Electric bike for partner who exceeds stated maximum weight by 3 stone

[PaulS]

My partner is 21 stone and has a birthday coming up shortly. She has not really been involved in exercise and sports since leaving school, but has liked the idea of a bicycle for a while now.

I believe an electric bicycle could really help bridge a gap for someone in this position, by offering an easier entry into cycling than a conventional bicycle. Someone who hasn't gotten to appreciate riding in the outdoors like I have could start to experience that immediately on an electric bike without having quite the same demands made on fitness from the very first ride. And there is always the option to switch the electric motor down or off as the rider gets ever fitter.

Therefore I have set my heart on purchasing an electric bicycle. A very low step-through frame is an important requirement as she has back pain and it could be difficult or even unsafe to try mounting on a regular frame.

After a bit of browsing, I have found a bike that looks just like what I am looking for:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0112P0F...=UTF8&colid=BHLG3YX3EE01&coliid=IITYLO34TL87K

There is but one problem: the details state that the maximum weight supported is 18 stone.

I would appreciate some advice on how dangerous it is to exceed the maximum user weight. Do the manufacturers deliberately go cautious on the figures they quote to avoid being sued, and in actual fact it's feasible for someone to exceed the specified weight without putting themselves in serious danger?

I'm mainly concerned about safety considerations for the frame and the wheels. For a user exceeding the weight, clearly the electric motor has more work to do, but it's surely still going to give that little bit of assistance for someone who's getting into cycling, so I'm not so worried about that.

The intended use would be starting out with gentle leisure rides with me on cycle tracks or quiet country roads (I would just be pootling along on my little Brompton), and building to longer rides as fitness and confidence improves.

 

[Pale Rider]

Your question about weight applies equally to any bike, ebike or push.

More than 20 stone is pushing it a bit, but shouldn't be a problem on a reasonable quality bike.

The ebike you have specced is a generic Chinese cheapie which, inevitably, is not the best quality.

Your budget is of course relevant, but something closer to £2K will stand a better chance of doing the job reliably.

Assuming you don't want to spend that much, have a look at woosh bikes.

More importantly, have a word with Hatti who runs the company.

woosh have a good range of this type of bike and also offer back up service, which you may not get from other online retailers.

Hatti is one of life's good gals, if she thinks the weight is too much she will tell you, rather than tuck you up into an unsuitable bike.

http://wooshbikes.co.uk/

 

[Neilsmith]

I bought a woosh bike and they are very good for the money and a lot better than buying blindly on eBay just checked stats on mine it also states 18 stone

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Good on your partner and you for taking the initiative. 21 stone on its own is not an impediment to getting straight on a regular bike if electric's do prove unsuitable.


Gaz no longer rides due to other health problems he's encountered but he rode himself down from 39 stone to ~10.

http://39stonecyclist.com/about/

His blog and quick quide to the bikes he started and graduated through.

I know not everyone is the same and different people have different wants, needs and fears to address but just as a Plan B if you do find it hard to make Plan A work.

 

[machew]

Or get a good MTB and add a electric assist

 

[Pale Rider]

Or get a good MTB and add a electric assist

That would work, but with a kit/battery costing about £500 it would cost a lot more than the linked to complete ebike.

The OP seems more concerned about danger to the rider due to her weight.

Worth pointing out there is none.

If there is a failure it is likely to be no more than broken spokes, a buckled wheel or pinch flat - all unlikely to cause injury to the rider.

With that in mind, a front hub motor would be a good idea because the weight is mostly over the rear wheel which gives that wheel a lot to do if it has to stand the torque from the motor as well.

Another option is a crank drive kit or ready made crank ebike, but they tend to be more expensive.

This £1,900 Kalkhoff is a nice bike and has the quality to do the job.

http://www.50cycles.com/electric-bikes/city-e-bikes/sahel_compact_white.html

 

[PaulS]

Thanks folks, a lot of advice there and all in all this is looking positive. I'll follow up the links now…

 

[Phil Fouracre]

Hi, just seen this and sent you a pm

 

[PaulS]

OK folks, I have gone ahead with a Woosh Big Bear LS, thanks for all the suggestions made and I did feel I was getting helpful advice when speaking to Woosh bikes. This bike can handle a heavier rider and has a lower profile seat post, so does seem like a good fit for getting someone heavy, who needs to be careful getting on and off a bike, into biking.

 

[Pale Rider]

OK folks, I have gone ahead with a Woosh Big Bear LS, thanks for all the suggestions made and I did feel I was getting helpful advice when speaking to Woosh bikes. This bike can handle a heavier rider and has a lower profile seat post, so does seem like a good fit for getting someone heavy, who needs to be careful getting on and off a bike, into biking.

Good choice.

Front motor is best for your application, and it's one of the better ebike motors.

It's called a BPM, which stands for something in Chinese, but in ebike circles it's known as the Big Powerful Motor.

Plenty of torque, but still road legal.

The big 15ah battery means your partner can be liberal with the use of the power, which she is likely to want to be to start with.

Worth giving the bike a good check over before riding, part of the bargain price of the bike can be seen in hit and miss assembly as much as in the budget components.

Pay particular attention to the front brake, which is not the best.

That's why there's a link to front brake adjustment on the bike's home page.

Some owners upgrade to a hydraulic disc, but I expect you will be happy enough with what's there - provided it's in good fettle.

http://www.wooshbikes.co.uk/?bigbear-ls

 

[annedonnelly]

Congrats on finding something to suit. I hope your partner likes her present. It's great to get out on a nice day. You can experience so much more than being in a car and get a bit further than you can walking. Fingers crossed for some good weather so you can try it out.

There seems to be a new e-bike shop near me - and I think that might be why I've seen a few more e-bikes around here. Great to see people out and about enjoying themselves.

 

[screenman]

How is her weight loss going? tell her we are all cheering for her.