Bike weight limits

[stuarttunstall]

Road bike manufacturers have a very good reason for having low weight limits - and it's got little to do with engineering or safety, and they aren't going to admit it either. They simply prefer it that large fat people are not seen riding their products for image reasons, just the same as the high end women's fashion industry produces clothing in sizes that most women are NOT going to be able to comfortably fit into.
The road cycle industry and fashion have a lot in common; they want to portray an image where their products are bought and used by fit athletic looking people. One industry can achieve this through sizing, the other by discouraging large heavy people from buying their products by setting a weight limit that excludes them for "safety" reasons.

There is a lot of truth in that ...

I do expect there will be a limit of some description, like you say maybe the wheels rather than the frame... One of the people I spoke to was Spa cycles when I asked about custom wheels to take my weight as I was 6 weeks ago... The reply is below...

I was 130KG just before the bike arrived, I have been working hard and I suspect I am now around the 125KG (must get weighed again) so getting closer..

So far I have had no issues and the roads I use are not the smoothest lol ...

I don't think the store was "just after a sale" after all I was going to buy a bike and Specialized do one rated at 136KG so I could have changed for that and they had that in stock at a dearer price so I think they were being fair...

In fact when I did some research very few manufactures or stores even state a weight limit....

This is Spa's reply

Hello Stuart

The guys in your shop are probably right. Those rider weight limits are pretty conservative so I think you should be OK on your current wheels. If you do want to upgrade then a handbuilt set with Shimano Deore hubs, Exal DC19 rims and Sapim spokes would cost £195 (+£8 extra if you wanted black spokes).

Regards

Sam

Spa Cycles

Yes, they're built to potentially take a big rider, with full camping gear over rough terrain. So you'll be fine!

Best

Sam

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

There is a lot of truth in that ...

Of course there is, but in the PC snowflake world we live in, they aren't going to come out and say that openly!.
Reason being they don't want a bunch of stroppy "size acceptance campaigners" (yes there really is such a thing) picketing outside their shops brandishing placards and urging customers to boycott their products.
It's easier just to "design out" the sort of customer you'd rather not have associated with your product.

 

[stuarttunstall]

I can see that in a lot of industries...price and size to the market you prefer and try to get rid or prevent good customer....