6'6" 600lbs need help finding a bike
#26
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Thanks a million guys. Sorry I didn't get back sooner. I am a tow boat captain so a gym membership is kinda a waste cause I am only home for 2 weeks at a time. I have been looking at trikes and I am probably going to go that way. I am still going to call the places each of you recommended just to see. I never realized how many options there is in biking equipment. When I get home I am going to look up a bike shop. Anyone know of any in the New Orleans or Mississippi Gulf Coast area? Thanks again
I would lean towards 26" wheels as you will have options for wider tires which are more comfortable and also help protect the rims a little more. Lots of good component choices for you there but a good build is key to making them last, off the shelf, machine built wheels are not up to the task in my opinion but you can get a hand built set of wheels pretty reasonably priced and if done right they should be good for many many thousands of miles.
Hope this helps!
#27
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Some good advise above for sure. If you have the budget for it a custom built bike would be ideal. Most frames, even heavier duty frames will feel very "flexy" at 600lbs and could lead to the bike feeling unstable. Fit will also be hard to get right on anything off the shelf at 6'6" and if the bike does not fit right it will make ridding seem much less desirable. Look for a frame builder who has experience with tandems as they know how to make bikes feel good with a lot of weight on them. I had Eric Barr build me a frame and I can only say great things about it, he is also the welder for DiVinci Tandems so he has a ton of experience building bikes meant to carry weight. His website is down but he is still busy making bikes, you can reach him through his facebook if interested https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-G...091951?fref=ts
I would lean towards 26" wheels as you will have options for wider tires which are more comfortable and also help protect the rims a little more. Lots of good component choices for you there but a good build is key to making them last, off the shelf, machine built wheels are not up to the task in my opinion but you can get a hand built set of wheels pretty reasonably priced and if done right they should be good for many many thousands of miles.
Hope this helps!
I would lean towards 26" wheels as you will have options for wider tires which are more comfortable and also help protect the rims a little more. Lots of good component choices for you there but a good build is key to making them last, off the shelf, machine built wheels are not up to the task in my opinion but you can get a hand built set of wheels pretty reasonably priced and if done right they should be good for many many thousands of miles.
Hope this helps!
Standard upright bikes are just not made for weight. I bent the frame on my MTB just by hauling a few hundred pounds in a trailer. I didn't notice it at first, but when I did, I was amazed. It must have happened when I took a sharp turn. I was amazed the rear rim withstood it and kept going. But, a few days later I noticed the frame was curved side to side like a banana.
#28
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That is the thing, if you build it for the demands of the rider it CAN take the weight but that is why I suggest custom because I do not see anything off the shelf working well. The biggest issue would be balancing but it sounds like the OP is already fairly active so he may be fine in that department.
Not trying to say there is anything wrong with trikes but if the OP wants two wheels over three, it is doable if you are willing to do it right.
Not trying to say there is anything wrong with trikes but if the OP wants two wheels over three, it is doable if you are willing to do it right.
#29
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That is the thing, if you build it for the demands of the rider it CAN take the weight but that is why I suggest custom because I do not see anything off the shelf working well. The biggest issue would be balancing but it sounds like the OP is already fairly active so he may be fine in that department.
Not trying to say there is anything wrong with trikes but if the OP wants two wheels over three, it is doable if you are willing to do it right.
Not trying to say there is anything wrong with trikes but if the OP wants two wheels over three, it is doable if you are willing to do it right.
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#32
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The ICE is rated for 325 lbs.... sad not many heavy rated trikes.
I have a Terra Trike Rover rated at 400 lbs, I like it but its not really what I want. But it will get the weight off until I can get into something smaller. I ride a 02' Giant Boulder SE that does well, I never have hurt it under my 400 lb weight.
I have a Terra Trike Rover rated at 400 lbs, I like it but its not really what I want. But it will get the weight off until I can get into something smaller. I ride a 02' Giant Boulder SE that does well, I never have hurt it under my 400 lb weight.
To the OP. You should talk to your doctor. Make sure you're healthy enough for riding and get on the road to weight loss before you take to the road on your bike.
#33
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I have seen some unbelievable loads put on a workmans trikes we used them in a factory I worked at . We put a pump on the back of my tool box that was close to 200 lbs (I had to be on the trike before the pump so it didn't flip) the tools and box were 100 lbs. At the time I was #350 (down to 315 ) that is where I would start
Roy
Roy
#34
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In case it hasn’t been mentioned already…
Husky industrial tricycle T-326 has a 600-pound total weight capacity. Adjusts to 6’6” tall rider. Foam tires or puncture resistant tube tires. One gear or 3-speed Shimano. Lots of other options. Plus your little dog can ride in the basket on the back! I’d advise not worrying about your weight and enjoy the ride!
Husky industrial tricycle T-326 has a 600-pound total weight capacity. Adjusts to 6’6” tall rider. Foam tires or puncture resistant tube tires. One gear or 3-speed Shimano. Lots of other options. Plus your little dog can ride in the basket on the back! I’d advise not worrying about your weight and enjoy the ride!
#35
Senior Member
Tow boat captain? Well, that complicates things. What's your work schedule like? Are you towing barges down the river for a week at a time or how does that work and when would you have a chance to use a bike? Do you have any down time to exercise and if so, are you tied up or is somebody else driving the tug while you're "off"?
Heck, skip the bike and get a dinghy and row that sucker around. No weight restrictions and plenty of exercise doing that.
Heck, skip the bike and get a dinghy and row that sucker around. No weight restrictions and plenty of exercise doing that.
#36
Senior Member
Thanks a million guys. Sorry I didn't get back sooner. I am a tow boat captain so a gym membership is kinda a waste cause I am only home for 2 weeks at a time. I have been looking at trikes and I am probably going to go that way. I am still going to call the places each of you recommended just to see. I never realized how many options there is in biking equipment. When I get home I am going to look up a bike shop. Anyone know of any in the New Orleans or Mississippi Gulf Coast area? Thanks again
When I turned 50, I weighed between 360 and 380 lbs, maybe more after a big meal. I had lost and gained hundreds of pounds by that time in my life. Before I had always cut down on my eating and tried to get more exercise. It would work until I was tired of starving myself, maybe 3-6 months and I would be back to my same eating habits and gaining weight again.
At 50 I changed my dieting tactics and decided I would eat whenever I was hungry and eat as much as I wanted but I would not eat certain things. I quit all sugar, all bread, rice, pasta and potatoes. For 2 years I didn't consume a single bite. I lost 180 lbs. in those 2 years. I ate when I was hungry and as much as I wanted. My portions naturally decreased over time as did the duration between meals. I have now kept the weight off for more than 5 years. My best to you. Good luck.
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#37
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Well, it's been almost a decade. OP may have become a cycling stud, or not.
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