OK, let's talk road bikes: Anyone >6' and around 200lbs?

[jnschwie]

What frame materials are you running?


I'm on Aluminum, slowly thinking about making the jump.

[_CJ]

I'm only 5'10", but it seems like aluminum would almost be the best choice for a big heavy rider. Ti is going to be too flexy. Same with steel. Carbon might be stiff enough, but also might have a limited life under those conditions. :shrug:

[jnschwie]

The test ride I'm most eagerly anticipating is none of those. :)


(Mg)

[Yota]

Ti and Steel flexier than Al? Not if the frames are constructed right. I mean sure it's possible to make any frame flex if it's made of wire. But a properly triangulated and properly sized Ti or Steel frame should flex no more than a well-constructed Al frame. Ever notice how Al frames (think 1990's Cannondales) use much fatter tubes than steel? They have to because Al is not nearly as ridid as steel for like thicknesses and shapes.

Mg is interesting, though. Isn't Mg pretty brittle relative to the others? :shrug: Bet it's light as chit tho.

[jnschwie]

I've heard from MULTIPLE sources that the Ti is going to be a "noodle" in my size. However, I've heard from others basically what Yota said: Make it correctly and it won't.

An e-friend of mine is somewhat smaller (1 size? 2?) and rides one (different brand then the 2 I'm considering) and says there's definitely some "give" to it. A sales guy (who doesn't sell Ti) also said in his size (he rides maybe a 56) he can feel it "push" when cornering.


Test #1 was carbon of the Pinarello variety. Nice bike. I could definitely do it. I was really interested in the R3, but supposedly I'm a better fit for the RS, so I'll have a test for that next month. :(

Ti tester should be here hopefully in a few weeks. Hopefully it doesn't coincide with a potential surgery or a trip I have coming up. :rolleyes: I think I'll have that for a few days, so I'll shoot it through Red Rocks and up and down lookout a few times trying to push it around.

It'll be a 59 compact, but hopefully close enough for a feel. Although I prefer a compact geometry, my size would probably be better in a classic, which would be even more "noodle" -ish, I'd assume.

(Edit: My ride now more closely approximates a compact. The Pinarello was more classic. I really should be on a classic, but I had reasons to go compact first time. This was not the dogma, btw, obviously, as noted it was carbon. I only wish I had the scratch to even consider something like that as a test).

[longboy]

I can't really comment based on road bikes, but I'm 6'7"/230# and ride aluminum. I bought the bike when I was 50# lighter, but I do feel some flex in it when riding. My old bike was 3" taller (frame size) and it was Chrome-Moly and was very solid.

I'd actually like to get a road bike so I'd actually use it more. Just need to find a used one for starters, due to lack of funds. Although finding a used one in my size might be difficult-

[jnschwie]

I can't really comment based on road bikes, but I'm 6'7"/230# and ride aluminum. I bought the bike when I was 50# lighter, but I do feel some flex in it when riding. My old bike was 3" taller (frame size) and it was Chrome-Moly and was very solid.

I'd actually like to get a road bike so I'd actually use it more. Just need to find a used one for starters, due to lack of funds. Although finding a used one in my size might be difficult-

I don't know Longmont, but University Bikes might not be too far and worth a look. For some of the prices you could buy new :rolleyes: but some are OK for what they are.

http://ubikes.com/page.cfm?PageID=244

I spy a 61 bianchi cross bike, a 61 sequoia, and a 61 demo lemond.

[bsaunder]

I've ridden a Trek 1200 (AL - rear triangle was noodle for me)
Spec. Roubaix expert (carbon - current "road" bike, very responsive)
Strong Frames custom (steel, semi-heavy, but built to last forever - do it all bike)

I've ridden several litespeeds and all were noodles, however I've ridden a couple moots Ti bikes and both felt great.

Im 5'10" and was 236#, currently 216# and heading down.

[jnschwie]

I've ridden a Trek 1200 (AL - rear triangle was noodle for me)
Spec. Roubaix expert (carbon - current "road" bike, very responsive)
Strong Frames custom (steel, semi-heavy, but built to last forever - do it all bike)

I've ridden several litespeeds and all were noodles, however I've ridden a couple moots Ti bikes and both felt great.

Im 5'10" and was 236#, currently 216# and heading down.

:beer:

Moots will be the tester. If Ti is the way to go, it'll be Moots or Eriksen. :)

[jnschwie]

Tried Magnesium and it was sort of an unfortunate test. The frame was way too small. I guess I got a feel for it.

