BIKE: Heavy rider needs bike recommendation

[Mike Librik or Amy Babich]

Michael and Carrie Williams wrote:

> I've ridden bikes off and on for years to and from work (6-10 miles
> one way), and I've always had a problem breaking rear spokes.  Now,
> I'm out of shape and even heavier than before, and I need to get a
> bike that can handle my size for my ride to the bus stop (6 miles) in
> Pflugerville every weekday.  I'm 6' 3", 315 pounds with a 32 inch
> inseam and fairly strong legs (stresses spokes even more).   Internet
> searches always tout the lightweight frames, yada, yada.  I need BEEF,
> especially in the wheels.  Funds are fairly limited and with a six
> mile ride one-way (twice a day), a classic single speed cruiser won't
> cut it.  Recommendations?

It sounds like the wheels are more of a problem than the frame. The
spoke breakage may well come from poor spoke tension. Had the wheels
with the breaking spokes been trued and tensioned in recent memory?
Design-wise, one can make a wheel sturdier by using more spokes
(particularly a 48-spoke tandem hub and rim) and making the spokes
longer (such as on a three-cross or four-cross spoking pattern).

I would suggest getting any bike one liked, then making sure it has a
good quality rear wheel (alloy double-walled rim, preferably with
eyeletted spoke holes, stainless steel spokes, and brass nipples) and
make sure that wheel is properly trued and tensioned. 315 pounds is more
than bikes are typically rated for, but so long as you are pretty mellow
about your ride to the bus stop I suspect you will do OK. If you think
it is worth it, get a custom built wheel that can handle 48 spokes and
build it three-cross. I have no particular recommendation as to type of
spoke to use. I always build with rather whitebread 14-gauge straight
gauge spokes.

If one is particularly concerned about spoke fatigue due to pedaling
torque, one could build the drive side of the wheel four-cross, but
one's build cost or personal build headache would likely be increased.
Highly crossed wheels are a hassle to build.

Note that smaller wheels are naturally stronger, at least according to
accepted wisdom (I have made no scientific tests, personally), though
they do not hold speed quite so well. You could try a small wheeled
recumbent like the EZ-1, but you would definitely need to rebuild the
wheel, since these bikes are typically even more loaded to the rear than
upright bikes.

--
Mike Librik
Easy Street Recumbents
512-453-0438
45th and Red River St.
Central Austin
info
www.easystreetrecumbents.com
www.urbancycling.com

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