oncearound

Hi everyone

I just joined, but I want to say thank you - I've spent the last few days reading so many posts here and have learned a lot... I'm looking to get a Dutch bike, and I've narrowed it down to two (or three) brands, but have had a hard time finding what the max weight for different models is... And after reading many of the posts here, I'm not sure if the max weights that are listed are very conservative or ???

I'm 5'-9", 360lbs, plan to ride on paved bike trails with very few large hills, don't have to lift/carry the bike at all, and am looking more to enjoy the ride than do miles at this point...

I looked (online) at some models by Gazelle, and thought that something like their Heavy Duty NL Step Through or Pur NL Step Through might work... Both have Schwalbe Fat Frank 50mm tires, and the ability to carry cargo on both the front and back, ability to carry a child - not that I will be carrying cargo or children, but it seemed to suggest that it could hold a decent amount of weight... A woman at Gazelle got back to me and said that their total max capacity was 120kg, so 260lbs... Okay - moving on...lol

Next I looked at some Azor models... They have one, Freight HD, that they state can carry 440lbs... I have struggled to find what their others models can carry though... The Freight will work, but it's not a model that gets me really excited... And I kinda want one that does...lol

The Omafiets New Amsterdam by Azor caught my eye... Oversized tubing, Schawalbe Big Apple tires, 28" wheels with stainless steel spokes... The rear carrier can hold up to 55lbs, but not sure how much the bike could take... Same story with the Omafiets Transport Luxury by Azor... And the Pastoorfiets by Azor confuses me even more - oversized tubing, 28" wheels with stainless steel spokes and rims, Marathon wide tires, with a rear carrier that can hold 110lbs and a front carrier (that they don't list the capacity of, but is described/looks the same as their others), that can hold 55lbs... The bike can hold 165lbs of cargo... If the bike could take a 200lb rider, and the 165lbs of cargo, does that mean I could 'fit' this model? The number of spokes isn't listed, but all look like they have 36, and they don't mention steel frames but they do mention when the frame is aluminum so I'm guessing that if it's not listed as a Al frame, then it's steel...

So... Does it matter if the weight I put on the bike is in the form of the rider instead of cargo? Meaning can I combine the listed rider max weight and the carrier max weight(s) to get a total max weight, or would that be too much for one place on the frame and the total max weight needs to be distributed across the bike... (I hope this makes sense - it's a so late it's early time here...)

How much of a factor is a steel frame vs an aluminum frame when it comes to strength/rider weight limits? The Dutch Touring Step Through by Azor has an Al frame, but oversized tubing, 28" wheels, 36(?) stainless spokes, Schwalbe anti puncture tires, etc... I'm wondering if it's a model that may be in contention...

I looked at Work Cycles after reading a thread here, but for the price of these bikes I really want to at least see if not try, one in person... I can do that with Gazelles and Azors, but not Work Cycles...

Any/all feedback or suggestion would be most appreciated... I'm sure I'm forgetting or misunderstanding something I've read and it's a purchase I want to be as educated about as possible before going in... Thanks again to everyone who participates on the Clydesdales/Athenas threads... It's nice finding out there's others like me out there...lol

TrojanHorse

Well, I know very little about dutch bikes and carrying capacity but two things caught my eye above. First, bike capacity is USUALLY related to how sturdy the wheels are. I see 300 lb people on wispy little road bikes all the time, it's hard to believe a dutch bike marketed as "heavy duty" would really be limited to 260 lb.

Second, that big apple takes 28" tires, which appears to be not a common item. Road bikes use 700C and mountain bikes use 29" (same as road, really), 27.5" and 26" so those things are readily available. I've personally never heard of 28" tires, so that might be a pain in the butt when it's time to replace.

You should be fine on aluminum or steel really. And do get a bike you think looks cool or you'll never want to ride it.

Welcome to bikeforums!

doolitcd

700C tires are commonly referred to as 28" in some places, so I would imagine they are standard 700c. But it would be best to make sure they are 622mm as some other sizes are also referred to as 28".

alois

As a dutchman who was once over 300 lbs maybe I can clarify things. Yes, 28 inch is the same size as 700c in the Netherlands. And as already was mentoined, the wheel is the most important part. Most dutch bikes tend to be delivered with factory made wheels. This was never sufficient for my weight, so I always ended by letting my bicycle repair man rebuild the wheel by hand. I don't know about Azor, but chances are you'll have to do the same. My solution in the end was a bike with a tandem wheel (40 or 48 spokes). With those wheels I never experienced any troubles any more. Frames, be it aluminium or steel, where never the problem.

oncearound

Thanks for the welcome Hearing that number back from Gazelle surprised me too - not that I have any knowledge, have just seen all the people and cargo that the Dutch load onto them and did rough math... Thanks for the heads up about the wheels... I hadn't considered the ease or cost of replacement parts...

oncearound

Thank you I wasn't sure what the 'weak spot' of a bike was when it came to rider weight - had read others mentioning the wheels, but worried the frame might be more of an issue when I heard back from Gazelle... The shop I'm going to does 'custom' bikes (meaning you can choose each component), so I think that getting 'custom' wheels might be the solution...

TrojanHorse

I'm sure the shop will help you out with respect to component selection (wheels!). Good luck.

fietsbob

Real Dutch Oma (grand Ma) bikes are strong enough to survive being used for several Generations.

PatrickR400

I'm pretty certain that the maximum weight listed for any bike is related more to how much abuse the bike is likely to suffer than to its actual engineering. I bought an hybrid last year, didn't abuse it (except for the weight I put on it), the wheels are still true, and the bike is still fine.

I hear some people say that heavy riders should not get a carbon fiber bike because "plastic" is not strong enough. Really? Same goes with wheels; within limits, if it is not built right, it won't stay true, and it won't survive even mild road hazards, regardless of the number of spokes.

I would just spend a little money to get the bike (especially the wheels) properly tuned up and you should be alright.

tjkoko

I am 6 ft tall and weigh 230 lbs (105 kg). My Azor Oma was purchased from Rolling Orange Bicycles in January 2015. The rear wheel has 36 spokes and the tire size is 40 X 635 (28 X 1 1/2). And so far the ride feels fine with me. It's a three speed IGH which is sufficient for the flatlands where I live but, should I purchase another dutch cruiser, I'll opt for the eight speed IGH in order to more precisely tune my cadence.