Recommend me a bike

[Kshaw]

Hello and thanks for taking the time to help me out, I am brand new to the forum. I did a little research but would like some opinions on choosing the best bike for me.

A decade ago I rode a specialized rock hopper and dirt bikes. Ended up breaking my arm, wrist, and leg (different incidents) and just quit dirt bike riding and got fat, especially because of the leg injury.

So I’m looking for an emtb that is robust to handle my overweight self. Cost is no object, I just don’t want to destroy it right off the bat. Once I get better fitness I would probably upgrade to a better bike. Im thinking now maybe a hard tail would be my best bet but I see very little emtb hard tails. The trails around me are pretty mild, there won’t be any hardcore riding.

Thank you all very much.

 

[Ark]

Most EMTB have a max weight limit around 130kg(286lbs) but that includes the weight of the rider and the bike.
The bikes weigh around 25kg give or take a few KG if you go for a full fat motor.
which leaves around 105kg (231lbs) for the rider.

I'm 110kg fresh out the bath naked and my bike handles me just fine, my ideal weight is somewhere around 85kg.
Me+my bike is probably around 7-8kg over my bikes max weight.
but I'm not sending it over 6ft+ drops like other people would be doing.
hard tails are likely to be cross country bikes or hybrids and I'd be surprised if they even have the same max weight limits as EMTB do.

They certainly won't have as strong wheel rims etc since they aren't designed for jumps and silly rough terrain.

unless your way over 300lbs your probably good, just make an effort to get cycling a lot and don't increase your calorie intake until you get your weight down to whatever makes you feel comfortable.

 

[Kshaw]

I am 315 and tall. I also considered just getting a top end bike and be gentle with it for awhile. Maybe I can look into replacing the spring on the shock for a stiff one if people sell things like that. I also have a rower machine at home I exercise with.

 

[Humanbeersponge]

Look at which companies back up their bikes with lifetime warranties on the frame. I always go that route for any form of MTB.

 

[Ark]

315lbs is pushing it a bit but if your getting a full on Enduro MTB it should be fine.
The weak point will be the saddle and the 2 metal rails attached to the saddle.

Ergon make some seats rated for 140kg (309lbs) and you should be fine with one of those, I'd imagine other manufactures have seats at the same weight limit too.

The saddles that come with bikes likely aren't rated anywhere near that high and they also aren't exactly comfortable in my experience.

 

[Redlemon]

The highest permissible weight capacity bike that I know of is the Giant Reign E+ sitting at 156 kg / 343 lbs.

I would recommend the E+2 build which is priced really well with great components to start with (SLX drivetrain & brakes, ZEB Select & Fox Float X Performance).

Also comes factory with a doubledown rear tire & 800wh battery which is hard to beat @ 6500$ USD.

 

[Humanbeersponge]

And keep a regular check on bolts and spoke tension if you are smashing the bike around.

 

[Kshaw]

So I bought a bike! I dusted off my old hard tail no name brand and made sure it’s something I wanted to get into. Went into my local specialized dealer and asked a bunch of questions. Ended up buying a specialized levo alloy. The shop was so helpful. They said they would personally warranty every part of the bike if my weight broke it and also offered a free inspection and tube up after I put some miles on it to make sure everything is still good. I’m not sure which model exactly but it has the fox shocks. I’m thrilled with it. Plus I got it and a helmet and a couple other goodies for $5600.

 

[jbrown15]

Look at which companies back up their bikes with lifetime warranties on the frame. I always go that route for any form of MTB.

"Lifetime warranties are the dirty little secret of the bike industry. Most of the time, it actually means the lifetime of the product, and then it's up to the manufacturer to determine what they consider the lifetime of that product. So, if bike brand X states that they consider the lifetime of this product to be 7 years, you essentially get a 7-year warranty as the original owner, as long as you don't lose the proof of purchase.

In reality, very few brands offer a true lifetime warranty, where they will replace the product if it breaks as long as you own it. Furthermore, even for those brands that offer such a warranty, it's still at their discretion. If they believe the issue was not due to their craftsmanship, they don't have to cover it.

Pinkbike actually did a podcast on this entire topic.

On a side note, this is why I love a company like WeAreOne. They honor the lifetime warranty on their products for as long as the original buyer owns them."

And on top of that shipping and labor from your local LBS is not covered under the warranty from the manufacture.