Are you taller than 6’4″, weigh over 220 pounds, or are you just a big guy overall and want to find a bike that will work for your body? I wrote this article for you.
- Trek – Checkpoint SL 5
- Felt – FR Road Bike
- Specialized – Tarmac SL 6
Confession time, I am not a big guy. But, I have had all the issues that come along with being a big guy on my bikes. Pain in the perineum or taint area, numbness, and pain in the wrists and hands, leg chafing from the seat/saddle. To be honest, other than cardiovascular stressors, there are only slight differences between being a heavy-set man on a road or mountain bike or an average-sized guy like me.
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To be honest, the title of this article can be a little misleading. Any man under 2000 pounds can ride any bike frame. Bike frames are tested for excessive weight tolerances that exceed those of the heaviest man in the world. Which, at the time of writing this article, is about 1,200 pounds. So, if you weigh less than that, you can use nearly any bike frame on the market today
Firstly, I highly recommend seeing a medical professional if you think you might have any medical issues.
Secondly, getting a professional bike fit will most likely benefit you in the long run. Bikes are machines. The motion we use on bikes is not natural. Therefore, cycling can cause pain if you are repetitively doing a motion over and over again that is not natural.
It’s All About the Right Components
What is most important are the components you use.
You need a good saddle that fits you. Cushioning is key if you are a heavy guy. Your perineum is the base of your penis, and you do not want too much pressure on there for a long time. You can get numbness and pain. I have experienced that as a 170-pound man. So, if you are pushing 220 or more, you should work with a bike shop that will allow you to test out different saddles to get your desired level of comfort.
I will go into more detail about the components I recommend and how you can test them out later in the article.
Here are my top bike picks for big guys.
Top Bikes for Big Guys
1. Trek Checkpoint SL 5
Provided by Trek
Trek is one of the most popular bike companies in the US. They have a great reputation when it comes to the bike build quality.
Friends of mine who have Trek bikes love them. The only downside is that their frames are a little on the pricy side.
The frame build is of really high quality. No matter how heavy you are, you will have a smooth ride at the Checkpoint.
I chose this gravel bike because it has all of the middle-of-the-road components that you need to get started with and it has a robust carbon fiber frame. It has a Shimano GRX drivetrain and a unique storage compartment built right into the frame. You can check out their website to see the vast range of bikes that they have.
As I mentioned earlier, all of their bikes, other than kids’ bikes, will have no trouble fitting and supporting your size and weight.
2. Felt – FR Road Race Bike
Provided by Felt
Felt is one of my favorite bike brands. I like them because they started in the US and have a rich heritage in the racing community.
I have a Felt triathlon bike. It fits very well. The components are integrated in a way that makes sense. They put lots of care into all parts working together.
This particular Felt, the FR Road Racing Bike, has a carbon frame and fork. Shimano Ultegra gearing and shifting make changing gears and braking easy.
Disc brakes are a standard in the biking industry now. Disc brakes help with decreasing your stopping distance. Overall, they are considered to be safer than standard rim breaks because they stop more quickly, especially in rainy conditions.
3. Specialized Tarmac SL6
Provided by Specialized
Specialized could be considered the Ferrari of road bikes.
This particular specialized is a normal road bike that has a Shimano 105 drive train and a hydraulic disc braking system. It has a carbon fiber frame and fork. The saddle and handlebar will need to be adjusted or replaced to suit your needs. But it comes with almost everything you need to get started
The beauty of this bike, and all of the ones on this list, is that it is upgradeable and adjustable. As you change your riding style and want to upgrade your components, this bike will give you ample room for just that.
The Most Important Consideration for Big Guys – Components
The Saddle
The most important component, in my humble opinion, is the saddle or bike seat.
I cannot speak for women and their comfort level that is experienced on a saddle. But, for me and especially for heavier bigger guys, we need to be able to be comfortable in the area that we call the perineum/taint/place where the sun doesn’t shine.
I want to reiterate that if you have a medical condition or need specific advice about how to alleviate pain in your perineum, see a medical professional.
In my experience and the experience of many other male riders out there, saddle companies have designed saddles that have an open channel to reduce the amount of pressure on the perineum.
