Hi.. just joined. I’m looking to get back into riding again after many many years of doing nothing but being idle & unhealthy. Someone on another bike forum I visit recommended I ask around on here for some advice as he had some luck.

So I’m looking to get a bike. One that fits, I’m 6’5 and 23 stone (330lbs ish) I was initially looking at a fatbike for sturdiness but the biggest bike I can find is an XL and I’m not sure if it’s going to be big enough for my height, my other option is a gravel/bike packing bike that’s designed for carrying bigger loads & a bigger spoke count, however most of these bikes come with 700 or slimmer tires and I doubt they will last very long nor safe for an overweight rider.

I understand bikes have weight limits.. I am dieting & have an exercise bike I use but ideally looking for the real thing. I just wondered if there are any other taller or heavier guys here who ride & can lend a hand with some info into what they ride etc

My price limit is around £1000

Cheers.

Not a Swarf FS, apparently…

I’d suggest popping to your local bike shop and letting them know your requirements, then they can advise and fit you.
The answers you’ll receve here will be FARRRR to varied..

DrP

If Tony @ton is around he may be able to help.

i felt my ears burning, so thought i would log in to see why……. ;o)

Bliss, at my heaviest i was 23 stone. i am now 21 stone and as fit as hell.

1 thing to do is not to try loads of bikes, as most will not be suitable.

1 company makes bikes that will fit you, and are also ok for your weight too.

buy yourself a Specialized Rockhopper Elite or Expert.
they are just great bikes for big tall people.
the frame and components are all spot on, and also the wheels on specialized bikes are built tough.
and upgarade the wheels to some good handbuilt ones once you have killed the stock ones.

seriously, they are great bikes for big fellas.

https://www.specializedconceptstore.co.uk/bikes-mountain/model/rockhopper/?orderby=default&s=&size%5B%5D=XXL

and the bikes in my link are all available in XXL which you will need, and will fit you.

I’m about your weight, and an inch shorter, and am quite happily bombing about on a XL Ragley Mmmbop, up and down the Lakes passes.

I built it myself, with 160mm Pikes, Hope tech enduro wheelset, and Sram GX 12 speed drivetrain.
With a bit of bargain hunting on Ebay and in the classifieds I think it came up well under a grand.

My advice is to get something like the Ragley, a hardcore hardtail,
Full suspension bikes just dont work for us big lads, by the time you’ve pumped the shock with enough air to get near correct sag, you may as well just lock it out completely.

12 speed is definitely a must for winching up hills,

Dont cheap out on the brakes, remember what goes up must come down

Vittoria barzo/mezcal are great tyres in 2.6 wide, they roll nice and fast, but soak up most of the big knocks.

Avoid anything made of Carbon like the plague, I’ve snapped cranks, seat rails, and a frame 🤨

Most of all just get out and ride something, the weight will fall off, and you will feel fantastic.

If you want to save £ then I’d go for Microshift Advent gears 11-48 is plenty enough spread in gears for winching up hills.
And won’t cost £ when you smack your rear derailleur.
Shimano Deore 11 speed isn’t much more expensive.

I’d do what @ton says, no one will have tried more farmers gates bikes than him!

6’5” 120kg riding a bird Am9, fantastic bike in xl

Thanks guys I appreciate it, I’ll have a look online now.. especially at the rockhopper

It’s a shame there isn’t many if any at all brands for bigger/taller riders there are plenty of us about. Most people recommend some custom builds from the USA but shipping and import tax doesn’t make it worth it.

I’ll let you know how I get on 👍

I guess there are two questions: sizing and durability.

Re: sizing, I don’t think there are any special considerations for your weight, and there are a few manufacturers that cater for XXL riders. 6’5 is big of course but it’s not so crazy to put you outside of manufacturers’ specs. In fact, most bikes these days are designed with longer top tubes than in the past, so today’s large bike from some manufacturers will be like an XXL from a few years ago. I am sure that you’ll be able to find an XL or XXL that fits (On a spec sheet, not necessarily in stock anywhere…).

