A common question with regard to electric bikes, is whether it’s OK to ride them in the rain. After all, traditionally water and electrics don’t mix. If you’ve spent a lot of your hard-earned money on an electric bike, you don’t want a sudden downpour to damage it.

You should expect any electric bike to be fine for riding in the rain, at least when it’s not during a heavy downpour. Electric bike manufacturers aren’t daft. They are well aware you’re exposed to rain sometimes, since cycling is an outdoor activity. So, electric bikes are generally built to withstand riding in wet conditions. 

You should still be careful when riding (and even storing) your electric bike in wet conditions though. You want to reduce any chance of damage and wear and tear, as much as possible. 

There are particular situations where your electric bike can come into contact with water, which you should be cautious of. For example, submerging your electric bike in water could cause damage. This can happen, if you are cycling through a deep stream, or through a flooded trail. Likewise, riding through a heavy downpour, could also cause some damage. These events could also speed up any wear and tear. 

In this article, I will talk about the actions you can take, to minimize your electric bike’s contact with water. This will help you to prolong the life of your bike. Before I go any further, though, below is a table, outlining some tips to help prevent water damage on your electric bike.

Waterproof Versus Water Resistant 

It’s worth mentioning that electric bike components are water resistant, not waterproof. This is pretty much the same for any electrical equipment, like mobile phones. The difference between waterproof and water resistant is as below.

Waterproof – Completely impervious to water.

Water resistant – Able to resist the penetration of water to an extent, but not 100% completely.

This backs up the fact, you should still be careful with riding electric bikes in wet situations. This applies to storing your electric bike as well. You shouldn’t be careless and take unnecessary risks. 

The Importance of Electric Bikes Being Water Resistant

When considering how water resistant an electric bike is, the electrical components are most important. Although other components, like the frame, can be prone to increased rusting if exposed to water. If water was to get into any of the electrical components, it can stop them from working. This will stop the whole electric assistance on the bike, from working as a result. These electrical components are expensive to replace as well. The electrical components on the bike that can be exposed to rain, are as below:

• Motor
• Battery
• Control panel/LCD Display
• Cables 

As referred to earlier, electric bikes can handle rain in general. But there are certain more extreme wet situations, you should be careful of. These situations can cause damage, or premature rusting, and can include the below: 

• Submerging the bike in water
• Subjecting the bike to a pressure washer
• Being caught in a heavy downpour
• Storing the bike outside, potentially exposing it to a lot of rain, over a lengthy period
• Being exposed to heavy splashes
• Leaving the bike on a roof rack, whilst exposed to rain

If you have an electric bike, you want it to be as water resistant as possible, if it incurs any of the above situations. This is to reduce any chance of damage. It’s best, though, to avoid these situations altogether, if possible. Especially since certain electric bikes are more water resistant than others. You can avoid these situations altogether, or at least minimize their impact, by taking certain precautions.  

I will talk about these precautions further, in this article. Also, I will talk about the above mentioned electrical components, with regard to their water resistance. 

But, before I do this, I will talk about something called an IP rating (below). This will help with discussing further about electric bike’s water resistance. 

IP Rating   

IP Rating, is a universal rating of how resistant an electrical item is to dust and water. The higher the IP rating, the more resistant the item concerned is to water and dust.

IP ratings consist of 2 numbers. Below describes what these 2 numbers relate to.

• The 1st number, relates to how resistant an item is to dust.
• The 2nd number, relates to how resistant an item is to water. 

The number relating to an item’s dust resistance, can range between 0 and 6. With 0 being not rated at all for resistance to dust and 6 being fully resistant to dust. The number relating to water resistance, can be anything between 0 and 8, with an extra rating of 9K (that’s above 8). Here, 0 means not rated at all for resistance to water and 9K, is the highest level of water resistance. 

An example of an IP rating could be IP27. This rating would mean the item concerned, does not have much resistance against dust. But it would have a high level of resistance, against water. 

If you want further, more detailed and specific information about IP ratings. Then you can look at this article “The Comprehensive Guide To IP Ratings”.

 Now as promised, I will talk about the below, throughout the rest of this article.

• The precautions you can take, to minimize your electric bike’s contact with water. 
• The individual electrical components, with regard to their water resistance.

