FattyBike...er

rosefarts

It won't just explode under you. More likely it'll break from a bump or just wear out quickly.

I think you'd fare better on a fat bike. They have tires between 4"-6" and are generally thicker. Also, with those big tires, the small shocks of riding shouldn't tear it apart.

Obviously everything will improve as you lose more weight. I actually think a bike would be an ideal place to start. Walking would be unbelievably hard on the feet, ankles, knees, and hips.

Iride01 

No. However in their designing of the bike they figured that weight would be the maximum that they consider safe when the bike is ridden in a manner that exposes it to the extreme forces that may be encountered during a ride. And likely as is common practice among many mfrs, it's a figure that gives about 150 percent margin of what they actually designed and tested to.

If the bike is comfortable and feels okay then just don't go wild on it. No x-games, stump jumping and take it a little easy on bumpy roads and corners.

Rogerogeroge

I would recommend pumping up/making sure you have sufficient air pressure in your tires each time you ride.

ddeand 

Crankycrank

Also check out the "Clydesdales" section. https://www.bikeforums.net/clydesdal...-200-lb-91-kg/ Plenty of riders with firsthand experience.

harshbarj

I can say as a larger rider (at one point near 300) you likely will have more mechanical problems. Things like broken spokes and hub wear. I can't speak for that extreme of a weight problem though as at that weight the structure of the bike itself may come into question. Hit one pothole, or large stone and you could break something on the bike. I'd consider getting a trike style bike till your weight comes down.

Duragrouch

Even if the frame doesn't immediately fold in half due to yield stress, there could be problems. Don't quote me, it's been a long time, but if I recall correctly, each 10% increase in stress reduces fatigue life by 50%, once you exceed the (infinite) fatigue limit for steel, and is more problematic for aluminum as it has no fatigue stress limit. 440lbs/250lbs = 1.76; 2^^7.6 = 194x reduction in fatigue life. This is a lot. I would recommend:
- A steel frame. Aluminum is possible if designed strong, most motorcycle frames these days are aluminum. But even a steel frame needs to be stout, designed for the stress level, not necessarily the weight. A downhill mountain bike if designed for 8g loads may be adequate for you on smooth pavement. A friend built up an electric bike for his wife on a downhill bike, "You can drop it off a two story building and nothing happens" were his words. Front and rear suspension will help to reduce shock (short duration, high intensity) loads into the frame and wheels, but that requires springs for both that will cope with your weight. And tough wheels and spokes, preferably at least 36 spoke wheels.
- Perhaps start out with $1 rent-a-bikes, before even checking out with your smartyphone, sit on one, bounce on it a bit, if it doesn't yield immediately, you may be fine. Most use solid tires (no air tube).
- I need to lose weight. I used to be able to keep in check with exercise, no more. They are finding out that it's 80% diet, 20% exercise. You can't exercise enough to lose high calories unless you are doing marathons. Exercise is good, makes a larger engine. But you must diet. I hate being hungry. Diet I am using is all non-starchy veggies, and I can eat as much as I want under 1000 calories a day. Sometimes I need a *tiny* amount of protein as I will have a belly full of veggies and still have tummy grumbles. 4 or 5 nuts. Half a chicken drumstick.
- In the winter I used to nordic-track because I lived in the snow belt. Worked great, not sure if rated for your weight, though professional gym models would probably hold up. Right now I am having big plantar fasciitis issues aggravated by walking but not biking, so nordic-track sits idle.

AnkleWork

For conditioning it's much better to walk fast, preferably carrying some weight in your hands or in a pack, uphill. Bicycling is too efficient to help much and can easily cause injury. Later you can carefully design some rides to improve conditioning.

KraneXL

This. They have to come up with some limit to protect themselves. Even cars have weight limits that most people would be surprised (once they've loaded up the family) just how easy it is to overload.

If I were you, I'd get a heavy duty bike as mentioned above just for good measure and save the Trek for once you've lost a lot more weight. For reference, my Cannondale hybrid is rated for 270 lbs. but I'm currently at an even 200 lbs. so I've got lots of room for cargo.

Don't forget to set a goal and put a date to it. Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.

DiabloScott

You are heavy enough that you are right to be concerned with bike strength - the frame and the wheels and other components.

Your Trek 3500 is a pretty stout bike though, so it should be OK for a while as long as you check it regularly for cracks and wheel damage. The most likely places to fail are the spokes, rims, bottom bracket, rear dropouts, saddle rails, and tubing around the headset. The most dangerous place for a failure would be the fork. An experienced cyclist will be able to show you what to look for. The weight limit means that Trek won't pay for your medical bills if you brake it and sue them. Your Trek dealer may not want even to suggest it's OK, because liability.

