Am I to fat to ride a bicycle

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  • jefferyowens
    jefferyowens Posts: 3
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    A road bike should be OK, just get wheels with a slightly higher spoke count, especially the rear wheel. and you will be fine. Look for wheels with more than 30 spokes. Don't worry about getting a super expensive road bike to start, as the biggest difference is the weight of the frame and components. It will be much easier (and cheaper) to lose a few grams of weight off the rider than you would be spending thousands of dollars to save a few grams on the weight on the bike. I would definitely get an aluminum or steel frame. Once you lose some weight and find you enjoy riding enough to justify it, you can spring for the carbon frame and upgrade your ride. It is not as much about the bike as people would have you believe. The engine is much more important.

    Most any mountain bike should be fine, but if it has suspension, make sure it is adjusted to a stiffer setting.

    Get a cycling computer so you can track how far you have gone, your speed, and how many calories you have burned. Riding is great fun, and great exercise. If you push yourself hard, you can burn just as many calories as running, without the pain. I can't wait for all the snow to melt to jump back on my bike.

    Oh, and get a comfortable saddle, some biking shorts (don't worry if you look fat in them - nobody cares), and some good cycling gloves. You'll thank me later.
  • DaniH826
    DaniH826 Posts: 1,335 Member
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    You're not at all too big !!

    Hubby is 300-ish and he rides his Diamondback (got his and hers at a sporting good store on clearance, yay) without any problems whatsoever.

    Just buy a sturdy bike that fits you well and that you're comfortable with, and it'll be fine.
  • disdatdude
    disdatdude Posts: 118
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    You will be fine.

    My suggestion (for any guy) would be to invest in a good seat. "The sack" will love you for it.

    Go to a shop, find out what bike will support your weight. Please, please, please do not go to Wally World and buy the cheapest bike. You don't want to know how painful it will be if the frame cracks. Plus, the components will be better on a name brand bike.

    After you find a brand/model...go look for it used on Ebay, Craigslist or find a local guy who buys and resells bikes. I say this because, eventhough it might not be new and shiny, you never know if you're going to like biking and you don't want a $500 bike sitting in your garage. You can always resell your beginner bike and get another.

    Find a good place to ride and, possibly, someone to ride with. MeetUps is a great place for that. If you commit to someone as a riding partner you will be more likely to keep riding.
  • fit4lifeUcan2
    fit4lifeUcan2 Posts: 1,458 Member
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    I say go for it. Why not? I see a lot of very large men and women riding bikes around my town every day. They sell bike seats in all different shapes and sizes now a days so don't worry about the seat being an issue. You may want a stronger bike and not a light weight cross country kind however. I ride a mountain bike because I like the bigger tires and I can keep my balance better on it. I tried a 10 speed but the tires are so thin I was all over the place. I have poor balance problems so need all the help I can get. See if you can test ride a few and see what works for you.

    Here is the bike I bought... http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008O0X8JS/?tag=diamonbicycl-20
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,472 Member
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    HELL NO! GO!
  • Weezoh
    Weezoh Posts: 171 Member
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    WRT bike shorts - if you don't want to rock the spandex - they make padded loose fit shorts as well (they kind of have an inner lining like a bathing suit that contains the padding and an outer shell) and that padding makes a big difference in the beginning.

    Also seconding the poster who said don't get a big gel filled padded saddle, you're better off getting used to a stiffer leather saddle (male cut-out possibly) the poofy/squishy saddles tend to put pressure on important areas as it bunches up and can cause you all kinds of problems.
  • orangelobster
    orangelobster Posts: 151
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    . The bike we used was a smith and wesson.

    Those are bada$$ bikes! I want one!
  • skankamaggot
    skankamaggot Posts: 146 Member
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    NOPE not too big, but you might want to invest in a squishy seat cover to help. I started riding my mountain bike at 267 lbs and it's a nothing fancy cheapy walmart bike. It's help up just fine!
  • allenhandley
    allenhandley Posts: 134 Member
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    In a word....NO
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Hi All,
    I am 5' 10" and I weight 275lbs, I would love to get a bike this summer to get some additional exercises but I am afraid that I might be to big.
    Anyone here in the same weight range get a bike and if so what kind? I was looking at the Surly Cross Check.
    any advice would be greatly appreciated.

