# Big Guy Bike Selection



## slp82 (Mar 1, 2019)

First, let me say, I am SOOO happy to see other big guys riding. I have been so self conscious about even thinking about riding a bike, much less getting on this site and asking questions. I thought this place would be full of guys under 220 lbs who are in perfect shape. Glad to see some fellow big boys.

So, I am 37 years old, was 392 lbs, and have lost over 70 lbs so far. I use to be very active when I was younger and even through most of my 20s. I played football so I was always a "big guy" but I definitely let my weight get out of control in my 30s. Now that I have made some lifestyle changes and am getting back in shape, my wife and kids want to all start riding bikes. My wife and me want to even take some trips out to west Texas and do some mountain riding. This will not be crazy insane stuff like I have seen some of you guys do on YouTube. Most of this will be casual riding with 12 year olds following. Eventually my wife and I might do some riding that might surpass what our children are currently capable of, but still nothing crazy. The main reason I am looking to get a "good" mountain bike is I want reliability, and I figure if these bikes can stand up to 220 lb riders jumping them constantly at high speeds, then they can probably handle a 325 lb guy casually riding them. We will save the jumping or crazy stuff for when I get closer to 250 lbs. I have been doing research and I know I want a hardtail, disc brakes, a 1x (something) speed, tool-less wheels, and I am assuming a 29er would be best? I have come to the conclusion that I am going have to spend around $900 to $1,000 to get a good quality hardtail with these options. If there is a specific bike model, brand, or some other feature I should be looking for to help support my weight I would love to hear recommendations. Again, please keep in mind I have no intentions jumping this bike while I am at my current weight or even until I am at least down close to 250 lbs. I will ride it around our neighborhood which has multiple lakes with trails around it, down the sides of bayous, take it to some general parks, but no dedicated mountain bike parks like many of you do. This is mainly to keep me physically active while I continue to lose weight while also spending time with the family. Thank you in advance for any help. Also I am 6'1" and even when I was 260 lbs, I had a fairly flat stomach back in the day, I am a very big guy, played offensive tackle and bench pressed 400 lbs back in the day. Just trying to give you an idea of my build. Thank you again.


----------



## Fuse6F (Jul 5, 2017)

Look at a kona wozo.


----------



## big_stoke (Jun 5, 2018)

Might be able to find a used Surly Krampus at that price point. I'm similar to you with the college/pro football background. I'm 41, 6'4 and currently down to 282. I ride my krampus hard and have no issues. Rode with the same wreckless abandon at 325. That being said I did have a set of wheels built for that weight and riding style. If you aren't going to be taking any chunky lines the stock wheelset will be fine for you at your current weight.


----------



## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

Most bikes are tougher than people give them credit for. I have no second thoughts jumping on my hardtail at my current weight of 300 pounds and bashing it hard. At your weight certain parts of the bike will need special attention. 

Wheels. You are going to want to try to find wheels with 36 spokes. If not hand built then at least hand tensioned by someone at a shop that knows what they are doing. I'm currently riding a 27.5+ bike so 29er, 27.5...it's personal preference. Either should be fine. The 27.5 might be a little stronger wheel but I don't know that it would be significantly stronger. Stock wheels may work but don't be surprised if/when you blow up some rear hubs.

Seat post. Big heavy guys and Thomson go together like mashed potatoes and gravy. Shouldn't have one without the other. Thomson posts are arguable the strongest out there and still light. I've never had a single moment of problems from any of my Thomson posts. Also a saddle with steel rails...stay away from anything light weight. Make sure your saddle is the correct width measured against your sit bones. And don't think that more padding is better. Often it's not. You will get a sore butt no matter what when you start riding. That's just something most cyclist have to deal with. It usually takes a good week or two of riding at least a few times a week before things settle down. If they don't after a couple weeks...then you may want to start considering a new saddle. Saddles are very personal and it's not uncommon for a stock saddle to not work for the rider. 

Pedals...invest in a decent pedal with a steel spindle. Flat or clipless...that's up to you. Either will work fine. It's a preference thing. 

Padded shorts will save your arse. Literally. I actually prefer bibs. Keeps things in place and prevents sagging of the liner. 

Fork...you will need an air fork or rigid fork. A cheap fork with a coil spring will never work well for your weight. It will at best be a terrible ride. At worst it could cause you to crash. Cheap forks are often flexible even under a lighter rider and have pretty bad or terrible suspension characteristics. I wouldn't even look at something that has less than 32mm stanchions and if you can find something with 34+mm that's even better. But if you aren't taking your bike out on rough trails you may want to consider a rigid fork, at least until you drop some weight. that will save a lot of cost and take one thing out of the equation that could cause issues for a heavy rider.


