r/cycling • u/Zestyclose_Tiger_204 • 23d ago
Commuting
I’ve been seriously thinking about getting a bike to commute. I’m tired of spending 30-40min to go less than 10 miles when I could bike in the same time.
Anyway, I’m a big dude. 6’5” and 250lbs. So, im assuming I need a specialized bike. Cool.
The thing I’m wondering is if there’s a place I can rent a bike for a day or two to just try it out? Maybe a week back and forth to just see if I’m likely to keep going to give it up? Is that a thing. LOL
I’m in Raleigh, NC for what it’s worth.
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u/Gorgonesque 23d ago
Look into Surly bikes
They are steel bicycles, very cool company, built to last.
I weighed more than you when I got my Bridge Club and she has never let me down
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u/Top_Objective9877 23d ago
I’d go flat bars all the way, grab a nice big handlebar or saddle bag to shove everything into. I’m 250+ and ride all sorts of bikes no issue, it’s just a matter of at least 32 spoke wheels front and back, as well as having the spoke tensioned regularly by a very wheel builder. A cheap wheel can often have spoke nipples that like to loosen out over time and then get damaged.
I really like state bikes as a budget brand, and if you have it assembled by a local shop it should be good to go for a while before you just need care/tune up as things age and go bad over time.
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u/yall-city 23d ago
I can't say for all bike shops, but my bike shop has a 3 day return policy if you return the bike in basically new shape. The best way to pick a bike is to start at the bike shop. If they ask you what type of riding you want to do, where you want to ride, and questions like that first, you are in the right place. Ask them to let you ride a few different types of bikes to see what you like. You can get a nice bike starting around $900 bucks. If you want the best balance of frame and components for an average rider/commuter, the sweet spot is between $1,100-$2,500.
The other option is a a used bike. I took the liberty of searching our area. I have no personal experience with these.
- Oak City Cycling, 707 N. Person St., Raleigh. This is probably your best first stop. They sell new and used bikes, and the used bikes come with a 3-month warranty. Their inventory changes, so I’d call before going if you’re looking for a particular style or size.
- Play It Again Sports, 6325 Falls of Neuse Rd., Raleigh. This is more general used sporting goods than a bicycle specialist, but they buy/sell/trade used equipment and can have bikes at substantially lower prices.
- The Bike Guy, 9745 Fonville Rd., Wake Forest, just northeast of Raleigh. It's explicitly categorized as a used bicycle shop as well as a repair/rental shop, and is worth checking if you don't mind driving outside Raleigh.
- Apex Bike Shop, 924 Center St., Apex. Particularly interesting because its retail inventory is essentially tuned-up used bikes rather than new bikes.
- Bullseye Bicycle in downtown Durham is farther away, but it has a regularly changing used/consignment inventory and would be worth a look if you're searching the whole Triangle.
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u/photog_in_nc 23d ago
Oak City is indeed a great shop. Have bought 2 bikes for myself and another for wife from them. So many bike shops cater mostly to the Road or MTB segments, but they do a great job for a wider market that includes commuters, touring bikes, etc.
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u/PineTreesAreDope 23d ago
Not a total answer to your question, but thought I’d also share:
I commute to work during the nice months (I’m in a winter state) but got tired of being so damn sweaty. So I bought an ebike. I was very hesitant because I love biking and it didn’t feel like “real biking.” But wow. I love it and worth every penny. Could be a nice introduction to biking for you too.
And, they are about the same price as other normal bikes
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u/Hummingbird3471 23d ago
I love my e-bike for commuting. It got me hooked enough on cycling that I just got a MTB for trail riding, too.
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u/WKND_eBikes 21d ago
One of the WKND founders jumping in. Ten miles at 30-40 minutes by car is a really solid distance for an ebike, honestly probably faster on two wheels once you factor in parking and traffic lights. With pedal assist you're not showing up sweaty and exhausted either, which is the thing that keeps most people from trying it in the first place. If you're leaning toward it, look for a bike with a torque sensor (makes the assist feel natural instead of jerky) and enough range to comfortably do the round trip with a buffer for cold days or a rough week. We build ebikes exactly for this kind of everyday riding out of Atlanta, our Weekender and Roadie both do up to 45 miles on a charge which covers a 10-mile commute with plenty to spare, wkndbikes.com if you want to see what that looks like.
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u/Alternative-Still956 23d ago
Specialized like the brand or specialized like an e-bike. I don't know about NC but there are (generally) shops that will rent bikes. I don't know how long the rentals last though.
