I am considering buying a hybrid (half mountain/ half road) bike for commuting. I expect to be mostly on a paved trail, but anticipate the occaisonal curb hop and construction site crossing.
Here’s the problem. I had a hybrid bike in college and had problems: tires liked to blow, rims liked to bend and chain liked to jump. I don’t remember what the make or model, but I paid about $US 200 in 1995 and bought it at a (seemingly respectable) bike shop.
I suspect the problem was weight: mine. I weigh 220 pounds after major holidays. I fear that my weight over a curb is more that the designers were thinking when they built the “compromise” hybrid.
Any big boys or girls out there to testify to the resilience of hybrid bikes?
BTW - The leading contender is a Giant Cypress (noted for its welded knees), and anything over $400 is for people without student loans to pay.
Did you keep your tires properly inflated? You should use a proper pressure gauge, or at least one built into a good pump. Under-inflated tires are the most common cause of flats and rim damages. I don’t think 220lb is enough to break a bike unless you use one improperly.
I put some of those “city tires” on my mountain bike and rode that around when faced with a similar situation. It worked pretty well, the tires were continental town and countries which are slick enough to be good on road, but not slippery in grass. I wasn’t worried about doing any damage to my montain bike, then some bastard stole it. The only complaint I had is that the gearing on the mountain bike was a little too low. I’m not sure if the gears are any different in hybrids. You should be able to get a solid bike for under $400. You might find some shops selling last year’s models right now cheap. By the way, I’m bigger than you are and didn’t have any problems.
First of all, I don’t care what anybody says, no bike less sturdy than a mountain bike – and that certainly includes hybrids – was meant to jump curbs. So there’s problem numero uno. That said, 220 lbs. should not be too much for your average hybrid to bear over normal terrain.
But, if you insist on being especially hard on your bike here’s some golden advice that nobody (except a few “in the know” long distance bike tourists) seems to follow. It’s a little expensive, but I promise you if you follow it you can kiss your wheel woes goodbye.
Toss the stock wheels that come with your new bike (or at least the rear one) in the recycle bin before you even pump them up. Go to a reputable wheel builder and ask him to build you a pair of TANDEM BIKE WHEELS. That’s right, tandem wheels: 48 spokes in the back, and 40 spokes in the front.
My builder used:
Phil Wood sealed bearing, medium flange hubs.
Super Champion #58 rims on one of my bikes (which I think are no longer available) and Mavics on the other.
14 guage spokes all around, laced 3-cross on the front and 4-cross on the rear.
This configuration is known as a Tran-America wheel because it was designed to get you across the USA on a fully-loaded (read: 20 to 40 lbs of gear) bike without ever going out of true, much less bending.
I assure you the purists will whine, “But they’re so heavy!” Screw them. They’re not going to volunteer to replace your three popped freewheel-side spokes in the middle of a Nebraska byway in mid-July. Or retrue/replace your flimsy stock wheels every two weeks.
Get these babies and forget ‘em. No truing. No lubing. No nuthin’. I’ve ridden my oldest bike for about 15 years and never did more to the wheels than hosed them down and patched an occasional flat.
It’s hard to top Styguy’s outstanding reply but I would like to recommend that, regardless of your budget, you should not consider buying your bike from a department or sproting goods store. Go to a bike shop. There, you will get properly fitted and you will have a resource (besides us) for all of your cycling related questions.
BTW, congratulations on your decision to commute by bicycle. I realize that it may be an economic decision rather than some commitment to health or the environment but the benefits are there whether intended or not.
Riding technique is the most important factor in making your wheels last. Put more of your weight on the pedals as that helps float wheels over bumps. Your legs are springy, your ass in the seat is not When things get rough put all your weight on your legs. I weigh a lot more now but when I was only a little heavier than your weight my main bike was a tradional road bike with 19mm rims and 25 or 28mm tires. The wheels were exceptionally well made by a local shop but no special high strength rims and the standard 36 spokes in 14 guage. I never damaged those wheels while friends who weighed 40-50lbs less managed to bash wheels on a regular basis on the same roads.
Tandem wheels are a good idea but it may blow yor budget. You may want to consider getting a mountain bike and adding ‘street’ tires and possibly a taller stem (Wow, starting to look like a hybrid ) When droping off curbs, absorbing some of the impact with your legs will save a lot of strain on the bike and wheels. Go to a quality bike shop and let them know your concerns and that you are not concerned about weight (I assume you are not). I think $400 is about the lower limit for a quality bike, just do not go to a toy/department store.
For non-cyclists, the freewheel side spokes are under more tension due to the way a wheel is designed to accomodate the multiple gears on a freewheel.
… and, as Anachronism neglected to mention, freewheel side spokes are a bitch and a half to replace, especially on the road.
You have to remove the freewheel which requires its own goofy, exclusive tool and either a bench vice or a big-ass wrench. (If you use the wrench, you better have a beefy buddy to help you hold the wheel while to grunt off the freewheel.) Then of course, you must possess a handful of replacement spokes on hand. All in all, not fun.
(Of course this is how you service a 10+ year old bike, like mine; maybe bikes have simpler wheel/hub/freewheel designs these days. I dunno.)
I have weighed 250+ for a long time, and haven’t ever had a problem with riding any bicycle like you mentioned. You shouldn’t need custom wheels for street riding unless you’re a bodybuilder- just make sure your spokes are tight, use 65-PSI street tires (I got mine at Wal-Mart for $8 each) and avoid hitting edges of curbs and pot-holes hard. -Suspension helps in this matter… ~ The chain skipping is any combination of poor adjustment, dirty, cheap and/or worn drivetrain parts. Regular cleaning and adjustment can help delay it happening, but the only real fix is to replace the chain, affected sprockets and cluster.
~
I do agree that hybrids aren’t for pounding on, especially if you’re a larger/adult person. Hybrids are basically street bikes with a MTB position; even fairly expensive hybrids are rather flimsy rides. - DougC
Just a little side note here. Check with your local police for their yearly ‘found’ property auction. Most police departments are piled high with bikes of all types that they have recovered and no one claimed. You might get a real good one at a low price.
When things get rough put all your weight on your legs. I weigh a lot more now but when I was only a little heavier than your weight my main bike was a tradional road bike with 19mm rims and 25 or 28mm tires. The wheels were exceptionally well made by a local shop but no special high strength rims and the standard 36 spokes in 14 guage. I never damaged those wheels while friends who weighed 40-50lbs less managed to bash wheels on a regular basis on the same roads.
) When droping off curbs, absorbing some of the impact with your legs will save a lot of strain on the bike and wheels. Go to a quality bike shop and let them know your concerns and that you are not concerned about weight (I assume you are not). I think $400 is about the lower limit for a quality bike, just do not go to a toy/department store.