Hey,
To preface this question. I’m a tall and very heavy man. I’m 197 cm (6’5’’) tall, and I weigh north og 160kg (350 lbs.)
I live in a country with a limited selection of bikes in stores. The larger chain sporting goods stores sells mostly «their own» brands. Luckily I have a few very good independent shops in my city.
I’ve been looking far and wide for a suitable bike for the better part of 3 years now. I’ve been looking at both electric and non-electric bikes. The honest truth is that there are very few bikes out there that can handle my weight. Especially in my country.
Now, I do have a bike. A 10 year old aluminum XC bike. I used it some last year, but I’m having major issues with the wheels. It’s also a little small for me, and the riding position is a little aggressive. I have a lot of weight resting on my hands.
Now to my issue. I have discovered Tout Terrain recently, and they have a couple of touring bikes with a very high load rating of 180 kg. One of my local independent shops sells them. I was thinking of buying their Silkroad model. I’ve looked at a couple of different configurations. If I do a custom one, I can get the price down to the equivalent of ~4500 usd. The downside is that it takes 3 months to build it. By then, most of the riding season is over. Another configuration is one they have in storage. This is gonna be the equivalent of 6200 USD. They can ship it out within 2 weeks. That one has a pinion gearbox, a hub dynamo and lights.
Am I being an absolute idiot even considering buying either one of them?
I’m attaching a video of me trying the Amber Road model which they had in the store. Does it look like it’s gonna buckle? I’m looking at the Silkroad as a commuter/very light gravel, forever-bike.
Am I being an absolute idiot even considering buying a very expensive bike?
byu/christianradich inbicycling
by christianradich
39 Comments
I’d honestly just get a Trek Marlin or a Rockhopper and upgrade the wheelset to Hope/ DT 1900 or similar. Any money you spend on a bike that gets you moving and fit is 100% worth it
Get the custom frame. The only thing more important then a good fit is actually riding. A bike you love will keep you riding. Good luck!
For that price, you could surely buy a perfectly decent bike AND an exercise bike/ turbo trainer to continue to use indoors when the weather gets tougher.
That is a really eye-watering amount of money to spend on a bike when your first focus is to recover your fitness.
if it’s a forever bike, then the cost isn’t a factor, given your limited options. I really like the belt drive/pinion gearbox
No, it’s an option! If you have the money great get exactly what you want no issues, probably a warranty etc. buying used you have to search probably have to settle for something and hopefully not over pay for it. Also may have issues you have to fix or buy parts for or pay someone to do that for you.
Buy whatever will get you out riding more
Bikes used for “bikepacking” (we used to call it touring) should be fine. The bike is not going to crumble underneath you, but the wheels might need to be trued a bit more often.
As others have pointed out, old rigid frame mountain bikes are very durable and 26″ wheels are also able to take more rough use.
Im 195 and perfectly fine with a 60cm frame road bike. Sure it took a while to find one in the used market but new there are many. Maybe you could buy steel or titanium and some great wheels with many spokes. I ride a 58cm frame too maybe the saddle height there wouldn’t support you but i mean ur like double of my weight when i bought it. Definitely use a non electric for a while. The weights on your arm thing is a matter of bikefitting but your pose looks okay maybe check if the saddle is leveled, you’ll get fitter and it’ll be fine.
Will it bring you more joy than an old Schwinn Collegiate? If yes, the buy it!
Buying a strong steel frame is a good investment. You can change bars later to make it feel like a different bike.
Make sure your wheels are “touring rated” including custom touring spokes and heavy duty rims so they will handle the weight.
Whatever you buy, don’t forget to buy one of the more expensive locks. And if you are planning to leave your bike more than a few minutes, bring it inside!
I don’t think your an idiot for spending extra on a bike for your size. Does thirty Sixer ship to your country? Their bikes are designed for your size and weight.
I weigh 60kg. It’s amazing how much we can vary!