Re: durability, I think there is an issue there. I suppose it depends what sort of riding you’ll find yourself doing. It might be a case of going ‘up’ in the range for your use case. I.e. if you plan to ride some easy stuff and light XC, I’d be tempted to find a trail/enduro bike. A 23st person riding slowly on easy trails probably puts less force through the bike than a 12st rider tearing it up and chucking the bike off drops (someone can do the maths, I CBA).

Anyway, welcome and good luck with the hunt.

My Cotic always coped with my then 23 stone ( but 105 kgs now)
Longshort XL would be plenty long enough.

The answer ( of course ) is ask the supplier – but don’t but any forks less that 34mm stanchions

I’m 6’4″ and have tipped the scales at 19 stone. I’d recommend a hardtail. Modern long, low, slack bikes in XL will fit you fine (medium bikes have similar sizing to XL bikes of the early 2010s).

Availability is everything. The Polygon XStrada 7 with 29″ wheels is currently available at Go Outdoors in an XL. For £620 you get relatively LLS geometry (67° head angle is a tiny bit steep maybe, but on a 29er not really an issue), Deore drive train (entry level of the quality drive trains, often not found on bikes twice the price). Hydraulic brakes. It’ll do everything you need for a starter bike and you’ll still have £400 in the bank..

https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/16185426/polygon-xtrada-7-29-mountain-bike-16185426

I’d add that at some point you might look to use that £400 to upgrade the fork and brakes. Second hand that’ll get you a decent air fork and some Deore brakes (though the brakes on it are old Deores from 8-9 years ago, ie they’ll work fine for the time being, as will the forks). Do that upgrade and you’ll have an overall spec that wouldn’t look out of place on a bike costing £2k+

Even the wheels are okay. Shimano hubs on double alloy rims with 30mm internal width, tubeless ready and good tyres.

Double Post!

You might want to hold back some cash to customise some of the kit to fit you best. Some great bikes still come with e.g. 10mm rise handlebars, which wont feel great to many tall people. Likewise tougher tyres, especially if you do go the hardtail route and ride rougher terrain.

I’d suggest looking at Spank for things like handlebars, including their Skyscraper bars, if you find front ends feel low when the seat post is up at your level. Likewise DMR do a cracking stem in the Defy if you want short but higher rise.

Tyres, maybe look at the tougher options for the carcass. Without breaking the bank, Specialized do tough tyres, but if you don’t want super aggressive tread, also check out WTB and their tough/fast range. Yeah they will be heavy, but could help.

6’2 & 20 stone now(was 22), trek Roscoe XL for me & I think they do XXL. Have swapped the forks over & put Hope Fortus(30mm rim) 29er wheels on. Should be able to get a bargain 2nd hand or new because they’ve brought out a new model👍🏻

one thing i have noticed of late, is if you are a big old lump and are wanting to spec and build a bike, the world is your oyster.
if you buy E bike specific stuff it is all more than suitable.
tyres, wheelsets, bars, 6 pot brakes. just great for a big un.

One thing i forgot to say is anyone 21 stone plus is going to be well outside of the normal range of Forks and Rear suspension standard set up. In fact anyone over 100kgs is also pushing it for most rear suspension

anyone 21 stone plus is going to be well outside of the normal range of Forks and Rear suspension standard set up. In fact anyone over 100kgs is also pushing it for most rear suspension

Whilst this is true for air shocks, there are bike where using coil fork/shocks will be fine. As a biffer myself (110kgs) I am near the top end of spring weights, but I could go up a weight if needed still.

The right FS frame/shock leveraged ratio would still work for you.

Wheels/tyres are where you’ll need the extra attention.

I’l just throw it out there and wait on hate. I bought my hardtail (trek roscoe 7 2020) when i was 23.5st. I knew full well then that i was over Treks recommended weight. Only used then for plodding through the woods, occasional pump track use, and canal/bridleway bashing. Left it completely stock other than a riser bar and tubeless. Now 18st and its now used for bike park days and jumps too. Wheels still true and original, but have recently upgraded the fork more for my own piece of mind than anything.

