Heavyweight new member seeking bike advice.

sounds ideal bud
a set of rigids on it would look nice
maybe a flite saddle ,but they are a personal preferance thing
gazz had a nice one ,unibomber on his siggy i think
 
An Alpina 500 is a decent frame, but a size 22 is huge for somebody with a 30" inside leg, even though you must have a long upper body. So I'm not surprised you didn't get on with it.

The classic steel hardtail that was one of the first to be sturdily built, rather than race-light, is the Orange P7. I think a size 19 P7 would be good for a 6'/30" rider.

Also an RST 281 is nowhere near sturdy enough for a man of your weight. You need a Marzocchi Z2. Everybody will say that P7s were usually fitted with Pace forks, but a Pace is too wimpish for you. A 1998 or later P7 will take a 1 1/8 steerer.

And whatever bike you choose, get big tyres, 2.3 or 2.4.
 
Nice pics thanks. Looking at them (and sitting on my bike) I am thinking that perhaps part of the problem is that the handlebars are set too far forward for me. I am not sure of the proper name for the clamp from the headstock to the bars but can you buy different length (and angled) ones?

Is there a down side to rigid front forks? If not is there any particular one I should go for or should I upgrade the existing front suspension?
 
Anthony":1nvs818j said:
An Alpina 500 is a decent frame, but a size 22 is huge for somebody with a 30" inside leg, even though you must have a long upper body. So I'm not surprised you didn't get on with it.

The classic steel hardtail that was one of the first to be sturdily built, rather than race-light, is the Orange P7. I think a size 19 P7 would be good for a 6'/30" rider.

Also an RST 281 is nowhere near sturdy enough for a man of your weight. You need a Marzocchi Z2. Everybody will say that P7s were usually fitted with Pace forks, but a Pace is too wimpish for you. A 1998 or later P7 will take a 1 1/8 steerer.

And whatever bike you choose, get big tyres, 2.3 or 2.4.

Thanks Anthony - your post crossed with mine.

It seems we are thinking on the same lines. In short I might be better off starting with a different bike/frame rather than try to adapt this one?
 
From personal experience a Diamondback topanga is a good tough old mountainbike as is a Specialised Hardrock, Rockhopper, Stumpjumper. These are comparatively common on ebay and the like. I sure bikes by Orange are good but way less common.

Also, though it pains me to say it, alloy GT's tend to be very overbuilt and thus are very tough, my recently aquired GT pantera looks as it it could take a direct nuke strike and shrug it off :LOL:
 
Well an extremely uncomfortable ride later confirms that as Anthony suggests the frame is too big for me. At least I am fortunate that I can't now hit the high notes...

So we can now discount keeping the current bike unless it is worthwhile source for parts.
 
so what are you after ? a full susser or hardtail ?

i'm trying out a half alloy half steel 1998 world force vr1 just now ,

IMG_0300-1.jpg


i've threw some nice bit's on it but now i need to see if it's "big.eck-proof" :LOL: :LOL: :LOL:

what colour is your univega out of intrest ? any pictures ?
 
Big. Eck thats a smart looking bike.

To be honest the simple answer is I don't know what sort of bike I need as I basically know sod all about them and the last time I bought a bike I simply went to a shop and got out my chequebook and have ended up with a bike that is more health hazard than any thing else. Hence the request for advice.

My bike is a metallic dark blue and I will do a search on how to post photos
 
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