At your weight, if the bike does brake, you will likely hit the ground harder and suffer more severe injuries than a lighter person in the same crash, so you need to be responsible for your own safety.


I understand your concern, but you're going to have to learn to deal with a certain amount of this. I usually think "right on, dude" when I see a fat guy on a bike. And when I see a fat guy eating pizza at Costco I just shake my head. So, "right on dude" to you.

And yes, the folks in the Clydesdale sub-forum will probably be able to offer you better, more specific advice, especially if you're open to getting a different bike. Lots of people like you have figured this out.
https://www.bikeforums.net/clydesdal...-200-lb-91-kg/

These two guys used to post in here often - not sure what happened to them.

Bonzo Banana

The maximum weight limit of regular bikes is a rider weight of about 300lbs/136kg. Some bikes state a maximum load including bike weight of 160kg which gives you about 145kg allowing for the bike weight.

You are still 55kg over that.

I would go with a bike with double wall 36 spoke 26" wheels as the strongest type of regular wheels.

Go for a very strong frame, maybe a jump bike with overly reinforced headtube and chain/seat stays but probably the best frame would be an overly thick and strong chromoly steel frame also any failure of the frame should be indicated by a looseness of the frame as you ride which is why steel is the safest it gives you the best/clearest warning of frame failure.

You will need to over-inflate tyres, they may say max 65psi you may have to go to 70-80psi. You have to over-inflate otherwise you will get pinch-flats.

Walk up hills don't attempt to ride up steep hills, this is the most damaging for the bike.

Keep to good quality surfaces, avoid pot-holes and anything that will be jarring to you and therefore the frame, wheels and tyres.

Aluminium always gets weaker with time, it has no endurance limit so while you may get away with a old steel frame, a newer aluminium frame is safer than an older aluminium frame. A new aluminium frame might start off with a large amount of over-capacity with regards weight limits but over it's expected lifespan it gets much, much weaker until at about 7-10 years it's getting to the point it is likely to fail with its maximum weight limit.

You must use a mountain bike frame. They are designed to be used off-road so are stronger than normal bikes, that extra strength is designed for off-road abuse you will be using that strength for additional weight.

Use rigid steel forks not suspension forks.

It doesn't need to be expensive just a matter of getting the right parts together. Many bikes are focused on being lightweight you are focused purely on strength without bike weight considerations. It doesn't matter to you if you are 200kg if a bike is 4kg overweight.

That's my thoughts, hopefully something there is helpful. Best of luck.

fietsbob

one part that will be stressed is the wheels .. see to it they get checked regularly so all the spokes are working together in balanced tensions..

your neighborhood bike shop is a service business..

PDKL45

Hey OP, I am overweight as well, but I have recently lost 12.5 kg, around 25 lbs and I am on track to lose a lot more.

With us bigger guys, we lose weight with food management and we gain health with physical exercise. I am using 16:8 Intermittent Fasting as a "diet" and I am finding it much easier to stick to than any of the previous diets and calorie cutting strategies I have tried (https://www.healthline.com/nutrition...ide#what-it-is).

In terms of exercising, I find cycling/bike riding to be an excellent form of exercise as it's low impact, and carrying around weight for years can leave your back and joints, especially your knees, in pretty bad shape. Cycling helps to avoid aggravating bad knees etc. and it's actually fun for me; I am passionate about cycling, so it's never really exercise to me, but recreation.

The best bike for bigger guys? Personally I think it's a steel framed touring bike like the Surly Long Haul Trucker, or Disc Trucker (I recommend the latter for stopping our weight). The stock LHT build comes with 36 spoke wheels and a frame that's designed to carry big loads.

Still, the stock LHT/DT wheels have Shimano Deore hubs. I find that hubs are the main concern for bigger riders, as they just get chewed up with excessive weight, something I recently found with Shimano XT hubs. You can read all about cup and cone hubs (Shimano), but the lesson to take away, to my mind at least, is that you need to change the bearings every 1,000 miles. Have the hubs rebuilt (or rebuild them yourself, it's not too difficult) every 1,000-1,250 miles, regrease everything and change the bearings for new ones. New bearings and grease are cheap.

The LHT/DT also comes stock with drop bars, but happily enough, with its geometry, flat bars are just fine. The drop bars can aggravate back conditions, like degenerative disc disorder or a herniated disc, due to the forward leaning posture they demand, even when they're set up to be high. I recommend swept back bars, like north road style bars, or European ones like the Ergotec-Humpert Stuttgarter or trekking bars. You can also leave the steerer tube uncut and use a Jones bar with a 50mm stem.

