electric motorcycle
Everyone wants to join in on the e-bike riding trend. And this desire runs throughout the population no matter their age, sex, or fitness level. Since almost anyone can ride an electric bike, it’s not surprising that people of every size and shape want to join in as well.
Can an obese person ride an e-bike? With hundreds of models of e-bikes being built today, you can generally find one that’ll support your extra weight (up to 550lbs), even though many have a maximum weight limit of 250-300 pounds. If you’re obese, or even moderately overweight, you should also consider whether you can fit comfortably on an e-bike, have the ability to pedal and balance the e-bike, can get on and off easily enough, and if the pros of riding one beat the cons.
Although the benefits of riding an e-bike when obese are plentiful, it may be a little harder to choose the right e-bike because of your extra weight. Not only will you want to find all of the features that are valuable for you personally, but you’ll also need one that can handle your weight and size.
So, we’ll look at these factors in more detail and I’ll help you begin your search for the perfect e-bike.
How Much Weight Can an E-Bike Hold (and Are You Obese or Overweight)?
There are so many different models of e-bikes that can carry a maximum weight of 250-300 pounds. However, some carry less and some carry more, with specialized bikes carrying up to 350-400 pounds.
When looking at the specifications for each model, you really need to pay close attention to the “rider” weight limit plus the “cargo” weight limit. Some brands report them separately but some give the total maximum “load” that a bike can handle. So while you might see an e-bike that gives a rider weight limit of 250, it might have an additional limit of 50 pounds of cargo.
Generally, an electric bike with a high load, or weight limit, will require a stronger motor and battery. This means that you’ll be paying more for the cost of the e-bike. Otherwise, your motor and battery would be more likely to fail and overheat due to weight capacity that it just can’t handle. So exceeding the weight limit is a matter of safety.
This is why you must be realistic about being overweight. And if you are classified as obese, you’ll especially want to make sure you choose an e-bike that can handle weight fluctuations.
If you’re not sure whether you’re considered “obese” or just “overweight”, use the Center for Disease Control’s Body Mass Index (BMI) Calculator.
Fortunately, however, the benefits of riding an e-bike regularly could make this a non-issue.
Benefits of Riding an E-Bike if You’re Overweight (Pros)
In the table at the beginning of this article, you saw a list of pros and cons to riding an e-bike if you’re overweight. I think you’ll agree that the pros outweigh the cons when it comes to your health and getting the most pleasure out of life. If you aren’t quite sure of this, it’s most likely because you haven’t ridden an e-bike!
The freedom to move and get where you want to go quickly is an even bigger plus if you’re obese… because it would take you forever to walk the same distance. And quite frankly, you probably wouldn’t even try. Instead, you’d most likely stay at home and not benefit from enjoying the outdoors or being able to run an errand in the sunlight. This is the joy of riding a bike that we all experience!
But it’s even better on an electric bike. An e-bike gives you all the help you need to completely enjoy yourself, without the stress! No need to worry about exhaustion or not being able to ride up a hill or even make it back home if you’ve gone too far. The battery, motor, and electric pedal assist will take care of you.
You’ll just need to push a button to increase the power to your pedals. Plus, if your e-bike has a throttle, you’ll have an even easier time getting moving. There are times you might not even want to pedal.
Another wonderful reason why riding an e-bike is a perfect activity if you’re obese is that you’ll be better able to get consistent exercise… without the hardship! You can begin riding using all of the motor power you need and slowly decrease this as you get stronger.
You may even be able to lose weight and increase cardiovascular strength with consistent riding. After all, if you’re moving, you’re burning calories and working your heart. You don’t need to be running marathons to get fit. An e-bike will get you moving, even if it’s at a low speed and low level of difficulty. This is a huge potential benefit in addition to just riding because it’s fun or practical (riding to grab groceries or to get to work).
Just make sure to always consult your doctor before attempting e-bike riding if you are substantially overweight or in the obese weight range.
And, although we’ll discuss models that’ll work for you below, one of the best things about many new e-bikes is that they have low-step access to get on and off. So, you don’t have to struggle by throwing your leg and hip up to get on the bike. Instead, you just step through to the other side. You will need to be able to lift your leg a foot or more to get over the low bar. So if you can’t do that, then you’re probably not in good enough shape to ride any kind of bike.
Another con to riding an e-bike if you’re overweight is that the battery, motor, and brakes may need adjustments or to be replaced more often due to the extra load they’re carrying. This can be true even if you find one that supports your weight. So, just plan on getting your bike tuned up regularly to check for problems.
Not being able to carry extra cargo could be a problem as well. If you’re at the top of the weight range for your bike’s load capacity, then you might have to forego bringing along cargo. So, if you want to be able to carry your child or pet with you, you need to look closely at your options.
If you’ve sat on a bike seat previously, you know they can be pretty uncomfortable. And, if your body is extra-large, you’re going to need an extra-wide, well-padded seat to ride on. Some of the e-bikes that are specially made for heavier riders should have pretty good seats, but you won’t know for sure until you ride them. Of course, you can always add some padded bike shorts to your list of accessories.
Finally, being overweight could make it more difficult to get on and off your e-bike, especially if you haven’t been very physically active previous to riding. If this is a concern for you, consider getting a step-through e-bike as mentioned above. You’ll see some of these options in the next section on finding the best e-bikes for heavy riders.
Specialty Electric Bikes
Some e-bikes are just built stronger and are more capable of exceeding the typical weight limit due to extra strong brakes, sturdy tires, and massive frames. Oftentimes, these bikes are mountain bikes that are built to withstand more.
In addition to carrying 200-300lbs, I like the hotebike E-Bike from Zize because it also has a lower cross bar and is easier to step onto (although I wouldn’t classify it as a step-through model).
In Summary
Yes, an obese person can ride an e-bike and there are a lot of benefits for doing so such as being able to even ride an e-bike in the first place. Additionally, you can get exercise without feeling exhausted and even lose weight with consistent riding.
Riding an e-bike is enjoyable and beneficial for anyone who is overweight, but you may have to pay a little more for a very durable e-bike that can carry more weight than is typical.
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