Commuter bike for 6'2" 410lbs
Hello!
I'm in a bit of an unusual situation: I used to weigh over 500lbs, and I've lost about 100lbs so far over the past year! 🎉
I would like to get back into cycling, after being off a bike since I was around 330-370 pounds in 2015-2017. I used to ride across the city everyday on a Pedego City Commuter, which was just about the only electric bike available in my area at the time. In three years, I popped spokes several times, so I can already tell that finding a bike to support my weight is going to be... an experience.
I'll confess that even though I used to ride daily and year-round in cities for 4+ years, I don't have much experience with constructing bikes or bicycle maintenance. So, having to piece together parts myself to construct something is pretty intimidating. I'd also like to ride this bike on (pretty quiet) city streets to get to a nearby bike path, so it's important to me that the bike be electric--because I want assistance crossing intersections for safety, for example. The area I live in these days is pretty flat, so I would probably stick to flat areas until I lose more weight, then start climbing hills and bridges eventually. I would need to store the bike in my apartment, which would require lifting it up several steps, albeit not a full staircase. So, large cargo bikes that weigh 70+ pounds are unworkable, though I could lift a 50-60 pound bike without much issue.
Money isn't a worry for me, so I've been looking at options like Zinn Cycle's Clydesdale Whip, which is semi-custom, designed for folks up to 450 pounds, designed for folks my height and up, and has a Bosch motor that's appealing. I have already messaged Zinn to see if they could help. I'm open to other custom or semi-custom options, though, and am concerned about safety more than anything else.
Does anyone have other recommendations I should look into? Specific bike model recommendations are welcome, but I'd also love to be connected with a bike shop that is experienced and willing to handle a lot of the work and research for me.
Thanks in advance!