Bike for 500lb Person?

How about going to the websites of various manufacturers and sending them an
email about your concerns? Get the info from the horse's mouth, so to speak.

let us know what you find, too.

Pat in TX

wrote:
::: Just curious. I was thinking about this OP as I was pedaling along
::: on a night ride last night.
:::
::: 500 pounds is certainly a large individual. I'm giving the benefit
::: of the doubt that the OP was genuine and serious.
::
:: I am genuine and serious. This person is a very good friend of mine,
:: and he loves cycling. He used to ride an Electra Rally Sport. Apart
:: from a bent crank (yes, the cranks again), it held up well -- it
:: even survived a nasty crash -- but it's a single speed and the rear
:: brake has almost 0 stopping power.
::
:: Despite his weight, he can ride for long periods, and he was riding
:: almost every day. I've been on ~20 mile rides with him. Since
:: riding, he lost 10 - 12 lbs and he's trying to adopt a healthier
:: lifestyle. But cycling is still his love, so naturally it's his
:: choice of exercise.
::
::
::
::: IIRC, the man in question has already snapped a couple of pairs of
::: cranks.
::
:: Not so much snapping as "cored out". It's hard to describe. Where
:: the crank threads, it looked like it was stripped from the inside. I
:: should have been more specific, I apologize. But he did manage to
:: bend the crank on his previous bike as well. In each case of the
:: "break" it was the left crank, and it may have been a bent left crank
:: on his previous ride.
::
::
::
::: How is that possible? Wouldn't LA -- or any other top TdF rider put
::: dramatically more force on the cranks than this gentleman likely
::: could?
:::
::: Is it safe to assume that--if this /is/ true--that we must be
::: talking about some really poor, totally low-end cranks?? IOW: how
::: much force can your average Ultegra/105/DA crankset take before it
::: gives. I was assuming it was about 10x anything I'd ever give.....
::
:: I was out with him when he lost his left crank the first time, so I
:: saw it (and the crank) first hand. My friend is convinced the
:: problem was due to the threading being in the direction of motion,
:: but I'm not so sure. It seems like this shouldn't be an issue
:: either way.
::
:: Also, the last time out, he warped his wheel, so it isn't just the
:: crank that's an issue.
::
:: If it comes down to it, I'll be happy to accept recommendations for
:: good quality cranks and wheels. Maybe he can just outfit a bike he
:: likes with them. I'm not sure what his max price is, but he was
:: willing to buy an adult trike for $550 + tax, so I figure that's a
:: safe figure to start from.
::
::
:: Thanks in Advance.

Google this newsgroup. There is one fellow in here who may weigh around 400
lbs or so. He has ver specific recommendations for bikes for large men. I'm
surprised he hasn't posted already as he is a regular.

wrote:
Just curious. I was thinking about this OP as I was pedaling along on a
night ride last night.

500 pounds is certainly a large individual. I'm giving the benefit of the
doubt that the OP was genuine and serious.


I am genuine and serious. This person is a very good friend of mine,
and he loves cycling. He used to ride an Electra Rally Sport. Apart
from a bent crank (yes, the cranks again), it held up well -- it even
survived a nasty crash -- but it's a single speed and the rear brake
has almost 0 stopping power.

Forgive me if this is a stupid question but -- would a
recumbent hold him better? Same stress on the wheels, but
distributed differently.

I don't own a recumbent, nor do I know anyone who does, so I
have no clue at all if a 'bent tolerates a heavy person
better than a diamond-frame.

-km

--
Only cowards fight kids -- unidentified Moscow protester

http://community.webshots.com/user/blackrosequilts
proud to be owned by a yorkie

Mon, 25 Oct 2004 21:14:55 GMT,
, the black rose
wrote:

I don't own a recumbent, nor do I know anyone who does, so I
have no clue at all if a 'bent tolerates a heavy person
better than a diamond-frame.

