Is this because of my massive weight or was it mainly bad luck?

[Punkawallah]

Thank you!

The other wheels I have rims that are a lot narrower, I bought them for my old road bike quite a while ago. I don't think they will take tyres wider than 28c.
I'd be happy to buy a set of hybrid wheels from ebay, I'm not 100% sure what I'd be looking for

Wow. narrower than 19mm :-)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_...0.l1313&_nkw=bike+wheels+700c+hybrid&_sacat=0

Can't vouch for any them, but there are plenty within your budget. You'd need to know whether yours were cassette or freewheel to use the old gears, or get a pair with a block included.

Or, if you want to wait a week, I can see what I can turn up second hand?

 

[Lovacott]

I'd err towards the impact, I broke a wheel in a pothole when I was 16 and only 9 stone. You're a bigger rider of course and that might or might not have been a contributing factor, but the impact will have been the key thing.

It all depends on where your weight is when you hit the pothole.

If you see a pothole at the last second and can't avoid it, lift your arse out of the saddle and put your weight onto the pedals. This will distribute your weight evenly over both wheels. If you have a bit more time, throw your weight upwards before you hit the pothole and you won't even notice it.

 

[thistler]

Thank you Punkawallah! As I am heavy and planning on doing some touring, would I be better off getting a wider rim than what is currently on the bike? Is there anything I need to be measuring to make sure they fit? I might be able to sell some things to get the money to buy a new, better quality set of wheels.

I wish this was all a bit clearer in my head, maybe I whacked it harder than I thought when I crashed

 

[Lovacott]

Thank you Punkawallah! As I am heavy and planning on doing some touring, would I be better off getting a wider rim than what is currently on the bike? Is there anything I need to be measuring to make sure they fit? I might be able to sell some things to get the money to buy a new, better quality set of wheels.

I wish this was all a bit clearer in my head, maybe I whacked it harder than I thought when I crashed

When you hit a pothole, if all of your weight is on the saddle, it will be hard and all of the brunt will be taken up on the section of wheel which hits the pothole first.

Wider tyres will distribute your weight over a wider range of the tyre, but the best strategy is to remove the weight at the point of impact.

Kerb hopping is a great skill to learn and it's something the average mountain biker takes in their stride. You ride towards an obstacle like a tree root and just before impact, you throw yourself upwards by standing on the pedals and pull up on the handlebars. You basically fly over the obstacle as if it wasn't there.

 

[Punkawallah]

Thank you Punkawallah! As I am heavy and planning on doing some touring, would I be better off getting a wider rim than what is currently on the bike? Is there anything I need to be measuring to make sure they fit? I might be able to sell some things to get the money to buy a new, better quality set of wheels.

I wish this was all a bit clearer in my head, maybe I whacked it harder than I thought when I crashed

HI, just checked the Sheldon Brown tables, and it seems your 17mm rim is more flexible than I'd thought - apparently it will take up to a 37mm tyre. So no need to worry about selling things to upgrade the wheels. Look, I have an old 700c front wheel from a touring bike. If you give me the inside distance between your front forks, I'll see if it will fit them, and you can have it for shipping. It''s not pretty, and will need a good clean, but it's a quality wheel - Sachs Maillard.

 

[thistler]

HI, just checked the Sheldon Brown tables, and it seems your 17mm rim is more flexible than I'd thought - apparently it will take up to a 37mm tyre. So no need to worry about selling things to upgrade the wheels. Look, I have an old 700c front wheel from a touring bike. If you give me the inside distance between your front forks, I'll see if it will fit them, and you can have it for shipping. It''s not pretty, and will need a good clean, but it's a quality wheel - Sachs Maillard.

Wow that is a really generous offer, Punkawallah! I will measure the forks and send you a message

 

[battered]

Thank you Punkawallah! As I am heavy and planning on doing some touring, would I be better off getting a wider rim than what is currently on the bike?

As others have said, I don't think your size is the cause of the bent wheel. It contributes, obviously, but 36 spoke wheels should be strong enough unless they are cheap and or worn. After all MTBers crash over all sorts of terrain. I think you were just unlucky and maybe a bit of technique is called for. Others have said that kerb hopping is a skill, and I suspect, especially as it was a front wheel you broke, that the pothole just took you by surprise and you hit it square on. The trick is to lean back as your front wheel hits the kerb or hole, this puts 3/4 of the weight on the back. Then the front will bounce clear, and once you are over you lean forward, get off the seat and load the front. This allows the back to skip over the hole. Practice on a kerb at low speed. Keep going, you're doing fine.

 

[steve292]

It's not your size its the pothole.
As to a replacement, you need the following to buy a new one

Distance between front forks at where the wheel locates
Skewers or nuts to hold the wheel in?
Rim or disc brakes
Size of wheel (diameter)

Post up pics if you are unsure there's people on here who will help you.