BIke weight limit

[swampyseifer]

...The Carrera Subway is a pretty good all-rounder

...I've no personal experience of them but Corratec look to be ok for the money

That Carrera is a £230 bike...I was referring to the absolute bottom-end of the Halfords bikes being not worth it! But I guess I wont know where/what bike till I actually start looking in a few weeks time.

The Corratecs sounds nice, not that I know what is "nice", but I havent seen one on the page thats not 300 smackers, which is kinda top bracket possibly

If you are interested I could pop my Giant Yukon mtb in the boot and pop over to you on a sat or sunday for you to have a go and learn to ride, I can help the best I can up to you mate I am about the same height as you so my bike should fit you. Just so you know the bike is not for sale

Thanks absolutely very much for the offer, but I think I would be continually worried that I'd break, scratch or damage it in some way!

 

[WychwoodTrev]

That Carrera is a £230 bike...I was referring to the absolute bottom-end of the Halfords bikes being not worth it! But I guess I wont know where/what bike till I actually start looking in a few weeks time.

The Corratecs sounds nice, not that I know what is "nice", but I havent seen one on the page thats not 300 smackers, which is kinda top bracket possibly





Thanks absolutely very much for the offer, but I think I would be continually worried that I'd break, scratch or damage it in some way!

No need to worry about any of that as its 3 year old my step daughter has crashed it twice its not in perfect condition and I would like to help if I can. I know I am busy this weekend and the following one but should be good for the one afyer that.

 

[g0kmt]

If its any consolation, I bought a Carrera Kraken and its survived my 153 kg weight for a couple of years! just keep the tyres pumped up!!

 

[gb155]

Hey All

Sorry for the delay. I have just seen this

I hope this page will help the OP (and other's)

http://theamazing39stonecyclist.wordpress.com/am-i-too-heavy-for-a-bike/

 

[WychwoodTrev]

The Giant Yukon is identical to mine same paint too, fantastic bike I still have mine and will never sell it, went on her for a quick 10 miles amd averaged 17 mph on it.

 

[gb155]

The Giant Yukon is identical to mine same paint too, fantastic bike I still have mine and will never sell it, went on her for a quick 10 miles amd averaged 17 mph on it.

It's the one bike I kick myself for selling tbh

I needed to in order to progress and it's helped shape who I am today

But it still niggles

 

[swampyseifer]

hey all...

sorry for going quiet, I've had a busy few days with work and family commitments!

I did talk to the missus and some friends about it and tbh they were quite against the idea, so I think its lead to a crisis of belief!

Will I have the patience to be able to learn (I'm not known for my patience!)...
Will I actually bother to ride the bike, epecially as I dont know anyone else to go riding with...
Am I actually going to be able to ride (I often get dull pain in my knees when using the gym cycle)...
Will this just be another fad (I'm well known for dropping hobbies as quick as I start them)...
Is it really a good thing to spend £300-400 on, when I have other things that could use the money...
Do I even have the time to get my monies worth out of the bike...
Is the beginning of Winter really the best time to try taking up an outside activity...

Maybe I *should* just buy a really cheap halfords jobby and hope it lasts long enough for me to answer the above!?

 

[BrumJim]

1) Get a 2nd hand from local ads for <£100 this weekend. No suspension or fancy toys, but in good working nick.
2) In the next couple of days, work out where you can ride it without impacting on your normal life. E.g. trips to the shop, commuting into work, visiting your friends. Use it instead of the bus, car or taxi.
3) Start riding as soon as you get it. Smokers who plan to quit do worse than those that just do it. Same with taking up exercise.
4) As you ride around, look for a fellow cyclist that you would like to be, at a standard that you reasonably think that you could reach. Don't look for a racing whippet on a road bike, nor a red-faced plodder. Imagine yourself to be that person; think of all the benefits - they can run for a bus without taking a week to recover. Their health is better, and don't suffer joint or muscle problems. Broken-down lifts don't phase them. They can buy clothes without worrying whether they look fat in them or not. Whatever it takes. And then believe that you can be in EXACTLY the same condition in 2-3 years time. This is VERY achievable.
5) Give it a couple of weeks. If you aren't enjoying it and looking to push further, admit defeat and start again. If you can't enjoy a £100 bike (that works properly), then you won't be able to enjoy a £500 bike fully.

Whatever you do, don't listen to the voices (internal and external) telling you that you can't, won't, or shouldn't do it. Try it, then make a decision.

If you do enjoy it, come back here looking for more advice.

 

[Sittingduck]

Hi

I wouldn't worry about anything, except for rear wheels. Maybe see how the bike goes and if you are prone to spokes breaking on the standard wheels, you could think about upgrading just the rear to a handbuilt one with more spokes.

