Q: High-end components for a heavy rider

I just finished reading the article in the latest Bicycling (Sept,
2005, I think) on overweight riders.

I am 6'1.5" and weigh about 188 - I am not overweight for my height
(BMI: 24.5 but I am muscular from lifting weights), but I worry about
stressing a very light-weight system.

I am looking to spend a significant amount on a new road bike in a
couple of months ( US$5000). I was considering a high-end carbon or
titanium frame stock model with top-of-the-line Shimano or Campy
components, but now I am wondering if this is the best approach.

At my body weight and riding style (day-touring, NO racing), I doubt
that a couple of extra pounds on the bike would make a big difference.

I am now considering a custom frame (steel/lugged) for strength and
building the bike myself (I have the tools). Do the second-best
components from say, Shimano (Ultegra) differ from the top-of-the-lie
(Dura-Ace) only in weight, or is there some other advantage to the
Dura-Ace?

I am considering a triple chainring (I like the granny :-)) and
10-speed cassette.

What do you bike-types think?

Thanks, Ralph

i run HD touring at 180-190 pounds with deore(per bruce gordon)with
solid wheels mfg axles, cr-18 rims, 14 ga dt spokes, 25 grade bearings
in finishline teflon and Cont TT on a solid basic steel lugged frame
from '87
and for bumps and curbs, rough roads-its a tender rig. careful riding
is essential. strict preventive maintenance. 1 year overhauls at 3-5000
miles a year

If you're doing mostly "day touring", check out:

Rivendell Rambo, Romulus

www.rivbike.com

Bruce Gordon's BLT is arguably one of the best buys in touring bikes:

www.bgcycles.com

Or contact if custom steel is what you want, then check out the
"Godfather of American Framebuilders" Albert Eisentraut:

www.eisentraut.com

Here's a real nice yellow one built up with Campy Centaur triple:

http://www.litman.com/bikes/eisentraut.htm

I'm sure you'll get alot of response about other fine American
framebuilders too!

On Wed, 03 Aug 2005 12:12:37 -0700, grk wrote:


I am 6'1.5" and weigh about 188 - I am not overweight for my height (BMI:
24.5 but I am muscular from lifting weights), but I worry about stressing
a very light-weight system.


You're not that big. Avoid the most delicate wheelsets and you'll be fine.


At my body weight and riding style (day-touring, NO racing), I doubt
that a couple of extra pounds on the bike would make a big difference.


It won't. If you're day touring you might want to get something other than
a pure race bike--something that can masquerade as a club bike and look
zoot, but also take accessories if you need them like a rear rack and
fenders.

I am now considering a custom frame (steel/lugged) for strength
and
building the bike myself (I have the tools). Do the second-best
components from say, Shimano (Ultegra) differ from the top-of-the-lie
(Dura-Ace) only in weight, or is there some other advantage to the
Dura-Ace?

Ultegra's nicer than most of us need. I'll leave it at that.


I am considering a triple chainring (I like the granny :-)) and 10-speed
cassette.

Yup, just a few grams extra--a granny's very much worth it.

Since you say that weight isn't a huge deal and you seem to be drawn to
old fashioned lugged steel, then a sporty Waterford (or equivalent) with
long reach dual pivot brakes and your choice of components might be in
order. You can get custom geometry and braze ons, giving you a bike that
you won't grow out of. Even with fairly sturdy wheels, a steel frame, and
other slightly beefier components--it's still going to end up lighter than
your average race bike from 25 years ago.

You can ride anything. It's just a question of how much money and time
you want to spend on repairs.

And this is why they are selling bikes that are so badly designed,
particularly the wheels with too few spokes. Lightweight racing and day
touring bikes are not built to be durable, because the makers don't
expect us to depend on them. Instead, they expect (or hope) us to pour
endless money into them. They've been proven right.

Go for wheels with as many spokes as you can get. I still ride 36-spoke
wheels. Some say it's overkill, but I don't think the weight penalty is
so bad. I never true my wheels.

And don't go with the narrowest tires you can find.

Have your wheels built by a good wheel builder, or build them yourself,
using Jobst Brandt's book as a guide. Is that book still in print?

Tom

I agree with Tom. I weight between 200-215, and have never really had any
problems. Currently riding a 32-spoke front wheel and 36-spoke rear on my
road bike. I am reasonably gentle with it, but not more than that. I think
if you avoid low-spoke-count wheels and use reasonable tires you'll be
perfecty OK.


"Tom Reingold" wrote in message
...

You can ride anything. It's just a question of how much money and time
you want to spend on repairs.

