us are pros. None of us are running tubulars (okay, very few of us are running tubulars). All of us weigh more than pros. All of us buy our own wheels. So it behooves us to be as nice to our wheels as possible so they last us as long as possible. And that means high volume tires run at low enough pressures that you get some suspension effect. Yes, I lean more to the Grant Peterson/Jan Heine side of road bike thinking.
> 
> In general, the bike industry does not serve we who are not emacited roadies particularly well, although it is getting better. The OP should just be aware that he will probably want wider tires than what will fit on most "roadbikes" that are pushed by the major OEMs these days.


6'3" 250 so fairly close in size to the op. the biggest issue with wheels is not in them self destructing as it should go without saying that someone our size should really be avoiding road hazards and making it a point not to ride off of curbs. I'll reiterate it since this is a MTB forum you may think it's cool to ride a racing bike off of small curbs but I don't advise it. The biggest issue i've had is with wheel flex. i rode a set of 20/24 spoke carbon tubulars that were plenty strong and could handle my weight structurally but with the amount of space between spokes there wasn't enough stiffness and every time I hit a climb even with the brake quickreleases flipped open the rims were rubbing on the brakes. go with a 32/32 or eve 32/36 wheelset and then any frame that properly fits you will be strong enough. as for aluminum vs steel vs carbon, before I got into cycling I was a basketball, baseball, football guy. this notion of discomfort from chatter is silly to me but I see how it can be real for others. if your just looking for basemileage and not major racing, steel frame with carbon fork is ideal but understand that aluminum is the mainstay of lower end road bikes now. Bikesdirect has some excellent bikes that would be good for your purposes as long as you swap out the wheelset.


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## cpfitness (Nov 19, 2012)

donalson said:


> it's been quite a while since i've looked into it but the PSI that a typical smaller roadie tire "should" run based on my weight was quite a bit higher than they are rated to run.
> this is a good writeup about it http://www.bccclub.org/documents/Tireinflation.pdf and has a nice little graph at the bottom... in short at my weight (300+ plus bike weight with a 23c tire I should be running over 150psi... goto a 28c and it's a more reasonable 120ish psi and with a 32c it's at 80psi or so...


this is true which is why you should make the investment in quality tires which tend to also be rated for higher pressures. running 25mm tires at a minimum is adviseable and 28s even better though it's tougher to find quality "race" tires in 28s. pasela tourguard is one of the better ones in that size. you still probably won't get to those suggested pressures but you can run them at a decent pressure that isn't super jarring nor risking of pinchflats.

It's a shame that road tubeless isn't grabbing hold like it has in the mtb world because it could be really helpful for clydes to take away the pinch flat issue.


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## donalson (Apr 13, 2004)

I still think quality TOURING tires are a better option... how many of us here are racing a crit?... but yes quality can make a huge difference...


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## cpfitness (Nov 19, 2012)

donalson said:


> I still think quality TOURING tires are a better option... how many of us here are racing a crit?... but yes quality can make a huge difference...


Touring tires are too damn slow for plain road riding. I guess it would simulate the slow feel of knobbies on pavement. Vittoria randoneur hyper is like one of vittorias race tires but in larger sizes. I have them in a 38c on my touring bike and each tire only weighs around 450 grams


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## GTscoob (Apr 27, 2009)

700x28 Continental GP Four Seasons are a pretty stellar lightweight, fast rolling, road tire. Longevity isnt as good as the Gatorskins but handling and ride quality are so much better.


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## GTscoob (Apr 27, 2009)

TitanofChaos said:


> Back to the original topic, I got to check out the salsa vaya and a few other cross bikes this weekend, none of them in my size  FWIW, I'm definitely trying to find something between a trekking bike and a cross bike now for sure, riding to work and hitting the trail for a loop on the way home, and still keeping up on lower paced road rides sounds perfect, I'm really looking for a 1 bike solution that will hold me over for the next couple years as I lose more weight and build endurance


If you're looking at the Vaya but wanting something a little bigger, check out the Soma Double Cross Disc. I'm 6'9" and have made the 62cm version fit pretty well with a 130mm stem and long seatpost but just saw the other day that they've got a 66cm version now. Already looking into the budget for selling my 62 and picking up a 66 for 2013 commuting and cross racing.