Motor and Battery 

Both of these components are expensive, not to mention important. So you don’t want to take any avoidable risks, by exposing them to more water than necessary. For example, if heavy rain has been forecast, it’s best to avoid cycling that day. If you have a necessary journey though, like a commute, you may have to weigh things up.   

You should also avoid riding through deep puddles and streams, where these components can be submerged. This is more likely if they’re positioned low down on your bike. Mid drive motors are always situated low down on electric bikes. So you should be especially careful to avoid riding through deep water, if you have this type of motor.  

If you have a low situated battery and/or a mid drive motor and you expect there’s a good chance of coming across puddles and streams, whilst riding. For example, if you’re planning on riding on off-road trails. You could make sure your battery and motor has an IP rating of at least 7, for the 2nd number. The number that’s related to water resistance. 

This would be a precautionary measure, in case you come across any unavoidable deep water situations. For example, if an off-road trail is flooded. Again, it’s recommended avoiding these components from being submerged altogether though. 

You may also want a battery and a motor with a high IP rating, if you live in a particularly rainy area. Do bear in mind, though, that not all electric bike batteries and motors will have an IP rating. Or at least not have a high IP rating. So there will be an amount of searching involved. 

As an extra caution, you can buy water resistant covering for your electric bike battery. 

Control Panel/LCD Display

Your control panel will likely be less water resistant, than your battery and motor. It will still be water resistant though, but again not waterproof. 

So, if you want to be extra cautious, you could carry a clear plastic bag whilst riding, in say a pannier or a backpack. You can place this bag over your control panel and fasten it on with an elastic band, if a heavy downpour occurs. The clear bag will allow you to still see the LCD display on the control panel, whilst protecting it from heavy rain.

This can give you the confidence to ride your electric bike in the rain, if the control panel does not have a high IP rating. Again, some control panels may not even have an IP rating. Bear in mind, that if your control panel was to get too much water inside it during a heavy downpour, it could cut out. This will stop the electric power to the rest of your bike. 

The Cables 

Your electric bike will have cables that link the electrical components. For example, from the controller to the motor. You should expect these to also be water resistant during rain and in the event of splashes. However, the cables, as part of an electric bike conversion kit, tend not to be very water resistant. These conversion kits are to convert a regular bike to an electric bike, by the way. 

You can take extra caution here as well, to make these cables more water resistant. This is beneficial whether they are as part of a conversion kit, or a pre-built electric bike. 

You can place something called heat-shrink over the cables to cover them. This heat-shrink is not watertight though (can still let water in), unless you fill it with gel. This gel covers all the space between the cable itself and the inner wall of the heat-shrink. Without using this gel, heat-shrink on its own is not always an effective option.

A better option is to use a special type of heat-shrink that you can heat up, so the inner layer melts around the cable. This creates a watertight seal. You may find this an easier task to carry out, compared to filling heat-shrink with gel. 

This type of heat-shrink comes in different ratios, like 2:1, 3:1 and 4:1 etc. 

These ratios relate to how much the heat-shrink can be shrunk down to. For example, if the ratio is 2:1, then it can be shrunk to half its size. Likewise, if the ratio is 3:1, then it can be shrunk to a third of its size and so on. With this is mind, the thinner the cable, the bigger you want the ratio to be. This is so that the heat-shrink wraps around the cable, to form a watertight seal. 

Pressure Washing

To help with the general maintenance and longevity of your electric bike, it’s a good idea to clean it regularly. 

If you are going to clean your electric bike though, it’s advisable to avoid using a pressure washer. 

Using a pressure washer can be tempting though. This is because it’s an effective way to blast off dirt and mud, without you having to give your bike a good solid scrub. Nonetheless, cleaning your electric bike this way is risky. You could be subjecting your electrical components to potential damage. 

Even if your electric bike components are OK against rain, a pressure washer is a whole different ball game. This is due to the high pressure of the water.

The highest IP rating (for the water resistance part) of 9K, specifies protection against high pressure washers. But even if the electrical components on your electric bike were to have this IP rating. I would still recommend you avoid using a pressure washer on your bike. It’s best to avoid the unnecessary risk in the first place, regardless of any IP ratings the components may have. 