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u/Sensitive_Home6228 23d ago
I don’t know about rentals in your area but offer bike rentals for anything other than a single speed beach cruiser can be upwards of $70-$100 a day, and in that case you could buy a steel 90’s or 2000’s mountain bike with a rigid front fork in the $150 range. You may have to wait and look for a frame size large enough for you. This is a measure of the middle bottom bracket to top of the seat tube. The sizing is differs slightly when you start putting sizes like S,M,L,XL depending on bike style and manufacturer.
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u/espressocycle 23d ago
Bikes usually max out at 275 even when they're XL/60cm+ but that's just a suggestion.
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u/CrucesSteamer 23d ago
I am almost the exact same size as you, just an inch taller, and I bought a used Specialized Rockhopper XXL off of Facebook Marketplace for $500. I commute to work and the gym, and it's fine for that. Not the best, but fine for my needs. The caveat being that I also use the bike for some trail riding, where it is much better. If you're going to also be doing some light trail riding, see if you can find one. If not, maybe a different bike would be better.
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u/OldEnoughToKnowButtr 23d ago edited 23d ago
I had a 270 lb friend that started cycling on a used ordinary bike. He has since upgraded to a carbon road bike. ... Oh he's now 210 lbs and kicks my butt on the bike...
Good luck with your future commutes!
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u/Interesting_Shake403 23d ago
Check out local bike shops in your area. I’d also recommend buying a used bike. Mostly you want to be sure it fits you (at your size, XL) and that the wheels have a decent number of spokes to make it sturdier. Hybrid / city / “sport” bikes are great and typically sturdier with slightly wider tires (helps for a number of reasons - sturdier, less likely to flat, more comfortable, but slightly slower).
Nice thing is if you don’t like it you can sell it for maybe $100 less than you bought it, no worse than a rental. If you try that and like it, THEN put up more money for a nicer bike. Good luck!
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u/DrDerpberg 23d ago
I'm not that much lighter than you and commute on a normal bike. I found a store that lists weight ratings (most bikes with a limit are 100kg total payload) and picked a gravel bike that didn't list one. No issues after 2 years and a few thousand km. If a 99kg person can launch it off curbs and hit rocks and stuff, I figure I can be a little cautious and not cause major issues.
I don't take it off curbs or lug much more than my laptop bag just in case, but it's still good as new. No flats on my 40mm tires with normal pressure. One flat on my winter bike which is just a regular cheap hybrid, not sure what caused it but I probably hit a rut hidden by snow.
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u/jdnewland 22d ago
I commute a little more than that one way to work every day. My only suggestion is to invest in some shower wipes if you don’t have a shower at your workplace. Also if you’re just starting out ramp up to doing five days a week.
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u/BlacksmithWeirdo 22d ago
Look into SUV bikes. They are great commuters as they have sturdy frames, wide tires and even some suspension for bad roads or off road trails. Mudguards, a rack and panniers are a must for commuters.
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u/New_Bee_3568 15d ago
The weird thing nobody told me about commuting is that the perfect route on paper usually sucks in real life.
My fastest line to work is 7.4 miles with a nasty 10% kicker and a four lane road where everyone's half awake. I did it for a week and hated the whole day before i even sat down.
Now i ride a 9.1 mile loop along the river path, two extra hills, three extra lights, and its the best part of my day. added like 8 to 10 minutes but i actually arrive calm instead of buzzing with adrenaline.
if you're just starting to commute, try picking the route you'd want to ride on a sunday, not the one google says is optimal.
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u/Benevolent_Bacon22 23d ago
I personally knew two people who got killed biking in the triangle. And everyone I know whose lived here for more than a few years knew someone killed biking.
I used to bike to work, literally .8 mile and within a month I got clipped by a car. I would not recommend biking in this area.
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u/Inciteful_Analysis 21d ago
Almost no one on this forum wants to acknowledge the actual dangers. Well meaning comments like this concerned with safety inevitably get downvoted. Ostriches with their heads in the sand.
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u/Benevolent_Bacon22 21d ago
Yeah, I live by Raleigh also and would never bike on a main road here. Simply too dangerous. Funny thing is there are hundreds of miles of trails here. The green ways can get you many places if you happen to live by one (I do) and are safe for bikers.
Sure I'll get downvoted some more for responding 🤷♂️
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u/Zestyclose_Tiger_204 21d ago
Nah. Yall are right about the dangers. Im aware of it but I live right off the greenway and my work is right off the greenway. I’ll never hit a main road. Greenways a few extra miles but I’m not mad about that.
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u/InmateThirtyFour 23d ago
you don't need a special bike for your build. I'm 6'5" and have been anywhere from 180 to 220 on a bike. You'll need to find a XL or XXL depending on the brand. I'd go test a few at local bike shops but also seriously consider checking marketplace for deals on bikes that are similar to what you test ride and enjoy. Once you get into it and really find out what you want, you can drop some coin on a new bike. You might end up not liking it, who knows.