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

[Ally_W5]

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.
Before I had Agoraphobia I used to cycle alot but I am very nervous about getting kn my old bicycle and it completely folding underneath me.
I have finally got out and really want to cycle as exercise but I am finding it hard if not completely impossible to find a bike in the UK to match my size.
The US has loads, absolutely loads, but us over here, not so much.
All the UK websites I have been on either have weight for bikes far below me, or they have no weight limit showing at all.
I've called most bicycle flagship stores but they either don't stock any or as most have admitted, they don't know the limits of any of their stock.
Does anyone know of any products for heavier guys like me in the UK?
Really hope you can help, I loved cycling would love to start enjoying outside on a bike.
Cheers and take care,
Ally

 

[soundwave]

BIKES

Highlights, E-Bikes, Full Suspension, Hardtail

en.nicolai-bicycles.com

 

[sjpt]

200kg is 31.5 stone. Also, I don't think the Big Bear is still available (but ?).

 

[egroover]

Maybe a radpower or similar cargo ebike would be suitable?

 

[Ally_W5]

Thanks for this.
Looked at the site and about 6 others, maximum user capacity I found was 158kg.
It's a start, saw a bike that was 180kg capacity on Amazon, so I might need to try and lose more weight some other way before venturing near something.
Really appreciate the suggestion.

 

[soundwave]

Swindon Powertrain | Manufacturing | Testing | Design

Swindon Powertrain is led by a team of innovative, highly experienced engineers who develop and manufacture high-tech powertrain solutions.

swind.life

its double the price of the eboxx tho but at 200kg you will need a bike with kw of power to get any speed at all.

 

[Bonzo Banana]

If I was 200kg I would probably start with a basic high tensile steel mountain bike with rigid forks and then start upgrading components to get the best strength and reliability.

I'd probably start with something like this;

https://www.evanscycles.com/brand/muddyfox/energy-26-inch-mountain-bike-938435

Then upgrade the wheels to 26" 36 spoke double wall wheels with a freehub on the rear wheel and use a 8 speed cassette like 11-42T.

I'd stick a 32T single chainring crankset on the bike and also fit Schwalbe fat frank tyres with maxxis downhill inner tubes in both tyres. I'd upgrade the brake pads to higher quality types.

I'd certainly make sure I got a bike based around standard components so if I break any components they can be easily replaced and I would go for high tensile steel for frame and forks so if either started to break I would know as the metal would become softer before failure rather than fracturing/cracking instantly like CF or aluminium.

I would definitely avoid any bike with proprietary parts as you may be replacing parts quite frequently.

Also do not attempt steep hills on the bike. When you get to a steep hill just get off and walk. Going up steep hills is when you put the maximum stress on a bike, until you have lost a significant chunk of weight I would walk up steeper hills.

The two biggest compromises in strength on bicycles is price and performance typically. High tensile steel frames are typically the most abuse-able frames, they have straight gauge tubes and not much finesse just strong simple frames but the components fitted to them are often very cheap so you need to upgrade the bike in a few areas like the wheels.

The classic double triangle safety frame is still one of the strongest designs for a bicycle, very hard to beat especially if you buy one with oversized tubes.

 

[richtea99]

The average EU bike recommended max is usually 120Kgs. I know because I'm close to the limit, and had to check out various models. So your average modern bike won't do, as you've surmised.

You might want to consider a cargo ebike for the time being, since they're built for extra weight.
An example, but quite expensive:

GSD: Electric Cargo Bike and Car Replacement | Tern Bicycles

The Tern GSD electric cargo bike carries up to 200 kg (440 lb). Safely carry 2 kids, an adult passenger, the family dog, or a whole lot of cargo.

www.ternbicycles.com

 

[Bonzo Banana]

The average EU bike recommended max is usually 120Kgs. I know because I'm close to the limit, and had to check out various models. So your average modern bike won't do, as you've surmised.

