My Best Bike for Heavy People Review for 2023

In this article I share my opinion after checking out several high weight capacity bikes I came across in local bike shops.

My criteria for a bike being included in this product review were that it:

1. had above-average owner ratings across all online reviews;

2. was affordable and priced below the going rate for heavy duty bikes;

3. is easy-to-find in retail bike shops, sporting goods stores, & online;

4. had a weight capacity of at least 250 lb.

 

A review of affordable bikes for heavy riders

Heavy duty bikes can get expensive.

Most bikes on the market have a maximum user weight in the 225-250 lb. range.

And as the rider’s weight requirement increases beyond that, so do the prices of the high weight capacity bikes buyers have to choose from.

It reaches the point where people over 250 lb. have to spend $1000 – $5000 for a bike that can support them, & not all of us (plus size or not) can afford a bike with a price tag like that.

But there are affordable bikes for big guys and gals that are built to be durable & perform, and here are a few of them I think are worth taking a peek at. First up are my top picks:

(for women)

sixthreezero EVRYjourney Women’s Bike

 

(for men)

sixthreezero EVRYjourney Men’s Hybrid Cruiser

And here are the other bikes for big people that I’ll also provide detailed reviews for:

Last update on 2025-03-10 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Science resources included

As is my custom here on heydayDo, I will provide links to all of the relevant sports science & medical resources, clinical studies, and nutritional data used in this article.

 

What’s next

Besides getting into the bikes’ features, tech specs, & any available options, I’ll also share where their companies stand in regards to the warranty protection they’ll provide you.

Next I’d like to briefly discuss a few things I think are worth considering when you’re out shopping for a new bike.

 

Guide to choosing a good bike for a heavy person

 

Check the bike warranties for the frames & tire forks

As a consumer, you’re spending hard-earned money on something and it needs to meet your needs.

You have to do a little due diligence when choosing your new bike so that you get your money’s worth, especially if you’re looking at the lower-priced high weight capacity bikes. 

You don’t have to get way deep into the technical details & jargon of bike manufacturing.

But may I humbly suggest that you insist your bike has a good warranty, one that will cover the front tire fork & the frame for a decent amount of time.

A solid warranty is the company’s way of letting you know that they believe your bike is built to handle your weight for the long haul, and that it will also provide you with a safe & comfortable riding experience for years.

 

Get the right capacity bike

I’ve come across many bike-riding people who are heavier than their bike’s suggested maximum weight capacity. 

I’ve also read a number of owners’ reviews saying they are 50 lb. to over 100 lb. heavier than the weight limit of their bikes and all is well & good. 

That’s nice to hear, and my 2¢ is not real important. But I think that you may wear down your bike prematurely — or even outright bust it — by regularly riding it if you weigh a lot more than the manufacturer’s suggested max capacity.

Those people who are heavier than their bike’s capacity seem to be proving me wrong, though I don’t know how long they’ve all had their bikes, nor how often they use them.

Anyway, the comparison of your weight vs. the bike’s weight limit is something to keep in mind when you’re shopping for your bike.

 

Get a 3-speed or 7-speed if necessary

If you will be riding on flat pavement, a single speed bike is fine.

If you think you’ll be on any hills, or on any dirt or grass, you better equip your bike with several gears.

A 7-speed (& up) will help you out the most if there are any hilly streets or off-road terrain in your future.

And a 3-speed will work fine for any hills in your neighborhood that are small and not steep.

 

Quick word on safety

The main safety considerations are real simple.

One is the issue of the bike’s weight capacity in regards to your own, which I discussed earlier.

Another is being able to get on & off of it easily without incident or hassle.

All the bikes I chose to write about in this article tick both of those boxes.

 

Comfort = enjoyable bike riding

Another perk of a well-built heavy-duty bike is that its nice tires, along with its nice-sized seat, will make your bike riding a pleasurable experience.

That’s why you may notice that the bikes covered in this article don’t look like the kind ridden by those bike racing people you see in their tight pants & brightly-colored shirts. 

Their bikes have thin tires, skinny seats, and the riders are hunched forward onto their handlebars. That doesn’t sound like the most comfy ride for many of us.

Instead, we’re going for a more comfortable and enjoyable bike riding experience, & this review features cruisers, fat tires, & even a heavy-duty adult tricycle. 

