Bike-Buying Tips for Clydesdale Cyclists

Cyclists come in all shapes and sizes, and lucky for us, so do bikes. However, when you're a larger rider—whether you're super-tall or consider yourself in the Clydesdale/Athena category (commonly defined as weighing more than 220 pounds for men or 160 pounds for women)—finding long-lasting, proper-fitting bike gear, from wheels to jerseys, can be tough. When we recently reported on clothing for bigger riders, we heard from our readers that it wasn't just finding the perfect pair of shorts that was the problem: It's finding components and frames that can stand up to the weight of larger athletes.

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Unfortunately, most bikes and components are designed for riders under 225 pounds. This, says Joan Denizot, founder of Zize Bikes, is a huge problem. A self-described larger rider, Denizot started her company when she couldn't find a bike built to hold her weight. Zize now offers multiple styles of bikes for riders up to 550 pounds. "In general, most of my customers are men who are 400 or more pounds, and most of the women are around 300 pounds," she says. "Three hundred [pounds] is still way more than people should be putting on a regular bike, and right now most companies don't make much for riders over 300." Of course, being a Clydesdale cyclist doesn't necessarily mean being overweight: Taller riders—especially muscular ones—can run into issues of weight restrictions easily. "I have customers who are 6'8" and weigh 280, and they kept busting bikes, so they've come to me," Denizot explains.

Whether you're already a cyclist or you just want to start riding, pedaling is the perfect exercise for a larger person. "There aren't many no-impact exercises like cycling, and people who are heavy get backaches and knee aches from the ways their bodies are functioning," explains Denizot. "Plus, there aren't many exercises that are just fun. I get on my bike and just smile. So many people want to go out and ride with their kids, but they can't because they haven't [been able to find] a bike until now. There isn't much equipment made for the bigger person, and I feel like I'm helping them."

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We spoke with a few companies about their options for bigger riders, and they all gave the same advice: If you're a larger rider looking for a frame, wheels, or even a smaller component, call the company's customer service and ask about weight limits. Warranties may be voided on certain products if you're over their prescribed limit, and there's a good chance that a customer service rep can point you toward the best options.

"From a performance aspect, bigger riders should always reach out to the manufacturers to ensure that the product doesn't have a weight limit and that bigger riders were taken into consideration during the development and testing of the products," explains Jake Pantone from Enve.

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Frames

If you're a larger rider looking to build a bike from the ground up, you have several great options. Going custom is probably going to give you the best bang for your buck, since you can work with frame builders who understand your limitations and can design a bike that fits you—and is built to last.

"When we start thinking about big, tall, and heavier folks...we think in terms of relativity, meaning that a person who is 6'6" and 275 pounds won't need an extremely light bike," explains Jon Cariveau of Moots, a company known for its custom titanium frames. "A light bike for them would be, say, 18 to 20 pounds or more for a road bike. It's relative to their weight."

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Because of this, he explains, "When we go and start designing frames for bigger folks, we can pull out the bigger-diameter and thicker-wall tubing and build a bike that will ride nice and be durable for years to come. Titanium...is the perfect material because we can hand-select these tubes based on rider weight."

Cariveau says that this thinking can help even those riders who weigh just slightly more than the industry standard upper limit. "For a person who is 5'10'' and 250 pounds, normally that person would fit on a 55cm or 56cm, but due to the person's weight, we would reach for the bigger-diameter and thicker-wall tubing throughout the frame to address stiffness under the heavier load."

Moots has some experience in the big-and-tall range, especially with pro athletes. "We've been building some bikes for NBA guys—Deandre Jordan, who is 6'11'' and 250+ pounds; Reggie Miller, who is 6'7'' and 200 pounds; and a couple of stouter hockey guys over the years," Cariveau adds. "So those are really tall people, and tube lengths get long, but we can keep and control stiffness by choosing the appropriate tubes."

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Metal seems to be the way to go when building bikes for larger riders, which is why Zize Bikes opts for steel. "Our bikes are chromoly," says Denizot. "They're steel, but aircraft quality, very strong steel. That's the first difference. And the frame is designed to not have weak points—it's designed to be all strong points. We took what's out there that you could use to build a super-strong bike. So a lot of the parts aren't what you would normally see on a cruiser-style bike; they're more what you would see on a BMX bike. It's a more comfortable ride." Unless you're buying from a company that offers bikes specifically for riders above 225 pounds (such as Zize Bikes), larger riders are probably best served by choosing frame and parts separately, rather than trying to purchase a stock build. Many lower-end off-the-shelf models come with cheaper parts that won't hold up well under pressure.

It's also a good idea to contact the manufacturer directly to ask about the frame's tubing and tolerances. While the immediate price tag of a stock model may be appealing, think about the repairs you may run into, as well as what happens if the warranty isn't applicable to you.

