190 cm and 120 kg wight - Help chose a bicycle

[Deepak Gupta]

Hi all,

This is Deepak (twugd on twitter) from Bangalore.
I would like to buy a bicycle and intend to ride it 20 kms daily
initially (one way to office) and after some time 40 kms (to and fro).
The hitch is that my weight is 120kgs and my height is 190cm. The
height limits me to XL size bikes (22" frames).

I went to Decathlon and they said you should reduce your weight to
100-110kg before buying a bike. This is kind of ironic as my purpose
to buy a bike is to reduce weight. :D

Now if that is indeed the case, then I would rather buy something
cheap (8-10k) and even if it breaks in 10 months, I won't mind. For
that reason I wanted to check out the Btwin Rockrider 5.1 but
Decathlon guys said there is no XL model available.
But if good quality bikes (15-20k) can handle my weight, then I'd
rather buy those.

I also went to RR cycles, Madiwala and they showed me 2 cycles which
were XL.
1. Schwin Frontier Sport 2011 (15k)
2. Raleigh Nomad (14k)
The sales guy of course said that weights up to 150kg are fine, but I
have a hard time believing that seeing what folks as Decathlon said.

Any suggestions, recommendations? If weight is a problem, then less
than 10k, if bikes can handle my weight + a few kgs for laptop, water
etc then around 20k will also do.

Cheers and thanks :)

[anilk...@gmail.com]

Deepak,

"I went to Decathlon and they said you should reduce your weight to
100-110kg before buying a bike".

He is right, I also vouch for the same!!!!

It is a good idea go for it before buying the cycle, it is not because Bike can't handle the weight, because the stress created on knees due to additional weight.

Best recommended for you is swimming it is a zero stress on knees, till you loose at least 20kgs.

Please EXCUSE me if I offended you in any way!!!!

Very truly,
Anil s kadsur

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[deepakvrao]

How does increased body weight add stress to the knees while cycling?

[deepakvrao]

Edit: except out of the saddle of course, but thats not what a newbie
at that weight would be doing right?

[Venkatesh N]

+1 

Weight of 120 should not matter on a good bike. 

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[mda]

That is crazy. For commuting on paved roads, your weight should not be
an obstacle,
either for your body or the bike's. You did the right thing by moving
on to another shop.

Getting you fit properly will be very important for your enjoyment of
your bike.
With your height and weight, you'll need someone experienced to set
you up.
I believe that wheelsports & BOTS have a good reputation in Bangalore.
I don't know if they have in stock something in your size and budget,
but they'd
at least make sure you are positioned correctly.

I hope I'm not being too presumptuous to include this quote:
"you can't out-train a bad diet".
The biking will certainly improve your health
and will assist somewhat in your weight loss, but it isn't a magic
bullet.

Best wishes on your new endeavor.

-mda

[M S Sriram]

Please go ahead and buy a bike without bothering about your weight.. i say this as bike/s generally say that max 120kg (rider+ cycle itself) is permissible... which means if you do exceed this restriction then all that you are set to lose once you do buy a cycle is

 

a) first/foremost your weight ;)..good news

b) 2yr/5yr/lifetime warranty on frame of bicycle..

 

considering both a,b occur; b will only affect you once you do break the frame..which is like next to impossible cos the bikes like MTBs usually can handle 120kg gross weight( rider included) in very demanding off road terrains which cause lot more fatigue loading than a few extra kilos rider, who is riding mainly to lose weight..!!! Therefore go right ahead..

 BUT- further to your query, i think the size of the bike will be highly critical as you are definitely much taller than average population..so please please buy nothing but the perfect size, which means you will have to spend nothing less than 15-20, because generally bikes below 15k come in "one size=should fit all" formula..

LAST but not least, have your bike-fit done correctly to suit you..this is nothing but small adjusting done on the saddle postiion, seat height, handle bar height/distance from saddle,etc..

