# 300LBS + Clydes on 29ers



## freighttrain48 (Apr 30, 2012)

Hey 

Guys I cant seem to keep my 29er out of the LBS. I have broken a hub bent the front rim and today I dropped it off because the back rim is rubbing on the frame, because the drops were bent. The owner of my LBS thinks that I should consider a 26er was wonder what your guys thoughts are


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## GOTA (Apr 21, 2011)

29er or 26 shouldn't make a difference. What kind of bike is it?


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## freighttrain48 (Apr 30, 2012)

Rocky Mountain Soul 29


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## Tiny_MN (Nov 5, 2011)

Weight will matter. I am 260 am have run into some limitations on equipment choices. My question is, what/how are you riding?

Also, your weight is unhealthy. If you are not dropping weight I would consider doing so. I mean no offense, and riding may be hw you are doing so.


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## GOTA (Apr 21, 2011)

freighttrain48 said:


> Rocky Mountain Soul 29


That's an entry level bike. It has bottom end Suntour fork and and off brand rims. The hubs are also at the low end. Those components aren't going to be able to handle your weight. A 26er with the same wheelset and fork is going to have the same problems.

You really need to look at that next level of hardtail to get the components that will hold up. If you go through this forum you'll see lots of threads about rims and hubs and forks for heavier riders. Don't give up on 29ers though if they fit you and you like them. There a plenty out there that will do the job for you.


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## CaveGiant (Aug 21, 2007)

You have to be very careful on component choice if you are a big guy, it is not just the weight but the peak power you can put through a bike.

Sorry to break it to you, but it will not come cheap.

I used to average a component failure each ride until worked out a set of kit which works.

My bike is significantly more pricey, but I can't remember the last thing I broke.

For your weight, a quick rule is go a couple of categories above your aim. eg if you want to ride XC, get an AM bike, if you want to ride AM, DH bike.
Compared to you, even if on a full DH sled the weight is negligible. However the stiffness of a bike like that is noticable.

My bike is a Niner WFO with a dorado, I even use it for road racing as I was faster on it that my road bike (fitted road wheels). Light bikes flexed under my power and would not tranfer it efficiently to forward motion.

Search a lot on this forum and you will get good info.

If you aim is to drop weight, I dropped a few stone since I started biking, can't think of a better sport to get fit!


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## jesspal (Apr 26, 2009)

I have been rising a 29er, started out 300+. Now about 30lbs lighter have only had a problem with a free hub breaking on my bike. I ride a Marin Nail Trail 29er. It is probably considered a higher end aluminum 29er. 

Knowing that I would put a beating on my bike I got something a but higher end.


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## GOTA (Apr 21, 2011)

A lot of clydes on this board really like the Trek X-Caliber. That's probably around the price point that you need to be looking at. I ride a Jamis Dragon Sport 29er and have had no issues at all based on weight. I'm around 250 which is different that 300+ but it's still plenty heavy. Clydes are just way too hard on entry level components to consider. If price is an issue then it's worth looking used to get something that's going to last.


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

I'm riding a RockHopper 29er at 300+ and no issues related to my weight.


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## freighttrain48 (Apr 30, 2012)

At this point ( since I own the bike isnt better to upgrade the components?


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## freighttrain48 (Apr 30, 2012)

Tiny_MN said:


> Weight will matter. I am 260 am have run into some limitations on equipment choices. My question is, what/how are you riding?
> 
> Also, your weight is unhealthy. If you are not dropping weight I would consider doing so. I mean no offense, and riding may be hw you are doing so.


You hit the nail on the head Tiny. I used to weight 365 I got down to 273, then Each winter I put on about 20 lbs but this winter I quit smoking so I went up to 303lbs:madman: I am now a month smoke free and no longer eating everything in sight


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

freighttrain48 said:


> At this point ( since I own the bike isnt better to upgrade the components?


If you like the bike and it fits you then heck yeah, upgrade the heck out of it. That way, when/if you decide to get a new bike, you can switch out the upgraded stuff to the new bike.


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## Knight511 (Nov 26, 2010)

Just about any stock wheel set is not going to be clyde friendly. At our size, you can count on a short life or high maintenance on stock wheels. A good/strong wheel set isn't cheap, but it also doesn't have to out cost the bike. 