All of these high weight capacity bikes offer:

• lots of room,
• are easy to get on & off of,
• & are nice to look at too.

 

Best Bike for Heavy People by Weight Capacity

Click link to view price & reviews on Amazon. My rating is based on a 5-star scale calculating all online owner reviews at the time I wrote this article.

Bikes with 300 lb. weight capacity

For women:

sixthreezero EVRYjourney Women’s Cruiser  4.6 ⭐

Firmstrong Urban Lady Beach Cruiser  4.1 ⭐

 

For men:

sixthreezero EVRYjourney Men’s Cruiser  4.6 ⭐

Firmstrong Chief 3.0 Beach Cruiser 4.5 ⭐

Firmstrong Bruiser Beach Cruiser  4.4 ⭐

 

Bikes with 350 lb. weight capacity

Mongoose Dolomite Fat Tire Mountain Bike  4.5 ⭐

 

Adult tricycle with 250 lb. weight capacity**

Schwinn Meridian Adult Tricycle  4.3⭐

(** – Its capacity is listed at 250 lb. by Schwinn, but I still included it in this article because I’ve read multiple reports from owners who weigh over 300 lb. & have had their bike in good working order for years.)

 

Heavy duty bike reviews 

So here are 7 very good heavy-duty bikes that are affordable: 2 bikes for women, 4 bikes for big guys, and a unisex heavy-duty adult tricycle.

These are all popular high weight capacity bikes worth taking a look at, and they won’t break your bank either. 

Bike riding’s a easy, fun and sociable way to get outdoor exercise; let’s go!

 

 

My 2 best high capacity bikes for women

The two models reviewed here get high marks in a number of important areas:

• Well built & sturdy
• Both bikes offer 300 lb. of weight capacity
• Comfortable & easy to use features
• Good-looking bikes designed with classic lines & colors
• Customizable options for colors & gears

 

sixthreezero EVRYjourney Women’s Hybrid Cruiser

Owner satisfaction rating 93% (4.6⭐ – 4,000+ online reviews)

Review Summary – Top Pick

This is a nice bike for gals looking for a dependable & stylish ride. 

Its design, features, performance, comfort, and good looks are top-notch yet the bike is still priced affordably. 

The EVRYjourney women’s hybrid cruiser has a weight capacity of 300 lb.

It also has several smart design choices that make it a comfortable & easy bike to use.

 

Detailed review

The wide foam seat and the pedals are positioned in such a way so that you’re pedaling easily while keeping your back straight, allowing you to cruise for miles with zero discomfort.

Well-placed fenders keep any road water, dirt, or mud from splattering on your clothes.

It comes in 4 very nice paint jobs and has a classy & stylish look, but make no mistake: this is one solid, well-built, durable bike. 

These outstanding features (& the many others I didn’t mention) make the EVRYjourney women’s hybrid cruiser easily one of the best heavy duty bikes for women.

Available in 1, 3, & 7-speed versions, depending on what kinds of rides you intend to go on.

1-speed is fine if you’re planning on leisurely cruising on flat pavement only.

As I said earlier, 3 & 7-speed gears come in handy if you have any hills to climb or dirt roads & grassy areas you want to ride through.

Adding all this to a lifetime warranty (on the frame & wheel forks) makes sixthreezero’s EVRYjourney women’s cruiser THE standard for affordable high weight capacity bikes for plus-size women. 

 

What I like:

*Very high ownership satisfaction rating – 93% (5- & 4-star) happy campers across the internet retailers online reviews. Not too many sport & fitness products rate that high (I know, because I’ve researched hundreds of them).

*It’s built really well –  It’s made to last plus it’s built for comfortable, enjoyable riding, plus it looks great. A lot of smart design choices went into building this EVRYjourney bike.

*It’s very smooth & easy to use – whether pedaling, sitting, stopping & standing, changing gears,  or braking.

*It’s a step through bike design – This makes getting on & off of it a breeze.

*Very good warranty – there’s a lifetime warranty on the bike’s frame and forks, and 6 months on the rest.

Additionally – If you buy the bike on Amazon you qualify to purchase a lifetime warranty (called the “Forever Warranty”) on most of the rest of the bike. It’s well worth the price and you sign up for it by going to sixthreezero’s website within 30 days following your purchase.

