Help! Cannot find a bike for someone my size in UK at all!

[georgehenry]

That muddy fox looks a cheap starting point and as recommended needs a stronger wheel set. Also probably a good idea to put hydraulic brakes on, and that may or may not be possible/easy/difficult with that frame.

Then a crank or front wheel kit. Brighton Bikes have been recommended for fitting kits to bikes if you cannot do it yourself.

I am heavy, but still 90 kg lighter, and have a Haibike Yamaha Hardtail Yamaha, and on occasion put it under real stress off road, landing from down hill drop offs arpund 20mph where the whole bike is in the air, before landing lower down the slope.

The beauty of a hardtail is you can have a rack and panniers, very useful. A guy following once down a bumpy steep trail said it looked mad with the panniers flying around!

It has been ridden 50% off road for all its life and probably a bit more and is over 16,000 miles now.

All I did to accommodate my weight was to replace the back wheel with a much stronger one.

The first was an off the shelf mavic that lasted 10,000 miles and then I spoilt myself with a hand built one with a wide section tough tyre run tubeless which has been superb but cost quite a lot.

As a curve ball if you have the money haibike do an entry level full suspension bike with yamaha system that is the toughest crank drive set up. It would still cost a pound shy of £3,000, and you might still need to put a stronger back wheel in.

https://www.e-bikeshop.co.uk/products/electric-bike-haibike-full-seven-4-2021?variant=42482860458222

Or go cheap and hopefully cheerful with this old well built classic

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185543225852?hash=item2b333cf1fc:g:DaoAAOSw5Zpi~kWk&amdata=enc:AQAHAAAAoJqqbCK6XZWcI9rS/caupLzamktoXhtOQ41gpJXxTRaZiUD4xkVP2BHk2ZkzTRwNECk0kerTKhq8mjEKktavANoWGkD1v5v6elecD/TijEMlfGtzPhSfTtCnvmCAHmfg4/ganpgBtVdSJSM7/JLSc3ZXNTELMpCDbwmy9OasfWI8FPoKBuh9pjDCWYtCJn1zi4A/lHkGtziYgrEVQqshXZM=|tkp:Bk9SR-yrsJrZYA

 

[guerney]

If the OP's budget could stretch, a suitably strong and comparatively light custom titanium frame could be made?

https://spanner.bike/

 

[Bonzo Banana]

As I said previously any bike for a very heavy rider should focus on strength and cheaply available parts which aren't proprietary. It's quite possible the frame could fail after 9 months of use and you want to be able to replace it easily and cheapy if this is going to be a regular issue. Most high end bike parts focus on being lightweight not strength. Titanium is very expensive to repair or replace and from what I've seen of more recent titanium frames they have moved away from the old days of titanium where the tubes were straight/plain gauge instead they have milled out sections or butted tubes. Some of them are competitive in weight with super lightweight aluminium or more basic over-built carbon fibre frames.

If you are 200kg in weight, an extra 1.5kg in the bike frame and forks is not a big issue and steel gives a good warning of failure which is critical for heavy riders. Collapsing forks is just about the most dangerous component failure on a bike.

 

[guerney]

Hi,
sorry to bother you.
I am a recovering Agoraphobe and unfortunately over the last 7 years shut-in as what was a very sedentarylife I am now 200kg.

If you're still looking, this quotes 200kg max load.

Fiido M1 Pro

Fiido M1 Pro E-Bike

The Fiido M1 Pro is a more powerful updated version of the popular Fiido M1 fat tyre folding e-bike. It's powered by a strong 500W motor paired with a 7-speed gear set. The M1 Pro can reach speeds of up to 25mph and is capable of taking on any terrain. The 20x4inch wheels have ultra-wide rims...

bicycleland.co.uk

 

[AndyBike]

An Ebike is the last thing you need. You need to lose weight, and to do that you need something that doesnt make it easy.

 

[guerney]

An Ebike is the last thing you need. You need to lose weight, and to do that you need something that doesnt make it easy.

250W wouldn't make it that much easier? My recent experiences towing a heavy trailer leads me to suspect that a bbs01b might manage without too much pain on the flats (better still, the 100nm ETM), with a 200kg rider and a heavier bike. Steep hills would be very difficult imho, without the right gearing.

 

[Bonzo Banana]

An Ebike is the last thing you need. You need to lose weight, and to do that you need something that doesnt make it easy.

I'm sure I saw something that said ebikes help you lose more weight than conventional bikes and I think that was because people would use them much more often. Also being 200kg is twice the weight of an average rider or more so its going to be like the motor moving your oversized rear, stomach and manboobs and you actually moving the rest of you. The heavier you get the lighter assistance the motor can provide.

At 200kg he will have some muscles because his body would have developed oversized muscles to help move that weight. At least in his legs anyway.

On a conventional bike he may be too limited where he could ride.

 

[guerney]

manboobs

Someday moobs may become fashionable, and it's a day I eagerly await, so that I can display mine to get free drinks in bars. (joking, joking)

The heavier you get the lighter assistance the motor can provide.