Clearance for 42mm tires out back and running a Vaya fork up front with similar clearance. Not sure how the clearance is on the factory Soma fork.


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## TitanofChaos (Jun 13, 2011)

checked out this yesterday, not steel but carbon fork and seatpost, cyclocross wheels and fork, room for 38c tires sounds clyde worthy to me

Specialized Bicycle Components


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## donalson (Apr 13, 2004)

carbon seatpost scares me... but the rest of it looks like it's prob good stuff... but if I had the $$$ I'd look at an older steel frame and "resto-mod" it... but i'm a bit of a geek and dig that kind of thing haha


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## bolandjd (Jul 23, 2008)

TitanofChaos said:


> checked out this yesterday, not steel but carbon fork and seatpost, cyclocross wheels and fork, room for 38c tires sounds clyde worthy to me
> 
> Specialized Bicycle Components


I could get all retro grouchy about disc brakes being a needless complication on a roadbike and all that...but I'll spare you the lecture. That looks like a very sensible bike for the riding you want to do.


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## donalson (Apr 13, 2004)

bolandjd said:


> I could get all retro grouchy about disc brakes being a needless complication on a roadbike and all that...but I'll spare you the lecture. That looks like a very sensible bike for the riding you want to do.


another valid point... unless you ride in a wet area in the rain frequently... still a neat bike


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## BruceBrown (Jan 16, 2004)

TitanofChaos said:


> checked out this yesterday, not steel but carbon fork and seatpost, cyclocross wheels and fork, room for 38c tires sounds clyde worthy to me
> 
> Specialized Bicycle Components


It's only available up the size 58cm frame. What markets and when the 61cm and 64cm frames are to be seen remains a guess.

I got all excited about this disc brake Secteur only to find out the largest they are making is the 58cm (too small for me).


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## cpfitness (Nov 19, 2012)

BruceBrown said:


> It's only available up the size 58cm frame. What markets and when the 61cm and 64cm frames are to be seen remains a guess.
> 
> I got all excited about this disc brake Secteur only to find out the largest they are making is the 58cm (too small for me).


Don't dismiss it yet. Take it for a test ride. Do you see the sloping top tube? That is called "compact geometry" in the road bike world. That 58 is way more like a 62. Trust me. I'm 6'3" and used to have a giant with the same style the 58 was massive. If you measured the effective seat tube length it would be much bigger

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2


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## BruceBrown (Jan 16, 2004)

cpfitness said:


> Don't dismiss it yet. Take it for a test ride. Do you see the sloping top tube? That is called "compact geometry" in the road bike world. That 58 is way more like a 62. Trust me. I'm 6'3" and used to have a giant with the same style the 58 was massive. If you measured the effective seat tube length it would be much bigger
> 
> Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2


Oh, I'll dismiss it. Too tiny for me. I stretch out size XL mountain bike frames as far as they will go with 120mm stems, set-back posts, long cranks, etc... as it is.

I test rode another model of the Secteur (Comp with traditional road brakes) yesterday in 61cm. It was one of last years models - black/gold/white. I _sort of_ fit on the 61cm Secteur, but the salesman pretty much confirmed I am a "tweener" between the 61cm and the 64cm. The 61cm feels too small to me out of the box with the steerer tube being cut too short, the high rise stem and the bars too close for me. Maybe if I could get an uncut steerer tube, jack up the spacers and use a 0 degree or flip a 6 degree stem negative I could make a 61cm work. Regardless, I'd have to go with a longer stem on the 61cm to make it fit. I haven't been able to test a 64cm as they don't have anything at the LBS from Specialized in that size, but they could order one. They just looked on the computer and told me that the Secteur is not available (or even listed) in the 61cm and 64cm for the disc brake version. :madman:

I'm tired of riding too small of a bike, so no way in heck I would pony up for a 58cm frame.

I'm also looking at the KHS Flite 747 that Zinn helped create. I'd probably end up dropping the seat about 2cm on that frame due to the 200mm cranks which might require some stem adjustment, but it looks like a tall man friendly bike for sure. Nice wide handlebars, long cranks, long head tube - all manly man stuff right out of the box.

I just wanted the disc brakes due to all the sand, grime, dirt, and crud I go through during the Iowa winter months on my current road bike.