*Arrives mostly assembled –  so finishing it up has been easy for the majority of new owners, and sixthreezero has nice assembly videos on their website. 

 

However if you’re not handy – and this is just my opinion, nothing more – I suggest having a local bike shop complete the assembly for you. 

A good one will check all the parts that were put together at the factory too.

Or you can even sign up to have it pre-assembled during your purchase process on Amazon. 

*Shipping free on Amazon

 

What’s not so good:

*A couple of owners (out of thousands of reviews) received bikes with parts missing or damaged during shipping. On the positive side of that if there is one: sixthreezero’s customer service has been complimented by many buyers for handling any issue that arises. 

EVRYjourney Women’s Cruiser Tech Specs:

• Weight capacity: 300 lb.
• User height range: 5’ – 6’ 4”
• Bike weight: 38 lb.
• Size: 17.5” frame with 26” wheels
• Frame: Aluminum with an open step-through design
• Seat: extra-wide saddle stuffed with cushy foam
• Tires: wide white wall, about 2” wide
• Rims: Alloy 26” x 1.75” x 36 spokes
• Brakes: front & rear handbrakes
• Gears: Shimano
• Available in 4 really nice colors

 

Firmstrong Urban Lady Beach Cruiser

Owner satisfaction rating 83% (4.1⭐ – 1,300+ online reviews)

Review Summary

This is another very popular and top-rated high weight capacity bike.

Firmstrong’s Urban Lady has cool & curvy retro lines and nice color choices that all make it look good, no doubt.

But it also has several comfort & ease-of-use features built in it as well, placing the Urban Lady cruiser among the better affordable bikes. 

Detailed review

It has a spring-cushioned oversized seat and wide tires, and so your bike riding is relaxed & comfortable. 

It also is durably built to be a solid bike for heavy riders, with a high weight capacity of 300 lb. and a steel frame.

The alloy wheels & rims are supported by 36 stainless steel spokes, more than what you’ll find on similarly-priced women’s bikes. More spokes means more strength for your bike’s rims & thus better support for your weight. 

It’s also available as a 1,3, or 7-speed bike.

 

Cheaper than the EVRYjourney because…

The Firmstrong Urban Lady costs less than the previously-reviewed sixthreezero EVRYjourney Women’s Hybrid Cruiser because it has fewer design perks, it’s 2 ½” smaller, and parts of the Urban Lady are made with cheaper materials. 

 

What I like:

*High weight capacity in a lightweight bike – a good bike for up to 300 lb. of passenger, yet the Firmstrong Urban Lady only weighs 35 lb.

*Comfortable features – oversized seat with spring cushioning, wide tires, open frame design with a lowered crossbar for climbing aboard easily. Handlebars & seat are adjustable to your needs.

*Solid build in a laid-back & attractive package – great looks with cool curvy lines and nice colors, while underneath is a steel frame and reinforced wheels built to last.

*Very good warranty – lifetime on the frame & forks, 6 months on all the parts. Just like with the EVRYjourney bikes, you can buy a lifetime warranty from Firmstrong’s website if you like. It covers the rest of the bike except for the rims, tires, tubes, & spokes.

You’d sign up for this on Firmstrong’s website after you bought it from Amazon. 

*Nice options – there are several nice colors to choose from, as well as your choice of 1,3, or 7 gears. Add a color-matched bell if you like, and you can also add matching fenders too (I think they’re around 30 bucks).

*Shipping free on Amazon

What’s not so good:

* As mentioned, it’s rated lower than the EVRYjourney women’s bike because the workmanship & materials aren’t as high-quality.

* Amazon’s color choices seem to have dwindled over the past year or so; some days I only see pink listed. The bike comes in several colors, I’ve seen ’em.

*A minor thing – I like the lower, scooped crossbar on the EVRYjourney Women’s bike more than the crossbar on this Firmstrong Urban Lady. My thinking is that the lower crossbar on the EVRYjourney model makes it easier to get on & off of the bike.