That's the advantage mid-drives you hate so much offer over hubs - a much larger range of gears. Sure they contain nylon gears and bearings wear out, drive chains wear faster, but hauling heavy weight is something they excel at.

 

[Woosh]

If you use your gears sensibly, chain and sprocket wear is unimportant for 250w crank drives. You have to change gear a little in advance. The main disadvantage is hill start in the wrong gear.

 

[Bonzo Banana]

Someday moobs may become fashionable, and it's a day I eagerly await, so that I can display mine to get free drinks in bars. (joking, joking)




That's the advantage mid-drives you hate so much offer over hubs - a much larger range of gears. Sure they contain nylon gears and bearings wear out, drive chains wear faster, but hauling heavy weight is something they excel at.

I've seen plenty of forum postings where heavy riders have destroyed mid-drive motors very quickly although admittedly this is more about e-mountain bikes which provide huge torque. I remember reading a heavy rider destroying his Specialized Levo on this first ride which was a Brose motor. I don't hate mid-drive motors at all I simply feel they are an expensive unreliable over-complicated often proprietary solution best reserved for e-mountain bikes or the weak and frail when it comes general commuting. I do plan to do a e-mountain bike conversion with a mid-drive motor at some point.

You do get ultra-high torque geared hub motors which would be great for hauling heavy weights but I've not seen them on bikes over here but seen them featured on videos or Alibaba etc. I'm guessing they wouldn't comply with the 250W limit. They have windings and gearing for torque rather than speed. I'm sure if we abandoned the EU ebike legislation and formed our own perhaps closer to US rules we would have a much better landscape for ebikes over here and at much more affordable prices.

 

[georgehenry]

All credit Ally_WS for coming on an open internet forum to ask our advise.

Don't overthink it now that there is quite a lot of advise.

Increasing your activity levels however you do it is the right thing to be doing, starting gently, but trying to do it regularly.

I am no expert but for a very overweight person swimming, walking and yes cycling are good activities. Other than swimming and walking, exercises that involve sitting down with your weight supported takes a lot of pressure of your joints. So cycling, static rowing machines etc.

Cycling though is very good, as it gets you out in the fresh air, and can be a very useful form of transport.

Mountain bikes are generally stronger than other types of bike.

They usually have front suspension that takes pressure of the front wheel.

I would suggest it would be a good idea to have hydraulic brakes.

A crank drive system is generally better at climbing hills.

Also a crank drive system means you can very easily change the rear wheel for a stronger one. You can also lower the gearing simply by changing the front chain ring.

Although manufacturers put weight limits on their bikes I think that there is generally a lot of lee way in respect of the frame.

My 2015 hard tail Haibike with Yamaha crank drive system has worked very well for me. I changed the back wheel for a stronger one, but have had no problem with the front that has a fork with an air valve that can be adjusted for a riders weight.

Someone said having a plan and taking action is always better than doing nothing. Go for it. Let us know how you get on.

 

[guerney]

Losing almost three stones (so far) hasn't been easy - key is enjoying the feeling of being hungry, and not panicking when that happens. I lost weight by eating one big meal a day, 5 days a week (I have weekends off). After 14 hours of not eating, your body starts to consume stored fat (and some muscle, because protein is easier to break down and utilise). I consistently ost a couple of pounds a week. The first stone disappeared in two months. You'll lose the most initially, but then your body adjusts and the weight loss tails off. This final 9 pounds is proving quite persistant.

Don't intermittent fast with one big meal if you are pre-diabetic or diabetic, the blood suger rush after your one big meal could kill you - eat five very tiny meals throughout the day instead totalling 1500 colories - gradual weight loss is healthier and safer.

In my experience - I've done quite a lot of yoyoing between fat and fit my entire life - restricting calories is far far more effective than exercise, for losing weight.

Always have a chat with your Doctor before starting any new diet. I think there's a new NHS powdered meal plan your GP can offer now, which includes 500 calorie sachet soups, with a low glycemic index.

 

[chris667]

Hello @Ally_W5 . I am not as big as you, but I have been.

Remember that almost everyone in the cycling industry is a failed racer. They don't design bikes for people like us. But we absolutely deserve to have access to this activity.

I have looked into weight limits A LOT, and my feeling is most of them aren't based on any kind of science, but more a fear of litigation. I had an actual conversation with one of the designers at Ridgeback who said as much.

My feeling is you should not worry about the frame weight limit but get stronger wheels. You don't need a lot of gears. In fact, you might well be best served by a singlespeed at first. Not the high geared "fixie" type singlespeed. Something basic, with well-built wheels and a strong rim. You are going to be pushing uphill for a while unless you go electric.

If you are near Derby I might be able to help actually. I have several bikes that may be suitable. None particularly expensive. You can come and try one out.

 

[I893469365902345609348566]

Does this chap look heavier than his 125kg Stealth Bomber (?) weight limit? I'll ask how much he weighs if I see him again. If I can catch up