Aside from the electrical components on your electric bike. It will have various sealed bearings throughout. These can start rusting, if water gets into them from a pressure washer. 

Additionally, a pressure washer can move gravel and dirt into the electrical components. This can cause damage, if any electrical components are not impervious to dust and particles. 

To help avoid any temptation to use a pressure washer, you can clean your electric bike as soon as you finish a ride. If you clean your bike straight away after a ride, you can remove any dirt and mud before it dries on.

Using Fenders (Mudguards)

Having Fenders on your electric bike is an effective way to reduce water splashes and mud, from getting onto it. Like with rain, your electric bike should generally withstand splashes. Although, some splashes can hit your bike with bigger force than others. This is depending on how fast you ride through a puddle. So fenders help you to be safe, rather than sorry. 

Reducing the amount of mud and dirt hitting your bike during a ride, will make your bike easier to clean afterwards. This will help further reduce any temptation you may have, to use a pressure washer. The easier your bike is to clean after a ride, the less water you will need in general to clean it. Your electric bike will be less likely to suffer from rust, the more fenders deflect water away from it. 

Having fenders on your electric bike is especially beneficial, if you’re out riding on off-road trails a lot. 

General Maintenance

It stands to reason, the more you look after your electric bike, the longer it will last. As part of doing this (with regard to your electric bike coming into contact with water), you can take advantage of the below tips.

• Use a water resistant spray, to help protect your electric bike against rust. A suitable option is Muc-Off, which has been produced especially for electric bikes.
• Make sure you wipe your electric bike down, straight after you have been out for a ride in the rain. If you leave your bike wet after a ride, then this can cause, or enhance, rust. 
• If you’re cleaning your bike with either a wet sponge or wet cloth, make sure they are not wetter than necessary. Muc-Off also provides a waterless wash, which again, is especially for electric bikes. 
• It is a good idea to remove the battery, whilst cleaning the rest of your bike.

A little bit of investment, in both time and money, can help prevent you from having to spend more money, replacing parts later on.

Storage

Even though you can expect your electric bike to be OK in rain, you should still minimize its contact with rain. With this in mind, you should (if you can) store your electric bike indoors. This will mean not exposing your bike to heavy downpours unnecessarily. It will also mean that your bike is not exposed to more rain, in general, than necessary. Following this step, will again reduce any chance of damage and rust.

You may be unable to store your electric bike indoors though, due to a lack of space. If this is the case, then there are the 2 below possible resolutions, to still protect your bike from rain.

• Buy a waterproof cover for your electric bike.
• Buy a foldable electric bike. You may be able to store a foldable electric bike indoors, if you don’t have the space indoors for a non foldable bike.   

Attaching your electric bike to a roof rack, can also expose it to more rain than usual. This may be unavoidable though, if you go on cycling holidays, or drive out to cycling trails. Again, having a foldable electric bike, can provide a resolution here as well. This could allow you to store your bike in your car boot, instead of on a roof rack. 

Conclusion

The theme here, throughout this article, is to keep your electric bike’s contact with water as minimal as possible. Especially in extreme scenarios. Electric bikes are not usually cheap. So you want to do your best, to make sure your electric bike lasts as long as possible. 

Your electric bike may be able to survive a pressure washer clean, or riding in heavy rain. But it’s not worth taking any unnecessary risks. Even if your electric bike were to survive a pressure washer clean once, it may not do so the next time. This can also be the case, with regard to riding through deep streams. 

In the worst case scenario though, if water was to ever cause damage to your electric bike. It’s likely that only one component in particular would be damaged, rather than the whole bike. In which case, the part would need replacing instead of the bike itself. Having said this though, it’s still always best to avoid the expense. 

The post Can I Ride my Electric Bike in the Rain? appeared first on Electric Bike Planet.

Cycling is an enjoyable way to get and keep you active, whilst getting some quality outdoor time. If you’re a heavier person though, you may feel that your ability to cycle is limited. Luckily, electric bikes are a great option to make cycling more accessible for you, if you’re a heavier person.

Cycling may be too much effort for you if you’re carrying a lot of weight, especially if you’re riding up hills. If you’re overweight, then you may feel you haven’t got enough fitness for cycling. Electric bikes help break down these barriers though, due to the extra help they give you. Therefore, electric bikes can get you cycling more and further, or even at all, if you’re a heavier person. 

