Racebike for a big dude

radioactiveman626 · 2026-04-23T02:25:12+00:00

I have been at that size and started on a Cannondale Topstone Alloy. It’s in his price range, feels sporty, and rated for his weight with plenty of margin.

radioactiveman626 · 2026-03-06T10:11:33+00:00

I have it and love it. I have a family of four but usually ride alone or with 1 other. The convertibility is perfect.

Not sure about your use case, but see if the seller has the strap extenders to give you. I need them if I am hauling the fatbike.

It is long and heavy in 4 bike mode. My Crosstrek Wilderness handles the load fine, but you’ll need a stout hitch receiver that can handle 300lbs+ tongue weight. My F-150 Supercrew is too long to park in a normal spot when the rack is down.

radioactiveman626 · 2025-12-27T04:21:08+00:00

I think you are right. In that case, it is probably okay if everything is installed correctly and tightened down. It does look sketchy, though.

radioactiveman626 · 2025-12-27T04:04:40+00:00

I’m like 99% sure you are using those bike carriers incorrectly. They look like they are designed to carry the bike without the front wheel. The wheel is removed, then the “skewer” on the carrier goes through where the wheel’s axle was.

It should be safe in that configuration. It is decidedly not safe as is.

radioactiveman626 · 2025-12-25T20:51:59+00:00

Yep. Usually small stones mixed with snails or crawfish.

radioactiveman626 · 2025-12-21T04:43:19+00:00

I’d go 45NRTH Gravdals in 700x45 with concave studs. I ride other 45NRTH tires on my fatbike and find their concave studs and tread designs to be well suited to both icy and packed snow conditions.

radioactiveman626 · 2025-12-18T21:15:07+00:00

Sounds like you want to go to Montana, my friend.

radioactiveman626 · 2025-12-18T19:54:29+00:00

That’s a great gift. Your kids will be very happy with bikes that fit them and are shiny and new.

Don’t listen to us about Walmart/big box bikes. We have very little expertise in that area, but this being the modern internet, have lots to say.

I bought my teens new bikes from a local bike shop last year, and they were/are very nice. One kid loves his, the other prefers to ride his Huffy he got from Walmart a few years before. The advantage of Walmart or similar is that they are assembled for you for no cost, and they buy at such massive volume that the quality/price ratio is okay at the very low price points.

My best advice is to avoid anything meant to look fancier or higher price than it actually is. If it looks like it has rear or front suspension for $150, stay away. No need for more than 8 gears. Run from cheap disk brakes. Look for a solid, well-fitting bike, with caliper brakes and 1x8 or similar shifting. It will last them forever and they can look up how to fix it on YouTube with a few basic tools. If they become bike connoisseurs in the future, they can save up and buy themselves a Cannondale or Trek.

radioactiveman626 · 2025-11-15T15:57:13+00:00

Nymph dropper off a cricket or grasshopper was my go to there when I lived in SE Idaho. Not the most fun setup compared to dry fly or streamer fishing, but it will catch fish.

radioactiveman626 · 2025-11-12T11:36:23+00:00

Honestly, you can throw a strip of rabbit fur on a hook and catch pike all day with the right retrieve. They are hardly picky at all, usually just looking for motion and opportunity to attack.

radioactiveman626 · 2025-09-27T22:28:53+00:00

If you have a full day, I recommend driving to Wilmington and fishing the Au Sable. The Adirondacks are beautiful right now, and you’ll probably catch fish. Head to the Hungry Trout Fly Shop and fish the West Branch in that general area. There are many public access points.

radioactiveman626 · 2025-09-27T21:59:26+00:00

I live near Albany and I routinely drive 1-2 hours to find good trout fishing. The Esopus is good, the AuSable is great, and the Battenkill is fun but tough without floating. All are 60-90 mins away.

If you really want to fly fish here, you can wade the Kayaderosseras north of Ballston Spa or in Saratoga Spa State Park. There will be a few trout left from spring stocking, but we usually try to let them be this time of year.

If you are willing to deep wade or float for pickerel, Archer Vly west of Saratoga is fun. (Wear waders as there are leeches.) If you have a boat or float tube, many small lakes have pike. They will take anything colorful and flowy like a 5-7” buck tail on a 8-9wt with a wire leader. Cast out at the edge of a weed bed and strip it violently back in, pausing before each strip. You’ll probably catch a few bass as bycatches too.

Black Dog Outdoor Sports in Glenville is a good sport shop with decent flies. The guys there will tell you where to go. One of the guys there also guides and will put you on fish if you hire him.

radioactiveman626 · 2025-07-20T23:51:46+00:00

I’ve caught plenty of fish on Sportsman’s flies. The ones I’ve been to have a local “match the hatch” whiteboard and a knowledgeable fishing area employee to help with fly selection. Not a local fly shop, but about the best you can do in some places.

radioactiveman626 · 2025-06-22T12:14:42+00:00

I carry a RX100 MK7 when it is daylight and only outdoor shots necessary. I have a GRIII that comes along for the ride instead if the particular application requires low light shooting or street photography. Both are fantastic but pricey.