Wheels

Even riders just over the 225-pound standard weight limit may have experienced issues with components. Wheels can be a weak point—especially when used for mountain biking or cyclocross—and we've heard accounts of cracked carbon handlebars as well. Denizot considers durability first when choosing parts for Zize Bikes. She opts for "high thread-count tires, strong inner tubes, and special double-butted stainless steel spokes." Even if you're not ordering from Zize, you can take Denizot's advice and look for beefier tires, and most bike shops can build wheels with tougher spokes that are less likely to snap.

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Stan's No Tubes recently released a wheel meant for larger riders, although the weight limit is only 250 pounds. Still, when you consider the mountain biking (on a tubeless setup) that these wheels are intended for, a guarantee for up to 250 pounds is pretty solid. "All of our wheels are built for a specific type of riding and have a weight limit," explains NoTubes' Bob Nunnink. "For example, Crest 29 is for cross-country use for riders up to 190 pounds, the Arch EX is for trail use for [those up to] 230 pounds, and Flow EX is for all-mountain use for riders up to 250 pounds. We make a Flow EX 29 36-hole rim for the heaviest riders, but do not build with them ourselves."

If you're over 250 pounds, don't despair: "People also ask what the weight limit is on our rims, and we say that rims do not have a weight limit," Nunnink adds. "Weight limits are a function of rim, spokes, and hub used." That means you can potentially purchase the rim on its own and bring it to a shop to be built with the burliest spokes and hub available (just check with the shop before buying).

Enve doesn't have a set weight limit for most of its products. Pantone cautions that a few of them aren't recommended for riders over 200 pounds, though he adds that it's more a performance issue and not about safety. "Some of our really light wheels and forks are just not going to be stiff enough for an a 200+ pound aggressive cyclist to enjoy." But Enve does focus on making products that will serve heavier cyclists well, and Pantone adds, "At Enve, we know who our customers are, and a good portion of them are considered to be heavy riders. We take this into consideration when we design, test, and manufacture our products so that when these guys invest in Enve they get the best riding experience around." He recommends the SES 3.4 and 6.7 road wheels and the M60 and M70 mountain bike wheels as the best options for bigger riders.

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Components

Denizot has noticed that many of her customers rebel against the idea of a thinner saddle and prefer wider, more padded saddles. While a cushy saddle is great for a leisurely ride, many cyclists find a stiffer, more supportive model more suitable for longer outings. "I'm consistently telling people if it's not comfortable, go to a bike store and try a different saddle," she explains. "We have comfortable saddles, but every person is different. I tell them to take a bike to the bike shop and ask them about saddles and try out a bunch of different ones."

Terry Bicycles offers women-specific clothing in a wide range of sizes, but the company is also well known for its saddle selection. When it comes to plus-size women and saddles, marketing VP Paula Dyba explains, "One of the [misconceptions] that plenty of riders have is that they need a super-wide and soft saddle to be comfortable, and we sure do hear that from plus-size riders looking for plus-size saddles."

But even a company like Terry doesn't make a plus-size saddle, for good reason: Contrary to what you might think, sit bone width doesn't vary according to weight. "While we don't specifically make a 'plus' saddle, all our sport and touring saddles are pretty wide in the rear to support sit bones properly," she continues. "Sit bone width doesn't change much from female rider to female rider, but what does is the amount of a rider's 'padding' and riding position." Her suggestion? Go wide if it's more comfortable and you're not planning on going too fast, but keep the wide part of the saddle at the back. "More upright riding requires more width and support in the rear," she says, "But we recommend against going too wide through the mid-section of the saddle or it can lead to inner thigh chafing and discomfort. Rule of thumb is enough width and saddle padding to support the sit bones, with a shared balance of weight distribution on handlebars, seat, and pedals."

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Other components can be problematic as well, particularly the weight-bearing parts like seatposts and handlebars. "I think the most important thing is for riders to ensure that the products that they intend to purchase are authentic and not knockoffs," says Enve's Pantone. "This seems to be a growing problem. The products that big riders tend to gravitate to from our product line are generally our compact road handlebars, stem, and seatpost."

Again, the best advice for a larger rider on the hunt for the perfect handlebar is to call each company before buying—especially if you're looking at a carbon bar, since they often come with weight restrictions.

While it's fun to be a weight weenie about bike parts, opting for parts that are built to last—even at the cost of a few grams—is a smart move.

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The Future

Part of the future for larger riders is a more widespread acceptance that anyone can—and should—ride a bike. More companies are building options for bigger riders, and new options like (seriously, no pun intended) fat bikes are great for larger riders who want a smoother ride, but not on a beach cruiser.

Local bike shops play a crucial role in acceptance. To make cycling more accessible to riders of all sizes and shapes, shop staff have to be knowledgeable and welcoming to all types of riders. "A lot of my customers haven't ridden a bike in 20 years," Denizot says. "And a lot of the women are intimidated about going to bike stores. There are a lot of great shops, but there are also a lot of jocks with the attitude that if you're not 120 pounds, you shouldn't be on a bike." She adds, "I also think the future of biking for bigger people is e-bikes. I love electric-assist bikes. You can use the motor to help, [but] not rely on it, so it helps you get up the hills. I love mine. Most places on the East Coast are hilly, and the assist makes riding fun no matter how many hills there are."

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