----------



## Battery (May 7, 2016)

Great to see you cross post in here! We are all definitely on the bigger end of mountain biking. I weighed 285 lbs last June and shrunk down to 253 pounds as of yesterday. I'm stuck in a holding pattern for weight loss! I'm not gaining but I'm not losing either. I may need to do some early morning excerise prior to work but we will see!


----------



## slp82 (Mar 1, 2019)

Thank you guys for all the feedback! I have a couple questions.

1.) So on airforks, are they adjustable for any weight? I am asking because if I drop from 325 to 250 lbs, will they still work for my weight or will I have to buy new forks? 

2.) I know Surly is a highly recommended brand here, and they look amazing, but I have not found any use ones anywhere around Houston. A couple members mentioned Kona (far less popular than Surly) and I looked at them as well, and noticed that they have a lower level set of bikes that are between the $600 to $1,000 range. Looking at the top bikes recommended for under $1,000 in a article wrote on this site, the Kona Blast was one of the bikes mentioned. I also saw a video of a guy on YouTube who calls himself a "clydesdale rider" and he mentioned that Kona's are rated for 400 lbs. He did not specify specific models. Just curious to hear some of your opinions about the Kona Blast versus something like the Surly Krampus?


----------



## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

1. Yes. You would just need less PSI to get your desired sag. 

2. Not sure I'd say that Kona is less popular than Surly. Regardless...Kona makes an excellent bike. I own and ride two of them in fact. When he says rated for 400 pounds...he's referring to the frame. Most non-carbon bikes don't have a weight rating except maybe some of the super light racing stuff. Even carbon often has no weight limit or a really high limit. Again...the super light boutique stuff sometimes has a limit.


----------



## slp82 (Mar 1, 2019)

So I am pretty sure its going to be a Surly or Kona. So my next questions are: 

1.) Should I run a 27.5+ or a 29+? 

2.) If 29+, what Kona and Surly hardtails can run that size?

3.) Which Kona and Surly can have a front air fork with 32mm stanchions or better installed?

Again, thank you for all the help. I am 100% new to this sport and want to make sure I get the right bike the first time. I also don't always trust sales people as I have learned that if a salesman doesn't have what you are looking for to sell you, they will often tell you that such and such is better or will work instead for me, when in reality that is just what he has in inventory and so wants to get rid of. I could see how someone who didn't know much about this sport could easily be sold thousands of dollars worth of stuff they don't need, or that won't work for them. So thank you all again.


----------



## TooTallUK (Jul 5, 2005)

Don't worry about that whole + thing. There's no real advantage in that tire size for your size, so regular 27.5 and regular 29 are fine. The more choices in wheels and tires you have, the easier and cheaper it is to find replacements or get stronger better quality for your weight.


----------



## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

1. Like TooTall stated...there isn't an advantage to the plus tires for someone your(our) size. They have their pros and cons just based on the tire size but there's no special benefit to big guys running them. I personally LOVE 27.5+ but I also had no issues riding non-plus 27.5 before I got my plus wheels built. My Kona Big Unit is 29er non plus and it's great too. I've not ridden 29+ so I can't comment on that. 

2. Not sure that Kona has 29+ capable frame. I believe the Surly Krampus is 29+ though. 

3. All of them. Any frame out there can take a fork with larger stanchions as long as the steerer tube/head tube match...example, you can't put a fork with a tapered steerer tube on a frame that has an older 1 1/8" head tube. That's really about the only time you'd have an issue. Most newer forks are tapered so frames have to have either 44mm headtubes or tapered headtubes. You can also still use older straight steerer forks on these frames with appropriate headsets.

Don't worry about it. Ask all the questions you need. I understand how daunting it can be not knowing much and trying to figure out a bike to get. Even when you start learning more about bikes...I think it gets even more difficult to figure out what bike to get because now you're looking at each bike option with a finer tooth comb. It's fun but also a major PITA...lol...but yeah...getting a good bike is a pretty big investment. For a lot of people, myself included, dropping $1k on a bicycle is a big chunk of change. I'd definitely want to do everything I could to make the correct decision. I've made a couple mistakes over the years that ended up being costly.


----------



## slp82 (Mar 1, 2019)

Wow, I just went to Surly website and clicked on where to buy a Surly bike... there is not a single shop listed in or around Houston, Tx. We are like the 3rd largest city in the United States and we don't have a single bike show that carries Surly. Seems unbelievable. The nearest place is about 200 miles away. Living in Houston my whole life, I am definitely not use to my city not having access to something. With 7 million people here, you can usually find anything. Maybe the lack of bike shops is why we have at times been dubbed one of the fattest cities in America.