It could probably carry a heavier load by virtue of the shorter spokes
in its generally smaller diameter wheels.
As a trike, the recumbent would handle better than "adult tricyle"
uprights.
--
zk

"Zoot Katz" wrote in message
...
Mon, 25 Oct 2004 21:14:55 GMT,
, the black rose
wrote:

I don't own a recumbent, nor do I know anyone who does, so I
have no clue at all if a 'bent tolerates a heavy person
better than a diamond-frame.

It could probably carry a heavier load by virtue of the shorter spokes
in its generally smaller diameter wheels.
As a trike, the recumbent would handle better than "adult tricyle"
uprights.

Getting in and out of a trike might be a bit of work.
A LWB might have frame issues.
A SWB might be a tough thing to get started.

Most of the standard bents I've seen have an upper (advertised/warranty)
limit of ~250 or so. A custom LWB (downsized tandem design) might work.

Pete

neil0502 wrote:

IIRC, the man in question has already snapped a couple of
pairs of
cranks. How is that possible? Wouldn't LA -- or any other
top TdF
rider put dramatically more force on the cranks than this
gentleman
likely could?

Is it safe to assume that--if this /is/ true--that we must
be talking
about some really poor, totally low-end cranks?? IOW: how
much force
can your average Ultegra/105/DA crankset take before it
gives. I was
assuming it was about 10x anything I'd ever give.....

On a club ride I led last month, a large rider (probably 260
lb) broke a crank on a Bianchi road bike that was probably 4
or 5 years old. We were going at a modest pace (15 m.p.h.)
and weren't even going uphill. He tends to hammer (low
cadence, high gear). The crank had broken in the middle.

This doesn't seem to make logical sense, but nevertheless
did happen.

--
Mike Kruger
A new Florida poll shows President Bush winning the state by
twenty
thousand lawyers. - Andy Borowitz

On 25 Oct 2004 12:07:05 -0700, wrote:

Just curious. I was thinking about this OP as I was pedaling along on a
night ride last night.

500 pounds is certainly a large individual. I'm giving the benefit of the
doubt that the OP was genuine and serious.

I am genuine and serious. This person is a very good friend of mine,
and he loves cycling. He used to ride an Electra Rally Sport. Apart
from a bent crank (yes, the cranks again), it held up well -- it even
survived a nasty crash -- but it's a single speed and the rear brake
has almost 0 stopping power.

Despite his weight, he can ride for long periods, and he was riding
almost every day. I've been on ~20 mile rides with him. Since
riding, he lost 10 - 12 lbs and he's trying to adopt a healthier
lifestyle. But cycling is still his love, so naturally it's his
choice of exercise.

I sorry about any caualness in your reception on this. This is a very
supportive group. Some times there's a lot of wise-cracking and banter.

Lot of clydesdales riding here. Ahem.

-B

It could probably carry a heavier load by virtue of the shorter spokes
in its generally smaller diameter wheels.

the burley's are only rated for a 275# rider.

--
Knight-Toolworks & Custom Planes
Custom made wooden planes at reasonable prices
See http://www.knight-toolworks.com For prices and ordering instructions.

On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 17:05:40 -0400, "Roger Zoul"
wrote:

snip

Google this newsgroup. There is one fellow in here who may weigh around 400
lbs or so. He has ver specific recommendations for bikes for large men. I'm
surprised he hasn't posted already as he is a regular.

Xmp, try:

http://groups.google.ca/groups?hl=en&lr=&q=group%3Arec.bicycles.*+chalo+bi ke+big

for starters.

This guy needs a bike built, he could do it cheap, or he could do it more
expensively and change wheels someday.
Think about what happened to Chalo.
Studying the Tandem construction a little I think was a great idea. Surely
going to need good strong wheels.
There were some super heavy duty Schwinns that were built for about 20 years or
so you could read about on the web. There's a message board or two devoted to
just Schwinns

http://www.schwinnbike.com/heritage/forums.php


The spoke size was about .120 or so...

http://www.schwinn-jpn.com/bikes/12_hd.htm