skyfire

Hi everyone, I have been searching for a few days now on the Internet and I am getting stumped. I was looking for a 3 or 7 speed Beach Cruiser style that would have a 300 LBS capacity.

The reason for the Beach Cruiser style I want to stick with is because of occasional back pain I would rather ride in a straighter position than leaning too far over. I will be riding around my neighborhood, local paved Bike Trails, and along the Canal Path and all locations are relatively flat. I will be riding casually and I do like the looks of the Cruisers.

If you have a opinion, or knowledge on any of the following questions it would be greatly appreciated.


1) Are there any Big Box Store cruisers out there that would fit my needs, or just the LBS?

2) What Cruiser would you recommend?

3) Is there a Weight Capacity rating some where’s in the Bicycle Specs that will let me know what the max rider weight each bike can handle? (If not, there should be)


Thank you for any who answers...

John
Penfield, NY

Judi

Just about any adult-sized bike without suspension can handle a 300 lb rider. I don't think most bike companies list weight limits because of liability issues.

The reason people recommend bikes from the bike shop instead of the department store is that they're made to hold up better to regular riding. My first bike as an adult was a Huffy comfort bike, and it was very comfortable to ride, but I kept having to replace things like pedals and brake cables. Then things started to break on it that I couldn't fix, and by the time I'd had the bike 9 months it had to be replaced. By contrast, the bike I have now is an Electra and I rode it 5 days a week for a year and three months before anything needed fixed on it.

You'll be better off buying a good used bike from Craigslist than a new department store bike. Cruisers aren't the only bike with an upright riding posture, there are also hybrids and comfort bikes.

Philphine

walmart was selling a big bike for a while, with 32" wheels.i haven't checked to see if they still sell them. i think it attracted people who were taller, more than bigger (i don't know how tall you are). it's just a one speed though. i've been wanting one just because i like odd bikes.

here is a petty good sized guy riding one. i asked and he said he was 6"7".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLbr6vap3wE

the fly

I'd try to borrow/rent several different styles of bike. Upright cruiser may or may not be best. I have a fused spine from a crushed vertebra and ride in the drops on my road bike just fine.

I'd check out the cruisers at the LBS. However something like this https://www.walmart.com/ip/29-Genesis...-Bike/20658233 might be worth looking at. I have no idea how much a comparable bike costs at the LBS. If it really is flat where you are, I would be more inclined to get a single speed if I went with a big box store. I have reservations about the quality of components on a geared bike from a big box store (my experience may not be relevant, it's been years since I bought a bike from a big box).

As far as weight, I put my cousin (350lbs +) on an old Huffy cruiser I bought for him hoping he would take up biking for exercise. Big fail as far as exercise, but the bike held up mile he rode it. I'm confident most if not all bikes you look at will be OK @ 300, just keep tires topped off with air, check spokes, etc, stuff that anyone should do.

donalson

not necessarily a beach cruiser but certainly a cruiser style is the Electra Townie... I want one and have for years... so did my wife so we finally got her one this spring, she's got some bulging discs in her lower back but the upright seating position works well for her... I'll steal it from time to time to cruise around the neighborhood with my kids... we are both 300+ riders and it hasn't given us a bit of trouble.

goldfinch

Many cruisers come in one size fits all so if you are at one end or another of the Bell curve that might not work for you.

Jamis makes a whole line of cruisers and comfort bikes, some of which come in multiple sizes. https://www.jamisbikes.com/usa/thebik...ion/index.html Whatever you do, try before you buy. I find cruisers extremely uncomfortable.

Bikes Direct (which sells mail order bikes) has quite a few cruisers and for cheap. But, you can't try them first and you have to do some assembly when you order them.

KittiPaws

My bike is a Schwinn Legacy cruiser that I bought from Target several months ago. I was able to look up the weight capacity online before I bought it - it's 300 lbs. My weight is 260, plus I use my Schwinn to carry a load of groceries two or three times per week.