Just made up a set at pro-wheel builder and it comes out to $271 for a set made with Velocity Chucker rims, SLX hubs, 14g DT Swiss spokes and brass nipples. Some will say the hubs are garbage but they are heads above the OEM hubs you are dealign with and don't cost tons of money. 36 spoke drilling will also go a long way in keeping the wheels strong....


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## masonmoa (Jul 11, 2011)

Tiny_MN said:


> Weight will matter. I am 260 am have run into some limitations on equipment choices. My question is, what/how are you riding?
> 
> Also, your weight is unhealthy. If you are not dropping weight I would consider doing so. I mean no offense, and riding may be hw you are doing so.


Tiny, I'm just curious how you are able to make such a judgement about somebody you don't even know and you've never seen? People making these rash generalizations about people over 300 drives me crazy! I'm 6'5" and weighed in this morning at 333. I own a Niner WFO and a Knolly Chilcotin (both very clyde worthy bikes), I ride 2-3 times a week, my rides are minimal 8 gnarly miles, usually between 10-12 and sometimes up to 15. I rode Demo Forrest about a month ago (15 mile solid ride) and while I had (and always have) a tough time going uphill I still did it and and was totally fine after the ride. I'm always going to be slow going up because of my weight and I have to stop from time to time not because I'm cardiovascularly unfit, but because my legs fatigue. On the days I don't ride I usually swim (30-40 minutes) or go for a long hike (4-5 miles). And I've been doing this for almost 2 years now and I haven't lost any weight. I've gained muscle and my body has changed (sporting 33 inch thighs these days) but no pounds lost. Now granted in a perfect world my ideal weight would probably be around 290-300, and I would be in amazing shape. All's I'm saying is this forum isn't about making people feel bad about themselves, it's about helping other big guys who are serious about riding find the stuff that works for them. But I digress...

As for a 300+ guy who rides both a 29er and 26er, what Cave Giant said above. It doesn't matter which size rims you ride. Nothing stock will work for you and if you're serious about riding you have to drop coin to buy what will work and you really have to do good research finding what will work (Thanks much MTBR Clydes forum!). Otherwise you just keep getting stranded on the trail, often times hurt from the fall when stuff breaks and stuck and frustrated waiting around for your ride to get back from the shop.

Btw, CaveGiant, if you read this, the WFO is the [email protected]#$!!! Seriously love riding that thing!


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## 18Bravo (May 17, 2012)

I'm rolling 255 and minor issues on my rigid....and its a lower end ride. But I just picked up a new rear wheel tonight.


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## CaveGiant (Aug 21, 2007)

masonmoa;
Btw said:


> A smile is worth a thousand words


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## GOTA (Apr 21, 2011)

freighttrain48 said:


> At this point ( since I own the bike isnt better to upgrade the components?


If you like the bike and it fits then absolutely. Just realize though that the 2 things you need to upgrade, wheelset and suspension fork, are not cheap. Nothing wrong with doing it though. Rocky Mountain makes good frames so there shouldn't be an issue with that.

There are lots of threads on this forum about wheelsets and forks for clydes. It's a very common issue. Do some searches and you'll get a ton of options.

The big thing to keep in mind is that you don't need to switch to a 26er because your weight. The guy who told you that is flat out wrong. Get some more weight appropriate components and get out there and ride


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## freighttrain48 (Apr 30, 2012)

Thanks for your advice guys its been a big help! I spent a couple hours last night checking out wheel sets and reading the hub threads and I was wondering how do you know what size hub to get. I.E 15mm thru, 20mm thru? also any good budget air forks with lockout you guys would recomend


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## todwil (Feb 1, 2007)

Me being 302lbs I can find the weak link in most parts I have broken frames at the ST/SS
junction and a couple seatposts, cranks, cassettes. Its just a fact of our oversized life the 
time to buy button is pushed sooner. I dont think going back to 26er wouldnt change this 
I beleive we have to pic our parts better and just rerplace sooner. Happy 
motoring!!!