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## donalson (Apr 13, 2004)

I'm with you on stem lengths... I've got long legs and a shortish torso... I found classic road bike geo to fit me well... modern stuff tends to have short head tubes (gota make sure you can get into that super aero tuck).

it's one reason I like building my own bike


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## Sheigor (Aug 5, 2009)

Hallo! I'm new on this, I'm 265 lbs and 180cm height, I'm have mountain and road bike, but road is new for me, please tell what wheels will be good for my weight? Custom or complete wheels?


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## cpfitness (Nov 19, 2012)

BruceBrown said:


> Oh, I'll dismiss it. Too tiny for me. I stretch out size XL mountain bike frames as far as they will go with 120mm stems, set-back posts, long cranks, etc... as it is.
> 
> I test rode another model of the Secteur (Comp with traditional road brakes) yesterday in 61cm. It was one of last years models - black/gold/white. I _sort of_ fit on the 61cm Secteur, but the salesman pretty much confirmed I am a "tweener" between the 61cm and the 64cm. The 61cm feels too small to me out of the box with the steerer tube being cut too short, the high rise stem and the bars too close for me. Maybe if I could get an uncut steerer tube, jack up the spacers and use a 0 degree or flip a 6 degree stem negative I could make a 61cm work. Regardless, I'd have to go with a longer stem on the 61cm to make it fit. I haven't been able to test a 64cm as they don't have anything at the LBS from Specialized in that size, but they could order one. They just looked on the computer and told me that the Secteur is not available (or even listed) in the 61cm and 64cm for the disc brake version. :madman:
> 
> ...


I looked at the geometry chart and I noticed that they actually size it properly. the 58 they list is the Effective seat tube length and the actual seattube length is underneath and shown as 51cm. It used to be a lot of manf would call it a 58 and that would be the actual measurement so when you measuerd the effective length it would be closer to 63 or 64


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## cpfitness (Nov 19, 2012)

Sheigor said:


> Hallo! I'm new on this, I'm 265 lbs and 180cm height, I'm have mountain and road bike, but road is new for me, please tell what wheels will be good for my weight? Custom or complete wheels?


what is your budget? custom built is always better and velocity deep v rims are a solid cost effective option. If your in the USA here is a cheap wheelset that is durable as all get out. heavy as a chevy, but durable http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_506872_-1___202478


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## Sheigor (Aug 5, 2009)

cpfitness said:


> what is your budget? custom built is always better and velocity deep v rims are a solid cost effective option. If your in the USA here is a cheap wheelset that is durable as all get out. heavy as a chevy, but durable Vuelta Corsa HD Road Wheelset - Road Bike Wheels / Wheelsets


Budget 1000$, now I see custon on DT 465RR rims, DT 350 hubs and supercomp spokes it will be 400$.


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## cpfitness (Nov 19, 2012)

Sheigor said:


> Budget 1000$, now I see custon on DT 465RR rims, DT 350 hubs and supercomp spokes it will be 400$.


Unless you race there is ZERO reason to spend $1000 on a road wheel set. As a Clyde you should be looking at 32 spoke wheels. Biggest issue is going to be flexing of rims and hitting the brake pads when you climb or sprint. If you can get those DT wheels for 400 its solid. White industries road hubs are excellent and lightweight

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2


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## donalson (Apr 13, 2004)

For a clyd roady I'd go 36 spoke out back if possible... 36 or 32 up front on a good rim and decent hubs... id make sure it was a better hub out back at min...


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## cpfitness (Nov 19, 2012)

ps. you may want to consider the dt rr585. it's similar in profile to the velocity deep v. 30mm depth and a bit meatier and stouter of a rim and same cost as the DT 465. You will probably be perfectly fine on the dt 465 but if you really want to be worry free, the 585 is where it's at 

What you'll learn about road wheels is there is a much lower amount of worrying, particularly if you avoid riding in rainy conditions. Your not going to get the amount of gunk and grime in the hubs to ruin them and if you "ride light" and make it a point to not jump off curbs and do things that you would do on your MTB, a properly built set of road wheels will last a very long time.