When I started out biking, I weighed around 150kg – my bike was a gravel bike, rated for a total of 145 – and an ordinary road bike rated for 125kg. I’ve never had any issue related to either. The most likely scenario, if you go for an aluminium bike, is your wheels – particularly the spokes, that can be an issue.
I am now down to 105kg – but still riding my trusty gravel bike; A Giant Revolt 0. It set me back just around €1500, because I got a fair deal on it. But I believe this would serve you well as well.
I wouldn’t spend much money on a flat bar bike that’s not a mountain bike. Get something secondhand.
Next year, get a road bike.
When I was over 300 I bought a $100 vintage steel bike off Craigslist. I’m #195 now and ride a Diverge most days. There were two increasingly better used bikes along the way. An Allez and a 1987 Cannondale. I did break the rear axle (quill?) on the old steel bike once. I was horsing on it while going uphill.
Big guy here.
No, you are not. But you might need some strong, hand built rims. I had a problem with rims on a bike a while back, and the guy at the bike store was like, “bro, how much to you weigh?”
I was offended at first, but he built me some custom rims, which were great, and I never looked back.
Just have fun, my man, that’s all that matters!!
I’m 6’3” and when I started was around 290lbs. I ride a carbon Trek Domane l, and never had issues with maxing out the weight. If you get a solid steel hard tail you can do well. If anything the lower gearing will make hills easier for you. I do thing 6k is insane
With that weight you the issue is wheels . Frames are strong enough typically and you will likely want steel or aluminum because they flex less than carbon.
Wheels… you want to find tandem or heavy duty wheels. You may even want to get some made.
I do a lot of bike touring and commuting and grocery shopping and I’ve gone through a number of back wheels just due to weight bearing capacity where the rims crack at the spokes.
I have a new set of wheels being built now with Astral Leviathan rims and 3mm spokes. Hopefully they will last me.
I think most important is the rims. My best mate would ride with me and started on a Trek mountain bike. Once he dropped some. He moved to a domane. After a couple of hundred miles, he had flats frequently. We started packing quite a few spares. While the frame was good. The wheels started to go untrue quickly and would create pinches. All that to say make you the rims are suitable for hard riding.
Can you afford it and does it bring you joy?
I was over the rated weight limit of many bikes a couple of years ago (a bit shorter and heavier than you, at the time) and found that the most concerning aspect was the weight the wheels could handle, rather than the frame.
It was really wonderful, because I had been shopping for bikes that I thought I wouldn’t break (and didn’t like them). When I realized I could buy a bike that I really liked and switch out the wheels, I ended up getting something I was much happier with.
So, if you really love the Tout Terrain bikes and have the money, I don’t think it’s a bad idea. But you might want to look into cargo bike or double-wall wheels + tires that you could put on bikes you like more. In my case, I saved a lot of money over what I was prepared to spend.
Forget about the money for a second. Then, ask yourself this, “What is the perfect bike for *you.”*
Which is it? Which bike to do you think is ideal? Then, get that bike. Buy the bike you most want to ride, now. Because, that is the bike that will keep you riding the most.
I see a lot of people hem and haw about a few hundred to a thousand bucks, or a few weeks or months lead time, and they let that compromise their decision making and bike choice. My advice, is to forget about all that, and purchase the ideal bike regardless of price or lead time.
The reality is, you’ll own this bike for *years.* What I see in the industry, is that most people will own a bike for about two component generations, which, is about 8-10 years. With that in mind, what is a thousand bucks or a few months lead time? It’s nothing. It’s a drop in the bucket.
Buy the latest and greatest *now*, and in two generations, upgrade. You’ll get damn near a decade out of the bike, and could honestly take that much longer if the bike really is perfect.
Hey man, as a fellow heavy rider, I can hopefully make some suggestions:
Trek Marlin is a great option. Just get some nice 36 or 40 spoke double wall rims.