I understand the benefits of buying from an LBS, but my Schwinn has performed very well for me and I haven't had any trouble with it at all. I love my cruiser. In the end, you're the one who has to live with the bike, so get the one that works best for you.

Fangowolf

I almost bought one of these when I was starting out
https://www.phatcycles.com/
They had a huge oversized black one with 3" wide wheels

kansastdi

My 2 cents - beach cruisers are very uncomfortable and I prefer the ride of either of my three bikes: trek Marin mountain bike or giant cypress dx or cannondale cyclocross bike. I weigh approx. 370 lbs and would not buy a beach cruiser. My Giant cypress dx was the cheapest ($350) of my three bikes and lasted approx. 5 years before spoke issues forced me to replace the back wheel. Due to a lack of options, I replaced the back wheel with a cheaply made replacement that had more spokes and it still is being used today. They do sell bike models that allow you to sit more upright. Whatever you buy, if it has front shocks then make sure they will lock out. It helps with stability.

Nightshade

There is but one cruiser that will fit your stated requirement. That bike is a Worksman Cycle built to your order in New York. I weigh between 325 > 350 lbs and I ride Worksman finding it to be a solid bike with a weight capacity of 500lbs.

www.worksman.com

https://worksmancycles.com/shopsite_s.../cruisers.html

SomeBigFatDude

I bought one of these this past Spring https://www.walmart.com/ip/29-Genesis...-Bike/20658233

I'm 6'2 350lbs and it feels very sturdy. If you just plan on riding around town or short trips, I think it's a great bike. My only complaint would be that I had a knee injury (torn ACL) and it doesn't play nice with my knees. For my longer rides, I've gone back to my old mountain bike.

OFHBikes

KHS Brentwood

cyclist2000

That's really pulling up a zombie thread.

tunavic

If you look at the history of the poster, this is one of the least zombie threads commented on. I suspect sock account hijinks.

Moisture

How tall are you?

I recommend getting any sort of bike designed around drop bars and convert it to a comfortable flat bar setup using a short stem. A older style quill stem will give you the most comfortable ride.

How tall are you?

Look into any sort of bike with a close reach and youll be comfortable.

C.corri

I have modified a beach cruiser to be a pretty road bike, but the completely upright seating position is harder on the butt. I like to ride it a few days a week. 700 32c wheels, 9 speed cassette, and v brakes make it a capable fun to ride bike.

Moisture

Is that a schwinn? I got something similar laying around in my garage. These cruiser oriented frames offer very stable and capable handling. Mine is a single speed so its slow in a straight line, but sure does make up for it around the turns.

I prefer a more upright riding position. Im pretty muscular and top heavy, so I tend to feel like there is too much weight over the front axle which tends to cause understeer when im pushing the bike. I like the way my road bike feels with mountain bike handlebars.

C.corri

bike started as a Electra cruiser 7. I then used some parts from a Trek Fx 3 that I upgraded. I bought new grips and some longe adjust V-brakes to finish off. I typically do rides in the 13-27 mile range on this bike a few times a week. It gives a nice change of pace from the road bikes position.

Robalero

Townie Electra 7D, outstanding cruiser, can hold the weight without any problem, you can pick up speed on this bike as well, and for me, I've lost a ton of weight on it. Use a TREK bike these days, but this bike was my mainstay for more than two years. Well made and very sturdy!! 7 speeds and a single drive train, simple and elegant design!

tallbikeman

Beach Bikes website on the internet has good pictures and prices of lots of beach cruisers. Beach cruisers generally are fairly small in the frames and don't fit tall guys like me at 6' 5". I don't shy away from one piece cranks or other vestiges of an older time because most of the old ways work very well, are easy to repair, and are very reasonable in price. I would look for one piece hubs. Very inexpensive bikes will use 3 piece steel hubs which are not as reliable as one piece hubs. I view steel frames as being more real world durable than available aluminum frames, but that is just my opinion. I have found that it is better for me to lean a little forward while pedaling. I believe it transfers some of your weight from your butt to your arms and hands and this cuts down on butt soreness. Good luck with your cruisin'.