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## BruceBrown (Jan 16, 2004)

cpfitness said:


> I looked at the geometry chart and I noticed that they actually size it properly. the 58 they list is the Effective seat tube length and the actual seattube length is underneath and shown as 51cm. It used to be a lot of manf would call it a 58 and that would be the actual measurement so when you measuerd the effective length it would be closer to 63 or 64


Yup. No doubt the Secteur frame is a nice frame thanks to the more "relaxed" fit with the longer head tubes. It's just too bad that the 61cm and 64cm frames disc brake versions seem to be a pipe dream at the moment. Maybe some day they will make them or release them in some market, but for now they are not available.

I also read that Specialized recalled all of the forks on the Secteurs due them breaking.

This may be the critter I need for my road biking:

Review: KHS Zinn Flite 747. This is a big deal. | Twisted Spoke

If I want to hit gravel or ride in slop, I'll just use one of my 29"ers on those days.


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## cpfitness (Nov 19, 2012)

donalson said:


> carbon seatpost scares me... but the rest of it looks like it's prob good stuff... but if I had the $$$ I'd look at an older steel frame and "resto-mod" it... but i'm a bit of a geek and dig that kind of thing haha


on a mtb it might scare me a bit but no reason to fear a carbon seatpost on a road bike.


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## cpfitness (Nov 19, 2012)

BruceBrown said:


> Yup. No doubt the Secteur frame is a nice frame thanks to the more "relaxed" fit with the longer head tubes. It's just too bad that the 61cm and 64cm frames seem to be a pipe dream at the moment. Maybe somebody they will make them or release them in some market, but for now they are not available.
> 
> I also read that Specialized recalled all of the forks on the Secteurs due them breaking.
> 
> ...


you should look into a surly lht or cross check. Surly makes everything for bigger riders. I'm 6'3 and my 60cm disctrucker is on the verge of being too big for me and they make that bike all the way up to a 64


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## Sheigor (Aug 5, 2009)

Thank's for help! I'll buy DT rr585, but about the spokes, I don't think that 36 will be more stronger than 32, and will problem to search good hubs with 36 spoke.


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## cpfitness (Nov 19, 2012)

Sheigor said:


> Thank's for help! I'll buy DT rr585, but about the spokes, I don't think that 36 will be more stronger than 32, and will problem to search good hubs with 36 spoke.


36 is stronger but unless your doing loaded touring its overkill esp if you go.with the 585 and your right, not as many options for hubs

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## donalson (Apr 13, 2004)

having finished a 100k 3 spokes down on a 32 spoke wheel... if i'm having something built I want those extra spokes... it's not much more weight or money... but that's just me


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## cpfitness (Nov 19, 2012)

donalson said:


> having finished a 100k 3 spokes down on a 32 spoke wheel... if i'm having something built I want those extra spokes... it's not much more weight or money... but that's just me


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Your wheel wasn't built right. As I said earlier extra spokes is more about stiffening the wheel for climbing and sprinting sounds like your wheel wasn't tensioned right or stress releived


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## zarr (Feb 14, 2008)

bolandjd said:


> Yes, if you maintain them properly. I'll help translate roadie to mountain:
> Dura Ace = XTR
> Ultegra = XT
> 105 = SLX
> ...


helpfui.


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## BruceBrown (Jan 16, 2004)

cpfitness said:


> you should look into a surly lht or cross check. Surly makes everything for bigger riders. I'm 6'3 and my 60cm disctrucker is on the verge of being too big for me and they make that bike all the way up to a 64


Good suggestion. The LHT could be a possibility - especially since I already have wheels that would work on those frames. For that matter, building it myself is probably the way to go to get what I want on the bike (handlebar width, crank arm length, proper steerer tube length, etc....).

I'm not giving up on the disc Secteur as I will call Specialized to see what is up with the two large frame sizes. Since the LBS doesn't know, maybe customer support will have an answer.

BB


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## cpfitness (Nov 19, 2012)

Its definitely meant for touring, if you don't think you'll do serious touring. I'd loom at the cross check. If you don't think you'll ever put a rack and haul something. Consider the pacer as the lht and cross check are definitely heavy frames and not speed demons

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## donalson (Apr 13, 2004)

Wheelbuilding
This is a good read on wheels...

what I know is I beat the snot out of a good hand built 36 spoke wheel with relatively weak cx rims on my 29er and even at 300# I never had an issue...


