First - I'm sorry if there are similar threads posted. I looked through TONS of bike forums, including this one, these past few weeks and I don't really have an answer I'm happy with yet... So I decided to post here.




Okay now - my basic question is about the kind of bike I should get. I do NOT have the cycler's body, at all. I'm 5'4" and 240lbs. Obviously, I need more support than the average rider. I know I don't want a mountain bike. That's about all I know.

I have a few goals w/ riding... So they should cover all these things...

I want to drop 60 lbs in about 4 to 5 months. So I want a bike that is durable enough for 5mi, then eventually 10, then 20, then 30miles a day. (because i'm this heavy, losing weight comes a lot faster... don't worry i'm not crash dieting or anything. Just 12lbs-15lbs a month).

I want to join my local bike groups that some of the LBS's put together. They do about 20 miles on a saturday or sunday.

I also want to do a lot of charity rides. They look like SO MUCH FUN! -but I probably won't attempt this until a year or so.

Most of the charity rides I've researched do about 30-60 miles a day. So I definitely need to bring up my stamina.

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Okay that was an eyefull -so if you're still reading, bless you.

There's also another thing: I really don't have any sort of fancy budget. Ideally, the bike will be less than 300 dollars. My first goal is just to get to 20 miles.... I figure after that, I can spend on a bike in the 700 dollar range.

Right now, I have an old Schwinn from the 70s - frame and everything are decent. But the tires suck. My mom said I needed new tubes... I don't know what that means. It's not a mountain bike. It has thin tires, but it doesn't have the "road bike" handle bars. It's just normal handlebars and a gear shift. It hasn't been ridden for over ten years. But it's a solid piece of work -and not part of the Schwinn's made in taiwan (which i've noticed are being sold at bigbox stores now...?)

I also have the opportunity to buy a brand new Trek FX 7.1 for under 300 off a friend. It's classified as a fitness bike by some and a hybrid by others. But it's not a road bike. It has regular flat handlebars.

Though not road bikes, I'm considering them only because I can get in shape relatively cheaply and then spend real money on a serious road bike when I'm ready to join a group or do a charity ride in about six months. Also the Schwinn is here and the cost is just whatever new parts I need for it. The Trek is new, and under 300.

I know most people will say that I should just go to an LBS -but it seems that they have NOTHING in my price range. Cheapest bikes run about 600 (and these are on "clearance").

Target, Walmart, Amazon, and Ebay are all places i've been shopping around lately... I just don't know if those options are any good....



Woah. I just wrote a thesis paper on "The Dilemma of Choosing a Bike for the Overweight and Totally Broke American..."

Thanks for reading... and thank you even more if you decide to reply! I really appreciate ANY advice... I'm so lost on the subject it's quite sad.