I have an 05 R500 and I love it. I'm not anywhere near the build you are (5'7", 110) but as long as you ride responsibly you should be ok with the wheels and frame. By ride responsibly I mean avoid pot holes and speed bumps and ride lightly on the frame. Stand up when going over uneven ground to reduce stress on the frame. If you have any doubts after you get it, you can always get a wheel with a higher spoke count, which will add stability to the wheel. Then you can use the other wheels for riding on a trainer in the winter when you don't have to worry about road stress as much. I find that my husband (6'4", 190) fits very well on a 60 in frame and his Fuji holds up to him pretty well. Where did you find it for under $1000?

 

Depending on what models your dealer has left, you may want to consider moving up to an '05 R1000 equipped with Mavic Elites. Much more durable than the Parades. I've looked at the Parades, and at 190lbs, I wouldn't trust them.

 

My teammate has the r900 equipped with the Grecal Parades, and they haven't been very good to him. He weighs ~175.

 

I found the bike at REI. They have a couple left for $989. They didn't have any of the R1000's left. It sounds like the Parade's might not be the best wheel for someone my size but it's hard to turn down a deal like this. How hard would it be to change the wheels and what would a good alternative cost?

Thanks for all the replies so far.

 

From experience alone, I'd say you're right to worry

I don't know those wheels at all, but I do know that every time I've tried to use anything but fairly conventional, fairly heavy-duty 32- or 36-spoke wheels, I've had trouble, and soon rather than late. A couple of good local wheelbuilders have promised me they could build a lightweight wheel that would work with my 225-235 pound weight, and only one has gone more than 1000 miles without major problems.
To be fair, I ride the same wheels all the time, for everything including commuting on pretty bad roads. But I use 32 or 35mm tires, and I don't crash through potholes or over curbs or anything.

 

I found the bike at REI. They have a couple left for $989. They didn't have any of the R1000's left. It sounds like the Parade's might not be the best wheel for someone my size but it's hard to turn down a deal like this. How hard would it be to change the wheels and what would a good alternative cost?

Thanks for all the replies so far.

You could get a set of Mavic OpenPro rims laced to Ultegra hubs for less than $200. Sell the Parades for $100-150 to offset the difference, and you'll be rolling on a very popular and near-bombproof set of wheels for a few bucks difference. Doesn't have to be OpenPro/Ultegra, but it's a common build.