Chubby Beginner- Please Help :)

[wrenew]

Hi Everyone!
Well, in one month will be my big 3-0, so i've decided to take the bike by the handles and try and get healthier. My husband and I would like to begin cycling, because the area we live is gorgeous and it would be so wonderful to explore the trails around here. Also, I biked when I was a kid, and a bit as a teenager, and I adored it. Currently I weigh in at 255lbs, and i'm 5'8, so I need to find a bike that can support a heavier rider. From what i've read a steel bike will be necessary, and wheels with more spokes (also steel or stainless steel), but i'd also like to be comfortable on my bike, and hopefully a little more upright, instead of bent over with my tummy all squooshed and my weight on my wrists. I'll be riding primarily on pavement and dirt ATV trails, not tons of hills, but some.
My biggest issue is that I live in an extremely rural area, and there are *literally* no bike shops within 2 hours of me. Then the ones that exist two hours away are general sports stores, not bike specific shops, so I don't know how much help they'll be. I'd like to have as clear an idea as possible- down to brands and models- of what I should look at, just in case the sales people aren't very bike experienced.
So i've come to all of you at TE
Any help you can offer is so very appreciated! I'll be checking back regularly, and can answer any questions i've failed to cover here.
Thanks so much- in advance!
wren

[wrenew]

Oh! I should add that I need to keep the price under a thousand dollars. I know that narrows the field quite a bit

[Trek420]

Welcome to TE. Start here, this is a good thread and informative and feel free to pepper us with questions

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=33066

[wrenew]

Thank you! The link from the link that you sent me- the "Too fat to bicycle" post- was actually the one where I obtained most of the information I already have, lol- you are all a very experienced bunch!
I was hoping to find specific ideas for hybrids. While a recumbent bike sounds tempting, I would have a hard time transporting it, along with my husbands bike, to the trails we want to check out. I saw the suggestion for cyclocross bikes, so I looked at several, but they look so much like road bikes, in terms of (I don't know what the term is) bent-overness of the rider- i'm afraid it would be quite hard on my wrists- are some of them more upright?
I saw this time when I went back to the thread that one person says that Trek hybrids are supposed to support up to 300lbs, which should be fine for me. Is it enough to know that, and to know that Trek is a good company when I go to buy a bike? I'm assuming i'll probably want to get a wider seat for wider sit bones, but should I also consider changing the wheels to steel or stainless?

Sorry for the billions of questions- I appreciate any help you guys can offer!
Thanks,
wren

[Dannielle]

Nah, it doesn't require a steel bike.

I started riding my Specialized Globe Carmel, which is kind of a hybrid between a mountain bike and a cruiser (has an aluminum frame), weighing more than you weigh now. I didn't have to change any of the standard components, though I chose to go with a Brooks B66s saddle. I ride exclusively on trails and I love my bike.

If you go with a Trek you will need to change the seat. Their stock saddles are very uncomfortable (my daughter has a Trek Navigator and she has a Brooks Flyer saddle).

[Roadtrip]

Thanks for sharing your story. Here's a little of my story

I've always been a bigger girl. I hit 180lbs in my Sophomore year in high school, but was active and played sports, so was relatively fit. I continued to put on a few pounds here and there after high school those extra activities I used to do vanished and I (stupidly) picked up smoking because all my friends were doing it. I didn't smoke much, but fitness declined, and more pounds were found along the way. I was wearing a size 24 by year two of collage and pretty depressed, but then I quit smoking and joined the Y so I could use the small gym on site. I started working out 3x a week and dropped about 70 pounds and got down to a size 16. I then met a really great guy and started a career and those bad habits slowly started to creep back into our life as did the weight. I also had abdominal surgery to remove a ovarian cyst. I didn't do property core strengthening as part of my recovery, which acerbated an old back injury, leading to still more decline in mobility and fitness.

I'm not back to my old weight, but I am back into a 22 and about 20 pounds from my all-time high water mark in terms of weight. That's when I knew I needed to do something about my life and make some changes. I bought my first bike, an Alpha Aluminum Trek Pure "cruiser" (upright riding style due to the back) as I set off along this path about a month ago.

I was also taking on another demon from my past, the bike, so I figured if I can learn to ride as an adult (story here in the newbie section) I can surely loose the weight and make these life changes stick. I'm still taking baby steps, but I rode for about an hour today, just two weeks ago I needed DH and bike instructor to hold me up as I took my first timid trek across the tarmac.

Good luck and I'm sending the best wishes your way!!
Shannon

[Trek420]

I saw the suggestion for cyclocross bikes, so I looked at several, but they look so much like road bikes, in terms of (I don't know what the term is) bent-overness of the rider- i'm afraid it would be quite hard on my wrists- are some of them more upright?

Yes, if you decide you want a road or cross bike your LBS can fit you to a more upright posture. Nearly any road bike can be made more upright, or a MTB or hybrid could have a more "aggressive" fit.

It's all about what you want and working with your shop.

[Pedal Wench]

I'm assuming i'll probably want to get a wider seat for wider sit bones, but should I also consider changing the wheels to steel or stainless?

Welcome!!! I don't know how to say this - your sitbones don't move when you gain weight - so if you have wide sitbones, yeah, a wider seat, but heavier people don't necessarily have wider sitbones. And, a high-spoke count wheel should be okay.

[laura*]

wheels with more spokes (also steel or stainless steel)

Stainless steel spokes are quite standard. Exotic spoke materials (aluminum, titanium, carbon fiber) will only show up in expensive high end custom/race bikes. Galvanized steel spokes will be found on really cheap X-mart bikes. Galvanized spokes would work fine (though they'll rust eventually) but their presence means that other components won't be good enough.

You don't want steel rims: Rim brakes on steel rims don't work well in the rain.

At the weight you mentioned, I think you don't need to worry about wheel strength. Just get wheels with a "normal" spoke count of 32 or 36. Stay away from "hipster" low spoke count wheels.