 

Urban Lady Beach Cruiser Design & Tech Specs:

• Weight capacity: 300 lb.
• User height range: 5’ – 6’
• Bike weight: 35 lb.
• Frame: Steel
• Size: 15” frame with 26” wheels
• Seat: dual-spring cushioned & oversized
• Tires: 2.125” wide white wall
• Rims: Alloy 26” x 2.125” x 36 spokes
• Gears: Shimano
• Brakes: Shimano coaster brake on the 1-speed, front & rear handbrakes on the multi-gear models

 

Best Bikes for Big Guys

sixthreezero EVRYjourney Men’s Hybrid Cruiser

Owner satisfaction rating 93% (4.6⭐ – 600+ online reviews)

Review Summary

Top Pick: Best affordable bike with a 300 lb. weight limit.

This is the men’s version of the very awesome EVRYjourney women’s cruiser bike I reviewed above.

So no surprise that it’s an awesome bike for big guys as well. 

sixthreezero’s EVRYjourney bike is built to last, provide comfort while riding, & look good doing it.

 

Detailed review

It’s built very similarly to the women’s version, except that the frame has a modified ‘male’ crossbar.

It’s slanted downward since the seat is lowered for ergonomic pedaling and standing. 

So the EVRYjourney men’s bike still qualifies as a step through design, and it’s lower profile makes stopping & standing a breeze.

 

Matte black is your color choice

The only other difference is the paint job.

The men’s EVRYjourney is available in matte black only, versus any of the cool colors offered for the women’s hybrid cruiser.

Oh, and the tires on the men’s EVRYjourney are blackwalled.

 

All of the other smart design choices I mentioned in the EVRYjourney women’s bike apply here to the men’s model as well. 

 

With EVRYjourney’s seat position in relation to the pedals the rider’s back is straight, providing a much more comfortable position to pedal from.

This makes cruising for miles a lot more enjoyable than being hunched over a touring bike.

It’s available in 1,3,7, & 21-speed versions.

Add its lifetime warranty on the frame & forks – with an option to get that limited lifetime parts warranty — and this is a great bike for big guys for such an affordable price.

 

What I like:

*Very high owner satisfaction rating –  93% of all owners online (there’s hundreds) rated the EVRYjourney men’s hybrid cruiser “very good” or “excellent”. 

*Smart design choices all over the place – makes this a very comfortable bike for heavy riders, thanks to the foot-forward pedaling, ultra-wide foam seat and wide 2” tires. Lots of stainless steel spokes (36) in an alloy 1.75” wheel along with its sturdy aluminum frame make this a durable bike too.

*Very good warranty – there’s the same lifetime warranty on the bike’s frame and forks, 6 months on the rest, plus that option for the lifetime warranty.

*Shipping free on Amazon 

What’s not so good:

*Perhaps I’m getting a bit greedy here, but for those of you out there who are really big, wouldn’t it be nice if the weight capacity was more than 300 lb.?

*A few owners (out of the hundreds who’ve posted reviews) reported that they received bikes that had been scratched during shipping. 

 

EVRYjourney Men’s Cruiser Design & Tech Specs:

• Weight capacity: 300 lb.
• User height range: 5’ – 6’ 4”
• Bike weight: 38 lb.
• Frame: Aluminum step-through design with lowered male crossbar
• Size: 19” frame with 26” wheels
• Seat: extra-wide saddle stuffed with cushy foam
• Tires: wide white wall, about 2” wide
• Rims: Alloy 26” x 1.75” x 36 spokes
• Gears: Shimano
• Brakes: front & rear handbrakes

 

Firmstrong Bruiser Beach Cruiser

Owner satisfaction rating 84% (4.3⭐ – 250+ online reviews)

Review Summary

This is one of the more popular beach cruisers on the market.

It has the classic style of the original beach cruisers, modernized with a more rugged, beefed-up look & build.

It has a weight capacity of 300 lb., making it a good choice of a chilled-out bike for a heavy guy.

 

Detailed review

It’s available in single speed, 3, & 7-speed gear options, and it’s available in 8 different paint jobs – all of them real nice.

I’m a fan of the low-key vibe in the various matte black choices they offer. 

It has a thicker-than-usual curved crossbar, and all of the components including the handlebars are black.

These design choices enhance both the tough build/rugged style and the bike’s relaxed vibe – in a 21st-century kind of way. 