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## RMountainNM (Oct 1, 2010)

freighttrain48 said:


> Thanks for your advice guys its been a big help! I spent a couple hours last night checking out wheel sets and reading the hub threads and I was wondering how do you know what size hub to get. I.E 15mm thru, 20mm thru? also any good budget air forks with lockout you guys would recomend


Look up the year, make and model of your bike on bikepedia.com, it will list the component set of your bike and tell you the style of hubs you have. As for a fork, you can find pretty good deals on Marzocchi forks. I bought one awhile back for my 97 Stumpjumper HT for around 250 bucks. It is a Marzocchi Bomber 33.


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## Koppuh Klyde (Jul 13, 2010)

freighttrain48 said:


> Thanks for your advice guys its been a big help! I spent a couple hours last night checking out wheel sets and reading the hub threads and I was wondering how do you know what size hub to get. I.E 15mm thru, 20mm thru? also any good budget air forks with lockout you guys would recomend


While neither Bikepedia nor the Rocky mountain site has the size listed I'd bet the front is a standard 9mm (or QR- Quick Release) and the rear would be a standard 10mm. To upgrade to a 15 or 20 would mean a new fork too. Ive been thinking about this too as you might as well just buy a whole new bike (or at least frame too.) I dont think having a 15mm axle on an entry level bike makes much sense. Neither does trying to explain to wifey that I have to spend two grand on a new ride.  Ugh! Good luck!

Edit- BikePedia - 2011 Rocky Mountain Soul 29 Complete Bicycle

Bikes | Mountain | XC Hardtail | SOUL 29''


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## RMountainNM (Oct 1, 2010)

Also for your weight, I would not waste the time or money with a pre-built wheel set. I would custom spec a wheel set and you can do that relatively cheap. You can go with Sun Ringle MTX 33 rims, DT Swiss 350 hubs, and DT Swiss Champion spokes. The rims can be found for around $60 a piece and the front and rear hubs can be had for $400 max. The spokes with the nipples will run about $1 a piece, so for the total wheel package you will spend around $600-$650 and that includes having a shop lace the wheels.


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## freighttrain48 (Apr 30, 2012)

Koppuh Klyde said:


> While neither Bikepedia nor the Rocky mountain site has the size listed I'd bet the front is a standard 9mm (or QR- Quick Release) and the rear would be a standard 10mm. To upgrade to a 15 or 20 would mean a new fork too. Ive been thinking about this too as you might as well just buy a whole new bike (or at least frame too.) I dont think having a 15mm axle on an entry level bike makes much sense. Neither does trying to explain to wifey that I have to spend two grand on a new ride.  Ugh! Good luck!
> 
> Edit- BikePedia - 2011 Rocky Mountain Soul 29 Complete Bicycle
> 
> Bikes | Mountain | XC Hardtail | SOUL 29''


Yeah that was my prob I couldnt tell what size the hubs were on my current bike. When I get out of work I will be having this conversation with my lbs. He feels bad that he recomended a bike that cant handle my tourque or size and that I see him after every ride.



RMountainNM said:


> Also for your weight, I would not waste the time or money with a pre-built wheel set. I would custom spec a wheel set and you can do that relatively cheap. You can go with Sun Ringle MTX 33 rims, DT Swiss 350 hubs, and DT Swiss Champion spokes. The rims can be found for around $60 a piece and the front and rear hubs can be had for $400 max. The spokes with the nipples will run about $1 a piece, so for the total wheel package you will spend around $600-$650 and that includes having a shop lace the wheels.


I built some last night Velocity chucklers with Chris King hubs Dt swiss spokes brass nipples came out to like 750ish (may be a little overkill for my bike and my ability.) did this on pro wheel builder.


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## RMountainNM (Oct 1, 2010)

I built some last night Velocity chucklers with Chris King hubs Dt swiss spokes brass nipples came out to like 750ish (may be a little overkill for my bike and my ability.) did this on pro wheel builder.[/QUOTE]

That is not a bad price, I would strongly recommend straight gauge spokes no matter what wheel you go with. Butted spokes are thinner in the middle and don't take the abuse from us big boys as well.


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## freighttrain48 (Apr 30, 2012)

RMountainNM said:


> I built some last night Velocity chucklers with Chris King hubs Dt swiss spokes brass nipples came out to like 750ish (may be a little overkill for my bike and my ability.) did this on pro wheel builder.