 

Sriram  

[Aravind Muthusamy]

I'm 180cm and was 100 kg ( this can be easily extrapolated to yours )
when I bought a trek 4300 D from BOTS. I'm 90 now.
So cycling is one of the best ways to loose weight ...Also... My right
knee has had 2 ACL reconstructions. I'm doing ok.
As deepak says..if saddle is right then your knee should be safe.

Even if it takes a couple of 1000s more....Take one from BOTS or some
one else who is a master in the trade.

Mind you ...it is a lot better and cheaper than to have a bypass later
on. overweight kills.

Have fun !!! cycle your way to happiness...

best wishes,
Aravind

[George Joseph]

Not sure if I missed something, but the original question seemed to be about stress to the knees not to the bike frame.

If that was the question, the additional stress would only be if your leg muscles and connecting tissue weren't used to handling/strong enough for the extra weight. 

Normal bike frames can handle much more than 120kg.

George Joseph

IC: 9483501169

NC: 847-859-9591

-Sent from my iPad 2

[Rohan Kini]

Hey Deepak,

The decathlon guys are partly right - if you want to have a hassle free ride, you might want to get onto a better bike.

From experience we have seen that the entry level bikes (say sub 20k) even from better brands tend to have cheapie components that tend to break down or have issues as they take the load - nylon or crappy pedals, single walled rims etc. 

Bikes in the sub 8k you mention have a much weaker frame that are gonna creak in no time.

Getting your frame size in most good brands should not be a problem

Maybe you could also consider getting a good second hand bike in the Trek 4300 range with the 20k budget you have

~ROhan

[Rohan Kini]

Most good MTBs have a recommendation of 135 Kgs - on their websites.

And the definition of a good bike is kinda tricky - too many unknowns.

Take a light person who is commuting on a bike such as the firefox Target and its perfect. He would deem it a good bike and it is.

Take a heavy person who is doing a trail ride on it and he will pretty much have a creaking bottom bracket and a pedal which makes a knocking sound in a couple of weeks.

Knees - yeah. Keep a healthy cadence and try and listen to your body and you should be good irrespective of the bike you are on!

[Murali Katta]

I suggest u take a one or two bikes on rental, ride it, consult bike experts such as BOTS Rohan then decide.

Sent from my iPad

[Amit Saxena]

Hi Deepak,

I am almost 90kg and 5'6" .. I started cycling for the same reason, because I wasn't able to get time for workout out of my busy schedule. I went to Venky (wheelsports) at got a Merida Matts 10v for 16k. In just few days, I started enjoying riding. I ride approx 10 ~15Km daily. I am using it to commute to office. And let me tell you, I never knew that its going to be so easy. Even more, I never knew I can ride that long :-).

Now its been more than a month since I am riding it. Last week I did my first 43km ride. Let me tell you, riding any good bike for 15~20km is a peanut, believe me.

Just visit Wheelsports or BOTS and get a good bike that you like and suits your budget. These people will suggest you a right bike and right frame for you.

Don't think about your weight or any other reason that is beyond your control. Or to be straight forward, stop finding excuses for not riding. :-) ...
You don't need stamina, perfect weight and fitness to ride a bike. You only need a "WILL Power" to ride it. Rest of the things will fall in place automatically once you get started. And the fact that you are already thinking about it and posted it here, I suppose you have enough of "WILL" to ride a bike. Just maintain it.

If you ride properly and carefully you cannot break any bike frame, even from cheaper range. Just remember when you were a kid. Get a bike, jump on it and start paddling.. That's it.. 



And yeah, get a helmet for sure..


Regards,
Amit

[anil kadsur]

Deepak,

Here is just a comparison between the two. I am not saying guys here don't know that. My point is between the two Swimming is less impact/stress on the knees, if one is considerably over weight.