If you have the budget I would recommend a frame like the Surly LHT/DT (or an Troll, Ogre, ECR or Bridge Club), with bars for an upright posture and really strong wheels. DT Swiss have recently released their "Hybrid" range of products (https://www.missionhybrid.dtswiss.com/) for ebikes, but they're great for loaded touring and for us heavier guys as well. A handbuilt wheelset using DT Swiss 350 Hybrid Hubs, Champion Spokes and 545d rims (good for the LHT/DT as they come in both 700c and 26" sizes with 36 spoke holes) would a be a good starting point. The 26" LHT/DT (and Troll) is better for bigger guys, as the smaller wheels are inherently stronger. DT Swiss also have the 540 hub, designed for tandems and available in 36 hole and 40 hole variants. A 40 spoke wheelset with 540 hubs and Velocity Cliff Hanger rims would be very strong, but the 540 hubs can be pricey. Look for prebuilt tandem wheelsets maybe? Have a look at the Clydesdales and Athenas sub forum for the Thoughts on a Touring Bike? thread (https://www.bikeforums.net/clydesdal...ring-bike.html) which has a lot of good suggestions for steel touring bikes.

Worksman bikes (https://www.worksmancycles.com/#) are also frequently recommended as a cheaper option; I cannot comment on them, as I have no experience.

Jones bikes may also be a good choice.

CycleryNorth81

Here is an article from Bicycling magazine on how one person used a bicycle to lose weight. Please note the bike used was a custom built bike designed for that person.

KraneXL

A lot of hyperbole in that title, don't you think? Although the cycling sentiment is appreciated.

In other news, love the video. Reminds me of when I used to put Shep in the basket of my 3 speed and we'd go riding. Once I hit a rock and we both went tumbling. I think I still have the scrape scar on my knee. He still trusted me, and got back in for the ride home. Dogs love riding, but cats can be temperamental.

MattTheHat 

What? Nonsense!

-Matt

WizardOfBoz

Well, first, there are two types of very overweight people. Those that are actually doing something about it (walking, swimming, riding, adopting a healthy diet, getting enough sleep), and those who are sitting on the couch watching "The Biggest Loser" while consuming a 2lb bag of potato chips. That is, fat people who are doing something about it, or not.

So, if you do break a bike while riding, look upon this as something you should be proud of. What I would NOT do is wring my hands and worry about what will happen, to the extent you don't do anything. So go out and walk for 15 minutes today, 20 tomorrow, etc. Stop drinking ANY sugary drinks. Fix dietary limits and stick to them. You might be hungry, but you won't die on a 2000 calorie diet (I do medical research and write models of metabolism: your body will start using up fat stores right away if you limit your diet and exercise). The url for Scott Cutshall's story, above, tells us that he decided to do something about his weight, and he did.

Here's the biggest thing in this effort, IMHO. Do not let the perfect be the enemy of the good. If you start riding, and you squash a bike (or bike wheel), big deal. Get a stouter bike (or wheel) and continue. Every time doubt about the process creeps in, go do some exercise. There will be discomfort. If you persevere through it, you'll succeed.

My only tech observation is that you want to make sure you get a bike with wheels that have a lot of spokes. In the range 32 to 48. You (and me, too, if it makes you feel better) are not in the market for 10 spoke radials (yet!).

Rick

Purchase a Yuba Mundo they can handle the weight better. You have an aluminum frame most likely. If it fails there will be little or no warning. The only bicycle I rode for several years was my 28 year old MTB Tandem. It has HS 66 Magura hydraulic rim brakes on it. I ordered a custom Touring bicycle and specified a rider weight of 350lbs. I was very disappointed In the brakes. You see the Magura hydraulic rim brakes on the tandem can save me from some nut doing brake checks in traffic but the Spire, Spyke and HY/RD can/t. I weighed 380lbs when I took delivery of my bicycle. I didn't ride it much until this November. I changed my eating drastically and put on Paul Klampers. I am below 320lbs and rely less on the rescue wife to bring the car to get me. I have changed handlebar styles 3 times and have settled on the Crazy bar from Velo-Orange. I put on a Ritchey adjustable stem. The Crazy bars use a 25.4mm tube were the stem clamps on so I had to find Ritchey's out of production adjustable stem. I found a German shop that had 35 of them. So I purchased 2 of them. Ergon swept back grips and Cinelli cork tape double thick. I am not going back to drop bars. The Crazy bar allowed me to put on not only the Rohloff brand Rohloff shifter but the Left handed one.