Heavy, tall... it's all against me

[TallTeaSipper]

Hi all,

thanks for reading!

looking for some advice if I may, particularly from people who have been in a similar boat to me and have overcome it.

I am 6 foot 5 inches tall. Based in the UK. I weigh about 300lbs at the moment (down from 340lbs) and still chipping away.

I have cycled on and off for all of my life. I previously commuted daily on an old CUBE Aluminium framed road bike, back when I was fit!

I started Triathlons last season and am carrying this on into 2026, with a Half Ironman (70.3) booked for September 2025.

Here is my current predicament - I beleive I am too heavy for Carbon bikes... I accept that - are my only options ALLY/STEEL/TITANIUM?

I currently have a Canyon Endurance (1-2 years old... 105 Group set - lovely bike, but I want disc brakes and the frame/fork on this one aren’t set up for a change to disc brakes).

I have a few options...

1. Buy a new Canyon Endurance AL or other brand bike with disc brakes - however, I'd ideally like a better group set and even would like to explore electronic shifting... it's just annoying that I'd be buying a whole new bike when I know that I will be looking to upgrade the most expensive components... the wheels and group set! The big PLUS with Canyon is that they do a XXL frame, and they seem to be very good value for money and get great write ups.

2. Explore CONDOR bikes, they have an Aluminium and Steel race orientated frameset but I am concerned that their largest size (61) is going to be too small for me.

3. Find a frameset and put the parts from my current CANYON on it whilst upgrading slowly?

4. Carry on loosing weight then look at Carbon bikes which are on the market (Canyon Aero?) in XXL sizes with the components I want... only issue is the Aeroad CF SLX 7 AXS, which is the bike I'd want, has a max weight of 120kg/264lbs... would need to drop 36lbs just to ride it naked without any clothes on? Worth keeping my current bike and working towards that?

5. Listen to your advice around Aluminium or Steel framed race bikes suitable for upgrading components over time, suitable for a mixture of riding to include Triathlon up to Ironman distance - I'd like to be clear I am not looking to win these Triathlons... just to finish them... and my height again does not lend itself naturally to Aero/Tri bikes so I am happy that this ship has sailed.

Really appreciate any advice - it's causing me a massive headache.

S.

 

[Moodyman]

300lbs is c.135kg. I think that exceeds the formal weight limit of most bikes - irrespective of material.

I’ve exceeded the weight limit of all my bikes, especially when touring. Never broken a frame (though never ridden carbon or titanium). But, I’ve broken many a spoke and rim.

I understand there is a considerable safety margin in the weight limit stated by manufacturers. So, you should be ok with any material.

PS - chapeau on doing Ironmans. Can’t be easy at 300lb. Be that muscle or blubber.

 

[si_c]

I'm largely in the same boat as yourself, 6'5" and around 115kg currently and don't think my weight has been an issue really so I'd not worry too much about carbon/alloy/steel as a materia - as @Moodyman says if well designed they'll have plenty of tolerance for weight in them and are unlikely to be an issue. I ride alloy frames generally though as the frames tend to be cheaper and I prefer to put my money into the components on them as gains from frame weight in a bike are nominal and far less than the range in which my weight tends to fluctuate anyway.

I'd recommend getting a decent set of wheels - currently using a set of Bontrager carbon wheels - they are low spoke count but I've been riding them for 3 years now and they haven't lost shape at all - done several thousand miles on them.