Overall impression of Mg (as best I could get):

*more road "feel" (I'm now starting to get this)
*very smooth
*tight on corners (at least in a 58).

Totally tough call. I get the impression that custom built, it would be a really sweet ride, although somewhat heavier than the carbon. Does that matter at my size? :shrug: I've always thought not, but I don't know.

[bsaunder]

depends on how much heavier - a lb or so, I doubt you'll notice; 5-10lbs, yea, you'll notice.

A bike that you love to ride and fits you well though is really what matters. A <16lb bike that you hate to ride does you no good. :D

[jnschwie]

No, it definitely wouldn't be that much. :laughing:

I'd guess a pound or two at the most, and likely less than that. I think their custom tubes for length were more about size and shape than weight. (Quite honestly, their oversize custom stuff looks even cooler, IMO).
These frames were remarkably light. Not like some of the fancier carbons out there, but better than some carbons. I imagine at least as light as the Ti.

I spoke with Eriksen a little too. They think they can make a stiff enough frame, but then they're adding thicker tubes themselves. The custom Mg is cheaper than the Ti. Both would have the same lead time. Mg would be a little lighter, and I'm gonna guess a slightly better ride.

Fitting really is the problem. I may just find something that fits great, and then copy the measurements/geometry and send that to the Mg company.

Or, I may just go with that carbon Pinarello I liked. :shrug:

[jnschwie]

C'dale has now been ruled out.

Have demo Look and Trek on order.

[_CJ]

Weight of a road bike frame? Not really anything to be concerned about in my opinion.

I don't race anymore, so durability and feel are top concerns. I ride a steel frame custom built by Jerry Duran of Del Norte, CO. Don't know if he's still building bikes, but I'm still riding his frame almost fifteen years later. True Temper tubing with Henry James investment cast lugs.

If I were going to have a bike built now, I'd probably be looking into bamboo.

http://www.calfeedesign.com/bamboo.htm

http://www.bmeres.com/bambooframe.htm

[jnschwie]

I've seen those in bicycling and such.

I'm PRETTY sure I have my mind made up. :)

[jnschwie]

I've seen those in bicycling and such.

I'm PRETTY sure I have my mind made up. :)

Deposit down and ordered:

http://www.bicyclebuys.com/productimages/PIFP58PART.jpg

[Yota]

What material is that Josh?

[Yota]

I see it's carbon fiber. Mother of God, dude. :D

Which color did you get? I hear the pink is good for an extra 2 MPH.

[jnschwie]

Pink of course.





I got white.
The black or "nude" I've been riding as a demo is pretty cool too, but I'm sort of a sucker for white, so I have to wait for them to ship it from NC. Luckily not Italy or Taiwan or something.


I really liked the Mg, but I just never got comfy with the fit since they didn't have a perfect demo. The "we'll just add 1cm here and 1 there" didn't work for me. I tried to see if I could get measurements and geometry from some off the shelf bike for them to custom create, but never heard back.

Ti shop didn't have their shiat together.
ERIKSEN (http://www.kenteriksen.com/) in Steamboat has their chit together big time. They invited us to come up for a weekend and demo their "big boy" bikes to prove it wouldn't be a noodle. I bet it wouldn't, and they were awesome. (They are building a custom bike for an e-friend). But, for the $$$, since I could buy off the shelf, it was SO much easier to do that, for cheaper, than to keep making trips to SS.

[bsaunder]

Nice bike - one of these day's I'll get one by them, just to have one :D

For ti - Eriksen is hard to beat. In the next couple years I'll be getting a custom cyclocross bike from them or Strong.

[jnschwie]

Thanks! :)

It just looked so much stronger than the RS/R3, and that was key for me. I just can't get past those seat stays on the Cervelos. The shop told me they took a size 54 R3, CUT OFF the seat stays and sent a 300lb guy out just to demonstrate superior engineering of the front triangle (and he made it back fine, supposedly). I just can't get my head around it. At just under 190, I told them I wanted this to be bombproof up to around 220, just in case.

But they insist that the weight has nothing to do with it and its my height (leverage) that was making the ride what it was. So in the end, it came down to either Pinarello or Cannondale in SuperSix or Six13. I have no idea what the final weight will come down to, but like you said above (and I agree) +/- a few lbs is NOT going to make any difference to me. Especially since I'll fluctuate MY weight +/- 5 lbs constantly.


