Should a 270lb man get a mountain or road bike?

Question

any suggestions for a bike that would hold a heavier person easily?

Answer 1

Either, depending on the intended type of riding.

With the weight, you're not worried about the frame breaking.

You should pay attention to some of the components.

You should get "double walled rims" - they make them for mountain (26") and for road (700cc).

you should also stay away from square tapered bottom brackets if you decide to go with a mountain bike. This means the spindle that the crank arms slide onto are square. You want something splined.

good luck

Answer 2

First of all congratulations to him wanting to excersise and picking cycling. It's great low impact fitness which is important because regardless of his height that's a lot of weight on the joints.

Cyclists respectively call these larger riders "Clydesdales" , there's even a pro race category for these powerful riders. I've been passed by many of them like I'm standing still and I'm a pretty good cyclist ;-)

Now about the bike.

Many bike companies are directly making bikes for the larger rider. 8-)

A quality frame will stand up to almost any weight (there are a few ultralight race bikes that are not reccomended for anyone over 150 lb but that is not the norm) so the frame is not the issue.

But from the wheels, crank set, seat post and saddle rails for the larger rider all must be sturdier.

Several companies to pick from:

Kona bikes (I highly reccomend!!)
Jamis
Cannondale
Specialized

Trek of course as they always do has jumped on the bandwagon ;-)

Each make bikes specific to the larger rider.

Check their websites and you will find a link to the local bike shop in your area that carryies their bike.

Go to the shop and have your big guy test ride the bike. They will ask what type of riding he'll do and fit him to the bike. It must fit him so you have to try it out!

Do not, I repeat do ... not .... buy .... a bike from a box store. Regardless of your weight these bikes are literally designed to fall apart and fail dangerously. Friends don't let friends buy a box store bike. You want to get your Gatorade from Target'? Fine. Let me say this again ....do not get the bike there. 8-)

Good luck and tailwinds

Answer 3

The places he's gonna ride make a bigger difference than his weight. Regardless of the style of bike it needs to fit properly, poorly fitting shoes are gonna give ya blisters no matter if their dress shoes or work boots - same with a bike.

usually larger framed bikes have larger load limits, but not always. I bought a small frame thinking that I could give it to my little bitty mother, but she was not impressed and wouldn't switch from her old clunker - so I'm riding around quite a bit over the manufacturers load limit on my bike. I've been doing this for 6 years now and the bike shows no signs of fatigue, but I couldn't recommend exceeding the published specs. So check the load limit before you buy.

Whichever handle bars you get you probably want to stick to a steel frame - 'cause steel is the real deal. The few ounces of bike weight you would save by going with lighter materials probably aren't worth the reduced strength in this guy's case - but there aren't a lot of absolutes. Still steel has a long history of performance and well, there ain't no pre-war carbon fiber bikes still around.

He might be more comfortable on a recumbent bike. Heck, everyone would be more comfortable on a 'bent - but some people just don't like to be comfortable. I ride a 'bent and I don't think I'll ever switch back to a wedgie. My

Answer 4

I guess the real questions are, how tall is he, and where and what type of rides does he plan to do?

More than the bike itself, pedals actually tend to have weight restrictions, especially when you have lower-priced bikes. For instance, in the link here (http://www.crankbrothers.com/candy_4ti.php ), the pedals list a weight restriction of 185lbs for the rider. In this other pedal (http://www.crankbrothers.com/candy_sl.php ) from the same company, there's no restriction. You don't want a situation where he's pedaling and he either stands up and snaps off a pedal, or just the mere exertion of force from the combination of his leg weight plus his pedal stroke break off the pedal.

If you buy a mountain bike from Walmart, it's not going to last. I've seen guys 6'0" and above, who look like they are well over 300 out riding road bikes, doing at least 15 mph. I've seen this on more than one occasion. I've seen big guys on mountain bikes, both on the dirt trails, and on the streets.

Another thing to remember is that bike tires have a range of pressures you can pump them up to; he would want to put his tires at close to the higher end of the range so he doesn't suffer pinch flats in the inner tubes, or cause frame or fork damage.

The other factor to consider is the terrain on which he'd be riding, and how quickly he'd be moving. If it's bumpy terrain, and higher speeds, he'll need a stronger bike.

Most non-Walmart, non-Target bikes from real bike shops, or even from say, SportChalet (higher end Canondales, for instance) will do him ok. I'd go into a proper bike shop first and pose these questions to them. They can definitely steer you in the right direction, and make some appropriate suggestions.

This may sound like a lot to consider, but it's really not that much to think about if he goes in to a proper bike shop and talks with the workers there.

Hope this helps!

Answer 5

I answered your 1st post and thought you may want more info. You don't say how tall he is or how old or if he is in bad or good shape.

No to the road bike, actually most people should not buy a road bike (with down turned bars) because it's not what they really need.

At 270 he's likely quite over weight (not if he's 6' 8") a comfort, mountain or cross bike would be good to start riding again. If he's got a good sized belly, be sure to get a bike with handlebars that are positioned quite high - leaning over at all maybe very uncomfortable for him.

Answer 6

It depends on what kind of riding you want to do.

Mountain bikes are really sturdy and some have suspension.

You should get sized up at a bike shop. Don't get your bike at Wal Mart.

Answer 7

I'd suggest a mountain bike first. My hubby is 240, and he's on a mt. bike. After he loses 30lbs, he plans to switch to a hybrid.

Answer 8

It depends on what kind of riding you want to do. You can get either type of bike with a sturdy frame and well built wheels. A well built road bike is a lot stronger than a poorly built mountain bike. As long as you stay away from the ultralight racing stuff, you'll be fine.

Answer 9

A mountain bike to start with. And after he loses 100 pounds, he can think of getting a road bike. And he should go to a doctor first to make sure it's safe.

Answer 10

get what ever you fell is comfortable, it also depends why your riding like if your going mountain biking you would need a mountain bike