Cast my vote for the Vision R-40 SWB (either OSS us USS). Brand new bike for $1200. The 2" chromoly
frame is fairly stout, yet gives enough flex that suspension is not necessary on relatively smooth
roads. Vision officially recommends a 275 pound weight limit for this bike, but I'm pretty sure it
could handle 310 without any problem. With the seat skewer in the rear position, there should be
plenty of boom adjustment for your brother's long legs. I'm recommending a SWB bike because IMHO the
basic design is stout and lightweight. I certainly would NOT recommend the LWB or MWB version of the
R-40 because I believe that's too long a run for a heavy person on a monotube frame. Also, the SWB
design yeilds a nearly 50/50 weight distribution, depending ultimately on the seat angle. I used a
bathroom scale to determine this. With me on it, with the seat in the rear position, I measured 55%
rear and 45% front. A CLWB bike like a Bike-E tends to put most of the weight on the rear wheel. One
of the unique features of a Vision is their no-dish rear wheel. Instead of dishing the spokes to
acommodate the cassette, they build the frame itself slightly off-center so that the wheels run true
without dishing the wheel. This yields a very strong wheel. I was 255 pounds when I got this bike
(I'm 215 now). I've got over 4000 miles on the bike and have only trued the wheels once (and that
was a very minor adjustment that I was able to take care of myself). Never have broken a spoke.
Now having said all this, you're still talking about a rider who is 35 pounds heavier than the
recommended maximum weight (including water, tools and luggage) recommended by the manufacturer. But
in the real world, it's not the static stresses that break things, but the dymanic stresses, like
potholes, curbs, stairs, jumping, etc. No matter what your weight, the more whacks your bike takes
the more likely it will be to develop stress cracks in the frame and wheels or to break spokes. I
guess what I'm trying to say is that a 310 pound person who's kind to his bike (riding smooth roads
and bikepaths, avoiding potholes, not riding down stairs and curbs, not jumping things [yeah
right!]) will get more damage-free miles than a 250-pounder who abuses his bike. This is why those
crazy downhill mountain bikers break so many parts (and bones).
On the subject of weight loss, I have never found cycling to be effective at weight control by
itself. I have always needed to combine exercise with diet in order to be successful. Has your
brother tried Atkins?
Bill Anton 2001 Vision R-40 SWB OSS Lubbock, TX, USA
[email protected] (George Tadeusiak) wrote in message
news:<
[email protected]>...
> My brother is looking to get a recumbent to loose some weight. He is 6' 5" and 310 pounds, he has
> a limited budget $1200.00 and below. Any suggestions?
>
> Thanks in advance
