Cycling for exercise. Heavy build - what type of bike.

Chuchote

mickdw wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies.
Bike to work not available as self employed.

Which is ridiculous nonsense and another unfairness towards self-employed workers.

Take a look at the ads on adverts.ie (run through this site, or was, not sure if it still is). You can reliably avoid buying a stolen bike by only buying from people with good feedback, an obviously reliable record of what they're selling (ie not bike after bike but various household goods), and original shop receipt available.

Because of the Bike to Work scheme the bottom has dropped out of secondhand bike prices, and you can get a very tasty bike for a good price if you don't mind it not being new.

secman

"Thanks for all the replies.
Bike to work not available as I'm sellf employed "

I sent you a PM

arybvtcw0eolkf

Based purely on my own experience.

I've almost always had hybrids, I think my first was a Dawes Discovery about twenty years ago (could be wrong, probably slightly less).

After that I went to road bikes.

Now I've both a hybrid and a road bike, and 90% of the time I'm using the hybrid.

Its not as fast & nibble as the roadie but boy they're so much more comfortable & sensible for the commuter.

Maintenance is slightly less on the hybrid too, and puncture proof tyres are easier to fit (Schwalbe Marathon Plus have been amazing on my hybrid).

I use the hybrid for commuting up to 40km daily, anything more than that is training for me and I'm using my road bike.

Tbh I think a good hybrid is a better way to start and upgrade to a good road bike when you find you're at the limits of the hybrid.. That said I've seen people on sportives using hybrids too!.

Best of luck with your choice.

Tigerandahalf

gk5000 wrote: »

A hybrid may suit you better depending on your planned journeys or just in general, as would be a better balance of speed, comfort, posture and braking and can take mudguards and racks. Wider tyres >30mm suit the larger rider and give more comfort.

This site is biased towards road/racing bikes but these are more delicate with skinny wheels, more suited to serious cyclists and the open road.

Depends on what his needs are. Hybrid is handy for trails and things like greenways and for commuting I would imagine as well as you are in a more upright position and easier to handle the bike.

saccades

Mark Echoing Page wrote: »

Maintenance is slightly less on the hybrid too, and puncture proof tyres are easier to fit (Schwalbe Marathon Plus have been amazing on my hybrid).

.

Unless you have an IGH/SS there is no difference between an road/hybrid for maintenance. Same goes for fitting tyres, fit the right width tyres for the right width rim (some brands mixes are as slack as a wizards sleeve, others are tighter than a gnats chuff).

Moflojo wrote: »

or a cyclocross would be excellent (Cyclocross would also make a great commuter).

Alek wrote: »

I'd say get a cyclocross bike (basically a road bike that can take wider tyres) and install 32-35mm road tyres (i.e. Continental GP4000 in 28mm = 31mm or Schwalbe Kojaks 35mm) for balance between comfort, speed and being pinch-flat proof.

You will still have space for mudguards, which would be difficult if you ran i.e. 28mm tyres on a "pure" road bike (I would not recommend going down to 25mm considering the weight)

Tyre width does not equate to maximum rider weight.

+5 years ago people got CX bikes because they could take wider tyres which are more comfortable, less rolling resistance and can be given a load more grip via loads of lugs on the tyres. There was little else on the market for people wanting road fast in comfort for commuting etc.

A proper CX bike has low gearing, canti brakes and no mudguard/rack mounts.

They are for bating around a mental grassy field for an hour or so.

As much as americanisms are an anathema to me look for a gravel/adventure bike.

Big clearances for big tyres if you want.
disc brakes.
regular gearing.
rack &/or mudguard mounts.
Sportive (old man/weekend slacker) geometry

I went from a CX bike to a gravel bike and knocked 45 minutes off my WW200 despite less training. Use bombproof mtb rims (wtb i19) with slick 27/28c tyres in summer (lovely comfort, tons of grip and fast) and 35c in winter (hutchison reflective beasts) for fit and forget. Compact on the front and 36-11 on the back gives a massive range which will allow you to get up even mt leinster.

Still able for green lanes and the like, better than my mtb's on fireroads.

Chuchote

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Depends on what his needs are. Hybrid is handy for trails and things like greenways and for commuting I would imagine as well as you are in a more upright position and easier to handle the bike.

Depends. The Cannondale Quick models are designed for a fairly upright position; they also have disc brakes. The latest version have a "slack geometry" - a longer wheelbase for lounging along happily; not so frisky, not so nippy, not so nimble but a lovely smooth ride, or so they say.