That is not a bad price, I would strongly recommend straight gauge spokes no matter what wheel you go with. Butted spokes are thinner in the middle and don't take the abuse from us big boys as well.[/QUOTE]

what about the diff lace patterens on pro wheel bulider like 3 cross 4 cross patterns


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

Keep in mind, a good fork and wheelset can be taken from this bike and used on future bikes. If you buy a new bike, You will have to spend a lot of money to get a component set that will be closer to what you need. Check out lacemine29. Fill out the form he has on the site with the info and he will contact you with his suggestions and prices. Mike Curiak (MikeSee on the forums) is one of the best wheel builders out there and specialized in 29er wheels. He did my set, SunRingle MTX33's on Hope Pro II hubs. In two years they have been bombproof.

I'd suggest also when looking for a new fork, get something with a 20mm through axle. Really does a lot to add stability to the front fork.


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## RMountainNM (Oct 1, 2010)

I have found for me 270 lbs, that straight gauge spokes and a 3 cross pattern tightly laced holds up very well and I take drops every chance I get. My current wheel build is Mavic TN 719 rims with DT 240 hubs and DT champion straight gauge spokes. I have been running this build for about a season and a half and have only had to do minor adjustments. With the stock rims that came on my bike (Stans ZTR Arch) I had to do major work to the rear wheel after every ride.


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## Sasquatch1413 (Nov 6, 2008)

A second vote for Mike Curiak. Hover around 320 lbs. I''ve been running a set of his 29er rims for 2 years now, no problems. I've got a DT Swiss 440 rear hub, dt swiss alpine III spokes, and MTX33 rim out back. Kris Holm XC rim, hope 20mm front hub, and alpine spokes up front. 

I'd recomend double butted (or triple butted Alpines) over a straight pull spoke. Double butts are more durable.


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## RMountainNM (Oct 1, 2010)

Sasquatch1413 said:


> A second vote for Mike Curiak. Hover around 320 lbs. I''ve been running a set of his 29er rims for 2 years now, no problems. I've got a DT Swiss 440 rear hub, dt swiss alpine III spokes, and MTX33 rim out back. Kris Holm XC rim, hope 20mm front hub, and alpine spokes up front.
> 
> I'd recomend double butted (or triple butted Alpines) over a straight pull spoke. Double butts are more durable.


Butted spokes are have more elasticity than straight gauge but straight gauge spokes will build up a stiffer wheel. I all depends on the type of riding that the OP does, for me I like a good stiff predictable wheel.


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## GTscoob (Apr 27, 2009)

Knight511 said:


> Just made up a set at pro-wheel builder and it comes out to $271 for a set made with Velocity Chucker rims, SLX hubs, 14g DT Swiss spokes and brass nipples. Some will say the hubs are garbage but they are heads above the OEM hubs you are dealign with and don't cost tons of money. 36 spoke drilling will also go a long way in keeping the wheels strong....


OT - I have this exact same wheelset . . . on my crossbike/commuter. I wouldnt recommend the Chukkers for a mountain bike. For the same cost/weight you'd be better off getting a nice wide MTB rim. The Chukker makes a great bomber road bike/cyclocross rim but has such a skinny profile for any tires over 35-40mms width.

MikeSee builds awesome wheels, but it's not a black art. There are plenty of other wheelbuilders online that give you a better component choice and price as well as any local builders working at your local area shops.

I would heartily recommend the SLX hubs for a clyde, they've held up really well over the last year. I've got a pair on my cross bike and a pair on my 29er. 32 points of engagement are twice that of most low end hubs and ball and cone bearing assemblies are so easy to service.

I like straight spokes on my mountain bikes as they are stiffer laterally. Butted spokes have more cushion and will last longer but the thinner part of the spoke allows the rim to flex more laterally. Not a big deal on my road bike as I prefer the comfort then, but a bigger deal when you're hammering turns over bumpy terrain.


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## Knight511 (Nov 26, 2010)

GTscoob brings up a good point on the chukkers, I was just throwing together a set of strong wheels on their build site. I would probably pick the Salsa Gordos (or some other STRONG wider rim) over the Chukkers from what they have for 29ers... but my example was JUST an example.