Whilst this is true for air shocks, there are bike where using coil fork/shocks will be fine. As a biffer myself (110kgs) I am near the top end of spring weights, but I could go up a weight if needed still.

Not sure if this is quite true. I remember watching a vid a couple of years ago from the Audi Nines (hoofing great big freeride jumps) and Blake Samsom couldn’t get a coil spring stiff enough to stop his shock bottoming out, so fox (?) sent him an air shock instead that he could pump up as hard as he wanted.

There aren’t too many manufacturers that do a frame suitable for the taller gent. As well as Specialized, Whyte and Orbea do frames that will fit 6’6” (me). Not sure what the weight limits are though.

Scott also do XXL in their hardtail range – Aspect, I think. A mate has one and I reckon it’s too big for me (I’m 6’2″), I couldn’t put a dropper post on it.

It is more conservative than full on long, low, slack geometry – but that’ll suit a lot of people for the style of bike as quite XC.

I got up to close to 23 stone at one point, what you have to realise is the recommended weight is probably based on the weakest component. And realistically you will be a wheels on the ground rider so you can push the recommendations.

Carbon seatposts or saddle rails are a definite **** no.
A lot of steel frames are not good, you can get ghost shifting if getting out of the saddle to peddle. I would go for a robust alu frame (do they do a xxl chameleon?)
If you are aiming too tackle hills then a 10-50 cassette and crank that you can fit a 28 tooth chainring onto is a good idea.
Downhill carcase tyres, or tyre inserts but still with reasonably tough tyres but easier rolling treads.
avoid 32mm stanchions they don’t behave well under breaking with that weight, 34mm or even second hand 36mm make a big difference.
200mm rotors front and rear (or 220 front if your fork will take it) with 4 piston brakes.

@ton I seem to recall from many years ago that you were recommended an air fork over coil as they could handle you better than a coil fork could? I may have got this the wrong way round!

@househusband yes mate, a bomber or pike is by far the best type of fork for a big rider.
coil springs in forks cant be made strong enough to support a heavy rider,unlike a coild spring for a rear shock, which can be bought to suit rider weight.
iirc i had a 350lb spring on my heckler many years ago. it worked.
bombers or pike always worked fine for me at over 20 stone.

Update-

I’ve just bought a 2nd hand bike off eBay. The guy lives not far & has delivered it, it was his son’s who is a similar height to me, his dad was halfway into making it into an ebike for him but he didn’t want it.

It’s an old ridgeback storm, ridged no suspension which I thought would be better for my size, the only rust I can see is under the seat, been looked after.. he has put a longer stem in for me and the bikes got new disk brakes, mudguards, new chain and new tires (so I was told) and has 36h spokes which I also thought would be a bonus, it’s a hybrid bike has 1.75mm 700c panaracer tourgaurd tires. Came with a seat storage bag.

For £200 what do you guys think?

The only thing I can find remotely wrong is I see a small offset when I spin the front tire, out of Tru? I’m no expert at all. The spokes are all in place. Do you think I should get this bike serviced? Or wait until something goes before taking it in, the tires do look new but I’m not sure on the quality of them, maybe I could wear these out & upgrade to a bigger better pair, has alexrims dp17 whatever that means I’m not sure on the maximum tire width I can put on them.

I’m always careful to buy off eBay, especially 2nd hand but I do think it was worth 200 pounds. If it holds up to my weight lol once I’ve dropped 60lbs or so I’ll treat myself to a new whatever I want bike.

I’ll post a picture of it tomorrow.

It’s a commuter bike. If that’s what you were after, it’ll be fine. If you want to ride off-road, a proper mountain bike would be a better choice.

@bliss – enjoy your new bike!

It’ll be fine off road on loads of trails. Gravel bike terrian.

Get a shop to see if they can make the wheels true. If they can’t you’ve budget for a really strong set

@bliss

Still waiting for those photos. But I have a feeling that the troll train has left the station.