Choices for a Heavier Person?

[Scarecrow]

New to all of this ebike craze. But I love the concept.
I currently weigh 276 - working on that!
Male. 65 years old. Not in the best of shape after sitting at a desk for 38 years.

How does weight affect the range and type of ebike I would choose?
Are the stated payloads a set-in-stone issue, or can these bikes actually handle, say 10% more?

My need is for traveling with my RV. Getting to scenic viewpoints where RVs are not allowed. Campground runs to the laundry or store. I do not anticipate heavy trail use in the sense of climbing mountains, but I love the idea of Fat Ebike being able to handle several types of terrain, including travel and snow.

Open to all suggestions - and thanks in advance for your time.

So far, I've been intrigued by RAD Power Rover and M2S.

Another issue is how to secure it from theft on a hitch mount at the back of the RV? Enclosed box of some kind? Or this is hopeless?

 

[larry-new]

There are heavy guys using Rad Rovers on the Rad fo. I'm 255# and have a Rad City, used for road riding.

I always run in Pas 1, saving the higher assists for headwinds and hills.

I'm running 80# front and 90# rear, but had a rear flat on the inside the tube was punctured by a spoke hole, due to the pressure. My fancy sealant didn't help...centrifugal force! Installed Velo rim tape, with the original rubber over that. Rad spokes are 12 ga, about as heavy as they come before being called motorcycle spokes.

On the RV, you can use a big chain, as you're not carrying it on the bike. Take the battery off. Actually, the best lock is a bike cover....out of sight, out of mind!

 

[christob]

Depending on how much you ride, you may find, as a nice bonus, that you drop some weight -- I started out at 303, and am down 48 pounds this summer. My hunch (only a hunch) is that if your bike of choice says "250 rider weight" - you probably are going to be ok in general, if you're not also planning on 25 more pounds of accessories/gear. (You could suffer more occasional broken spokes, or develop random squeaks, etc. The biggest thing would be probably to consider the style and material of the frame; chromalloy steel say, vs. aluminum.) If you can find a good shop locally, with knowledgable staff on the bike(s) you're ponding, I'd be sure to discuss it point-blank with them.
Afraid I've got no tips on hitch security -- Though be sure you get a bike rack rated for your bike's weight -- the ebikes easily exceed the typical weight limit of most general bike racks! Could you consider keeping the bike inside the RV while driving? (Could be tricky based on available space, and door width...)

 

[Scarecrow]

Thanks for the replies. No dice on carrying one inside. There's just no room, and the jostling during driving would create its own special problems. But I will take these ideas to mind.

Ideally, I'd love to have a NuVinci hub as I have on my Acme Spot that I bought years ago. And full suspension. Might be pie in the sky, or not suitable for a fat tire setup.

 

[Alaskan]

@Scarecrow Per your specs. Budget?

https://electricbikereview.com/riese-muller/nevo-gh-nuvinci/

 

[Scarecrow]

Not really sure on my budget, yet. I sometimes get convinced to spend more than I should. I guess tjat's the trouble with being single. But I do like to do enough research to "know" that's the right decision. Thanks for the link.

 

[rich c]

How does weight affect the range and type of ebike I would choose?
Are the stated payloads a set-in-stone issue, or can these bikes actually handle, say 10% more?

My need is for traveling with my RV. Getting to scenic viewpoints where RVs are not allowed. Campground runs to the laundry or store. I do not anticipate heavy trail use in the sense of climbing mountains, but I love the idea of Fat Ebike being able to handle several types of terrain, including travel and snow.

Open to all suggestions - and thanks in advance for your time.

So far, I've been intrigued by RAD Power Rover and M2S.

Another issue is how to secure it from theft on a hitch mount at the back of the RV? Enclosed box of some kind? Or this is hopeless?

It's a matter of physics. 276 pound guy on a 60 pound vehicle. Weight will have an effect. Riding style, wind, and terrain will also have the effect. Very difficult to put a percentage on the range loss for each factor. Does the payload have a safety factor? I'm sure it does, but if you buy a Chinese bike, I doubt if there is a lot of leeway. They are not known for over engineering a product! There have been some reports of broken spokes from heavy riders. Three factors for hauling outside the RV, you will be hanging a $2,000+ bicycle in plain view, it is full of electronics, and may weigh around 65 pounds. An educated thief knows a battery pack is worth $500 retail, lots of travel in rain will not be good for it, and hoisting up the weight will not be easy for many. You also need some structure to let that weight bounce for all those travel miles. Many carry racks are not rated for that weight, nor have channels for the fat tires. It will just take some research on your part.

 

[Alaskan]

Not really sure on my budget, yet. I sometimes get convinced to spend more than I should. I guess tjat's the trouble with being single. But I do like to do enough research to "know" that's the right decision. Thanks for the link.

Most people who buy an ebike find that they ride more often and further than they ever expected. I ride every day that I can resulting in dropping down to 208 from 238. I rarely even drive my car anymore. As such spending more than I initially planned on a solid, well equipped bike turned out to be the best decision possible.

 

[AHicks]

I'm 320, and my '18 Rad City (rated for 275 max payload) has given no hint it's struggling with my weight (despite the fact it's built in China).