You might want to consider a cargo ebike for the time being, since they're built for extra weight.
An example, but quite expensive:

GSD: Electric Cargo Bike and Car Replacement | Tern Bicycles

The Tern GSD electric cargo bike carries up to 200 kg (440 lb). Safely carry 2 kids, an adult passenger, the family dog, or a whole lot of cargo.

www.ternbicycles.com

Mountain bikes especially US brands can be rated to 136kg or 300lb riders but that is a bike designed for off-road. It has extra strength for taking the impacts off-road up to a 136kg rider but of course if you don't go off-road and use it for normal roads that extra strength could be for a heavier rider rather than off-road impacts.

Then you have buffalo bikes in Africa. They are basic bikes using a straight gauge high tensile steel frame and they are rated to 100kg on the rear rack alone and I guess if you think of a rider being anywhere up to 80kg in Africa or possibly more you have your 200kg rating. Buffalo bikes also have to cope with the rough road surfaces of Africa.

http://www.buffalobicycle.com/why-buffalo

halfords send many used bikes to Africa but they have to be strong high tensile steel bikes to cope with that harsh environment and be easy to repair.

The bikes they can't send there are what we would call higher quality bikes but they just can't cope with the extra abuses of Africa and are just not practical in that environment. Here are the bikes they sell in the UK as not suitable for Africa.

I'm just making the point that bike shops will often present the higher costs bikes as higher quality but reducing weight on bikes obviously compromises strength and lifespan. High tensile steel bikes still dominate bicycle sales in the world across Africa, Asia, South America and budget bike choices in other richer countries too. Over 95% of bikes sold in the world are steel. A bit like hub motors its the cheapest product that is accessible to more people. In Africa they expect bikes to last decades of abuse.

 

[Woosh]

The US has loads, absolutely loads, but us over here, not so much.

I would recommend a very sturdy 4" fat bike.
or convert something like this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wind-Greeting-Mountain-High-carbon-Suspension/dp/B08C4ZSXW1/ref=asc_df_B08C4ZSXW1

The full suspension will protect the spokes.

 

[Bonzo Banana]

I would recommend a very sturdy 4" fat bike.
or convert something like this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wind-Greeting-Mountain-High-carbon-Suspension/dp/B08C4ZSXW1/ref=asc_df_B08C4ZSXW1

The full suspension will protect the spokes.

Fat bikes aren't always strong though, the Calibre Dune had issues with the frame breaking with even quite light riders because they tried to make the bike more lightweight and weakened it. There was a big recall on those and similar models in the US I believe. The other issue is if you break parts they are more difficult to replace, extended bottom brackets, wheels, frame etc. A lot of more difficult to replace components. I think at 200kg you will be breaking stuff more frequently. Frames have a fatigue life. What would have lasted 15 years with a normal weight rider could fail after 18 months with a very heavy rider.

 

[Woosh]

That one has a steel frame, BB.

 

[Chainmale]

Maybe an ex Royal Mail bike ? Heavy and slow but very strongly built. https://www.cycleofgood.com/elephant-bike/

 

[egroover]

Maybe an ex Royal Mail bike ? Heavy and slow but very strongly built. https://www.cycleofgood.com/elephant-bike/

A strong bike no doubt but the OP should be looking at a strong bike with big rotor hydraulic brakes to stop safely

 

[joelectric]

seen this suggestion on another forum for a 200kg rider which might be suitable for an ebike conversion.

Fahrräder von Schauff | Fahrräder - Sumo® E-Series Off_Road

Schauff stands for high quality hand-made bikes from Remagen Germany

schauff.de

 

[Bonzo Banana]

seen this suggestion on another forum for a 200kg rider which might be suitable for an ebike conversion.

