Am I too heavy to start cycling?

I started biking at 253. Nothing bad happened to me or the bike.

There's no real danger of you breaking the bike, but I would have the bike tuned up professionally at a bike shop, to make sure it starts out with tires inflated right, height right for you, etc.

I'd also start with shorter neighborhood rides to build up strength, endurance and comfort (bike seats can require a little getting used to.) .

Have fun!

I was 270 and riding a bicycle. Just use common since and no jumping ramps popping wheelies and stunt stuff that will put excess pressure on the frame.

Ultimately as they said above take your time. Start slow. I felt pitiful when I started jogging. I could only jog for a few seconds and my goal was to jog for 10 seconds. I can now jog for several minutes. I know it's not HUGE but the point is like what they said above. Start small work your way up.

I wish you only the best.

Jim

PS: Huffy, Schwinn, those are imo the better names to stick with. I also love the mountain bikes because the tires are wider. That means a slower ride BUT you can ride almost anywhere and they can take a little more rough handling.

Thanks :-) Does anyone know of a specific model or brand that would be okay for me? I don't really think there are good shops in my area, but I really have no idea.

tbh a bike is a bike is a bike sort of.. if you are novice just make sure you feel comfortable and I would recommend gears. After you are into bike more than just for fitness then its time to worry about which model ect. For now just focus on feeling comfortable. I would also check craigslist for a cheap bike since its just for exercise.

Thanks! :-) I think a mountian bike would be best! There are some rough roads in my path (metephorically and literally)

You might also look at hybrid bikes: they have wider tires and a more upright seating angle than road bikes and are designed for commuting. Mountain bikes have special suspension to tackle the roughness and ups and downs of actual mountain riding. Nothing wrong with that, but it adds to the cost of the bike and may be more than you need.

I fully agree with the "start slowly" comment! You do not want to run out of steam and lose interesting in biking.
Best of luck
Stef.

I think an hybrid or even a cruzer would be fine as long as the cruzer had some gearing. I would lean toward the hybird though. Slow is an awesome way to start. maybe around the block a couple times etc. Mapmyride.com is one phone app (out of a few on the market) that you can keep track of your rides and fitness. It also links up with MFP too. I would also recommed a bluetooth Heart Rate Monitor. Wrist bands and watches are availabe such as MIO products http://www.mioglobal.com/Shop/Department.aspx?DeptID=1 I would highly recommend one of these as well so you can keep track of your heart fitness level. MIO products can also be found on ebay where you can save a few bucks too. Mapmyride will sync up with a MIO product. Biking for work is one of the best ways for fitness, not to mention that its real good for the environment too. Bike commuters are hero's in my book.

You can't just buy a cheap bike, have to look around and find one with weight limit that's well above your current weight, say 350 pounds. Other than that you'll have to get use to it like any other exercise. I started riding again when I was at 250 or so, but worried about bike falling apart because I bought cheap walmart one with 250 pound limit it held and of course at 171.4 pounds it's great now.

A specialized Hardrock 29er held me at 350

I was riding my "cheap" Walmart bike at my highest of 280. It was just the cheapest bike they had in adult size, I think I spent like $80 on it. I didn't notice any problems with it, weight or otherwise related. Just know that if you haven't rode a bike in a long time, your backside is going to **HURT** for a week or so after you start.

You'll be fine.

I bought bikes for our kids at Walmart and the were not that good. One broke after just a few weeks use and we returned it. So I would agree a bike store would be a better place to buy a bike.

And I think a hybrid of some type might better than a mountain bike. My mountain bike is heavy and the suspension makes it harder to ride on the road. If you do get a mountain bike I would suggest one without suspensions.

I was riding my hybrid bike a lot at my heaviest weight earlier this year, so at 360lbs. It was just a regular bike and no problems at all. So definitely no issues for you. As others have said, this is a great exercise - low-impact all the way!!

I'm at 255 pounds now and do 2 hour cycles flat out without building a sweat nowadays, so I'm a believer...