Regarding broken spokes (something I have not experienced), from what I have read, they can just as easily be an issue on bikes with 150lb riders. My understanding is that's more of a geometry/mechanical issue in play with spokes that might be a little heavier than necessary (12ga).

I agree removing the battery would be a good idea when the bike is on the back of the MH (easily done on any bike I'm familiar with). Seats are easily secured in place (once adjusted to proper height) by replacing the cam action bolt with a regular nut and bolt.

We recently came in off the road and sold our 38' DP MH. If I had ANY idea of how much fun one of these e-bikes might be at the time, I can guarantee you we would have had those with us - whatever it took.

 

[6zfshdb]

The advice I received from dealers while E-bike shopping was 10% over the manufacturers weight rating was acceptable. I'm 6" 3", 250+ which puts me at the top limit for most bike brands. I often carry heavy gear though which puts me considerably over that 250# limit.

The main limiting factor seems to be spoked tires. the 36 spoke format will carry more than the "standard" 34 spoke format. Heavy gauge spokes will also up the carrying capacity. In my case, I opted for mag wheels. That option on the Pedego Platinum Interceptor ups the weight rating to 400# which is one of the reasons I chose that bike.

 

[Cowlitz]

I'd call Rad bikes up and talk to them about the bikes you are interested in.

The Radmini folds up, but you probably already considered that one. I bought one because it will fit in the back of my Ford Ranger along with the spare tire for the travel trailer and all the other "stuff".

I dunno about losing weight. A friend and I rode our bikes up in the woods the other day, then stopped for burgers and a beer. Of course, we had to get "Fat Tire Ale". Good luck. Ebikes are just fun!

 

[Calicoskies]

Just adding that http://www.voltbike.ca/compare shows 320lb limit. Similar to the Rad and M2S but they say spokes are 13ga instead of 12ga. I have the Voltbike Yukon and am heavy rider with no issues. Also have the ElectricBikeCompany step-over with no issues, think they say 380lbs but may be remembering wrong.

 

[larry-new]

There is the Rad Wagon...350# rating, $1799.

Fat Tire ale is great, btw!

 

[Scarecrow]

Okay. Started NutriSystem today. Starting weight is down from when I left August 1st for Oregon (276) -- now, I'm at 263. So that means my own measures helped a little (smaller portions, going on hikes, etc.). I hope to drop at least 20 before December. We'll see. This is the first RV month that I did not GAIN weight. Must've been those carrots and apples - instead of Fritos and dip, huh?

Thanks for all the responses. I've been reading a lot, following your links and ideas. This is going to be fun, once I get one!

I did find Fat Tire Ale a few years ago. It's one of the reasons I now need to diet...

 

[Scarecrow]

Some of the issues I've encountered in my research (and some reasons I do like RAD) --
a) Accessories. A lot of these companies do not offer many accessories, like racks or fenders or lights or... RAD's look well-conceived.
b) Most manufacturers do NOT reply to email or Contact Us inquiries. No word back from M2S after a week. RAD takes a day, maybe, but they've been responding. When I write my book titled "How American Businesses Lose Business" -- this will be one of the first chapters.
c) The VeloFix option on the RAD site seems very limited as to locality. I thought it might help with the reports concerning local bike shops that refuse to help online ebike shoppers. But every conceivable Zip Code that I input (based on where I might be when I need service) says that VeloFix is not available there. Except Washington State.
d) I have not noticed hardly any other manufacturer's mentioning a price increase because of Tariffs -- only RAD. I did read that their increase was about $400, and they are absorbing 50% of that -- which is admirable.

 

[larry-new]

It's why I chose Rad...I'm bopping around on their City bike and no problems with being 255#...it makes me feel half my age...

 

[ebikemom]

Might mag wheels be helpful? Also, cargo bikes are rated for heavier weights and also are super handy, I would think. Sometimes I think I should have gotten a cargo bike.

 

[Scarecrow]

I was mostly interested in Fat Tire models (there's a joke in there, somewhere!). My needs are for campground, and local trails (not mountain climbing), and beach, and grass.

 

[AHicks]

Wouldn't mid drive be better choice though?

Not here. I ride relatively hard surfaces, and the hills I must climb are generally the long coastal type that are not real steep. I don't mind the constant need to be in the right gear for current conditions that the mid drive will need. What made me go direct drive was the complete lack of noise (vs. the gear whine) and the potential for worn out/stripped gears.

Would be a way different scenario, one that would likely favor a gear drive, if I were spending more time off road where the need for extra grunt at low speeds would be more apparent.

DD hub motor has plenty of grunt for this oversize rider, though I do generally play an active part by peddling nearly constantly.

 

[larry-new]

The knees rule, and pressure on them due to grade or wind or fatigue dictates a change...until now, the only solution was to gear down. Keep pedalling, definitely. The pain inducing lactic acid is flushed out of the muscles that way, whereas coasting keeps it in.

Now, there's two possibilities, which can be used together or separately. The aching knees will appreciate spinning a bit faster and easier, but a higher assist level is like a second transmission...allowing present speed to be maintained up a grade, say.

I have fun changing these two "gearsets"and am starting, after 200 miles, to experiment more with higher assist levels, like an overdrive.