Fahrräder von Schauff | Fahrräder - Sumo® E-Series Off_Road

Schauff stands for high quality hand-made bikes from Remagen Germany

schauff.de

That's expensive and I question the use of a 6061 frame for a very heavy rider. There is no obvious reinforcement on that frame and aluminium frames always fatigue with use and can fail abruptly. The stays don't look particularly strong although accept they could be using thicker tubes there but still its a common place for frame failure with heavier riders. I feel steel is the better option. Also 27.5" and 29" wheels, yes they are more popular currently but a good 26" wheel will always beat those sizes for strength as they have shorter spokes. I totally accept that the disc brakes will be very good and a real benefit to heavier riders but V brakes are still very good brakes, before disc brakes mountain bikes were using V brakes and they offer similar braking to mechanical disc brakes except not as good in wet weather.

The advantage of steel is not just its robustness and ability to take more abuse but the simple fact it warns before failure, becomes soft etc and feels different. This is why it is the safest material. Also if you buy a conventional frame and destroy it in 9 months a replacement is cheap. If you go for anything with proprietary parts or frame design the replacement will be expensive. Admittedly that bike is very conventional if you crack that aluminium frame a high tensile steel frame looks like it would be an easy replacement. At least its a conventional double triangle safety bike design.

 

[Bonzo Banana]

That one has a steel frame, BB.

I understand that but sometimes even steel fat bikes aren't that strong. Steel makes the fat bikes even heavier so there is more pressure if anything to try to reduce weight to a more reasonable level. I've seen steel fat bikes with quite thin tubes and long extended stays aren't that strong. Some fat bike tyres and wheels also have low pressure ratings and can't be inflated for very heavy riders. I feel this is less of an issue with fat ebikes. Not all fat bikes are capable of taking heavier riders basically. I remember seeing a fat ebike with 20" wheels and was rated to 160kg total load but a 26" fat ebike was only rated to a 90kg rider or 120kg total load with the bike being about 29kg. I think the Calibre Dune was only rated to 120kg total load but admittedly that was a aluminium frame and didn't have the weight of ebike components. If you look at some steel fat bikes the frame tubes aren't oversized. They simply aren't built for very heavy riders.

If you look at the Muddyfox bike I linked to. It has a straight gauge top tube going straight across to minimise flexing and provide a more rigid frame and the stays are less angled and shorter. Also I don't recommend the stock wheels but they have a much higher spoke count.

 

[Woosh]

I understand that but sometimes even steel fat bikes aren't that strong. Steel makes the fat bikes even heavier so there is more pressure if anything to try to reduce weight to a more reasonable level.

It's a snow bike, BB. They did not particularly try to save on weight, 27kgs.
I made some snow bikes before, the frame has to be sturdy because the bike is made to ride in snow. The Woosh Warrior was OK for riders up to 125kgs.
This is my snow bike, the frame is aluminium though:

In any case, the OP should check with the vendor if they still warranty the bike for his weight.

 

[Ally_W5]

You guys really know your stuff.
I am an ignoramus next to any of ye.
Thank you for all your advise, its been really useful.
I had 2 call backs today, one from Thorn bikes that said it was very fable but would be the wrong side of £3k.
Was a bit Crest fallen as that's really not readily available especially in the current climate.
Then a local bike store I had tried, left a message and forgot about called me and went through the prices bit by bit on making thus from parts from scratch and quoted me £800-£900.
I asked why such a low figure and he replied that he said that he was in the same situation as me 17 years ago and someone did him a good turn.
My faith in the generosity of humanity continues.

 

[joeliniowa]

I'm a previous owner of a RW4. (it was stolen 04/2022) It is a TRUCK. Using General Motors comparisons. The RW4 is a Silverado 2500. The RRP is a Colorado. IMHO the RW4 is a bit top heavy, the lack of front suspension is a negative. I had too many "gravity events". I got a replacement. The RadRunner Plus. The base "plus" update is wort it. The 3 "Packages" are over kill, IMHO. I've had my RRP 3 weeks now & will pass 100 miles. I live in the #2 urban center in the "Great State of Iowa" aka Cedar Rapids. I find the RRP's front suspension makes quick stops very stable. The smaller fatter tires are a big (ha ha) plus too! Watch overloading in the rear. I love mine!