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## bbense (May 5, 2010)

cpfitness said:


> Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2
> 
> Your wheel wasn't built right. As I said earlier extra spokes is more about stiffening the wheel for climbing and sprinting sounds like your wheel wasn't tensioned right or stress releived


Broken spokes on a wheel generally means uneven or low tension on the rim. So either a bad build or the rim got bent. However, more spokes give more margin for error in either the build or a tweaked rim. If it was a machine built wheel, having a skilled wheelbuilder "hand tune[1]" it can help with the reliablity.

Modern spokes are a lot better than those of 20 years ago, so a 32 spoke wheel should be strong enough. But you're really only one or two broken spokes from an unridable wheel. Once one spoke breaks, there can be a cascade effect and more spokes will break.

I wouldn't rule out a 32 spoke wheel for bigger guys, but if you have the choice 36 spokes will be a more reliable wheel.

[1]- Basically raising the overall tension a bit and "stress releaving" the spokes. See

Wheelbuilding


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## cpfitness (Nov 19, 2012)

donalson said:


> Wheelbuilding
> This is a good read on wheels...
> 
> what I know is I beat the snot out of a good hand built 36 spoke wheel with relatively weak cx rims on my 29er and even at 300# I never had an issue...


Explain what a "weak CX rim" means?

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## BruceBrown (Jan 16, 2004)

cpfitness said:


> Its definitely meant for touring, if you don't think you'll do serious touring. I'd loom at the cross check. If you don't think you'll ever put a rack and haul something. Consider the pacer as the lht and cross check are definitely heavy frames and not speed demons
> 
> Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2


No touring for me as that's far from my cup of tea. But I doubt I will be going the Surly route for pure pavement training.

There are nearly a dozen road bikes with disc brakes for 2013, many are in Europe and not available yet. It's just a matter of time before we see a lot more of them.

In terms of QBP, I see the Salsa Colossal could be a nice pavement, disc brake equipped bike. Not as long of a head tube (and relaxed fit) as some other bikes I'm looking at this weekend.


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## donalson (Apr 13, 2004)

salsa delgado X 700c... on a 29er... sorry was on my phone and that was about all I could type at the time... it's not a bad rim... but its not known as a strong rim for a 300# rider riding real MTB trails...

but is what I was really getting at was about what bbense said... once one spoke goes it's very short order before the next goes... my 100k was that way... I broke one but kept riding... i just rode "light" yes it was a machine built wheelset with the cheapest of cheap spokes... but had I stopped and replaced that one spoke straight away it would have been fine, but the uneven stresses moved on to the next spoke... and the next.

I rode only a few miles on the 3 spokes down and it was down right scary... had it not been a disc wheelset it would have been even worse.

based on cost and use (not racing and under a clyd) if I'm going to pony up for a hand built wheel or build my own I'll go 36 spokes out back unless that hub doesn't have that option... thats road or MTB... if I was into touring i'd prob splurge even further for a higher spoke count tandem phil woods hub/wheel... but thats not my bag lol

just my experience


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## jonshonda (Apr 21, 2011)

Sheigor said:


> Thank's for help! I'll buy DT rr585, but about the spokes, I don't think that 36 will be more stronger than 32, and will problem to search good hubs with 36 spoke.


DT RR585 only come in 32 spoke count, and should be just fine laced to 105 hubs.


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## cpfitness (Nov 19, 2012)

BruceBrown said:


> No touring for me as that's far from my cup of tea. But I doubt I will be going the Surly route for pure pavement training.
> 
> There are nearly a dozen road bikes with disc brakes for 2013, many are in Europe and not available yet. It's just a matter of time before we see a lot more of them.
> 
> In terms of QBP, I see the Salsa Colossal could be a nice pavement, disc brake equipped bike. Not as long of a head tube (and relaxed fit) as some other bikes I'm looking at this weekend.


Something to consider is that nashbar makes a very affordable carbon CX fork with disc tabs. I built up a commuting bike with disc in the front only with that fork and it was excellent. So find whatever frame you like in your size and swap out the fork. If only nashbar sold generic frames in larger sizes for you, their aluminum touring frame is awesome

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## BruceBrown (Jan 16, 2004)

cpfitness said:


> Something to consider is that nashbar makes a very affordable carbon CX fork with disc tabs. I built up a commuting bike with disc in the front only with that fork and it was excellent. So find whatever frame you like in your size and swap out the fork. If only nashbar sold generic frames in larger sizes for you, their aluminum touring frame is awesome


I'll be looking at some big frame set ups for sure. My Zinn measurements certainly point to me needing a big size road bike...