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## R+P+K (Oct 28, 2009)

Tiny_MN said:


> Also, your weight is unhealthy. If you are not dropping weight I would consider doing so.


Why do you think us 300lb'ers are riding bikes??? :madman:


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## CaveGiant (Aug 21, 2007)

R+P+K said:


> Why do you think us 300lb'ers are riding bikes??? :madman:


lol - Though thanks to biking I am now 240lb and happy with this weight. I do not look like 'me' when any thinner.

The 15mm,9mm,20mm,QR relates to the fork.

I would upgrade the wheel and fork at the same time, and go for 20mm.
This really stiffens up the front wheel, you do not realize how much flex there is at that point until it is gone. All those times I used to crash over roots and rocks are gone. wheel just stays straight and hops over!

I am a fan of manitou products as they have HUGE adjustment ranges. thread here on the tower.

Shimano Saint hubs work for me (but pricy)


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## freighttrain48 (Apr 30, 2012)

CaveGiant said:


> lol - Though thanks to biking I am now 240lb and happy with this weight. I do not look like 'me' when any thinner.
> 
> The 15mm,9mm,20mm,QR relates to the fork.
> 
> ...


 Thanks for helping this noob/ clyde although we may have to change the name of the thread. I weighed 298lbs this morning:smilewinkgrin::band: I will be upgrading the wheelsets and forks asap. I am suffering from italians disease (myfunzalo) at the moment.


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

I'll second the Manitou forks. I have the Drake SuperAir 20mm TA on my bike and love it.


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## Knight511 (Nov 26, 2010)

freighttrain48 said:


> I am suffering from italians disease (myfunzalo) at the moment.


I want to think that may be a bad thing to say.... but it is too damn funny.  :thumbsup:


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## jeffj (Jan 13, 2004)

Knight511 said:


> Just about any stock wheel set is not going to be clyde friendly. At our size, you can count on a short life or high maintenance on stock wheels. A good/strong wheel set isn't cheap, but it also doesn't have to out cost the bike.
> 
> Just made up a set at pro-wheel builder and it comes out to $271 for a set made with Velocity Chucker rims, SLX hubs, 14g DT Swiss spokes and brass nipples. Some will say the hubs are garbage but they are heads above the OEM hubs you are dealign with and don't cost tons of money. 36 spoke drilling will also go a long way in keeping the wheels strong....


I had an SLX hub that I broke the freehub on within 6 months. Shimano replaced it with a 629, which is essentially the same hub with different paint (they use the same part numbers in the Shimano tech docs), but they said the freehub had been recently improved. I haven't put enough miles on that wheelset since then to say whether or not it's now clyde-worthy for my use as I have mostly been using a set of DT Swiss 240s hubs for the past two years (trouble free). Both wheelsets are using 32h Stans Flow rims and butted spokes. My weight has ranged from 255lbs to 287lbs during that time and I ride 4 to 7 days a week.
======================
To the OP:

As mentioned above, although by the numbers and with all else being equal, a 29er wheel will not be as strong as a 26" wheel, it's not that big of a difference. I wouldn't say it's the wheel size so much as the components/build of your current wheelset that are the reason for the issues you're having.

Having popped the head off of a DT Swiss Pro-Lock aluminum nipple, I would also recommend going with brass nipples. JMHO.

The rim and spokes choices are not as critical (still important though) as the rear hub (specifically the freehub part) when choosing a clyde-worthy wheelset. Unfortunatley, the lowest priced rear hubs that I could personally recommend for strong riders that are well into clyde territory would be the Hope Pro II or maybe the DT Swiss 350 (with the star ratchet) and those start at just under $200 (for the Hope if you shop carefully) and go up from there. For the strongest hubs, Chris King, Hadley, and DT Swiss 440/540 and maybe the 240s hubs will be the best known choices, but also the most expensive. The good news is that those most expensive hubs are an investment into many, many years of relatively trouble free riding with proper maintenance.

With all of the innovations in axle configurations in recent years, it may be a good idea to select a hubset that is convertible to as many standards as possible so a premium wheelset purchased now will be 'future-proofed' to some degree and will be able to be transferred to newer bikes as the years pass.

