too fat to bicycle? 300 lbs?!

[Fontinalis]

I went from 335 to 260, within just a little over a year, and I'm in an area where you can only bike about 6 months out of the year (the rest of the year, I do laps in a public pool). I have a commuter's bike, dutch style, with an upright sitting position. NO pain on the wrists, shoulders, or back. Or anywhere else for that matter. It has 7 speeds. You know, when you shop for a bike, you are actually shopping for a bike shop. Because you need good people who know their stuff, and who will do everything in their power to outfit your with a ride that is perfect FOR YOU. If your 300 lbs call for beefier tires, they'll advise you on it. I do believe that if you can't find a decent bike shop around your area, it is worth travelling to one. I do all my errands by bike. And I commute to work every day when weather permits. I am having a blast! This is just pure sheer FUN FUN FUN! And the pounds are dropping faster then I can keep track. I wish there was more 'heavy' bikers out there, that we would have a 'critical mass' (no pun intended). When there will be all kinds of bikers on the paths - young, old, big, small, tall, short, etc. - it will have a huge impact, everybody will feel that it is possible for them too. Hang in there, and don't get discourage. It calls for perseverance and courage. But there is such a huge reward, if only the pure joy of riding!

[txred9876]

I went from 335 to 260, within just a little over a year, and I'm in an area where you can only bike about 6 months out of the year (the rest of the year, I do laps in a public pool). I have a commuter's bike, dutch style, with an upright sitting position. NO pain on the wrists, shoulders, or back. Or anywhere else for that matter. It has 7 speeds. You know, when you shop for a bike, you are actually shopping for a bike shop. Because you need good people who know their stuff, and who will do everything in their power to outfit your with a ride that is perfect FOR YOU. If your 300 lbs call for beefier tires, they'll advise you on it. I do believe that if you can't find a decent bike shop around your area, it is worth travelling to one. I do all my errands by bike. And I commute to work every day when weather permits. I am having a blast! This is just pure sheer FUN FUN FUN! And the pounds are dropping faster then I can keep track. I wish there was more 'heavy' bikers out there, that we would have a 'critical mass' (no pun intended). When there will be all kinds of bikers on the paths - young, old, big, small, tall, short, etc. - it will have a huge impact, everybody will feel that it is possible for them too. Hang in there, and don't get discourage. It calls for perseverance and courage. But there is such a huge reward, if only the pure joy of riding!

Way to go on the weight loss. It is sooooo hard but already worth it....at only 22 pounds lost!

Tina

[Trek420]

when you shop for a bike, you are actually shopping for a bike shop. Because you need good people who know their stuff, and who will do everything in their power to outfit your with a ride that is perfect FOR YOU.

Well said. And when your LBS is not open, there's TE Way to go on the ride and swim. Add walk/run and we've got another TE Triathlete?

[Softie]

I wasn't even able to find this info till after I bought my new bike, but I think it's great for some of us bigger riders to know ahead of time. Trek lists their general weight capacity for hybrid/comfort/mountain bikes as 300lbs, and road bikes as 275, but of course modifications can be made by a good lbs for larger riders.

Both bike shops I visited were convinced they could quite easily fit a bike to my 6'7 350+ lb bf, but definitely recommended a mountain bike due to his size.