Sounds like you are going to be after an MTB or hybrid. But I just wanted to say that I don't agree about the concern of narrow tyres. I have been riding 23's with no issue for a couple off years... no need to pump them up before every ride, lol (once a week is fine).

I have put some remarks below, hopefully it will help! Good luck with it

hey all...

sorry for going quiet, I've had a busy few days with work and family commitments!

I did talk to the missus and some friends about it and tbh they were quite against the idea, so I think its lead to a crisis of belief!
I find this quite dissapointing - I would think friends and family would be wanting to encourage you to lose weight and become more healthy Do it for yourself, if they are against it anyway!!

Will I have the patience to be able to learn (I'm not known for my patience!)...
Will I actually bother to ride the bike, epecially as I dont know anyone else to go riding with...
Am I actually going to be able to ride (I often get dull pain in my knees when using the gym cycle)...
Will this just be another fad (I'm well known for dropping hobbies as quick as I start them)...
Is it really a good thing to spend £300-400 on, when I have other things that could use the money...
Do I even have the time to get my monies worth out of the bike...
Is the beginning of Winter really the best time to try taking up an outside activity...
Think of it this way - If you can do it in the Winter, imagine how nice it will seem next summer AND you will be able to get the boring 'building up the miles' thing done, while the weather is not so great, enabling you to enjoy longer summer rides next year

Maybe I *should* just buy a really cheap halfords jobby and hope it lasts long enough for me to answer the above!?
I wouldn't! If you get a total POS (piece of sh*t), it is just as likely to put you off cycling, with the additional hassle of things going wrong and it weighing a ton.

 

[Piemaster]

I can only add to the last two excellent posts, both along same lines as I would have written.

hey all...

sorry for going quiet, I've had a busy few days with work and family commitments!

I did talk to the missus and some friends about it and tbh they were quite against the idea, so I think its lead to a crisis of belief!
Not die-hard car drivers are they? As SD says, thats actually disappointing. And they'll all be jealous when you start showing off your buns of steel

Will I have the patience to be able to learn (I'm not known for my patience!)...
Learn what? How to ride? How to handle traffic? There is probably training schemes in your area, none of us is ever too old to learn and doing so from an instructor will be very valuable.

Will I actually bother to ride the bike, epecially as I dont know anyone else to go riding with...
Neither do I. Nice to have a bit of solitude sometimes and I am ALWAYS in better mood when I get off the bike than when I got on it. Go to the shops on it, incorperate it i some part of your daily routine.

Am I actually going to be able to ride (I often get dull pain in my knees when using the gym cycle)...
Yes. The bike needs to be set up for you. Gym bikes have to fit to a range of body sizes. It will be your bike fitted to you.

Will this just be another fad (I'm well known for dropping hobbies as quick as I start them)...
As above, just start building it into part of your day. Its can be transport, not just a hobby. Take it easy at first, but mostly enjoy it.

Is it really a good thing to spend £300-400 on, when I have other things that could use the money...
Like a gym membership maybe? Petrol for the car to nip out to the shops or drive to the gym? Look at it over a longer term say £30/month = £1/day. doesn't sound so much now does it?

Do I even have the time to get my monies worth out of the bike...
Easily if you make it part of your day, not something special for weekends. It will save in other areas

Is the beginning of Winter really the best time to try taking up an outside activity...
Cycling with the sun on your back on a summers day (if there had been any obviously) is nice. Dressed properly and riding on a crisp winters morning is nice, and makes the hot chocolate taste better. Get out on it, listen to and smell the world, you miss a lot of it in a car.

Maybe I *should* just buy a really cheap halfords jobby and hope it lasts long enough for me to answer the above!?
+1 on BrumJim comments.

a

 

[Arjimlad]

Very little to add to what others have said, but please do go for it. You will feel better physically and mentally.

Even some evening or weekend rides out for a paper or whatever will assist and help you build up confidence.

I actually prefer cycling in colder weather because I get less sweaty.

 

[swampyseifer]

Thanks for all your comments...

it is a bit sad that my wife and some of my friends have gone against the idea...although I can understand their reservations. I am well known for jumping from thing to thing, looking for the next new hobby, or something! 2 years ago I bought a bass guitar (£150-ish) and started paying for lessons, 7 months later i sold the bass (£80-ish) and bought a normal 6string (£230) and started learning that, within a few months I'd given that up and the funds from selling the guitar are partly what will be funding this new fad!