The more you ride, and the harder you ride, the more such an investment makes sense, especially for clydes. It sounds like you have the "hard enough" part covered ;~)


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## Wryknow (Mar 13, 2012)

freighttrain48 said:


> At this point ( since I own the bike isnt better to upgrade the components?


It may be better to just sell the current bike and get something out of it and then buy new depending on how much you need to upgrade. I recommend making a list of all the things that you want to upgrade and then do some shopping.

I just bought a new bike a couple of months ago and ended up going with a custom build after looking at all of the things that I wanted to upgrade for strength. It's expensive being a clyde but it's great, fun exercise that's easy on the joints and that's worth a lot to me right now.


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## HAMP (Apr 3, 2012)

Wryknow said:


> It may be better to just sell the current bike and get something out of it and then buy new depending on how much you need to upgrade. I recommend making a list of all the things that you want to upgrade and then do some shopping.
> 
> I just bought a new bike a couple of months ago and ended up going with a custom build after looking at all of the things that I wanted to upgrade for strength. It's expensive being a clyde but it's great, *fun exercise that's easy on the joints and that's worth a lot to me right now*.


I agree with that 1000 times over!!! When I reached above 300lbs, I was in pain just to walk around the block. My joints are in terrible shape, from so many multiple gout attacks.

Bought myself a Trek Marlin at the end of last season, and I ride anywhere from 10miles a day to 20miles and loving it.

Even if I rode 10miles already, in a few hours I'm in the mode to do it again.

I'm on a mission to lose 100lbs, and if I do, I will still have my 29er, no road bike for me.

I have lost some(not much), and I am already feeling a difference with walking around.

Before, when it was time to do some yard work, One day I would do the front yard, then a few days later I would do the back yard.

Now, I am doing both the front and back in the same day. :thumbsup:


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

It is kinda crazy that walking and running can hurt but riding a bike is painless. I have a little knee pain from years of playing football and baseball as a catcher, then add heavy weighlifting and the fact I'm over 300 pounds. But riding is painless for my knees. I also have a back injury, ruptured and compressed discs, again, walking and standing hurts, biking does not.


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## TheAntiSpoke (Jul 24, 2011)

I was breaking spokes everytime I rode on my stock wheels at 300 lbs. (never the front, always the rear). I finally had 2 rear wheels custom built (DT TK540 w/ XT 36h hub for the road; Sun-Ringle MTX 33 w/ 36h Hope Pro 2 hub for MTB) both with DT Comp spokes and brass nipples. I've been riding worry free since. I forget what I paid for the rims & hubs (I found good deals online), but the spokes, nipples, and build for both wheels cost me $200. At our weight we need custom built wheels that aren't stressed when they come out of the factory like most stock sets are.


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## R+P+K (Oct 28, 2009)

I was breaking lots of rear spokes too at 300lbs. Luckily my bike is still under warranty so I got the wheel rebuilt with DT Swiss double-butted spokes for free


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## Sandrenseren (Dec 29, 2011)

Nubster said:


> It is kinda crazy that walking and running can hurt but riding a bike is painless. I have a little knee pain from years of playing football and baseball as a catcher, then add heavy weighlifting and the fact I'm over 300 pounds. But riding is painless for my knees. I also have a back injury, ruptured and compressed discs, again, walking and standing hurts, biking does not.


Running is hard on the joints because you tend to land hard on every step when you're a big fellow. Naturally lighter weight and better technique helps a lot, but still each step sends a shock up your leg. Pushing pedals is much easier on the joints, you don't "crash" your foot hard into the ground, it's a much more flowing motion.

Same goes for your back injury, running is a series of small jumps and landings bouncing your spine up and down. If you run with a back pack you'll notice it bounces with every step. If you ride a bike with a back pack it doesn't bounce either when standing or sitting, unless you ride over rough stuff.

Walking isn't that hard on the system and you keep in constant contact with the surface. Again, the back pack doesn't bounce much when walking.


