# 250lbs on a Fuji Team?



## bob75034 (Apr 29, 2008)

Hi folks, first post here. I have not ridden seriously for the last couple of years and have gained some serious weight. Even when I was riding a couple of years ago I was riding a mtn bike so my new bike being a road bike has given me reason to contemplate my weight situation.

I just bought a Team Fuji at the LBS and while I knew my weight could be a problem I could not pass up the price. I chose it over a Mercier with all Ultegra and better wheels with bladed aero spokes (at the same price a steal) because of the weight issue. Now I wonder if the Fuji will take me riding normally or do I have to carefully avoid all the road bumps and only ride on the best roads until I lose the weight... or worse can I not ride the bike at all until I loose the weight? It has Alex AKX R1.0 wheels btw and carbon frame and fork.

Any thoughts? I know I can get out the mtn bike and with some work it will be ready to ride but consider that the last road bike I bought was a Trek 560 back in 1984.. I really really need this excitement to get motivatied like I was back then and the (27lb. might I add) mtn. bike doesn't do it.


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## My Own Private Idaho (Aug 14, 2007)

This bike will be fine for you. I am heavier than you, and I would ride it. No worries, it won't explode under you. The wheelset you have might need to be replaced at some point, but a good, tough set of handbuilts will run about $250 or so.

Go for it.


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## brewster (Jun 15, 2004)

I wouldn't be that concerned with the frame. It's not going to snap or anything. The wheels are where you will have the most issue with breaking spokes and wheels not staying true. It might be a worthwhile investment to have a training set built up for the next 50lbs or so. 

Consider some semi-aero, V shaped rims, not for the aerodynamics, but for the strength, such as Mavic CXP-33 or Velocity Deep-V, 14g or 14/15g spokes, brass nips, on standard 32h or even 36h hubs for the back wheel. Something like that will be bomb proof even at your weight that you won't have to worry about breaking something and not getting home. You can have these custom built through the major catalogs like Colorado Cyclist or Exel, or any number of smaller custom wheel shops.

brewster


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## jhamlin38 (Oct 29, 2005)

i'd second the opinion of getting durable wheels, and add that you NOT use CF bar/stem/fork.
good luck with your new fitness. post your mileage/weightloss.
enjoy


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## Lifelover (Jul 8, 2004)

250+ here and have ridden all frame materials and a variety of wheels with no serious issues. Including sidewalk riding and curb jumping.

I would not go hucking on any of my road bikes (or any bike for that matter) but normal road usage should not be a problem at all.


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## My Own Private Idaho (Aug 14, 2007)

jhamlin38 said:


> i'd second the opinion of getting durable wheels, and add that you NOT use CF bar/stem/fork.
> good luck with your new fitness. post your mileage/weightloss.
> enjoy


I weigh more, and I ride with a carbon fiber forks, and one has a 1" CF steer tube. I have about 16,000 miles on that bike, and 5000 on my other one.

I also use about 2 inches of spacers, and an upside-down 135mm stem, as my frame is a 63 and I run uncut steer tubes. Just stay away from crazy-light parts and you will be fine.


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## nwfanatic (Feb 5, 2005)

More grist for the mill about frames and other stuff... I am 250 (in summer  ) and here are some things from my experience riding fairly seriously the last 4 years. The basic theme is that despite your weight most things are going to be just fine... it's a question of optimizing and making smart choices to maximize the quality of your expereince.

1. Frames have never been an issue, but I confess to mostly riding custom frames constructed with knowledge of my weight (in Ti and Carbon). But you clearly don't want a flyweight frame. If anything a frame that is "stiff" for average people is a good starting point. I previously owned a Fondriest full-carbon bike built for sprinters and it was great. Cannondale Alu frame was fine from a stiffness perspective... but not very comfortable compared to Ti and Carbon models I have since ridden. 

2. Wheels - I have had great luck with Fulcrum Racing 1's and they are my primary riding/training wheel. Have recently started riding Reynods DV46s without issue so far - but have 1000's more miles on worse roads on the Fulcrums. I had a bad experience with handbuilts early on that kinda put me off of them (lots of broken spokes..)... but I know others have exactly the opposite experience so don't be put off. With the Fulcrums so solid I've just never had to try again.