I certainly would like to try a 64cm frame from Specialized based on what Zinn recommends I need.


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## bolandjd (Jul 23, 2008)

cpfitness said:


> Its definitely meant for touring, if you don't think you'll do serious touring. I'd loom at the cross check. If you don't think you'll ever put a rack and haul something. Consider the pacer as the lht and cross check are definitely heavy frames and not speed demons


I'll second. Sort of. I started on an LHT and its a great bike. But fast it is not. The CC, on the other hand, is great. Very zippy. I prefer the CC my "road" biking. The Pacer...I don't know. The rap on the Pacer is the frame is rather flexy. I haven't ridden it myself, but I suspect that the CC is the better choice for a clyde. And the CC is not much heavier than a Pacer. I'd have to check the website, but I doubt its more than a pound - i.e. skip dessert and its a wash.


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## BruceBrown (Jan 16, 2004)

bolandjd said:


> I'll second. Sort of. I started on an LHT and its a great bike. But fast it is not. The CC, on the other hand, is great. Very zippy. I prefer the CC my "road" biking. The Pacer...I don't know. The rap on the Pacer is the frame is rather flexy. I haven't ridden it myself, but I suspect that the CC is the better choice for a clyde. And the CC is not much heavier than a Pacer. I'd have to check the website, but I doubt its more than a pound - i.e. skip dessert and its a wash.


That's nice to be talking all love of Surly, but I was after a crotch rocket for pavement training/riding when not on the dirt with one of my mountain bikes.

Teaser Alert: _I am Specialized_

Ordered the one and only remaining 64cm listed crotch rocket on the Specialized site - a Roubaix Comp Compact in bright red...



Should be here on Thursday. Stoked and broke.

BB


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## bolandjd (Jul 23, 2008)

BruceBrown said:


> That's nice to be talking all love of Surly, but I was after a crotch rocket for pavement training/riding when not on the dirt with one of my mountain bikes.
> 
> Teaser Alert: _I am Specialized_
> 
> ...


Well, my post wasn't just for you. Surly makes bulletproof frames with generous tire clearance in larger sizes, so it's sort of a natural "go to" brand for big guys. That Spesh looks real nice, but not particularly clyde-proof. But I'm glad you like it and its for you.

I guess there's clydes and there's CLYDES. I'm the later, so I'll stick with steel frames.


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## Gigantic (Aug 31, 2012)

BruceBrown said:


> That's nice to be talking all love of Surly, but I was after a crotch rocket for pavement training/riding when not on the dirt with one of my mountain bikes.
> 
> Teaser Alert: _I am Specialized_
> 
> ...


I made the mistake of sitting on a 64cm Roubaix & taking it for a spin in the parking lot. I'm spoiled against lesser bikes forever, to the eternal dismay of my bank account.


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## BruceBrown (Jan 16, 2004)

bolandjd said:


> Well, my post wasn't just for you. Surly makes bulletproof frames with generous tire clearance in larger sizes, so it's sort of a natural "go to" brand for big guys. That Spesh looks real nice, but not particularly clyde-proof. But I'm glad you like it and its for you.
> 
> I guess there's clydes and there's CLYDES. I'm the later, so I'll stick with steel frames.


That's cool.

I'm a "tall" rider, rather than a Clyde - currently at 184 pounds. I figured the forum was for either these days. I used to be considered a Clyde when I was 212 pounds, but now I guess I am just tall. The extra strong frame of some of the big & tall bikes (like the Flite 747 or the LHT) were maybe not a must have for me. Although, the Flite 747 was near the top of my considerations. The Roubaix should be at least 5-6 pounds lighter than the Flite. I would imagine the same weight difference than the Surly bikes. That being said, I do love my Surly Karate Monkey SS size XL.



There's a pretty cool thread over at RoadBikeReview.com with many options for big & tall riders seeking a road bike that fits.


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## BruceBrown (Jan 16, 2004)

Gigantic said:


> I made the mistake of sitting on a 64cm Roubaix & taking it for a spin in the parking lot. I'm spoiled against lesser bikes forever, to the eternal dismay of my bank account.