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

I just notice sore knees if I hike more than 5 miles or so, standing in one spot very long kills my back, and running...haha....I don't...avoid it like the plague. Neither knees nor back bother me during or after riding, even moderate distances of 10-12 miles. Sometimes I do get some sciatic nerve pain (not from riding, just happens randomly), those days it doesn't matter what I do or don't do, I'm in pain. Luckily, that only happens a few times a month.


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## HAMP (Apr 3, 2012)

It’s funny, but today, when I was riding(sweat day) I had to stop, but when I was standing it started to hurt, I had to get on the bike and ride to stop from hurting…. lol


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## DSFA (Oct 22, 2007)

Have to say I just swapped back to a 26er and am Stoked! I now there are going to be spots where I miss the 29er (like riding with my kids on bike paths, off road...maybe a little bit, maybe not).

Going 20mm thru axle with a nice wheelset will be a very noticeable improvement.

Have to say the one thing to work on is being _smooth_. I'm hovering around 275 mark these days and even when I was "light" that was still 200+ and I haven't ever really broke much in the way of parts without doing something stupid.

I just try riding "light", not slamming into things, absorbing hits when I come up short, etc.

Here's my 5 or so seconds of fame,lucked out to get filmed at Valmont bike park in Boulder, I'm the big guy, gray shirt, white helmet hiking up the hill at the start and riding down the large slopestyle run around 58sec in.
OFFICIAL - Valmont Bike Park - Aerial Imaging Productions & Got Aerial - YouTube


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## DABIGSEAT (Apr 29, 2012)

CaveGiant said:


> You have to be very careful on component choice if you are a big guy, it is not just the weight but the peak power you can put through a bike.
> 
> Sorry to break it to you, but it will not come cheap.
> 
> ...


New to the room ,, 6'6.....380lbs,,,,,,nicely explained ,,aswered alot questions i had........bottom line quote .....funny as h&ll.......400gr of cookies couldnt stop laughin


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## DABIGSEAT (Apr 29, 2012)

DABIGSEAT said:


> New to the room ,, 6'6.....380lbs,,,,,,nicely explained ,,aswered alot questions i had........bottom line quote .....funny as h&ll.......400gr of cookies couldnt stop laughin


Hi again all , just to put it out there ,, i bought a giant xtc2. Didnt get to ride much cause shortly after bpught a fixer upper home & had an addition to the.family all in a few short yrs ......so here we are im now teying to get back in the.riding scene took.my.xtc out a couple days in a row ...& it just doesnt feel.stable anymore , so.i.started looking for a fs ,,but after reading this form its come to my understanding that dont. Expect to do fs under 3500 bucks & i just cant do that ,,, so can i stable up this bike thru my lbs or go new from the start,,,,, how do i know the sturdier from.the lightweights ( im not as experience as most of u ) ...i.have noted the previosly mentioned models but hoping to guidance in the right direction. ,,,i would like to do somee trail riding caise theres a nice wooded area back my house along with some road riding .........any advice .......please.......btw sorry the long post


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

What feels unstable? I'd say likely you will want to look at the wheels/hubs, possibly the fork, and perhaps the crankset. Seat and handle bars could be an issue as well. See if you can figure out where the unstable feeling is coming from and check into upgrading those parts. Of course, you may also consider a new bike. Couldn't hurt to test ride some stuff and perhaps that will help you figure out how to improve your current bike.


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## DABIGSEAT (Apr 29, 2012)

Nubster said:


> What feels unstable? I'd say likely you will want to look at the wheels/hubs, possibly the fork, and perhaps the crankset. Seat and handle bars could be an issue as well. See if you can figure out where the unstable feeling is coming from and check into upgrading those parts. Of course, you may also consider a new bike. Couldn't hurt to test ride some stuff and perhaps that will help you figure out how to improve your current bike.