    Sean

    Surly makes good stuff, and their customer support is pretty solid. Shoot them an email and see what they think. If you're just cruising around the neighborhood I'm sure you'll be fine... just make sure your tires have enough air in them.

    BTW... good on you. Bike rock!
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
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    Professional athletes may weigh next to nothing, but they can put incredible amounts of power to the ground when they ride. BMX racers have been measured at putting over 5000W of power through the rear wheel at the beginning of a race. You will not be able to put close to that much power down, even with a few years of riding. When you start, it'll be closer to 100-200W max.

    Sure, the stresses put on the bike from a higher rider weight will be different, but as long as you buy a quality bike from a quality bike store and don't buy a department store bike, you'll be fine.

    If anything, the people working in the professional bike shop will be able to pick out the right bike for you.
  • Isrn2
    Isrn2 Posts: 160
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    I started riding mine at 375 pounds. I bought a year-old Cannondale road bike on clearance. I got the one with the larger wheel size which makes it even easier to ride. Even on clearance, I still spent almost $500 on it, but it's well worth it for the comfort and ease. I use it far more than I would have a cheaper, more uncomfortable bike.

    I also invested in a gel-covered wide seat. Nothing worse than getting a skinny racing seat stuck up your crack!!

    Get out there and get moving!
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
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    No, you're a Clydsdale! There is a whole forum at bikeforums.net devoted to heavier riders. That said, consult a bike shop for the ride bike for your build. You might want to get wider saddle and tires, and you should avoid cheaper bikes or, specifically, bikes with cheap wheels that don't hold up under weight. A Surly with a 35 mm tire will do quite nicely, but don't go with a nubby tire unless you are actually going off road. And get a tire with flat protection!
  • Still_Fluffy
    Still_Fluffy Posts: 341 Member
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    You are not too big to ride a bike. But you’re probably too big to were tight biker shorts.

    I try to ride my bike to work a couple of times a week during the summer months. When I started I was over 300 pounds. I ride Trex mountain bike. I use to have a hybrid, but I was so heavy (around 350) I had issues with the thinner tires and had to get double walled tires. I would get a good quality mountain bike and have at it. Keep in mind that biking is not a huge calorie burner, but if you use it to run errands or use it to get to work it is a great way to get in some extra exercises.
    Good luck!
  • masch006
    masch006 Posts: 11 Member
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    I am about the same weight and there doesn't seem to be any problem with biking. The only thing that was recommended to me was not to use the skinny tires, which are not really designed for leisure riding anyways.
  • jlt1968
    jlt1968 Posts: 77 Member
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    I don't think you can be to big or old to ride a bike. Just do it I think you will find a nice ride very relaxing. I also don't think you need to spend a lot of money on a bike either. Find one that fits you I sugest a mountain bike. The best advice I can give you though is invest in a good quality gel saddle, this will make a world of diffrance on your back side.
  • Amazon_Who
    Amazon_Who Posts: 1,092 Member
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    No you are not! You might like this blog http://zeusmeatball.blogspot.com/
  • bspikes86
    bspikes86 Posts: 61 Member
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    i started riding again when i weighed 330. i loved it. i used some old beach cruiser that someone gave me. i lost 45 pounds withing 3 months. i was riding 6-10 miles a day at 300 pounds. i gained 17 of that back when my seizures got really bad. just start really slow. i started with a mile to the store and back. then when my car broke down i would go to walmart ( 8 miles round trip) to get groceries for my family of 5. some on my backpack and some in the basket. you can do it!!!
  • EsqDreams
    EsqDreams Posts: 8 Member
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    http://www.bicycling.com/training-nutrition/nutrition-weight-loss/5-cycling-weight-loss-successes

    Check out these 5 success stories.
    Some of the people profiled were heavy.

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