As for using the bike to poodle about...unfortuately its not going to happen. I cant use it for commuting, I live within a 4 minute walk from the train station that I use to get to London...and the nearest shops are a 5min walk the other way from the train station. It would take me longer to get the bike unchained and all ready to go than it would to just walk to the train station/shops!

As for learning what....yes, learning to ride the bike. Along with my penchant for trying out the latest thing going, I have next to no patience and if after a short while I dont seem to be getting anywhere, I can see me not wanting to bother any more.

As for wanting someone to go cycling with, as stated, I cant ride currently....I imagine it'll be a at least a few weeks (more likely months with the little I will get to ride) before I am confident enough to feel I could deal with situations that might arise...or that I would know what to do in the event of bike damage or anything like that.

I know its been stated that I should avoid a cheapo halfords job, but I did take a look at this. It is only £69 and ok it doesnt do anything fancy, but the reviews page has 28 reviews with an average scoring of 4/5. There's only like 3 of those reviews that mention poor quality parts, most of them seem to say that if you want a cheap bike that you wont be riding into the ground then its perfect.

 

[BrumJim]

I know its been stated that I should avoid a cheapo halfords job, but I did take a look at this. It is only £69 and ok it doesnt do anything fancy, but the reviews page has 28 reviews with an average scoring of 4/5. There's only like 3 of those reviews that mention poor quality parts, most of them seem to say that if you want a cheap bike that you wont be riding into the ground then its perfect.

Another possibly more impartial review here:
http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=55497
Don't buy a bike to get a new toy. Buy a bike to ride. Hence £70 on 2nd hand is much better than £69 on something new and shiny.

 

[gb155]

Thanks for all your comments...

it is a bit sad that my wife and some of my friends have gone against the idea...although I can understand their reservations. I am well known for jumping from thing to thing, looking for the next new hobby, or something! 2 years ago I bought a bass guitar (£150-ish) and started paying for lessons, 7 months later i sold the bass (£80-ish) and bought a normal 6string (£230) and started learning that, within a few months I'd given that up and the funds from selling the guitar are partly what will be funding this new fad!

As for using the bike to poodle about...unfortuately its not going to happen. I cant use it for commuting, I live within a 4 minute walk from the train station that I use to get to London...and the nearest shops are a 5min walk the other way from the train station. It would take me longer to get the bike unchained and all ready to go than it would to just walk to the train station/shops!

As for learning what....yes, learning to ride the bike. Along with my penchant for trying out the latest thing going, I have next to no patience and if after a short while I dont seem to be getting anywhere, I can see me not wanting to bother any more.

As for wanting someone to go cycling with, as stated, I cant ride currently....I imagine it'll be a at least a few weeks (more likely months with the little I will get to ride) before I am confident enough to feel I could deal with situations that might arise...or that I would know what to do in the event of bike damage or anything like that.

I know its been stated that I should avoid a cheapo halfords job, but I did take a look at this. It is only £69 and ok it doesnt do anything fancy, but the reviews page has 28 reviews with an average scoring of 4/5. There's only like 3 of those reviews that mention poor quality parts, most of them seem to say that if you want a cheap bike that you wont be riding into the ground then its perfect.

I've always jumped into hobbies and got bored and moved on quickly

But when it's your health it focuses your mind

People thought I was crazy ( and I was ) but I've taken that cynicism and added it as fuel to my fire

Look at me now

Ps , never ever buy a £69 bike from halfords, tesco, asda et el !!!!!!!

 

[MrJamie]

Learning shouldnt be a problem, MK is not like other cities where youre forced to ride in traffic or even near traffic in cycle lanes, you can mindlessly ride around the quiet parks/redways/houses. I think the only question really is how much motivation you have for cycling, how much free time you have around work especially if you're busy commuting. If youre not doing any other exercise, you might find cycling particularly addictive while losing weight as youll get a dramatic increase in fitness from what youre probably used to.

Talking about your fear of "bike damage" is one of the main reasons not to buy a supercheap bike imho, much higher chance of something failing and it being much harder to fix too - I heard a guy in one of the bike shops in MK saying they wont fix supermarket bikes because there was too much risk of screw threads etc failing when replacing parts. I dont think its at all common for a new bike to fail and leave you stranded - punctures and such are very easy to fix and you can learn most maintainence jobs from youtube in 5mins. These cheap bikes can do a lot to put people off cycling if your motivation is borderline and theyre particularly poor/unreliable, it can be the difference that makes you look forward to going out cycling rather than forcing yourself to exercise.

Im not sure if you could take advantage of some of the retailers who do 7-30day trials on new bikes to see how it works out for you.

Also, i havent looked into it in a while, but i think theres probably some cycling clubs/events you could get involved in even as a beginner, they might bring back the local skyrides in the spring/summer.