 Yea nudster,,,,,my footing feels like its just kinda waiting to give ,,the front end shock wise feels squishy even with the lock-out option on ( rock shock dart3 ). Bars maybe could be stiffer brought a pr. Of kore downhill bars havent installed yet ,,the bike didnt fell like this when i bought it but i was also 60lbs lighter ,,i just dont wanna start throwing money in this quite if i can start halfway to my goal .......test rode a norco bigfoot today but same squishy feeling in frpnt.once i stand up (marzoochi dj3) but bike seemed hella beefy ,,whatta u thino about. It


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

Well, first thing that pops out is the Dart 3. It's junk. Not just for clydes, it's just a junk fork. But that's what you get when you don't spend a boat load of money on a new bike. Not raggin' on ya, my bike came with a Dart 3 as well...lol

I'd get out and try some higher end bikes if you can, something with an air fork. See if that does the trick. If so, consider getting an air fork for your bike, if you like it well enough to upgrade parts. You can get a decent fork for $400-450. But like you said, once you upgrade the fork, cranks, wheels, you'll be halfway or more towards the cost of a new bike, but pay super close attention to everything that's on that new bike, you may end up having to upgrade parts on it as well.


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## freighttrain48 (Apr 30, 2012)

I just ordered my fork and wheelset. I got salsa semi's with shimano hubs 15mm in the front and qr135mm in the back. 36 dt strait spokes on each wheel and a marzocchi 44 tst2 29 fork 120mm 140mmm with spacer. I wnated the gordos but you cant order them with 36 holes only 32s so I got the semi's stuff should be here friday cant wait to try it out thanks for the help guys.


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## Tiny_MN (Nov 5, 2011)

masonmoa said:


> Tiny, I'm just curious how you are able to make such a judgement about somebody you don't even know and you've never seen? People making these rash generalizations about people over 300 drives me crazy! I'm 6'5" and weighed in this morning at 333. I own a Niner WFO and a Knolly Chilcotin (both very clyde worthy bikes), I ride 2-3 times a week, my rides are minimal 8 gnarly miles, usually between 10-12 and sometimes up to 15. I rode Demo Forrest about a month ago (15 mile solid ride) and while I had (and always have) a tough time going uphill I still did it and and was totally fine after the ride. I'm always going to be slow going up because of my weight and I have to stop from time to time not because I'm cardiovascularly unfit, but because my legs fatigue. On the days I don't ride I usually swim (30-40 minutes) or go for a long hike (4-5 miles). And I've been doing this for almost 2 years now and I haven't lost any weight. I've gained muscle and my body has changed (sporting 33 inch thighs these days) but no pounds lost. Now granted in a perfect world my ideal weight would probably be around 290-300, and I would be in amazing shape. All's I'm saying is this forum isn't about making people feel bad about themselves, it's about helping other big guys who are serious about riding find the stuff that works for them. But I digress...


Three months later and just getting around to the forum again. Apologies for a late response and for bringing this thread back from the dead.

Okay, to address your questions/comments. I am 6'1" @ 253# right now. I peaked out at 271# when competing in strength based competitions. In the sports world I was competing in, it was very typical to see athletes in the 250 - 350# range. Most were probably very close to 300#. The problem with weight around 300# range is that the body is not designed for it. In particular, the heart and joints. Add to it, physical stress, and you're generally making matters a little worse. In my own case, I developed a heart condition which was both genetic and athletic related. Now, granted, it was mostly due to anaerobic training. So, I'm looking at it in my own case.

Of course, there are certain cases where people don't fit the mold. One of my coworkers is 6'7", but he only weighs in at 235# because he is incredibly athletic. He does Martial Arts, hiking, and many other activities to keep him lean. My best friend's son is 6'5" @ 315#, though he is extremely stocky. While short compared to them, I have a very large frame with heavy bone density.

Now, I'll be honest and say that the typical person who's 6' and above whom is 300# or more has a good amount of subcutaneous fat. In particular, in the torso and around many of the organs. So, while someone may not look fat, the fat is there. Again, I fall into this category currently, as do many of my friends. Even those whom are very active and do a lot of cycling. There are questions one needs to ask themselves: What is my BF%, what is a healthy weight for me to be at my peak performance without compromising health, what is my diet/nutrition like and is it hindering or helping my athletic capabilities?

The point of my posts in this thread are not to make anyone feel down or bad about themselves and shame them into anything. That is the furthest from my mind. I'm speaking from experience with people I personally know whom are in the 300# range, as well as those of use relatively close to it. As well as from those whom I personally know in the medical, nutrition and sports performance realm.

For yourself, and others, I commend all of you on healthy choices. Keep it up and may we all reach our optimal goals.


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