"it is not because Bike can't handle the weight"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2007/dec/15/weekend7.weekend10

Swimming

Quick results Engages all major muscle groups, and is a strenuous workout for heart and lungs. Water supports body weight, so there's no stress on joints, and being about 14 times thicker than air, it offers ideal muscle-toning resistance.

Bulking up Only by sprinting laps in the swimming pool will muscle be built to any significant degree. Swimming lengths flat out will give great upper body definition after a while, but it can be pretty exhausting.

Fighting flab Prolonged exercise at lower intensity is better for fat-burning, which is why swimming is so effective - a man weighing around 70-80kg will burn about 750 calories an hour while swimming breaststroke at moderate intensity.

Beating boredom You use both upper and lower body to propel yourself through the water, so it's a perfect total body workout. With the choice of strokes, it offers variety, too, and, if you relax and focus on the rhythm of the stroke, it can have a calming and almost meditative effect.

Cycling

Quick results A great aerobic workout that improves stamina. Low weight-bearing, so can be as joint-friendly as swimming. To get the most out of swimming you need the skill to develop an efficient stroke, but with cycling you just get on and pedal.

Bulking up Cycling in higher gears will build muscle strength in the calves, gluteus, quadriceps and, by standing up out of the saddle, upper and lower back, too. However, it's not so great for building up the upper arms.

Fighting flab The higher the cadence (80-100 revolutions a minute should be achievable) in low gears, the more fat is burned. But it's still not as effective as swimming - an hour's cycling by a 70-80kg man averaging 10-15mph would use 600 calories an hour.

Beating boredom It's multi-functional, getting you from A to B while getting you fit, it's social and the scenery changes. It can also get you to work, so you can avoid the gym - a half-hour daily commute burns about eight calories a minute, or 11kg of fat over a year.

Very truly,
anil s kadsur

[anil kadsur]

Deepak Rao,

Absolutely!!!!

That is the point i was trying to communicate.

[anil kadsur]

+1

[mda]

> http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2007/dec/15/weekend7.weekend10

Well, except this is just made-up filler for a weekend newspaper
edition, not
an actual study.

Nobody is actually sure why, but evidence seems to suggest swimming is
not
so good as cycling or running:
http://www.sportsci.org/news/compeat/fat.html
http://christianfinn.com/swimming-for-weight-loss/

There are other considerations as well.
For beginners, swimming is *far* more technique intensive than
cycling. It is very difficult
for a beginning swimmer to set an arbitrary effort level between
"directed floating"
and "surviving to the end of the pool".
And by the time a person has developed enough skill and fitness to
actually
swim continuously for an hour and burn 750 calories (or whatever the
claim is) then guess what -- unless their technique is flawless, they
are quite likely to start having serious joint issues.
Just ask any expert swimmer how often they've had shoulder problems.
And as for breaststroke, one study of competitive breaststrokers found
that 73% had "breaststroker's knee":
(Vizsoly, P. Breaststroker's knee. An analysis of epidemiological and
biomechanical
factors. American Journal of Sports Medicine. 1987; 15:63-71.)

Swimming is not as accessible either, to many people.
Here in Mysore, the only "real" pool (excluding the decorative oddly
shaped hotel pools)
is the Mysore University pool, which does not maintain its water
quality well,
and is so filled with bodies it is impossible to do real laps.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy swimming, and if you have the skills it
can
be a great workout. Pool work (such as underwater running, not real
swimming)
can also be fantastic rehab for injuries.

-mda

[deepakvrao]

Weight is not an issue for knees when cycling. You're weight is
distributed between saddle and bar, and if you maintain a correct
cadence, there is no detrimental impact on your knees.