 

Custom comfy setup

It’s comfy thanks to the large spring-cushioned seat, the 2.125” tires, and low-profile geometry of the pedals & seat.

It’s easy to set it up for your size so that you’re sitting straight and pedaling easily, with no strain on your back from having to lean forward.

 

Same nice warranty

As with the other two Firmstrong bikes I reviewed earlier, the Bruiser has a real nice warranty to go along with its durable build and user-friendly features.

It’s a solid, good-looking bike with 300 lb. of capacity, so the Bruiser is definitely a contender.

If you need a bike for 350 lb. of big guy – consider the Bruiser’s big bro, the Firmstrong Chief 3.0 cruiser bike I review just below this.

 

What I like:

*High capacity bike – 300 lb. weight limit, and the Bruiser’s built durably.

*Comfy – oversized spring-cushioned seat, 2.125” tires, and well-designed pedaling geometry means the Bruiser bike ride is a relaxed, enjoyable one.

*Looks good – the Bruiser’s built with classic cruiser lines covered with a modern, minimal, rugged guy paint job.

*Good warranty – As previously mentioned, Firmstrong offers a lifetime warranty on the frame & forks, and 6 months coverage for the rest of the bike.

And you can buy that same lifetime warranty I mentioned earlier for the rest of the bike, except for the rims, tires, tubes, & spokes.

*Shipping free on Amazon 

What’s not so good:

*Missing/damaged parts for a couple of owners – out of a few hundred reviews, there were just a few reports where the bike arrived damaged from shipping – requiring a call into customer service.

Firmstrong Bruiser Tech Specs:

• Weight capacity: 300 lb.
• User height range: 5’ – 6’ 
• Bike weight: 35 lb.
• Frame: Steel
• Size: 17” frame with 26” wheels
• Seat: dual-spring cushioned & oversized
• Tires: 2.125” wide black wall
• Rims: Painted Alloy 26” x 2.125” x 36 spokes
• Gears (if 3 or 7-speed): Shimano
• Brakes: Shimano coaster brake on 1 & 3-speed, 7-gear bikes have front & rear Alloy V & hand brakes

 

Firmstrong Chief 3.0 Beach Cruiser

Owner satisfaction rating 84% (4.4⭐)

Review Summary

Here’s a beefy bike for beefy dudes.  It’s my top pick of the inexpensive 350 lb. bikes.

The Chief 3.0 is really just a larger, “heavier-duty” version of Firmstrong’s very popular beach cruiser — the Bruiser — which I just reviewed. 

 

Detailed Review

In comparing the two side by side, the Chief 3.0 Bruiser & the “plain” Bruiser are very similar except for the following differences on the Chief 3.0:

Bigger tires: The 3.0 also has 3” beefy tires compared to 2.125” on the Bruiser.

More space: The Bruiser 3.0 features 4” of extended frame length between your seat and the handlebars, giving you more room.

Single speed only: the Bruiser 3.0 is a classic beach cruiser, available only as a single speed**, while the Bruiser is available in single speed and in 3 & 7-gears too.

Color options: The Chief 3.0 comes in 1 color scheme on Amazon, matte black with red rims. On the FirmStrong website you’ll get a handful of color schemes to choose from.

That’s it; the rest of these two bikes (Bruiser v. Chief 3.0) are the same, down to the nuts, bolts, & nice warranty.

 

What I like:

*300 lb. weight capacity – And the solid build with a frame of steel & alloy components gives the Chief 3.0 the durability to handle the heavy bike rider.

*Comfy – you’ve got oversized spring-cushioned seat, extra room thanks to the extended length, those 3” oversized tires, & a lower profile with nice pedaling geometry so pedaling’s a breeze.

All this makes the Chief 3.0 a relaxed, enjoyable bike for a big guy, heavy guy, tall guy.

*Looks good – classic cruiser style lines with a modern, low-key paint job.

*Good warranty – As previously mentioned, Firmstrong offers a lifetime warranty on the frame & forks, and 6 months coverage for the rest of the bike, plus the lifetime warranty option too.

*Shipping free on Amazon 

What’s not so good:

*Some people might be looking for a heavy duty beach cruiser look in a 3- or 7-speed.

