Can I put on bigger tyres to a BTwin Riverside 500

[Mal988]

Hi All,
I my sister got me a Btwin Riverside 500 from Decathlon a few years back. I am a heavier rider, and enjoyed using it.

It has however sat in the shed fort a few years since last use and I am about to dust it off and get it serviced. But I am now a few stone heavier (over 23). I am wondering if I can put bigger tyres on to help hold my weight, while I try and loose some weight through cycling.

I will be soley riding on tarmac / concrete cycle / tow paths. No off roading or anything.

Any help or advice would be much appareciated!

 

[vickster]

From the Decathlon website assuming the bike is the same:
TYRE COMPATIBILITY
If you find that you need to fit wider tyres on your bike, you can. Maximum dimensions with the Riverside mudguard: 42mm (ETRTO 42-622 standard) Maximum dimensions without mudguard: 47mm (ETRTO 47-622 standard)
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/riverside-500-hybrid-bike-light-blue/_/R-p-300777

 

[SuffolkBlue]

Welcome

The only advice I can offer is a little negative I'm afraid. If it is the same specification the current Btwin Riverside 500 has quite a low weight/load limit according to Decathlon - 100kg and this low load limit is commented on in the customer reviews.

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/riverside-500-hybrid-bike-light-blue/_/R-p-300777

At 23 stone you are 146 kg. I am sure manufacturers build in a significant safety margin but I am not sure it is worth the risk. Others may be able to advise better then me.

 

[Jameshow]

Welcome

The only advice I can offer is a little negative I'm afraid. If it is the same specification the current Btwin Riverside 500 has quite a low weight/load limit according to Decathlon - 100kg and this low load limit is commented on in the customer reviews.

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/riverside-500-hybrid-bike-light-blue/_/R-p-300777

At 23 stone you are 146 kg. I am sure manufacturers build in a significant safety margin but I am not sure it is worth the risk. Others may be able to advise better then me.

Unless you go for a tandem wheel your not going to get much difference on an out of the box bike. They will all be alloy 32h on formula hubs.
The build quality will be more important imho.
The worst that would happen is they might pringle and deform out of true.

 

[matticus]

Good find by Vick. if you're really cautious you could take the bike to your local Decathlon and check with them (they#re a really good company IMO!)
Going for bigger tyres will be a BIG help in this situation.

At 23 stone you are 146 kg. I am sure manufacturers build in a significant safety margin but I am not sure it is worth the risk. Others may be able to advise better then me.

Of course the above safety advice is all-important. I will NOT contradict it!!!

However ... if it was me ... I'd be thinking that very few off-the-peg cheap bikes will be much sturdier, you would have to get a heavier bike, and the likely failure modes - espectially on smooth surfaces - would not concern me. Your health is more at risk from NOT eexercising!

 

[Emanresu]

This is what happens when you overload a Decathlon bike (rider plus panniers). So take a spare with you as the LBS I visited didn't have one.

 

[Kingfisher101]

You would be better off with a mountain bike with 27.5 wheels, these will hold a higher weight. There was someone who was well over 30 stones who started off on a MTB and didn't have much problem.
If you look for one with a steel frame, you will definitely be o.k.
I'd sell what you have got and buy something that will take your weight o.k. You dont want to be miles away and have the frame break.

 

[T4tomo]

This is what happens when you overload a Decathlon bike (rider plus panniers).

You end up upside down in a field?

 

[bonzobanana]

I'd definitely go for something with a rigid steel forks if nothing else ideally a mountain bike like the Carrera Subway if new which is sold as a hybrid but is just a mountain bike with rigid steel forks. Personally I would look secondhand and buy something cheap with a high weight capacity i.e. mountain bike. You get a lot of cheap overbuilt steel mountain bikes at the bottom end of pricing but they have weak freewheel based wheels. I would look to replace the rear wheel with a freehub based rear wheel. If you get a bike with a 7 speed freewheel then you can replace it with a rear wheel with a 7 speed cassette on a freehub.

This is the type of basic steel mountain bike I had in the past. I was heavy at the time and people advised me to get a better bike so I got a Kona Lanai but it was far inferior, the front suspension kept bottoming out and the bike constantly creaked which I later found out was because of a very low quality sealed bottom bracket Kona had fitted which was part of a recall.

Also don't be afraid to get off the bike and walk for the hills. Low gearing going up hills puts the bike under the maximum amount of stress which is more likely to create issues for the bike. If you are struggling going up a hill it is even worse for the bike as you will have it in a gear giving you mechanical advantage. Much better to walk for the steeper hills. Walking has been shown to increase bone density so its all good exercise and exercises a few different muscles compared to cycling. I remember slogging up hills on my bike and realised I was travelling close to walking speed anyway on the steeper hills. If you going so slow that you are having to swerve about to remain balanced just walk it and save yourself some money.