Rainjoy

I posted this on the cruiser's forum then found this one exsists!!!

Long story short I am set on a cruiser style.

I need a 300 lb weight limit and under 300 dollars (can schooch a little, like 350 maybe).

Have been heavy since very early childhood.

My local bike shop does not carry firmstrong (the only brand I found online with a 300lb weight limit). They carry a Sun which has a 250 lb weight limit. Advice?

breadbin

Every bike is different is all I'd say. You should be fine on the Sun with that limit but sure who knows. All I can say for sure is that I would swear by steel all my life. Bulletproof.

And yet I've been cycling a Brodie Romax for the last 8 years. It's an aluminium cyclocross bike. Lightweight and I'm now 330lbs and it's still going strong. Has lovely welds on it though. By that I mean it's probably well made so it depends on the bike itself at the end of the day.

oddjob2

I think Sun bikes are poor quality for the money they charge. Find a 1990s steel Trek 9XX or Specialized MTB, put cruiser handle bars on it and road tires and you will be very happy. You can be all in for $200.

donalson

really just about any MTB style bike with smoother tires will be fine as long as it is rigid (no suspension fork)... you aren't going to find a suspension fork that is worth crap for people our weight without a good chunk of $$$$

donalson

for the money this is the best bet... but the problem is most people especially newer people to the sport won't know what is worth it or not...

Rainjoy

I... would have no idea how to go about doing this...

Is there a reason a cruiser will not work as is? I don't have the skill or knowlage to put together a Fraken-bike. And if I go in to a bike shop and cherry pick parts (mtb frame with real good tires, cruiser seat and handel bars) I am getting the feeling it will be super expensive.

I 100% need cruiser seat and upright position due to an accident making me unable to put any weight on one arm, and the hard skinny seats are excruciatingly painful while cruiser seats are not

jethro56 

Let's step back and have you describe the qualities you want in a bicycle.

Rainjoy

Okay, so...

I am a very, very newbie biker? I haven't ridden regularly since I was about 18 or 19 (I am now 36).

I have only ever riden cruiser style bikes with coaster breaks with any success.

Once when I was about 15 (I was very, very heavy even as a young child if that has anything to do with it) I got a road bike with gears... I absolutely HATED it!!! The seat was so uncomfortable I couldn't stand to ride it. Finally I got a big wide cooshie flat seat and rose the handel bars as high as they would possibly go making as upright a position as I could... better, but it still wasn't very comfortable, so I rarely used it until I finally got another cruiser style bike.

Recently my daughter daughter just got the training wheels off her bike! She is in bike ecstasy! She wants to ride all the time! I had been considering getting a bike for a while now. But now that my daughter is really loving riding her little bike it is something we can do together.

Healthy, a good way to get exercise, wholesome, etc.

My current ideal is to ride easy, safe areas (ie the local park bike path, the safe residential area behind my house, etc)

In the distant future when I get in shape and my daughter gets to be a better rider we might go to star bucks (5 miles) or run very simple errands (again, very short distances under 10 miles, safe city area). Maybe ride along the river... maybe even to some foresty places with big easy path trails and few hills!

There are low rolling hills in my area. When I was young I hated hills!!! I would stand up to pedal. I am afraid to do that now as once a tire blew and I flew off and now I have a bad shoulder I am afraid of injuring.

When i was in highschool my weight warped the tires of my cheap Wal Mart bike. I have been a little afraid of bikes being too flimsy since then. Partly why I haven't ridden...

Due to a car accident 2 years ago I can not put weight on my left arm (another reason I can't use the hunched over style of bike).

I weigh about 300 lbs
I enjoy hiking (a mile or so each way)
Swimming (no limit! I love swimming)
And dancing (but I don't do it that often)
So I am "sorta kinda fit for my size". Or rather, I am "average American" fitness and not "a total fat sloth".

My favorite thing about biking is feeling like flying with the wind in your hair, coasting along at 7 or 8 miles an hour looking at fall leaves or spring flowers, talking/playing/laughing with my daughter (or friends when I was young), maybe getting a cup holder and sipping a cold drink.

May use it to exercise the dog also (let her run for a change instead of just slowly walk)

So I need:
Cruiser style
Under 300 dollars (350 MAYBE, after all I still need helmet, chain, lock, and who knows what else. Eventually some way to attach it to my car!)
Able to hold 300lbs easy (I am slightly traumatized from Highschool on this front)
With a cooshie, cooshie seat
Super easy mechanically as I know nothing

For:
Casual riding around town with a small child and possibly a dog
Exercise
Stress relief
With the intention to take it slow and scenic (imagine cruising around with family, a book on tape, and a latte)

Notes:
I dislike hills with a passion when riding but we have a few around here.
(The only good thing about a hill is gliding down without pedaling. Your reward for all your hard work- yuck!)
But I may need to traverse them like it or not.

Rainjoy

I found the Firmstrong with high reviews, 200 dollars, and a max rider weight of 300lbs
https://www.firmstrong.com/products/firmstrong-urban-lady-single-speed-womens-26-beach-cruiser-bike
But none of my local bike shops have it.
The one in town has only sun brand cruisers.
The one an hour away has only Electra and Country brand cruisers.

donalson

I will say this about electra townie bikes... DON'T go test ride one unless you plan on walking out with one...

my wife has one... she got it when she still had several herniated discs in her back... it is as you say a very upright seating position... my shop of choice back in FL (I'd give a hand on weekends and such because they where my friends, in trade I'd get near at cost parts and use of the rack/tools)... anyway they sold the Electra townie bikes and one of their stores sat right at the beginging of a very nice rails to trails trail (paved and prob 1.5 car width street sized)... I'd frequently "test out" the townie... most notable was one with skinny "road bike" sized tires/wheels and gearing... it was much quicker than it had any business being and I still want to pick one up at some point (not sure if they still sell that model) anyway back to my wife... I was really into riding at the time (2 or 3 years ago... working on getting back into it) so she picked one up and was able to ride it without issue... it's a "pedal forward" design so it's really kicked back... standing to power up hills isn't an option but on mostly flat neighborhood and trail rides it is great for shorter trips... I'd take my wifes out from time to time instead of my road or touring bike to ride with the kids the 4 miles down to the Sonic drive in (and another 4 miles back)... it had a multi use path next to the road but because it crossed a number of road entrance into neighborhoods it involved frequent dismounting to walk the bike across (due to age of my kids at the time for safety we'd stop and walk across)... anyway the wife had a bad back and had no issues with the bike... also my wight is higher than yours and hers isn't too far off... never an issue... I did put on an aftermarket seatpost because of height... but that isn't an issue for most people on these things (i'm 6'4 and she's 6'1 or so)

anyway like I said... don't go ride one unless you're willing to spend a little more or the time finding one used... I've run into a few people now at the sports store looking at bikes and suggest a real bike shop... but have warned them not to ride if they balked at spending $500 on a bike... each and every one walked out of the store with a shiny new electra townie... lol.

I can highly recommend them... but budget puts it over your target unless you can find one used :-/

good luck on your search...

jethro56 

Save up to 60% Off Cruiser Bikes - Beach bike, Town and City Cruiser Bikes Womens Cruisers | Beach Cruiser Bicycles from bikesdirect.com I think we can answer any questions on the very easy assembly required. The web site has some videos as well.