I took mine for the initial 90 minute spin today. Fits like a glove right out of the box...


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## donalson (Apr 13, 2004)

... looks like it's a very short wheel base but very tall ;-)... glad you're liking it... always good to have a bike you like


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## BruceBrown (Jan 16, 2004)

donalson said:


> ... looks like it's a very short wheel base but very tall ;-)... glad you're liking it... always good to have a bike you like


Short wheelbase? Hopefully the  also pertained to that.

1053 wheelbase on the Roubaix is 48mm longer than the bike it replaces (Allez 58cm).

The 1053mm compares to the 1013mm of the Cannondale 63cm bikes, and the 1014-18mm of the HUGEST 62 and 64cm Trek Madone road bikes. It's even longer than the HUGE 68cm Gunnar Roadie which has a wheelbase of 1041mm. Although, the Gunnar Sport (more of a touring bike in steel frame) comes with a wheelbase of 1056mm for the 66cm size, and 1066mm for the 68cm size.

You would pretty much have to go custom to find a longer wheelbase than these Tall Rider road bikes.

On the initial ride I did yesterday, I was blown away with how stable it is, how supple and for the first time ever on a road bike for me - no shimmy.:thumbsup: I was using a Thudbuster ST on the Allez to mitigate the rough stuff. The Roubaix is so compliant - no need for one as the frame does the same work as a Thud - and saves the weight. Pretty cool bike. I'll probably end up slamming the stem and removing the spacers, but need a few more shake down rides before doing any cutting.

BB


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## donalson (Apr 13, 2004)

Lol the pic is in square shape on my phone and pc.... so it squashed the way it looks... 

i suppose the rubber inserts on the seat stays actually help.... how much was it?... I hope fore a road bike this fall... we'll see what happens...


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## BruceBrown (Jan 16, 2004)

donalson said:


> Lol the pic is in square shape on my phone and pc.... so it squashed the way it looks...
> 
> i suppose the rubber inserts on the seat stays actually help.... how much was it?... I hope fore a road bike this fall... we'll see what happens...


Yes, the Zertz inserts on the frame and fork do exactly what they were designed to do - absorb the chatter. With the loyal/frequent customer discount, I paid $2650 for the bike (a lot cheaper than my mountain bikes). I then asked for a new pair of the XTR spd pedals, 2 bottle cages, and with the sales tax - it was $3039 out the door. I plan on getting a lot of years out of it. This was my 8th year on the smaller Allez and it will get many more years (it's my son's bike). I've been riding a lot of road the past few years for training and when the trails are muddy, so it was finally time to get a road bike that fit me.

BB


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## TitanofChaos (Jun 13, 2011)

so I went ahead and purchased this









loving it so far


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## donalson (Apr 13, 2004)

I've started riding a bit more of late and now longing for a road bike... I recall how great of an improvement it was going from my modified 29er to a real road bike some years back before I sold em 

been looking at the specilized bikes myself... very tempting options... when it gets closer to me having some $$$ i'll have to start test riding a few.


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## BruceBrown (Jan 16, 2004)

TitanofChaos said:


> so I went ahead and purchased this
> 
> View attachment 794830
> 
> ...


Nice looking Secteur Disc. What size is it?

BB


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## TitanofChaos (Jun 13, 2011)

BruceBrown said:


> Nice looking Secteur Disc. What size is it?
> 
> BB


58, I'm only 6'1", I could have gone with the 61, it pedaled fine and felt about the same to me, the only noticeable difference after they were both set to my measurements was standover so I went small


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## BruceBrown (Jan 16, 2004)

TitanofChaos said:


> 58, I'm only 6'1", I could have gone with the 61, it pedaled fine and felt about the same to me, the only noticeable difference after they were both set to my measurements was standover so I went small


That's cool. 58cm is right in the "sweet spot" for a 6'1" male road bike fit. My son is the same height and rides a 58cm Specialized Allez. He's got shorter legs, so the frame is perfect for him as he carries his height in his torso and likes a nice stretched out position with a 120mm stem.





This Allez has been ridden by me (seat height is set up for me in the picture as my son lowers the saddle a few inches), my wife, my son and just about anybody we can fit on it over the years. Finally, it is all his own as my wife and I have purchased our own road bikes.


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