bigpaul57

Hi. I'm Paul, and I live near Tampa on the Gulf coast. I am thinking of getting back on a bike for weight loss,(given our nice weather and very flat terrain,) and thought these forums might have good info on picking and using a bike.
I found the Bike Forums by Googling "bikes for very fat man". Your Clydesdale and Athena section may prove helpful. I haven't been able to find what I am looking for yet, as I am almost 500 pounds, and most postings deal with issues in the 200 to 300 pound range.
If anybody has seen any posting with info that may be pertinent to my situation, ie finding a bike that won't collapse under Jabba the Hutt, thank you in advance.

10 Wheels

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...-for-a-big-guy

Da Sherm

Welcome aboard!

If I may add a word of advice, please don't over do yourself getting your heart rate way up when it may not be used to it. We now have an annual memorial ride for a guy who was a little too out of shape. He purchased his first road bike and on his very first commute to work (6 miles or so) he had a heart attack about 5 miles in and passed away.

That's not to say you're not in better shape than he was, but you can never be too careful. Hopefully you find a bike that fits your needs without breaking the bank.

Dimitrios

Right on dude. The first step is showing up (or, deciding to get on the bike, in your case). I don't have much real advice to offer, though my instinct is that you'd be ok on a mid-90's steel mountain bike with a rigid fork; these tend to be about as solid as it gets. Anyway, best of luck.

RonH

Visit your local bike shop (or two) and tell them about your goals, budget, etc. They'll put you on the right bike.
Today's bikes are built to hold a great deal of weight. Don't worry about breaking it. You'll want a bike with high spoke count wheels (36 spokes minimum).