Bikes For Fat People

Mountain bikes w/ big seats!

<[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Anyone have suggestions for bikes strong enough for fat people? Strong tires and frames?

[email hidden] spake thusly on or about Sat, 13 Sep 2003 00:47:35 UTC

-> Anyone have suggestions for bikes strong enough for fat people? Strong -> tires and frames?

most any bike is strong enough to ride round the block now and then. fat has little to do with the
question but total weight, how hard it will be riden, and the rider's skills do have and impact on
the choice. some big folks ride "lighter" than some pipsqueak that just sits on a bike and rolls
through every pothole and into every curb.

--
I hurt before the ride so fibro gives me a head start on the rest of the pack. silver lining?
[email hidden]

gumbo5_99 said:

Anyone have suggestions for bikes strong enough for fat people? Strong tires and frames?

A quality mountain bike should be perfect. It's a bit like loading it up with panniers full of food,
clothes, tools, spares, water, tent and sleeping bag.

But I'd strongly recommend a good suspension seat post (to protect bike and rider alike).

John

Co-Motion Americano. A heavy-duty touring bike with 145mm rear spacing, so the rear wheel is
dishless and for complete overkill you can fit 40 or 48 spoke tandem
wheels...http://www.co-motion.com/Amerc.html.

Nick

<[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Anyone have suggestions for bikes strong enough for fat people? Strong tires and frames?

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by John Henderson

Quoted message said:

But I'd strongly recommend a good suspension seat post (to protect bike and rider alike).

John [/B]

Heavy weight suspension seatposts may be hard. Many are limited to 180 lb riders; others 225, 240. There are a few which can take more, but at 230 my selection is limited. I think I have seen some rated for 350 lb riders, but suspension seatpost are designed for lighter riders.

[email hidden] wrote in :"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Anyone have suggestions for bikes strong enough for fat people? Strong tires and frames?

How fat? What kind of riding do you plan on doing? I know some pretty big guys (football players,
etc.) who ride normal road bikes with no problems.

John Henderson said:

But I'd strongly recommend a good suspension seat post (to protect bike and rider alike).

I used to ride bikes all the time when I was a kid. It's been a good number of years now. Can
someone point me in the direction of a website where I can see examples of biles? I have no idea
what a suspension seat is. Does anyone make solid rubber tires? Is that possible?

gumbo5_99 said:

I have no idea what a suspension seat is.

It absorbs much of the "shock" between rider and frame, and can help prevent broken spokes and other
wheel damage. There's a picture at:

Quoted message said:

Does anyone make solid rubber tires? Is that possible?

I think so, but don't have any info to hand. But just like the suspension seatpost, pneumatic tyres
will be kinder to bike and to rider.

John

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Does anyone make solid rubber tires? Is that possible?

There are a few manufacturers of solid tires and solid inner tubes. Here are some links:

nomorflats.comnomorflats.comOpen ↗ (solid inner tubes) ameritire.comameritire.comOpen ↗ (solid tires)
greentyre.comindex.htmlOpen ↗ (solid tires)

I have used the No-Mor flats solid inner tubes (first link), so I can give you some info on them if
you want. I don't have any experience with the other products.

John Henderson said:

Quoted message said:

Anyone have suggestions for bikes strong enough for fat people? Strong tires and frames?

Quoted message said:

But I'd strongly recommend a good suspension seat post (to protect bike and rider alike).

The operative word there is "good". A cheap suspension post won't hold up (quite literally!) under
heavy use; and a seatpost breaking underneath you is very dangerous, unpleasant, and makes it really
hard to ride home (I have experience).

Quoted message said:

John

--
Rick Onanian

meb said:

Heavy weight suspension seatposts may be hard. Many are limited to 180 lb riders; others 225, 240.
There are a few which can take more, but at 230 my selection is limited. I think I have seen some
rated for 350 lb riders, but suspension seatpost are designed for lighter riders.

Cane Creek Thudbuster allows you to swap elastomers for different weights, and it allows me (210
lbs) to use blue; I think that's medium, I know there's one or two heavier elastomers you can use.

So, a Thudbuster is probably OK for a heavy rider.

If you use too-soft elastomer, the elastomer WILL shatter. Follow the instructions...

--
Rick Onanian

Nick Payne said:

Co-Motion Americano. A heavy-duty touring bike with 145mm rear spacing, so the rear wheel is
dishless and for complete overkill you can fit 40 or 48 spoke tandem
wheels...http://www.co-motion.com/Amerc.html.

Sure the bike can take the rider, but can the rider take the bike? Not if the [censored] is fitted with
drop bars. (And below the seat, too-- what the hell?) Anything that can't take 2"+ tires is
misguided, too.

This is like a skinny person dispensing clothing advice to a fat person based on what the skinny
person finds comfortable. If a skinny rider can imagine spending a few hours doing a handstand on
the bars, then he or she can relate to how it feels for a big and/or fat rider to be supporting that
kind of weight on the hands.

A bike like the Americano, but fitted with BMX bars, a broad supportive seat, and 700x60 slicks
would be more appropriate. When or if the rider sheds some pounds and builds a mileage base, then
more conventional equipment can be adapted to the purpose as desired. Start a fat rider on a runty
rider's equipment though, and he will quickly take up some other pastime.

Chalo Colina