----------



## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

Surly has few stocking dealers but many if not just about all shops are able to order them. If a shop has a Quality Bicycle Products account they can get Surly bikes. Most shops do have an account with QBP since they are the major bike part distributor in the US. 

There are a number of bike companies like that. Salsa being another and Niner I think too as well as others. They aren't that popular of brands in comparison to Specialized, Trek, Cannondale, ect., so shops don't like to stock them so they are usually special order items. Shops also aren't required to carry them to be able to order them. Some companies require shops to order a certain amount of stock each year to maintain dealership status.


----------



## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

Kona FTW...

'Born to ride!'


----------



## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

targnik said:


> Kona FTW...
> 
> 'Born to ride!'


I agree. Kona > Surly.


----------



## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

6'5", 260 lbs here... I can't recommend 29+ enough for bigger guys. 
While I do have a shop nearby that stocks some Surlys, they do not stock XL. I went out on a limb and ordered a Krampus frameset and built it up. I couldn't be happier. 
I'm currently riding the bike rigid with a 3.25" tire on the front. So far, I've only been on one trail where I wished for a suspension fork, otherwise, the rigid one is fine.


----------



## slp82 (Mar 1, 2019)

Seems like there is a lot of Kona fans in here as well... are all you guys heavy guys as well? Seems like the Konas front fork will have to be replaced almost immediately since anything short of an air fork will not hold my weight. So that where I am currently stuck... do I buy a Kona and replace it immediately with a air fork (and how much does a decent air fork for a Kona cost?), or do I get a Surly with a solid fork and just ride that for awhile until later on if I decide to upgrade to a solid fork?

As far as wide tires, if they absorb more impact, and smooth out the ride, I feel like my 37 year old knees and back would appreciate that (played football many years and worked in the oil field so they have a lot of miles on them).


----------



## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

I'm 300 at the moment and ride two different Konas with no complaints. A decent air fork will set you back $250-500 and certainly can go up much higher than that. Something like a Lyrik or Yari...I see those fairly often for $350-400. Even Pikes for those prices. Usually take-offs or someone upgrading to a better fork. I paid $400 last year for my Pike RC and it was like new.


----------



## 1x1_Speed_Craig (Jan 14, 2004)

First, congrats on your weight loss, and for making the lifestyle changes you mentioned. Very cool!

Like many here, I'm a big fan of Surly. They're strong, and their bikes just work well overall (I own a few now, and have owned several others previously). It's too bad there aren't any shops nearby that would allow you to "touch/feel" a Surly, but given your budget, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Every NEW Surly is going to be more expensive than that anyway. The last two Surly frame sets I bought were sight-unseen through local, so I didn't test ride anything before buying. The most recent shop isn't a Surly dealer, but as someone else mentioned, pretty much any shop with a QBP distributor account can order one.

I'd recommend a bike with a rigid fork, regardless. I'm biased...I haven't run a suspension fork in almost 20 years. I like the simplicity, strength & predictability. A suspension fork won't be optimized for your size, regardless. I think it would just perform poorly while adding weight to the bike, and taking away efficiency.

I'm going to suggest a phased approach to your biking purchase(s), as your riding style and trail selection will likely change as the pounds drop, and your riding skills improve.

I'd personally start with a used, high-quality, rigid 26" 4130 Chromoly-framed mountain bike. This wheel/tire size is still the most common worldwide, but so many of these bikes have been set aside to collect dust in favor of newer, fancier 27.5+ or 29+ bikes. The market is flooded with them. I agree that a stronger wheel set would be a great idea, and a 26" wheelset will be stronger than the aforementioned alternatives because of the smaller size and shorter spoke length. I've had 36-spoke Sun Rhyno Lite rims on a couple different mountain tandems with 400-lb. team weight that NEVER went out of true, despite riding many miles of singletrack. HIGHLY recommended, and inexpensive. In fact, I'm building up a Rhyno Lite (32sp) rear wheel for a low-budget, foul weather commuter right now. Have a shop lace up a set of 36-spoke wheels on some budget-friendly (but reliable) Shimano hubs, and you should be good for the foreseeable future. Even if this theoretical used bike needs a few parts replaced, but has "good bones", it'll be a great option that'll be half (or less) than the budget you mentioned.

