Local Editor

A 560-pound [254-kilogram] man biking across the United States to lose weight hit a snag in Rhode Island.

The Newport Daily News reports a bent rim on Eric Hites' bicycle has kept him in Tiverton since late last week, 90 miles [145 kilometers] from where his ride began in Falmouth, Massachusetts.

Newport Bicycle is outfitting Hites with a new bike that can withstand his weight.

In two weeks on the road, the 40-year-old says he's lost 60 pounds [27 kilograms].

Hites says he's always been a big person. He hopes to lose hundreds of pounds and gather material for a second book.

He previously authored a humorous cookbook entitled "Everybody Loves Ramen," which includes 50 recipes he developed in college.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team