Road bike for a fat lad

I've been in a similar position to you(16.5st), and spent a lot of time researching which bike components are suitable for a "clydesdale". As for wheels, I read a lot about spoke count and how heavier riders should have 28 or 32 in the rear wheel, but I already had 18 spoke Shimano wheels on my Specialized Roubaix for 3 years and never had any problems and the wheels are still true(I now use them for training). I upgraded them and bought Easton wheels(EA90's) as they have reputation for building strong wheels, they have no official weight limit but if you email them they might guide you on what they recommend. I have not had one problem. You may also want to spend a bit of time researching saddles, as that is key for a heavier/bigger rider, not necessarily padding, but more around shape and width. As for frames, you may want to consider Carbon over steel, as you may enjoy the shock absorption property they offer. If that's not affordable, then think about a carbon seatpost. Your butt has a lot more pressure/weight being applied to it than a normal rider, so you will need to think about that Just saying...through experience

I really wouldn't worry too much about frame strength when selecting your new bike. I bought a Specialized Sequoia to help me lose weight when I was 28 stone(now down to 17, so it's working). The current equivalent in the Specialized range is probably something like the Allez.

After about two years, the rear wheel rim was about as strong as spaghetti, but it had earned its keep, so no complaints here. I replaced it with a hand built 36 spoker for about £75. The frame and the forks are fine - as is the front wheel.

I would agree that a triple will help you on the hills, but at least gravity is on your side on the way down

I reckon you should definitely be looking for something with some solid 28 / 32 spoke wheels, lots of bikes around that price will have fancy looking but less robust 20 / 24 spoke wheels that might not be ideal. Specialized seem to be one of the exceptions to this and if it's any use to you, I bought a secondhand pair of wheels that came off a specialized allez (mavix cpx 22 tiagra hubs, dt spokes) and they are really well built. Not the lightest but tough enough for cyclocross and the daily commute.

There was an issue of cycling plus fairly recently that mentioned the different weight limits some bike manufacturers have.

Might be interested to read the blog of Gary Brennan, and what he says about those of us who have legs that weigh more than Brad Wiggins...?

http://theamazing39stonecyclist.wordpress.com/am-i-too-heavy-for-a-bike/

Depends on whether you're 'fat' or just heavy and powered like a diesel locomotive.

You've not said what you weigh but it's unlikely you'll exceed the wheel strength threshold on £1,000 bikes where reputable makers tend to err on the strong side knowing that their bikes will be used for all sorts of evil clattering about. If you're less fit I would agree with Andy above and worry more about the gearing; you'll have a more enjoyable time and lose weight faster if you can pedal a lower gear at a comfortable cadence but then we don't know where you live, hill-wise. If you're already cycling you'll have an idea of the ratios you're comfortable with in your area. This is where a nice local bike shop can come in handy. Say there are three or four different £1,000 models they stock, it's always in their interest to go through the pros and cons of each, send you out on a test ride or two and sell you the right bike that will keep you coming back for more.

I'm no featherweight and I've had no probs with my Ribble Audax, except with the wheels. Upgraded the Pro-lites I got with it (which, TBF, lasted 18 months) to a set of Fulcrum 7's

If you facing issues with gravity when hill climbing, a triple chainset or SRAM Apex with an 11-32 might help you up some of the more challenging inclines.

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/specialedition.asp?action=GenerateConstruc...