[buffallobob]

Hi I am looking for some help selecting a bike for my son he is 25 6'4" and 18 stone and is a profesional rugby player for one of the London teams, He rides about 8 miles each way to training and back in London but as you can imagine being big and fit the bike's he has had get very tired so is looking for something to last that will take a bit of strain as he has been known to snap chains and wear out gear sets very quickly,
Hybrid is what he likes so any help with suggestions on what makes or models that may fit the bill
cheers Bob Murphy

 

[photosbymark]

Bob A bike is something that is almost as personal as a toothbrush. Not being used to working in stones, I did a conversion and 18 stones comes out to by my math about 250lbs. Most bikes should be able to handle that. Now the chain and gear set issue is a different matter. Sounds more like a fit man with strong legs pushing harder than is really necessary. Spinning faster with less muscle will decrease that wear dramatically. The higher rpm gives better cardio and reduces wear. A bike is not a weight training device.

As far as specific bikes, take him to a local bike shop or two and tell them what you just told us. Also have a good idea of how and where you want to ride. A good bike shop should be able to give you some options, point out the pros and cons of each, and let you test ride them to see which fits you best and which one you like most. Good luck let us know what you end up with.