what bike to buy as a new heavy starter

I wasn’t a million miles off
I wasn’t a million miles off your weight when I started cycling (again) and it’s wise to be conscious of rider weight limits.

That said, they’re not always easy to find, sometimes necessitating reading the warranty information on a manufacturer’s website… I generally found that 125kg was about the limit on mainstream road bikes, whereas hybrids and MTBs tended to be another 10 or so kgs higher.

As Dave says, this isn’t so much because the frame itself will just give way, more that parts like wheels may damage more easily with heavier riders and they don’t want to keep replacing them under warranty all the time.

You’ll be surprised how quickly the weight drops off once you get into it though. I’ve shed nearly 4 stone in a little over a year, and that’s not with excessive riding, maybe 15-20 miles a week at the outset, more like 60 now. That’s with no major changes to my diet either, just taking it easy with the likes of beer and takeaways.

Good luck!

I’d start off with a sturdy
I’d start off with a sturdy hybrid like a mid-range Trek FX or a Giant Escape. If you really want drop bars then go for something designed to handle a bit of weight, like a tourer.

I wouldn’t spend too much: a £500-600 hybrid will have decent kit and sturdy wheels, which are the most likely thing to suffer with the weight.

and enjoy yourself 🙂