You may or may not decide that you want to replace this initial bike down the road with something new. If the parts are solid/high quality, you could always buy a new Surly Lowside frameset (frame/fork) down the road for $600, and move most of your parts onto that new frame.

Oh, I wanted to mention that I just sold an excellent-condition, single-speed Surly Pugsley fat bike with less than 100 miles for under $600. Deals on used, high-quality Chromo frames are out there if you're patient.

Good luck, regardless of what you choose.

Craig


----------



## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

I dont think I'd buy into a dead standard with the 26" wheels. At 325 pounds...the OP isn't too heavy to ride a 27.5 or 29" wheelset. I'm 300 and riding both as well as a 700c bike (29"). They are fine. I'm riding mine on nasty stuff too...not easy riding like the OP is saying he is planning to do initially.


----------



## 1x1_Speed_Craig (Jan 14, 2004)

Nubster said:


> I dont think I'd buy into a dead standard with the 26" wheels. At 325 pounds...the OP isn't too heavy to ride a 27.5 or 29" wheelset. I'm 300 and riding both as well as a 700c bike (29"). They are fine. I'm riding mine on nasty stuff too...not easy riding like the OP is saying he is planning to do initially.


My 26" MTB suggestion wasn't as much a strength discussion as it was a budget one.


----------



## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

I still wouldn't. But that's me. Unless my max budget was like $100 and it was between a Walmart bike and a higher end use 26" bike...then maybe I'd consider the 26" bike. I say having had a 26" bike years ago. Then a 29er and most recently a 27.5 and a 27.5+. No way I'd go back to 26" unless it was the apocalypse and that was the only bike I could find laying in the rubble and I needed it to get around.


----------



## slp82 (Mar 1, 2019)

So now that we are on the subject, what is the big difference between a 27.5 and a 29er other than 1.5"? I mean I understand that a 29" tire can roll over an obstacle easier than a 27.5", but the difference seems so minuscule that it wouldn't matter much... so there must be something else. Also why did you go down to 27.5 from 29?


----------



## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

27.5 is supposed to give you a little of both worlds. Quicker acceleration and more nimble than the 29er but not as much as the 26". And better roll over than 26" but not as good as 29". So you can look at it as a jack of all trade but master of none wheel size. 

29" is slower accelerating (I guess...I'm slow not matter what, tire size won't help or hurt me much) but is a faster tire size overall and climbs better. It also tends to be a preferred tire size for taller riders. 

As far as me...I went down in wheel size because I wanted to try plus tires but I didn't want to go 29+. A 27.5+ has the same or close to the same diameter as a 29" wheel setup depending on the tire/rim combo. So you still get a lot of the roll over characteristics of the 29er. But I think you lose the nimble and quicker acceleration benefits due to the increased weight since plus tires are pretty heavy. But IMO you make up for it by being able to run much lower pressure which improves ride quality and gives you grip for days. So far I'm happy with the setup I'm riding right now and have no plans to change it up...at least until the bike industry pulls a new standard out of their ass and kills off plus size tires. I don't see it happening anytime soon but it wouldn't surprise me if it did happen. I'm sure 8 or 10 years ago no one thought 26" wheels would go the way of the dodo either. 

I do still have a 29er and ride it fairly regularly but it's my single speed bike and that's why I still ride it. Not because it's a 29er. I'd lose too much money trying to sell it so I'll just hang on to it but if I had the extra cash I'd certainly think hard about building a new 27.5+ single speed...and may very well do just that some day in the next year or two.


----------



## slp82 (Mar 1, 2019)

So why would you choose a single speed over a 10 or 11 speed (1x)? I appreciate all the insight so far. I am learning a lot.


----------



## 1x1_Speed_Craig (Jan 14, 2004)

slp82 said:


> So why would you choose a single speed over a 10 or 11 speed (1x)? I appreciate all the insight so far. I am learning a lot.


I've been single-speeding for 20 years, so I'm a bit biased. That said, my cargo bike is a 1x11, and the Surly ECR I'm building now will also be 1x11.

Singlespeeds save weight, and offer a level of simplicity that's unmatched. Quiet, no chain slap, no mis-shifts, no mud-jammed shifting nightmares,, and no derailleur to catch on branches, etc. Longer-term, they'll make you a stronger rider. They force you to either ride or walk the hills, so you learn to carry your momentum into a hill, and push yourself more than you would have otherwise thought possible. There's no option to use downshifting as a crutch.

They also save money, as you eliminate the cost of a cassette, derailleur and shifter. Single speed cogs can be bought for as little as $6-7, with nicer-quality ones running $30.

Craig


----------

