Originally Posted by
Kodis Journey
When I was in my late teens and early 20's I rode a MTB as my only transportation. I stopped once I got a car at 21, and briefly rode again in the early 2000's for like a month. Last year I was well over 600lbs and hating everything and I've lost over 100lbs since then from healthy living and exercise. I have finally lost enough weight to get back on my 20 year old Kona Hoss. I gotta say, I don't remember my bike being so squirrely.
Congratulations, and keep at it! Your greater weight now will account for the "squirreliness" you describe. As the weight comes off, the squirreliness will correspondingly decrease.
My bike is a Kona Hoss and while it's not specifically made for big people, it's made for a normal weight person to launch off cliff walls and not implode on landing so I think it can handle street use and static loads for me. That was why I bought it back in the 2000's anyway. I'm slowly getting my bike arms back and getting better tight turning control. I still can't reach the ground while sitting on it but I can at least get on and off it without a curb in an emergency.
Your bike should be fine, as long as you don't abuse it by launching off cliff walls and such. Being able to plant your feet on the ground while remaining on the saddle is not an important or even desirable characteristic. There are "crank-forward" frame designs to allow that, but they sacrifice pedalling efficiency and long-term comfort for the dubious advantage of being able to put your feet on the ground while remaining in the saddle. Instead of doing that, when you come to a stop, slide yourself forward and off the saddle to put your feet on the ground. When you start up again, put one foot on a pedal to use it as a step to lift your body enough the get back on the saddle.