On Jan 8, 5:14 pm, anil kadsur <anilkad...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Deepak,
>
> Here is just a comparison between the two. I am not saying guys here don't
> know that. My point is between the two Swimming is less impact/stress on
> the knees, if one is considerably over weight.
>

> "i*t is not because Bike can't handle the weight"
>
> *http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2007/dec/15/weekend7.weekend10
>
> *Swimming*
>
> *Quick results* Engages all major muscle groups, and is a strenuous workout

> for heart and lungs. Water supports body weight, so there's no stress on
> joints, and being about 14 times thicker than air, it offers ideal
> muscle-toning resistance.
>

> *Bulking up* Only by sprinting laps in the swimming pool will muscle be

> built to any significant degree. Swimming lengths flat out will give great
> upper body definition after a while, but it can be pretty exhausting.
>

> *Fighting flab* Prolonged exercise at lower intensity is better for

> fat-burning, which is why swimming is so effective - a man weighing around
> 70-80kg will burn about 750 calories an hour while swimming breaststroke at
> moderate intensity.
>

> *Beating boredom* You use both upper and lower body to propel yourself

> through the water, so it's a perfect total body workout. With the choice of
> strokes, it offers variety, too, and, if you relax and focus on the rhythm
> of the stroke, it can have a calming and almost meditative effect.
>

> *Cycling*
>
> *Quick results* A great aerobic workout that improves stamina. Low

> weight-bearing, so can be as joint-friendly as swimming. To get the most
> out of swimming you need the skill to develop an efficient stroke, but with
> cycling you just get on and pedal.
>

> *Bulking up* Cycling in higher gears will build muscle strength in the

> calves, gluteus, quadriceps and, by standing up out of the saddle, upper
> and lower back, too. However, it's not so great for building up the upper
> arms.
>

> *Fighting flab* The higher the cadence (80-100 revolutions a minute should

> be achievable) in low gears, the more fat is burned. But it's still not as
> effective as swimming - an hour's cycling by a 70-80kg man averaging
> 10-15mph would use 600 calories an hour.
>

> *Beating boredom* It's multi-functional, getting you from A to B while

[Deepak Gupta]

Thanks for the wise words guys. Never expected such a great response
to my query.

I have now pretty much decided to go for either
1. Btwin Rockrider 5.2 (some good reviews available on the net)
2. Schwinn Frontier sport 2011 (not much in terms of reviews on the
net)
Can you guys suggest which one would be a better choice. In term of
build quality and better parts?
For the starting budget of 15k, these are the one of the few bikes
available in XL size (21-22" frames)

I have heard seen pretty impressive reviews of the KHS Alite 300 but I
guess this is available at 20k which makes it a tad more expensive for
my budget.

I am yet to check out Wheelsports and Pedals and Wheels. Let's see
what they recommend.

[George Joseph]

Your muscles have to bear that extra weight every time you speed up or go up a hill.... That's extra strain on the muscles.

If your muscles aren't used to that strain the stress eventually goes to your bones. Also I believe a lot of knee problems are caused by a combination of muscle imbalance in the quads causing the knee cap to track incorrectly which results a lot of pain.

George Joseph
IC: 9483501169
NC: 847-859-9591
-Sent from my iPad 2

[Deepak Rao]

Nope, not really.

You just need to change the gearing to get the cadence right. Just
like touring with a loaded bike. You go slower for the same effort,
but it does NOT put more strain on the knees, if you do it right.

[pradee...@gmail.com]

My opinion schwiNn.

Sent on my BlackBerry® from Vodafone

-----Original Message-----
From: Deepak Gupta <deepa...@gmail.com>
Sender: bangalor...@googlegroups.com
Date: Sun, 8 Jan 2012 07:04:03
To: Bangalore Bikers Club<bangalor...@googlegroups.com>

[Mayank Rungta]

+1

For your build you need a good bike. You might need to stretch your budget else you will end up with a bike you will spend much more on later! :)

I don't think a L size would work for you Venky had a Merida Sub 10V in your budget range but I don't think the pedals will last long.

I would like Rohan suggested look for a 2nd hand bike in Trek 4300 or other such models. My friend who is 6'3" managed to use a Giant Innova for 2 years without much problem but he was <100 kilo range.

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