electric bike for heavy person uk

Not all electric bikes are suitable for taller or heavier riders. Manufacturers of e-bikes typically provide a maximum weight the bike can carry - including the rider and cargo. This is helpful, but it's only a guideline. Sometimes it's too conservative and sometimes it's not. The best way to determine this is to research and review as many electric bikes as possible before you buy. Let's examine each part of an e-bike you need to consider so you can spend your hard-earned money wisely and start enjoying fresh adventures outdoors.

Certainly, this can give an indication of the potential strength of an e-bike. A bike frame with large joints and plenty of weld between the elements is generally a good sign. While bike frame construction and strength have changed significantly over the last few decades, most e-bike frames from reputable manufacturers will be of excellent quality and extremely sturdy. There is a specific point to consider on full-suspension frames, where a lot of rider weight will be over the rear suspension - you need to make sure the rear suspension unit has enough travel and resistance to prevent bottoming out of the suspension. The dealer should be able to determine if a rear suspension unit is suitable for your weight.

E-bikes that need to carry more weight are more dependent on a powerful motor and a large battery. Due to their ability to leverage the gears at a range of speeds to move heavy loads easily, mid-drives are well-suited to moving heavier loads. Additionally, large hub motors can also do a good job, provided that they are geared correctly (look for one with a high Nm torque rating). E-bikes with smaller, lighter hub motors are not the ideal option for very heavy riders. 500Wh is a good battery capacity benchmark for a daily commuting machine for a heavier rider covering moderate distances. TLikewise, there are many options above 500Wh to over 1000Wh - recommended for heavier riders covering longer distances and of course spare batteries are usually available since most e-bikes allow riders to swap the batteries out.

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Usually, wheels are associated with drag, but they can also influence the performance of an e-bike. In high-performance vehicles, a heavy person on thin, under-inflated tires can affect performance by consuming the power quite quickly. Alternatively, fat tires combined with a sturdy and upright frame will be able to handle more weight, and will provide a much smoother ride. Wide tires are also good for load-bearing, grip and stability - above 2″can be considered wide. Thru-axles are bigger thicker axles and another good feature to look out for.

The hydraulic disk brakes offered today offer much greater stopping power than cable operated v-brakes and are very widely found on quality e-bikes - heavier riders would definitely appreciate the increased stopping power - larger rotors also offer better stopping power. Rotor diameters above 160mm are considered large rotors for e-bikes.

Heavy riders may pedal harder and exert more force through the pedals, cranks, chain, and bike gears. Pedal axles can snap off so a heavy-duty spec pedal is a good idea and is easily upgraded without too much additional cost if not on the original bike. The powerful motor on the bike with lower gearing is especially important if you plan to ride up steep hills regularly. A hub gear system is a low maintenance option that tends to be more robust than derailleur gears.

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Overall, heavy or large riders should pay attention to all of the features inherent to heavy-duty electric bikes. They include frame style, motor type, and battery range. In addition, look for e-bikes with fat tires, hub gears, and plenty of safety features. When these topics are covered, you can be assured that you choose an e-bike that is suitable for a large rider.IMPORTANT! If you’re a store owner, please make sure you have Customer accounts enabled in your Store Admin, as you have customer based locks set up with EasyLockdown app. Enable Customer Accounts

One of the most important things when buying a bike is choosing the right size that comfortably fits your body type. Riding a bike that isn't a suitable size or strength for you is like wearing the wrong sized shoes! Riding will feel awkward, uncomfortable and potentially harm your health. This is why there are so many variations of frame, saddle styles and positions, handlebars and more - you need to be comfortable.

If you're heavier than average, there are a few key considerations to have in mind when shopping for an electric bike. Improved tyres, heftier brakes and the frame style may all ultimately mean you need to invest slightly more in a quality electric bike. Find our top recommendations below, as well reading our handy guide which runs you through what you need to look out for.

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As a heavier person, you should be looking for the largest capacity battery you can afford. The battery powers the motor, meaning if the battery runs out, you're down to only human power. Electric bikes are much heavier than normal bikes because of the battery and motor, so running out of power can mean a lot of extra effort! The larger the battery, the further you can go.

Lead acid batteries put out much less power and are heavy. Lead batteries are obsolete, and are only found on cheap, inferior bikes. If you come across Lead Acid batteries on any second hand bikes you are considering, avoid them!

Lithium Batteries are vastly better with improved performance, faster charging and much longer lifespan, but tend to cost a bit more. However once you balance out the performance difference, and how much longer a good lithium battery will last, the cost starts to even out. Thanks to advances in battery technology, costs are also dropping each year with higher densities available. Some of our eBikes come up with 735Wh or even 983Wh batteries!

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It's important to understand that all rechargeable batteries degrade over time (much like your smartphone), so your bike's battery will need replacing after a few years. A lithium battery, if it's looked after, can last around 1500 charges, and Bosch guarantee theirs to a minimum of 2 years, or 500 charge cycles. Thismight mean a battery change every two to three years with seriously heavy usage.

To put that in perspective, if you are riding around 50 miles a week you would likely charge a 500Wh battery two or three times, (depending on your journey). Even at 3 charges a week, 1, 500 charge cycles means your battery would last for 10 years worth of charge cycles, and be guaranteed for over 3 years.

The second key part of an electric bike. The motor is the driving mechanism, and a more powerful motor is important when you're heavier as it's driving more total weight.

Fat Tire Electric Bike

Larger motors cost more and if run at full assistance mode, will drain the battery faster and will deliver better performance, especially on hills. Many cheaper electric bikes have poor quality, weaker motors. These are suitable for lightweight town riding on the flat, but if you’re heavier it's best to buy a motor that can comfortably deal with your needs. We highly recommend arranging a test drivebefore purchase to experience the difference a good motor makes.

There are three types of motor commonly used, with only rear hub and mid drive suitable for heavy riders. Let's explore why.

Mounted directly to the axle, direct hub motors are simple, with almost no moving parts. They're also capable of generating electricity whenever you brake, which can be found on some of our high end brands such as Stromer.

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Often front hub motors are used on cheaper, lightweight models and are weaker. You may see cheaper electric bikes and conversion kits with this type of hub on the front wheel . These can lead to the feeling of being "pulled along" from the front, which feels unnatural.

While great for folding electric bikes and for commuting on the flat, they will struggle on hills and we would suggest avoiding for heavy riders.

However, rear hub mounted motors are far more powerful. Our Speed Pedelecs often are rear hub motors delivering 45Nm directly at the wheel. This gives several benefits such as direct power delivery, giving better handling and high efficiency due to lack of chain energy transmission loss. Weight is better distributed between the battery, rider and motor, and the ride style is a far more natural feeling because traditional bikes also work by powering the rear wheel.

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Built into the middle of the bike rather than around an axle, mid-drive motors create torque which is transferred to the axle by a chain or belt, like a standard pedal bike.

Motors mounted in the centre of the bike can give more balance and weight distribution, with the centre of gravity lower down in the middle of the bike.

They tend to have higher Torque ratings because they have indirect power delivery which means they require more energy to achieve the same result as a rear hub motor. They are also more complex and difficult to swap

The Best Ebikes For Heavier Riders: Over 300 Lbs Weight Capacity!