Edit: At your height though, that R3 is a sweet looking bike, seat stays aside. :) If I weren't so tall, I might have done things differently (actually, if I were 5'10" I would've gone with the Paketa), but I really, really liked the ride on this. If I were a man of means, I might have tried to swing a dogma or prince. :D

[bsaunder]

yea - I've been drooling over a prince for a while. A Tri/TT bike, cyclocross racer, (still not sure of the order between those two though..) and SS 29r hardtail are on the list before another road though....

N+1 for the number of bikes that are "enough" :D

[jnschwie]

How many tris are you doing vs. how many cyclocross events?
Cyclocross is a hell of a lot more useful, but if I knew 1 year ago, what I know now, that aluminum Cervelo TT bike is a hell of a bargain for the money. Subtract 1 Allez and add one of those FTW!!!!

Still, even being the neophyte I am, I passed *a lot* of TT bikes in events with my allez and clip on TT bars. I think these people just don't know how to corner for shiat or something. Neither do I, which makes it especially sad.


I personally don't have any interest in cross, surprisingly. :shrug: I like to bike. I like the outdoors. I like to run. Why doesn't this jump at me? :shrug:
But, I'm very much attracted to the utility of a good cross bike. :)


Edit: Cyclocross is just like homebrewing to me. EVERYTHING (for both) is there to make my personality LOVE it, yet, I have no interest. This is a serious mystery to me. I like chemistry, I like beer, I like measurements and ingredients and control. I don't know. :)

[bsaunder]

I've got bikes that work for both - my road bike with clip-on works for doing duathlons (~4-5x per year plus training and 2-3 TTs per year). On the TTs it isn't as much of an issue, but in the DUs my legs are toast after the ride, I did a race pace training ride on a tri bike with proper positioning on it and my legs weren't nearly as dead and I was faster with a much less twitchy bike.
For cyclocross - I'm planning on doing 5-6 races this year, maybe a couple more. My commuter bike can do cross races, except for he UCI only races as it has disk brakes, however it is heavy (custom steel built to last and pull trailers too) and has a low bottom bracket (comfortable, but a lot of pedal strikes when racing).

I've gotten addicted to both and am training for both this year - figure I'll take inventory at the end of the year and figure out which one I want to really train for and which one will be the more for the fun of it. The one that I actually train for will be the one that I get a new bike for next year.

You should go out and do a cross race - I didn't think I would like it, but on basically a dare from a friend I entered a beginners one last year; I've been hooked ever since. Many of the people racing are quasi pure roadies that can't really run or handle a bike in the dirt; so if you can run and have mtn bike experience, you have an upper hand. Cyclocross is definitely in the category of the "darkside" (in a good way) of bicycle racing along with track racing and a few others - many people don't get it, but those that do are a fairly tight group and are all addicted to it.

[jnschwie]

Yeah, but I'd have to fetch my old hybrid back from my parents (and I'd feel bad doing that), or ride my mtn bike, which I'm told sucks.

A hybrid could be really easily converted, but :shrug:

I'll stick with Tri. Well, maybe not this year, at least for a while.

[jnschwie]

OK, it is in and built, and I'm hoping to pick it up today. Reason I couldn't sooner is here:

http://web.mac.com/coloradobucky/iWeb/Index/Misc_files/Knee.5.08.jpg

[jnschwie]

BTW, an anal probe that is not. :laughing:

[longboy]

I think I see some car headlights in pic #6.

[bsaunder]

nice job on the knee - looks a lot better than mine did a few years ago, so you should be back up and going at it in no time :D

[jnschwie]

I can walk and weight bear now, but it sucks to bend it. :confused:

[jnschwie]

I still have really limited range of motion. :confused: Less than the physician said to expect. Swelling is still huge, but I'm all over that for other (coagulation) reasons.

Anyway, I got this thing picked up finally:

http://web.mac.com/coloradobucky/iWeb/Index/Misc_files/Pinnarello25.jpg


Here you can see the geometry compared to my Specialized:
http://web.mac.com/coloradobucky/iWeb/Index/Misc_files/Pinnarello35.jpg

I actually got it for comfort, but just days before my surgery, I did this:
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/co/pine/791971113973
(on the Allez) and actually felt remarkably good for that amount of time in the saddle). Still, without question, the new one is faster.
:shrug:

Next report hopefully soon. :(

[bsaunder]

nice looking bike - I bet the ride is a bit better as well.