 

Firmstrong Bruiser 3.0 Beach Cruiser Tech Specs:

• Weight capacity: 300 lb.
• User height range: 5’ 4” – 6’ 4”
• Bike weight: 44 lb.
• Frame: Steel, thicker curved crossbar
• Size: 17” extended frame with 26” wheels
• Seat: dual-spring cushioned & oversized
• Tires: 3” beefy Kenda all black
• Rims: Alloy 26” x 2.125” x 36 spokes
• Brakes: Shimano coaster brake

Mongoose Dolomite Fat Tire Mountain Bike

Owner satisfaction rating 86% (4.5⭐ – 2,500+ online reviews)

Review Summary

I included this model not because the review needed a token mountain bike, but because big guys started using this as a street bike as well.

 

Detailed review

Because of its 4” fat tires & a few other things, the bike has a high weight capacity of 350 lb.

And because of that, the Mongoose Dolomite bike has become popular among big guys for street cruising.

What’s the real weight capacity?

It’s important to note that Mongoose (the company) does not put specific weight capacities on their bikes.

Their line of thinking is that there are way too many factors to consider to decide on a single weight number to fit all riders.

 

Keep in mind, Mongoose specializes in aggressive riding bikes: BMX performance bikes, mountain bikes, all-terrain bikes, and the like.

Not urban/suburban street bikes, cruisers, etc. The majority of their bikes get used hard. 

The different “factors” they’re talking about are:

• all the different sizes of possible riders
• all the different types of terrain
• how aggressive the riding is, etc.

So coming up with a single number to apply to everyone doesn’t make sense to them. 

 

Survey says…

While spanning the globe, scouring the internet…all that…I came across a lot of Mongoose Dolomite owners who: 

1. were having a good time riding their bikes, and 
2. weighed well over 300 lb. and were riding it with no big trouble at all.

(A few owners had swapped out the seat for something more comfortable, but that’s about it as far as “bike-for-big-person” customization goes.)

If you need a bike for 350 lb. of personhood, the heavy steel frame & 4” fat tires will serve you well.

As will the 7-speed gear system it comes with.

 

A few other quibbles

Aside from the seat I wasn’t impressed with, I didn’t uncover any major ‘red flag’ level issues while handling the Mongoose Dolomite.

But then again, I couldn’t ride the bike out of that Walmart and test drive it in the vacant dirt lot next door.

I did get some negative feedback from a few owners (out of thousands of reviews) & will pass along their gripes down in the What’s Not So Good section. 

 

What I like:

*Fat tires – oversized 4” tires help make the Dolomite a good bike for a heavy rider.

*Cruiser style mountain bike frame  

*Threadless headset – makes it easy to adjust the bike for your height.

*Shimano derailleur – shifting gears is easy.

*Shipping free on Amazon

 

What’s not so good:

*Inconsistent factory quality – most owners receive a well-built bike; the hundreds of happy customer reviews attest to that. But a few people I came across received a nightmare in a box that includes struggling to get satisfactory resolution with the company’s customer service.

 

Mongoose Dolomite Tech Specs:

• Frame: steel MTB cruiser style
• Bike weight: 48 lb.
• Gears: Shimano 7 speed
• Tires: 26” x 4” knobby all-terrain
• Rims: Alloy
• Brakes: front & rear disc brakes
• Warranty: limited lifetime, at manufacturer’s discretion

 

Schwinn Meridian Adult 26-Inch 3-Wheel Bike

Buyers’ rating: 4.3⭐– 8,000+ online reviews

Review Summary

Here’s a unisex heavy-duty adult trike from Schwinn that’s a very stable bike for plus size ladies & big guys alike.

I added this trike to the list mainly for any seniors or others with balance issues, for whom riding a 2-wheeler is a little too difficult of a challenge.

This Schwinn adult tricycle is best-suited for leisurely cruising along, not for haulin’ you know what.

As the old song goes “Built for comfort, not for speed”, something like that.

Detailed Review

Schwinn doesn’t publish a weight limit for their Meridian.

But if you write them like I did, they will tell you in reply that it’s been tested for 250 lb. 

That doesn’t sound like much, compared to the other bikes in this review. 

