Bike for large guy

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I'm a large guy in the last 3/4 years I've gone from 190lbs to 290 and want to go back down

Looking for a new bike that can handle 300 with not too much of an issue inclines and declines around 8/12 degrees.

I literally have a budget of like £400 this month as partner getting new mobility scooter. Any ideas?
 
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Soldato
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I'm a large guy in the last 3/4 years I've gone from 190lbs to 290 and want to go back down

Looking for a new bike that can handle 300 with not too much of an issue inclines and declines around 8/12 degrees.

I literally have a budget of like £400 this month as partner getting new mobility scooter. Any ideas?

What type of bike do you want?

Road, MTB, gravel or hybrid?

For what it's worth, I have a Carrera Vengeance (MTB) from Halfords that I picked up when they had a sale for £200 (including mudguards) and it's built like a battle tank.

I weigh around 230lbs (hoping to lose some of that this year :p) and it takes it with ease.

I've had a couple of crashes on it and it shrugged them off no problem, one of them where the handlebars and front wheel did a full 180 when I hit a hidden hole on grass!

Can't fault it for the price, great shifting, and mechanical disc brakes that work really well.
 
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I went down to halfords as closest store, basically was told all the new bikes with alloy frames can hold my weight with ease and they have much larger guys riding them. Strange to think even when I was 13st my old bike I spent £330 on broke at the axel twice on flat roads.

I hopefully will pick up my bike on Friday when they call me to tell me they have it :)
 
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The frames easily take heavier riders the wheels don't. If you start breaking spokes before you go spending money replacing them consider at least a tougher rear wheel first.

Ah OK that makes sense, hopefully I won't be breaking anything too soon because I put it "bike wheels for fat *****" and its just a list of chunky tyres , pretty sure I don't weigh as much as I have been losing inches. But always overestimate incase I'm wrong
 
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Frame and wheel strength aren't your only concern. Drivechain is the real concern imo. Brakes will also take some hit too, with pressure being directed to weaker areas like the fork steerer crown junction if the brakes are good.

At the end of the day, £400 will get you nothing on the new market.

I always recommend avoiding Halfords at all costs, for a variety of reasons. If you go to a real bike shop with £400 and want quality they will struggle to advise without asking for more money. 2nd hand is the way to go imo at the price point. If you're riding mostly flat, minimal gears is best to reduce maintenance costs and time. The amount of people who wreck their gears on their bikes and blame the bike is unreal. Chain gears individually/slowly, keep an eye on spoke tension, tyre pressure, and bolt tightness (especially the cranks!). Make sure to claim your free 6month service, please tell me you get one there!?

Regardless, best of luck with fitness and hope you enjoy some good weather ;)
 
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