My only concern is I think a throttle or equivalent button would be a must for me, due to lack of fitness. Is there any mods out there that would allow me to fit some sort of device to give the desired result.
The older Panasonic Pro Connect were adaptable to have a throttle apparently capable of more than the 4mph walk-assist but this is not the case with the Impulse motor.
XXL Agattus are crank-drive bikes meaning that you have to pedal to power the bike and it will deliver assistance in a range of multiples of your pedal effort.
The basic frame of even the normal Agattu is very strong and I've no doubt this bike would be up to the job with the XXL mods, however bear in mind carrying extra weight on the bike (for example on the rack) may be a little limited in the early phases whilst you move towards your goals.
One of the benefits of the bike is it being low impact exercise. Everyone has to start somewhere if weight has got out of hand (whether too high or too low) and I personally think it's a great thing you're thinking of doing some cycling. However, I would strongly recommend combining this with a strict diet and walking as suggested by others. The combination should really help you achieve your goals - but as any exercise coach will tell you diet is by far the most important factor in achieving weight loss. Unless this changes radically the cycling is not going to have a chance of really elevating your fitness and accelerating weight loss. The up-side is if you can get a taster for cycling and it gives you the motivation to make the other changes so you can enjoy it more then it could be the most important factor in the whole equation.
I have the opposite challenge to you - have been seriously underweight for about 20 years (and a heavy smoker until 6 weeks ago). Make a decision to address both a few months ago once and for all and the bike has helped keep me off the fags (switched to eCigs - there's a lively thead on here on these) in a way nothing else could have done.
Have a read of the Electronic Cigarettes thread too - some hardened smokers (including myself) have managed to switch to these and the main benefit is that one of the obstacles to exercise tolerance (poor lung function) rapidly decreases. This route can also help avoid the counter-productive binge eating and associated weight gain a lot of smokers fear will follow if they quit, because the eCigs are far more effective in knocking back eating cravings than patches or other "Quit Smoking" aids.
However, I have had to completely change my diet, take on a structured programme (3 days a week in a gym) and up my protein and calorie intake two-fold using gainers to allow me half the cycling I want to do without defeating the weight gain efforts. 2 months of this without any lapses to gain a stone and I know it will be another 2 months to gain the next one. Weight loss is far easier and faster with even moderate exercise and diet change.
Key thing is to make a firm commitment and having a bike which you feel safe on and want to ride is a great thing to help you stick to an exercise regime. As your weight drops you will feel rapid increases in fitness and enjoyment, and that is a very rewarding path in many ways.
I would make the effort to go try the bike in Loughborough or London if you can. 50Cycles have demonstrators in other places too if you ask them they might be able to help.
If you live in an area with relatively flat routes and cycle paths you could select, this will be a great help for the first few months especially. You likely won't need a throttle unless you are tackling stressful traffic lights / traffic or steeper hills. You can then work up to some more challenging inclines as your fitness improves. If you have lots of steeper hills, a crank drive likely isn't going to be enough to make the cycling feel manageable if your fitness levels have dropped significantly and undergoing a walking / weight loss diet to work towards your goals first might be a better path. You can get a more powerful kit fitted to a sturdy frame but there are legality issues to consider, and the downside of a powerful motor with throttle is that acts as a disincentive to pedal.
Work out in your own mind how committed you are and what your goals are going to be. I'm sure there is a solution for you to help you on the path to a fitter and happier lifestyle and if cycling can play a part of that it can only be a good thing.
Walking will do you more good.......
On the weight loss, I agree.
The DimondBack HD Xipi use is not bad for the price but its all up max load is 120KG or 19 Stone... Agree with Eddie, walk first, its a great way to loose weight.
The kit can be fitted to any bike so can put it on a sturdier donor bike.
Losing weight is overwhelmingly about diet rather than exercise, although if you do both you are cooking on gas because you are attacking the problem at both ends.
Burning off the calories in a pizza takes a significant amount of exercise, so your best bet is not to eat the pizza in the first place.
Going back to bikes, the Kalkhoff is a quality machine and 50 Cycles are now selling them at sensible money.
Tim from the company posts on here, and I've been to their Loughborough premises.
50 Cycles is a proper, established business and you could buy from them with confidence.
Don't worry about the throttle, the bike will help you along well enough in all situations, especially on the higher assist modes.
Also, your fitness will improve dramatically after just a handful of rides.
That's very encouraging, but be aware the rate of improvement will decline quickly, although it will continue.
Agree with all this. It's easy to lose heart after the initial improvements, will then be a plateau to break through - but if you remain committed (and relative youth an advantage in this case), and keep up with the weight loss the feelings of being able to do more can continue for a fair while !