I bought a used Kona for 140 and I’m currently doing about 20 mile a week which isn’t much but it’s a start the point is the biggest con in cycling is it’s expensive people are selling nuggets on FB daily if you don’t know ask your bike friend
A better bike will be more enjoyable to ride (to a point). You’re only an idiot if you don’t ride it.
No, you’re not.
But: The steering looks arkward: Do you have to spread out your knees, while doing a close turn?
Then maybe this bike/setup is not ideal for you?! Or is that just a wrong impression from the video?
I’m 6’6″ 320lb and I routinely bikepack on a 2017 Scott Aspect hardtail with more than enough gear to make up our difference in weight. I got about 6 years out of the rear axle/hub before I had to get a new rear wheel (they didn’t make that particular hub anymore so there was no source of replacement parts except a whole new wheel), but that was thousands and thousands of km.
Moral of the story is that if you think you’re the biggest person doing a thing, you’re not. You and I are still well within the “off the rack” curve, though definitely nearing the upper end for some stuff.
Check out the Surly Bridge Club, Cinelli Gazzetta Della Strada, Jamis Sequel, and Kona Dr. Dew, if those are available where you live.
If it gets you outside doing something you enjoy, how can you be considered an idiot? If you decide to get the more expensive one, you *will* wind up loving the Pinion gearbox and belt drive. They are relatively maintenance free and won’t make a mess either. And lights you don’t have to remember to charge? That’s a win too.
Tout Terrain builds really nice bikes and I can definitely recommend them, as well as Pinion geraboxes. Both are expensive, but you will have a lot of fun with it for many years. A reliable commuting vehicle and a bike for adventures is worth so much. Have fun with it and keep on cycling!
Depends on your financial situation
And how often your going to use it.
Make sure if you do get it
You get a really good lock
If you’re still able to provide for anyone who relies on you (yourself included), spend what you want if it helps make you healthier. It’s an investment in your life.
That being said, maybe go the route of new wheels to get you through this season, then buy something new as a reward for hitting a weight benchmark. You’ll be amazed what a champ you’ll feel like on a new bike while carrying a smaller load!
Best of luck to you!
6’5″ / 330 lbs when I started biking again. First bike was cheap $300, lasted a year (wheels ….). Second bike was $500, wheels lasted a year, got custom built wheels ($600), 7 years later still going strong (9000 miles).
Also bought a $2000 “adventure” bike, wheels lasted a year, replaced with new stronger set $800, still going strong (15000 miles)
In hindsight, I should have gone for the more expensive bike and splurge on wheels. I’m below 220lbs now, that helps 😉
It’s not an insane idea if you can afford it.
However it seems likely that you’ll end up losing some weight if you get really into cycling, and I’m guessing that might be part of your motivation for doing it. At that point, you may no longer want a bike designed specifically for a really big guy. With that in mind, it might be better to try to find a cheaper option to use for a while, and then spend more money on a bike that will be more appropriate for your new weight whatever it turns out to be.
But at the end of the day, the real answer is that the best bike is the one that you’re going to want to ride. So anything you can afford that’s going to get you out riding regularly is a good choice!
At the moment don’t. Buy a cheaper bike and improve fitness and skills first.
thats crazy money tbh. i’m 190cm and 135kg and i just ride the same old cube attention sl from 2019, if it breaks or gets stolen its cheap to repair or replace …
spending 5k for a bike sounds mental unless you can use it as a car.
Tout Terrain bikes are legit built for exactly your situation, so you’re not being an idiot at all. The real question is whether you ride more with a bike that fits you properly now or wait three months for the perfect one.
Personally, I encourage all new riders to buy a used bike as you don’t know the sizing and details yet. Once you’ve ridden for a while you will have a much better idea of what you like and need.
Buy what you can afford. Every time you feel buyer’s remorse about the bike, go ride it. Then clean it and take care of it and get stronger and more confident.
18 months later your going to be on here asking if you need to get a n+1 to cover your endurance rides.