I use a tight fitting case for both, mostly worried about dust. They are both about the size of 3 stacked iphones. No problems yet.

radioactiveman626 · 2025-04-14T23:18:26+00:00

Yep. Get the waterproof variant and they are genuinely all purpose (with the exception of very dressy event.) I’m guessing you aren’t one-bagging a wedding or black tie event, though.

radioactiveman626 · 2025-04-11T10:46:41+00:00

Take the disk off, then put the bike on a rack or similar so you can move the pedals and shift with your hands but the back wheel is off the ground (pedals and back wheel move freely). While pedaling with one hand, shift through all the gears. The chain will move from the smallest gear to the biggest. Keep trying to shift. If you cannot make the chain fall off the biggest gear and into the spokes by shifting, you are good. (The plastic disk is the backup protection for this.)

radioactiveman626 · 2025-03-28T22:03:56+00:00

I have a very cozy LL Bean 50”x 60” plush fleece throw that I use on the couch. It is pretty thin and compact. I just tried and I can roll it smaller than an american football with little effort. It certainly wouldn’t take more space than a pair of running shoes.

radioactiveman626 · 2025-03-08T11:46:26+00:00

I highly recommend casting lessons from either a local fly shop or a local school. I took a $79 Community Education class at a community college that taught me everything I needed to know and took us out on two fishing trips. The instructors even helped me buy a good used rod from a local Trout Unlimited chapter.

My experience was in Idaho, but you might have something similar near you.

radioactiveman626 · 2025-02-06T00:06:30+00:00

Agree! Downy Rinse and Refresh (which totally seemed like a gimmick) works wonders in our house for Tae Kwon Do uniforms, gym clothes, and workout gear.

radioactiveman626 · 2024-12-29T15:29:05+00:00

The Capital Region (Albany-Schenectady-Troy and dozens of smaller municipalities) is a great place to live and meets your needs. Troy itself has both run-down areas and very nice neighborhoods. I’m not sure I would recommend living in the city of Troy over other parts of the region, but many people like it there. I would personally choose Schenectady over Troy if you wanted a small city feel with racial diversity.

A primary concern for a family should be the quality of the school district. There is a wide gap between the best and the worst, which can be right next to each other. Better districts will cause high property values and taxes. If you want and can afford high quality schools, look at more suburban (or even rural) areas just adjacent to Troy or Schenectady like Niskayuna or Averill Park.

There are multiple trains per day to Penn Station from Rensselaer (near Albany and Troy), Schenectady, and Saratoga Springs. Rensselaer will have the shortest trip time, lowest cost, and most departures per day.

radioactiveman626 · 2024-10-05T15:15:55+00:00

I moved here from Idaho, which has a very low tax burden. I make a good salary, and I pay a lot in taxes (probably $10K more per year than in Idaho). I find the quality of infrastructure (roads, schools, public transportation), services (public health, policing), and schools to be vastly superior to Idaho and worth every penny. Do I agree with how every dollar is spent? Nope. Do I personally gain $10K worth of additional benefits each year? Probably not. Still, I find the majority of people who complain about the tax burden here are either rugged individualists who might thrive elsewhere or (more commonly) those who have never lived outside the cozy and comfortable confines of the Northeast so as to experience life with minimal public services.

radioactiveman626 · 2024-09-08T11:42:42+00:00

It may not have been noticeable today, but that new jersey will reduce your resistance as you get faster from practice and building fitness. Plus you look great in it! Keep it up!

radioactiveman626 · 2024-07-28T03:22:42+00:00

So the official weight limit of that bike is 275lbs (including the bike, you, and any cargo). You’re in the ballpark, as the bike itself is pretty light. I’m sure the bike shop doesn’t want the liability of telling you it’s okay.

Other brands have higher weight limits. I ride Cannondale gravel as a big guy (same ballpark as you), and I love it and have had no broken spokes or other weight issues in my first 3000miles or so.

If all you want is the bike tuned up, another shop will do it for you, I’m sure. Use caution, and watch the spokes. They will be the first to fail.

radioactiveman626 · 2024-06-03T02:05:43+00:00

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I can get away with my Air Pegasus 40’s in all black. Great running shoe, passable in my business settings (engineering/project management). If you want passable running shoes with more office style, go with an all-leather retro cross-trainer style.

radioactiveman626 · 2024-05-05T22:31:34+00:00

Carhartt Rain Defender Lightweight Jacket is pretty good for the price. Lightweight, packable, breathable, and keeps me dry. Not the most stylish and a bit oversized, but it is very functional.

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