New Member , New cyclist, Needs advice on new bike please

[Tom Thumb]

Hello everyone
I'd appreciate any advice you could give me with regards to buying a bike .
Some info you might want is, I'm 50 years young, 6"6 tall, 17stones and would be riding it on the road and nature trails probably. I want to get my heart and lungs going and keep my bodyfat down.I detest running so thought I'd give cycling a go but have no clue about what to buy.
I assume my height will be the biggest problem (frame size) so it would be nice to hear what the taller riders are riding.
So many to choose from it really is daunting when you don't know what you are looking for.
A few peole have already mentioned a carrera subway , thoughts ?
29'rs look good ?
Mountain bike or hybrid ?
I've never been on a bike since my early teens and it was a single gear job ha ha! , They've changed a bit !!!
Willing to spent around £500
Many Thanks

 

[PpPete]

Welcome to the forum!
Subway's are pretty good value, but they are neither one thing nor t'other.
No suspension to be serious off-roaders, bit "chunky" to be quick on the road.
Personally, and this is only my opinion, look at tourers. Better for long distances (which is what you want for reducing bodyfat) and will not be completely inappropriate on smoother trails.

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

A 6' 6" Tom Thumb? Your sense of humour will come in handy...

My advice to someone in your position would be to make cheap mistakes. Consider buying a modest second-hand bike and getting some miles in: you will then be buying from experience when you splash the cash. By modest I mean £50 or so, allowing another £50 for new tyres/cables etc if needed.

At 6' 6" you are beyond the "normal" range that most modern bike manufacturers cater for; 60cm/23.5" is largest you usually see and I think that would be a little small for you: I'm a lanky 6' 3" and find 23.5" a little small, but a lot depends on individual body composition. All this also points towards buying an older second-hand bike, which I wouldn't recommend a novice to do.

If you do initially buy something cheap then it doesn't really matter what you get as long as it is comfortable! MTB are cheap and plentiful: avoid suspension, swap the knobbly tyres for something smoother and enjoy! Hybrids are pretty cheap and there are a fair few about: swap the road tyres for something a bit more robust, to cope with the trails and enjoy!

When you come to buy a "serious" bike, I would second Pete's suggestion: a tourer is designed for long, steady rides so comfort is to the fore and they are more robust than pure road-race bikes so can handle trails and the like. £500 will buy you a beautiful English tourer from the 50s/60s/70s that you can ride all day long and will garner more attention than £5,000 of carbon fibre.

Chapeau!

 

[biggs682]

go and get matey with local bike shop if you feel comfy with there advise and confident about using them , then i would try and pick up a good quality 2nd hand bike and get them to makw it roadworthy and then go from there and repair or fix as required

 

[Kevs-the-name]

Ive got a 60cm Cyclocross for sale on ebay at the price your looking for
(sorry for shameless plug....)
Would prefer to sell off of ebay if interested (at a better price)

 

[vickster]

This may be too roadbikish (but assume you could fit slightly more rugged tyres) and a little over budget... http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/ribble-7005-winter-audax-bike-calling-tall-cyclists.103785/

 

[The Jogger]

I would look at the Trek 7.3 fx an excellent all rounder.

 

[Tom Thumb]

Thanks for all the advice.
Jogger, the trek 7.3 fx seems to be discontinuued
Going to the bike shops tomorrow for a look and sit on. I'm assuming the hybrid is the right choice for road and the odd nature trail, disused railway line etc ?.
I phoned an ex hire shop and they offered me a TREK 4300 hardly used but I assume that would be for the hardcore mountain bikers, downhillers, jumpers ?
Nothings every easy is it ha ha !

 

[fossyant]

No suspension to be serious off-roaders.

We didn't need suspension in the 90's - MTB's have gone all soft now !