Am i to heavy for my new bike?

[Coneypark]

Hi,
Just recently found this forum and have picked up lots of info already.

I have just got back into cycling in the last three months and had been using my 11 year old raleigh mtb but it wasn't in great nick. I know the owner of the local lbs and he gave me a great price on a Kona fire mountain deluxe 2009, £300. So I bought it.

Now I realise bikes are designed to take up to 18 stone and I'm currently 20 stone.

I'm using the bike mostly on canal paths and back roads not mostly off road.

1) will my excess weight damage my new bike?

2) would I be better to try and keep using the old bike until I loose more weight?

Thanks
John

 

[lazyfatgit]

rider weight may be an issue on some super duper featherweight racing bike, but i would have thought a mountain bike would be fine. The new bikes probably better engineered than the old raleigh, and hasn't been kicking around for a decade.

 

[ianrauk]

Hello Coneypark and welcome to the site.
Good on you for getting on your bike and losing some weight. A lot of people on this forum have been in the same position as yourself. Cycling really works at getting that weight down. You only have to check out this thread from the legendary Gaz as proof of that.

Looking at your new bike, it looks a very sturdy piece of kit. I own a Kona Dew and it's a rock solid bike. Where did you get the information the bike is only designed for weights up to 18 stone? I am pretty sure that your Kona could take 20st easy.

 

[HLaB]

Hi Coneypark, it might be an issue on a super lite roadbike or one you're bumping about a fair bit. Limits are usually folk being over cautious (a certain amount of safety built in) so they're not sued so I cant see a problem with 20st and with a little riding you'll soon be less than 18st anyway, go for it.

 

[punkypossum]

Bargain!!!! Not an expert on weights, but with it being an mtb, I'm sure you should be fine!!!

 

[Hilldodger]

Don't worry about it. And anyway, you'll soon be a stone or two leighter!

 

[Banjo]

Welcome on the forum Coney park.

Crikey that was a bargain.Unless your really hammering the bike on offroad trails then it will be fine.

Keep the tyres pumped to close to the maximum rating and avoid banging into curbs and potholes or you may get a pinch flat where the rim cuts onto the tube.

The 22 tooth chain ring will be a help on steep hills especially until your fitness builds up then you will find you use the bottom gears less and less.

I have lost 3 stone in 8 months One guy on here (The amazing shrinking Gaz that ianrauk mentioned)was 39 stone when he started and is now down to 22 I think have a look at his website .http://www.amazingshrinkinggaz.co.uk/blog/?page_id=7

Quite a few of us keep a record of our weight on the Health and Fitness part of the forum.I think it gives you encouragement knowing that other people are doing the same thing .

Good Luck

 

[Coneypark]

Hi,

Thanks for the reassurance - it helps a lot. Also, thanks for the encouragement-that really helps Lost another 3 lbs this week so going in the right direction slowly.

Where did you get the information the bike is only designed for weights up to 18 stone? I am pretty sure that your Kona could take 20st easy.

I didn't actually find anything specific to the Kona just that in general bikes are tested up to 18 stone so was just a little worried I could be fecking up my new bike LOL.

 

[Lazy-Commuter]

Welcome coneypark. Excellent start. And I don't think anyone would call losing 3lb in a week "slowly" ..

 

[Coneypark]

Keep the tyres pumped to close to the maximum rating and avoid banging into curbs and potholes or you may get a pinch flat where the rim cuts onto the tube.

Thanks for that - it saved me from having to ask about that.

The 22 tooth chain ring will be a help on steep hills especially until your fitness builds up then you will find you use the bottom gears less and less.

I've found they came in handy when I tried this little journey:-
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=114188900579511575869.00047532f24641fd09617&z=12

I have lost 3 stone in 8 months One guy on here

Thats good going - I've lost just under 2 Stone in 2 months it's just such a slow process LOL

Thanks again,

John

 

[Brahan]

I've lost just under 2 Stone in 2 months it's just such a slow process

Slow? You're doing well mate. I wouldn't say slow though.

 

[Brahan]

ps. You're not too heavy. Konas are solid.

 

[Coneypark]

Slow? You're doing well mate. I wouldn't say slow though.

It's slow when you want to wake up and find it's all gone
But in real terms I know it's going well and the bike is definitely helping. I enjoy doing that as to having to make myself use the cross trainer I had been using.

Thanks again for all the encouragement.

P.S. I've started another new thread so feel free to drop by and leave your advice on that one as well :-)

 

[HLaB]

I've found they came in handy when I tried this little journey:-
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=114188900579511575869.00047532f24641fd09617&z=12

They're good hills

 

[Coneypark]

They're good hills

They are that.
I'm lucky that I have so many options locally for cycling that keeps me off the main roads, hate cycling on busy roads.
Starting to discover there are even more options than I thought though which is good.

The Forth and Clyde canal is good as it's nice and flat