3. Fork/Front End - I very strongly recommend the AlphaQ ZPro fork - and carbon bars and stem are fine. The AlphaQ is full carbon and purpose built for beefcakes. I got it on a new carbon bike last year and was amazed at the stability and control of the front end as compared to a reynolds ouzo pro (Fondriest) and OEM reynolds-built (Seven) forks I've otherwise ridden. More: As an upgrade I just replaced the OEM Seven fork with the AlphaQ and it literally transformed the bike. I also upgraded bars and stem to carbon models "cloning" the front end of my new carbon bike (ritchey wcs line). It really transformed the bike - as you would expect they feel nearly identical. Totally solid and confidence inspiring in corners, standing/sprinting... Was a shocking transformation (at least to me) in how much the ride quality changed - it's like a new/different bike. I feel silly for not doing it sooner - but a lesson for me is "if you're heavy, don't neglect your front end...". perhaps that is always good advice - but it goes doubly for bikes!

4. Air between you and the road is good! Ride 25mm tires, not 23s. The aero cost of this is insignificant compared to the stability and comfort added. 

5. Rear flats - I am the flat king. Too much meat over the rear tire and not much to be done about it unless the meat gets lighter . My approach is to always carry 2 tubes and co2's, etc., and to be pretty aggressive swapping rear tires (I ride GP4000s), checking for cuts and debris in the tire... etc. Have never tried other harder core tires but that's another choice.

Anyway - that's my core dump.


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## My Own Private Idaho (Aug 14, 2007)

Good advice above. I was also going to recommend riding at least 25mm tires, if not 28's or bigger.


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## Azeke (Apr 2, 2008)

I'm ~ 215lbs., on a 2007 Fuji Team, with Easton EA90 SLX, I know I should use the SL's, but the SLX's were 33% off. Everything seems to be holding up well, knock on wood.

Peace and blessings,

Azeke


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## bob75034 (Apr 29, 2008)

Azeke said:


> I'm ~ 215lbs., on a 2007 Fuji Team, with Easton EA90 SLX, I know I should use the SL's, but the SLX's were 33% off. Everything seems to be holding up well, knock on wood.
> 
> Peace and blessings,
> 
> Azeke


Flyweight!  

Thanks for the tips everyone. I feel a lot better about it all now. I mentioned to a cyclist co-worker that I might get the mtn bike tuned up to lose weight first and he said "Just get on the damn bike and ride! If you break a spoke or two... it has lots of spokes! Find out for yourself how it works... (paraphrasing) your pretty new bike won't go up in a puff of smoke".

Taking it all in, I'll be on my new bike this weekend and enjoying it.  Hopefully I'll lose the weight before I lose the spokes and I'm getting the mtn bike tuned anyway so at least I'll have that if I need it.


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## dhtucker4 (Jul 7, 2004)

Is this last year's Fuji Team (2007)? Is it this year's? 

This year's frame (56cm) weighs 1100 grams, count on the all-carbon fork that weighs 330 grams (uncut steerer), and the headset weighs somewhere under 90 grams. 

The frame should be fine at your weight. I think the Team has a heavy carbon seatpost. If you find that your seatpost is always slipping, you might swap your carbon seatpost for an alloy one - they're almost the same weight. I wouldn't worry about getting a carbon handlebar - most decent carbon bars are so overbuilt (and so are most alloy bars) breaking one shouldn't be a problem. But when you have a crash, most carbon bars are as durable as alloy bars - but get it looked at by a good bike shop. You'll probably have to take the handlebar wrap off or get them to do it. It's up to you - but most carbon bars I've seen are ergodynamic. I don't like ergo bars, I like a classic (or pro) bar. They are more of them in aluminum (alloy) than in carbon - and a carbon classic bar costs too much. 

I've seen guys about your weight with a Scott CR1, a Cervelo R3 SL (56cm = 700 grams),
a Giant TCR 0 (Medium = 950 grams), etc.


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## homebrew (Oct 28, 2004)

I don't think the frame will explode but I also don't think its the best bike for you. I'm 215 lbs and find the frame very flexy under a sprint. IMO a good crossbike provides a good platform for fitness and after the weight comes down you have a fun bike to ride.


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## shanecamilleri (Dec 7, 2007)

said before me- no carbon bars/cranks of stems and you will be fine


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## Ako_si_Lance (Jun 10, 2009)

I recently bought a very slightly used (3mos) 08 Fuji TU issue. I weigh 250 lbs, and the roads where we bike here in Manila have speedbumps which we ride over in full speed.

no problems whatsoever...


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