However…

 

400 lb. owners weigh in

But just like it was with the Mongoose Dolomite bike reviewed above, this Schwinn Meridian tricycle has a number of owners who are much heavier than that 250 lb. number Schwinn uses.

I’ve even seen reviews & pics from 400 lb. people happily riding their Schwinn trike.

Keep in mind what I said earlier tho’… 😉.

 

Some useful features

The Schwinn Meridian 3-wheeler is a single-speed bike with a wide open, step-through design.

These features make it easy to use, easy to climb on & off of, and the 3 wheels provide a big boost of stability if you need it.

Both the wide, spring-cushioned seat and the handlebars are easy to adjust, so dialing in your fit is painless.

There’s a pretty large basket in the back, which is a nice touch.

It looks like it could hold at least a bag or two of groceries, & it folds down when you don’t need to haul anything too.

Partial assembly is required, most owners thought it wasn’t too bad. You can pay a bike shop to do it & it shouldn’t cost very much.

(Remember what I said about considering a bike shop pro to assemble it for you. They can inspect the factory work as well.)

 

What I like:

*Stable & easy to use –  open step-through design and a 3rd wheel make this a good bike for seniors where balance & stability are a concern.

*Large basket – get exercise, save money on gas, grab your bike & go buy groceries. 

*Shipping free on Amazon. 

 

What’s not so good:

The seat – is not universally loved by all riders of the Schwinn Meridian. 

I didn’t think it was too stiff, but it’s definitely not cushy soft either. I felt some “give” to it from the springs underneath, which was nice.

Funny though — the various owners’ seat complaints include:

• too squeaky (3-in-1 oil works wonders, tho’…)
• too loose
• too stiff & uncomfortable after riding for awhile
  

Geez…hopefully not all of these were happening simultaneously to the same person. 😜

Damaged parts on arrival – Just a couple of bikes were shipped that had bent or damaged parts, needing some fixing before assembly.

It’s not lightweight – The 70+ lb. weight of the Schwinn Meridian proved a little challenging for a few folks to deal with.

 

Benefits of bike riding

Did you know…

A 300 lb. person biking for 1 hour at what’s considered a light pace (10-12 mph) will burn 972 calories.

Here’s a calculator to plug in your own stats.

Imagine doing that a few times a week combined with a clean & tidy eating plan – you’d be reaping a whole lot of goodness for yourself.

And here’s a nifty list of bike riding benefits, courtesy of Harvard Medical:

* It’s easier on your joints than walking or jogging. Low-impact exercise like bike riding is great if arthritis or stiffness in your joints is giving you the blues.

* Bike pedaling gives you an aerobic workout, good for your heart function as well as your brain.

* Exercise kicks in your endorphin production, which is great for mood boosting.

* Pedaling also builds muscle in your legs – pushing down on the pedal uses one set of leg muscles and the return motion back around uses a couple more.

* The stronger leg muscles you get from biking improve your endurance as well as day-to-day function movements such as standing, walking, & stair climbing.

* Pedaling improves your bone density thanks to the resistance provided by the push-down movement.

 

Regular exercise = you’re better at fat burning

If you regularly exercise, your body will get better at using oxygen, which will then burn more fat.

And the more time that goes by with you being on a consistent exercise program, the more your body improves its efficiency with this fat-burning process.

And that’s the simplicity of how weight-loss goals are realized.

More benefits of physical activity

The US Dept. of Health & Human Services lists the positive impacts that being physically active can bring to someone’s life. Here’s a brief sample:

• build muscle, reduce fat
• control your weight
• reduce stress, decrease potential of becoming depressed
• improve sleep, energy, & self-esteem
• increase chances of living longer with a higher quality life
• help prevent chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, & stroke

Minimum recommended physical activity level

In their Physical Activity Guidelines, the US Dept. of Health & Human Services recommends adults get a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week, spread out over the period. 

Three 1-hour bike rides (at a light 10-12mph pace) per week will take care of that. 

Again, throw in a couple of days of strength training per week and a healthy diet and you’ll be on Awesome Street.

 

 

FAQ

Here are answers to a few of the commonly asked questions about bikes for big people.

 

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Wrapping up

I hope my product recon & research on bikes for a heavy person is useful to you, and that my buying guide for a high capacity bike is helpful too.

I wish you well on your fitness journey.

– greg