Hope i got the right section,
looking for a road bike for $800 or less
i'm abit on the heavier side at 150kgs so wanting something kinda strong
i had a road bike before but i crashed and broke it, so any suggestions
i want it for weight loss and general commuting
I agree with everything said by mattwilko, and will add that you could look at a cyclrocross bike. Similar to a rode bike, but a bit stronger/heavier.
I was 156 Kgs when I started cycling and the only bike that felt strong/solid enough was a mountain bike, an old Malvern Star. My understanding is that most modern road bikes are made for about max 120 Kgs.
A main problem with road bikes and our weight is that pinch flats are more often.
Another option is to buy a vintage road bike. I got myself an old Peugeot road bike when I was at 135Kgs and I am very happy with it. A vintage road bike with its steel frame, wider tires and more spokes on wheels than a modern road bike, can easily hold big guys like us without a problem.
yea ive been suggested mountain bike but i had a road bike and it was so light and easy to ride and made me wanna ride, but i will try a more expensive non k-mart mountain bike
MB is better for weight loose but in the long run what it matters more is to be persistent and keep cycling. If you feel that RB will make you to stick to it then by all means do it. What worked well for me was to see every bike as a reward. Started with a MB, after reached a certain weight loss goal moved to a vintage RB and next will be to get an entry level modern RB.
Really?
What makes a mountain bike better for weight loss?
What makes a mountain bike better for weight loss?
Well, a heavier bike takes more effort to move. My oldest road bike is heavy as sin but dang if it doesn't give me a workout getting it around. A bike you like riding is most important.
@blitz: But what if you ride your road bike for longer? Seriously, diet is the best way to lose weight, exercise helps but fix your diet first. I love riding my road bike and the thought of having to haul my belly up the hills is a great motivation every time I crave cornchips!!!
It's cheap Tuesday at KFC . :D
yea i don't eat that greasy shite, but i'm sure you can enjoy it for me
don't be so hard on yourself brother. Greasy Chicken is tasty. Just means you have to do a little exercise now and again.
was just having a little fun.
seriously, an elliptical machine works wonders - better than a bike, and it is not too hard on joints, etc.
seriously, an elliptical machine works wonders - better than a bike
Baffling that you need a machine to simulate stairs.
i actually own one of them, i don't really like it
I got my road bike second hand for $450, it was about 6 years old buy had shimano tiagra componenets. I think you get better bang for buck buying bikes second hand, as the things that mainly wear out are tyres and chains, which are cheap and easy to replace. Can't comment on weight limits though :/
Sounds like you need a bike that will make you want to ride, anything else will take extra will power to get you out there.
$800 will get you a just above entry level bike. If you can see yourself sticking with it I'd suggest getting a basic 29er mountain bike to start (most of the $800) it will be built a bit stronger than the equivalent roadie. If you aren't going to ride it off the road then get some slick tyres for a little more speed and less drag. If you do end up sticking with it and lose a bunch of weight and improve you fitness then it's upgrade time!
Despite what lots of people say, the weight of a bike doesn't really make that much difference, it's the aerodynamic factors. A lightweight MTB is still going to be slower than a heavy road bike with the same rider. When it does make a difference is when you are comparing a really heavy one to a really light one (or you are lifting it onto the roof of your car). Yes, it does make a difference when accelerating, but if you are talking about maybe 2kg difference in the weight of the bike that's a pretty small percentage of the total weight, even if you are 60kg. Lightweight bikes are built for the pose factor and the racers.
You could get a really nice road bike second hand for $800, but would need to be mechanically savvy and be able to pick the correct size with out trying different sizes in the shop.
If you are keen on a road bike you might need to budget building up or buying some stronger wheels for longevity under a larger rider.
Second hand purchases can be a problem if you don't know what to look for or how to maintain them - and may have some age issues (cracks, rust, fatigue, etc) that prevent it coping with rider weight. Highly second the mountain bike recommendation though - $800 will get you a great brand new 29er. The main difference between MTB and road is the posture and seating position, with MTBs having the edge in build strength, comfort and maneuverability all round. In terms of pedal efficiency you'll see much less difference if you swap out the standard 'knobby' MTB tires for some 'slicks' (making it more similar to road) - it's probably the single biggest change you can make to a bike to make it easier/faster to ride, esp. for commuting.
But I think what some others said around here is correct - diet makes a bigger change to weight than exercise, though of course it helps too!
Nope I disagree with the MTB recommendation. I have both and cant imagine riding a MTB on the roads. I used to do it, in fact rode an 80Km charity ride once on an MTB and hated every minute with the suspension forks sapping my momentum up hills and the noise of the wide tyres. I know others that do but I totally get what the OP is saying, my roadbike just feels so much more light and alive underneath. I save my MTB for offroad riding.
I totally agree with the recommendation to hitup Gumtree. If you are smart you should be able to get a 2012/13 Giant or Merida roadbike. If you are worried about your weight maybe get an aluminium frame bike (probably most prevalent in your price-bracket anyway). You should be able to get one with a 10 speed 105 groupset (components). It isnt too expensive to buy a new chain or deraileur online if the old one is too worn. The expensive components on the bike will be the wheels, crankset and brifters (the brake/gearchange levers). If you shop around online buying replacement parts is cheap. If you cant do it yourself a bike shop shouldnt be too expensive to fit anything you buy yourself, most bikeshops these days are OK fitting stuff you buy online, it seems to be a part of the landscape these days. My LBS actually tells me buy stuff online as he reckons the online sales prices are cheaper than he can get the parts wholesale. One of my local bikeshops will do a bike buildup of an entire bike from the frame for $65, replacing a chain or brifter should be way less.
Probably the biggest worry if you are heavy would be the strength of the wheels. Hit a pothole at speed with 150+ Kgs on board and it will be hard on the wheels! You wont be getting any Zipp Firecrests (expensive wheels) with an $800 2nd hand bike anyway. If you get the bike and you are worried about the wheels taking the strain there are wheels you can get that are rated well beyond your weight. I have some Bontrager RXL wheels that dont have any weight rating, so presumably they are good for everyone! If you are prepared to accept a little heavier wheelset there are plenty of cheap, heavy but strong wheelsets around. Look for discounts on some of the Shimano wheelsets at places like Ribble and Merlin online.
just bought a mt bike at Aldi for $125. Awesome deal as other similar ones I was looking at were $400 to $600.
Had to do a bit of assembly & instructions were not instructions at all & needed to find the right sized allen key (think they should have included one)
Your Aldi bike might look similar to a $4-500 bike, but it won't be. While it might appear to be functional, there is daylight difference in performance of things like brakes and gear changes. The difference is less noticeable between an expensive bike and a $4-500 one than there is between an Aldi bike and the $4-500 range.
While it is possible to make an Aldi bike servicable, it will take a good mechanical working knowledge to keep it that way.
definitely check out the second hand market! you can get great bikes with full ultegra components at the <800 price range
Scan the facebook cycling marketplace groups they always have bargains and the members on these groups are brutal whenever someone puts something remotely fake or damaged
Buy something with atleast Shimano Sora, Don't go for anything shimano non branded or 'Claris'
Brands like specialized won't be as good value for money, Giant and the likes will be the best value for money