Bike for overweight

I'm kind of old school, but I'm a touch over 300 and I use an older style (not older bike though, it's new) Schwinn and I love it. Plus it has a lifetime warranty if anything goes wrong on it. And I got it for less than 200.

If by road bike, you mean something with curly bars, here are some thoughts based on my time in the cycle trade.

Road bikes are usually designed for a 175lb rider. They have a riding position that is designed for young men who don't mind sacrificing comfort for a couple of seconds off their time over a 100 mile race. Bigger people **do** ride them, but they are not a good choice.

If I were to be finding a bike for you to ride and you had your heart set on a road bike, I would steer you towards a touring bike. It will have a stronger frame, 36 spoke wheels, and the tyres would be at least 32mm wide. It will still be fast, but it will also be much more comfortable. The bars will be a bit higher, and the gears will be lower, meaning you can get up hills.

Secondhand may be an option, but frankly may still be a tall order for the price you're asking. Cannondale made really good touring bikes for the larger rider; they use alloy instead of steel, which is built in bigger diameter tubing so isn't as "whippy" as most touring bikes (you're still at the weight limit of many touring bike steel tubesets). Which means confidence down hills.

I built myself a bike when I was heavier. It is based around an old mountain bike. It has a plain guage Cr-mo frame, Magura hydraulic brakes and a special back wheel which uses a tandem hub. It isn't the sort of thing you could just walk into a bike shop and pick up, but it's great to ride. It has 1.5" wide tyres and is still quite quick. I'm planning on doing a couple of 125 mile events on it next year, my first really long distance rides in years. I love it.

You could easily find a mountain bike of the calibre of mine for 1/4 of what you're looking to spend. Buy some 1.5" tyres, and you're in business!

Just get an older (say 1995ish) BRAND NAME mountain bike without shocks. They exist in mass quantities everywhere for cheap, and were well built bikes. Get a tune up and some slick tires, and you are all set.

My gf and I bought a couple of Schwimm, seats were a little uncomfortable but we replaced them with wider and more cushioning seats, that encourage us to pedal longer through the woods and extend our biking time. Good luck!

If I were you, I'd check out the Broke Spoke: http://thebrokespoke.org

Even if they don't have a used bike that fits you, they should be able to give you good advice on what you need. I haven't been to them, but I am familiar with similar bike co-ops elsewhere, and usually the people there are pretty good. Plus you could learn some basic bike maintenance skills.

I agree with jtgilfoy that if you don't want drop handlebars, a 1990s rigid mountain bike (no suspension) would be pretty good. Spiff up any parts that need replacing, swap the knobby off-road tires for smooth on-road tires (Panaracer Paselas are very good value for money), and you'll have a bike that will last a long time and be a good backup bike if you get bitten by the cycling bug and decide to get another, nicer bike.

If you're set on drop handlebars, then a good touring bike like the Surly Long Haul Trucker or the Trek 520 is worth considering. Touring bikes are designed to carry a rider plus 50-100 pounds of gear, so they're built to handle lots of weight.

If by road bike, you mean something with curly bars, here are some thoughts based on my time in the cycle trade.

Road bikes are usually designed for a 175lb rider. They have a riding position that is designed for young men who don't mind sacrificing comfort for a couple of seconds off their time over a 100 mile race. Bigger people **do** ride them, but they are not a good choice.

If I were to be finding a bike for you to ride and you had your heart set on a road bike, I would steer you towards a touring bike. It will have a stronger frame, 36 spoke wheels, and the tyres would be at least 32mm wide. It will still be fast, but it will also be much more comfortable. The bars will be a bit higher, and the gears will be lower, meaning you can get up hills.

Secondhand may be an option, but frankly may still be a tall order for the price you're asking. Cannondale made really good touring bikes for the larger rider; they use alloy instead of steel, which is built in bigger diameter tubing so isn't as "whippy" as most touring bikes (you're still at the weight limit of many touring bike steel tubesets). Which means confidence down hills.

I built myself a bike when I was heavier. It is based around an old mountain bike. It has a plain guage Cr-mo frame, Magura hydraulic brakes and a special back wheel which uses a tandem hub. It isn't the sort of thing you could just walk into a bike shop and pick up, but it's great to ride. It has 1.5" wide tyres and is still quite quick. I'm planning on doing a couple of 125 mile events on it next year, my first really long distance rides in years. I love it.

You could easily find a mountain bike of the calibre of mine for 1/4 of what you're looking to spend. Buy some 1.5" tyres, and you're in business!

This it's great advice. I think an older rigid mountain bike is easier than touring bike to find in your price range. I would add that it's worth it to spend some of what you save on the places where your body touches the bike (seat, grips, and to a lesser extent pedals). Comfort there will make a big difference in how much you enjoy riding.