And this is why they are selling bikes that are so badly designed,
particularly the wheels with too few spokes. Lightweight racing and day
touring bikes are not built to be durable, because the makers don't
expect us to depend on them. Instead, they expect (or hope) us to pour
endless money into them. They've been proven right.

Go for wheels with as many spokes as you can get. I still ride 36-spoke
wheels. Some say it's overkill, but I don't think the weight penalty is
so bad. I never true my wheels.

And don't go with the narrowest tires you can find.

Have your wheels built by a good wheel builder, or build them yourself,
using Jobst Brandt's book as a guide. Is that book still in print?

Tom

I'm about your same size (6'3" 185#) and I have not had many problems
with high end stuff. Just stay away from the "stupid light" stuff. I
broke 3 seatpost clamps, switched to Thomson seatposts on my bikes and
have not had a problem since - I would highly recommend one. Ultegra
components are more than adequate. I have ridden Ti and Aluminum frames
without any problems.

A friend of mine (6'4" 195#) rides a Calfee carbon fiber frame and that
thing is tuff. If you go carbon, buy a Calfee.

http://www.calfeedesign.com/

my 0.02

-n

I think that every $500 you spend beyond $1500 on today's production
bikes buys one year of early failure in the frameset. (vs. a 20-year
lifetime for a welded aluminum framset.) When you get to $5000 you
are talking about a 5-10 year product, tops. That's what I think.

If you are willing to "fight the power" then buy a steel lugged
frameset (maybe from Waterford?) and enjoy 100 years of longevity.

- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA

On 3 Aug 2005 12:12:37 -0700, wrote:

I just finished reading the article in the latest Bicycling (Sept,
2005, I think) on overweight riders.

I am 6'1.5" and weigh about 188 - I am not overweight for my height
(BMI: 24.5 but I am muscular from lifting weights), but I worry about
stressing a very light-weight system.

I am looking to spend a significant amount on a new road bike in a
couple of months ( US$5000). I was considering a high-end carbon or
titanium frame stock model with top-of-the-line Shimano or Campy
components, but now I am wondering if this is the best approach.

At my body weight and riding style (day-touring, NO racing), I doubt
that a couple of extra pounds on the bike would make a big difference.

I am now considering a custom frame (steel/lugged) for strength and
building the bike myself (I have the tools). Do the second-best
components from say, Shimano (Ultegra) differ from the top-of-the-lie
(Dura-Ace) only in weight, or is there some other advantage to the
Dura-Ace?

I am considering a triple chainring (I like the granny :-)) and
10-speed cassette.

What do you bike-types think?

I weigh more than you and have weighed more since I started riding a
bicycle. I'm also shorter but my body fat is also low. You can ride
almost any bicylce you choose. Certainly, I wouldn't recommend a
conventional wheelset with 24 spokes but I regularly ride 32 spoke
rears and 28 spoked fronts w/o incidence. I currently am riding a
Cannondale Opimo, which is a lighweight, and a '90s Fuso, an SLX,
steel, lugged frame with very conventional geometry. My component
choices are Campaglolo and reliability doesn't seem to matter whether
Record or Mirage. I am partial to Velocity OC rims but Mavic Opens
have done very well in my use. Past bicycle I've ridden have been
made of SL, TSX, 3.2.5 butted ti, and OCLV. All have served well.

Purchasing a costly bicycle may provide psychological value for you.
If you spend $1500-2000 you'll get almost everything, ridewise, that
you'll get on your $5,000 machine.

I ride 10,000 miles/yr. http://www.caltriplecrown.com/Fame.htm#PK

wrote:
I just finished reading the article in the latest Bicycling (Sept,
2005, I think) on overweight riders.

I am 6'1.5" and weigh about 188 - I am not overweight for my height
(BMI: 24.5 but I am muscular from lifting weights), but I worry about
stressing a very light-weight system.

I am looking to spend a significant amount on a new road bike in a
couple of months ( US$5000). I was considering a high-end carbon or
titanium frame stock model with top-of-the-line Shimano or Campy
components, but now I am wondering if this is the best approach.

At my body weight and riding style (day-touring, NO racing), I doubt
that a couple of extra pounds on the bike would make a big difference.

I am now considering a custom frame (steel/lugged) for strength and
building the bike myself (I have the tools). Do the second-best
components from say, Shimano (Ultegra) differ from the top-of-the-lie
(Dura-Ace) only in weight, or is there some other advantage to the
Dura-Ace?

I am considering a triple chainring (I like the granny :-)) and
10-speed cassette.

What do you bike-types think?

Thanks, Ralph

1. you're not as big and heavy as a nubmer of others on this group.

2. higher quality components typically have better fatigue
characteristics so are a safer choice.