There are so many different kinds of saddles that are designed for specific types of riding. For the sake of this article let’s focus on saddles designed for road bikes or gravel bikes.
- Get a Bike Fitting by a Professional
This will make it so that she or he can assess the overall movement and position that is ideal for your style of riding.
They will also help you try out different saddle angles and positions. If you are a beginner, this will help you more than you can imagine. If you are an experienced rider you already know how much a bike fit can change your comfort level on a bike.
Don’t want to pay for a bike fit? Watch these videos by GCN that will tell you how to do it on your own.
I like this video a lot.
Here are my top saddle companies to start with when you are getting a saddle.
1. Selle
Provided by Amazon
This is my favorite bike saddle brand. They have a huge variety of saddles that you can choose from. I use a previous version of the Novus Endurance TI316 Superflow on my road bike.
It is the ideal saddle for my anatomy. After a few months, I can ride for 4 hours with no pain on this saddle. Before I had this saddle, I could only ride for about 30 minutes without numbness or pain.
The biggest takeaway about Selle Italia is that they have a vast selection of saddles that you can choose from. You can order it, try it out, and return it if you don’t like it.
An even better option is if you have a bike shop that has test saddles that you can try. This takes the worry out of returns.
2. ISM
Provided by Amazon
ISM is one of the leaders in triathlon saddles. Many pro triathletes have been using ISM for years. They have specially designed noses that are shorter. This allows for more pressure to align with the sit bones and less on the perineum.
They have 4 different types of performance saddles for road bikes. They also have one saddle for mountain bikes.
These are very strong saddles that can hold the weight and provide comfort for big guys.
3. Specialized
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Provided by Specialized
I have a triathlon bike saddle made by Specialized. At first, I did not think I would like it, but after a few weeks of riding on it, I realized how much it works well for my triathlon positioning.
Specialized makes some of the nicest bikes in the world. You can think of them as the Ferrari of road bikes. Their saddles are not super well known, but they are well made.
They have all the standard specs that you get out of most bikes, but you have the added benefit of how well the saddle is designed. They are very good at designing a variety of bike components, but their saddles stand out as one of their top designs.
Brakes
There are two types of brake systems available. You can get rim brakes. Or, you can get disc brakes.
I recommend disc brakes. They are more reliable in the long run. You can easily change the pads. They are less likely to have alignment issues.
The most important aspect of having disc brakes is that high-end brakes have an anti-lock type system that helps you stop within a shorter distance than traditional rim brakes.
For bigger guys, this is very important since you will be carrying more weight on the bike than the average rider.
Get disc brakes.
Handlebars
One of the biggest problems that cyclists have is pain in their wrists and hands. You can mitigate this problem with a good bike fitter helping you get the right handlebars. They will help you position the handlebars for ultimate comfort and functionality.
Long rides that last for more than 2 hours can have a lingering effect on your wrists and hands. More than a small share of experienced riders will tell you that you just need to get used to the position and your discomfort will go away. This is partially true, but when you are larger, the effects seem to be more intense and last longer.
This is why getting a bike fit is so important.
The more you can reduce biomechanical issues, the more comfort and joy you will get out of riding. Try different styles and positions of handlebars until you find one that fits you and makes you feel good.
Wheels and Tires
Even if you are a huge guy on a bike, the majority of road bike tires and wheels will work just fine for you. You don’t have to feel like you are gonna pop each tire you ride, or damage your wheels. Good tires and wheels are tested on extreme pressures and weights.
The only suggestion I will make is to make sure your tires are not too thin, if you put on 21 or 23 racing tires, you might be replacing the tires more than you would like. Most of these tires are easily damaged even by lightweights. And they don’t usually offer as smooth and comfortable of a ride as 25 or 27-sized tires.
All high-quality name-brand wheels will support you, so you can rest assured on that account.
Conclusion
There is no best bike for big guys. You can get a quality bike that fits you with almost any name brand.
Go get a bike fitting.
Get comfortable and feel reassured that just because you are bigger than the average guy, you will just need to update a few components to fit your needs.
Get out there and ride.