Here in this article, I will talk further about how electric bikes can help you if you’re a heavier person.

Electric Bikes Give Pedal Assist

Before going any further, it’s worth clarifying that electric bikes have pedal assist. This is often referred to as PAS as an abbreviation, by the way. Pedal assist is where an electric motor is powering the electric bike to move forward. However, this is only when you’re pedaling as well. So here, the electric motor only engages when you start pedaling. This means that when you’re using pedal assist, the electric motor is sharing the effort needed to move your bike forward with your pedaling. This reduces the amount of effort needed on your part, whilst you’re still at least using some effort. 

Just to clarify though, some electric bikes do also have a throttle as well. With these electric bikes, you can twist the throttle and go, without any pedal effort needed. As you may gather, you’re not keeping active and getting fitter, whilst using a throttle.

Electric Bikes Help Heavier People To Start Cycling 

As mentioned above, you may be put off cycling, or even exercise in general, if you’re a heavier person. So riding an electric bike is a great way to start you cycling and therefore exercising. By the way, you may be a heavier person due to a high muscle mass. Even so, an electric bike can still be a great way to get you doing cardio exercise, if you’re not already doing so. Weight due to muscle mass can still make it tricky for you to do cardio exercise. This is due to that increased muscle mass, can make running stressful for your joints, or cycling up hills on a regular bike difficult. 

As mentioned above, pedal assist can reduce the amount of effort needed on your part, whilst you’re still at least using some effort. This is why electric bikes are so great for getting you to start exercising, if you’re struggling to do so, due to if you’re a heavier person. After all, any exercise is better than no exercise. All the time you’re using pedal assist on an electric bike, you’re still doing more than if you’re sitting on the sofa.

Ultimately, electric bikes can be the difference between cycling and not cycling at all if you’re a heavier person. You can even adjust the level of pedal assist as well. You can have the pedal assist set to either one of the higher or lower levels, depending on your needs. As you hopefully get fitter, you may be able to lower the level of pedal assist as you go. Electric bikes really do allow you to get fit at your own pace.  

Electric Bikes Get Heavier People Cycling Further

You may be cycling already, but you may be a heavier rider, who’s limited to how far you can cycle, due to your weight. As mentioned before, electric bikes will break down this barrier. The reason for this is that they can allow you to cycle further distances, for the same effort as cycling shorter distances on a regular bike. Again, this is due to the pedal assist.

This ties in with electric bikes, getting you to start cycling in the first place, as talked about above. For example, if you’re overweight, you may see cycling to work as an opportunity to fit some exercise in. However, your workplace may be too far for you to cycle to on a regular bike, due to your level of fitness. An electric bike though, could make this distance doable for you. Again, this is an example of how an electric bike can be the difference between cycling and not cycling at all, if you’re a heavier person.  

Aside from commuting, electric bikes allowing you to cycle further can cause you to cycle more in general. This is because being able to cycle further allows you to go on rides you may not normally go on. For example, you may decide to go on long rides in the country, where you may have only cycled locally before. Remember cycling further, which leads to cycling more, leads to increased health benefits. Also, cycling further means more exploring and therefore more fun. 

Electric Bikes Get Heavier People Cycling More 

This follows on from above. If you’re able to cycle further, then you’re more likely to cycle more often. Generally, you’re more likely to cycle more often, if an electric bike makes cycling easier for you. Below, I talk further about different ways of how electric bikes can get you cycling more often, if you’re a heavier rider. Remember cycling more gives you more health benefits.

Helps With Riding Up Hills 

If you’re a heavier rider, you may struggle to cycle up hills. This may therefore put you off cycling on hilly routes altogether. You may even get off your bike and walk it up hills, whenever you come by them. Electric bikes help break down this barrier as well. The pedal assist makes riding up hills much easier. This means that electric bikes can prompt you to cycle hilly routes if you were avoiding them before. Also, riding an electric bike can allow you to remain on your bike up hills, rather than getting off and walking. 

Going Cycling With Friends 

You may be put off cycling with your friends, if you find it hard to keep up with them, due to your weight. An electric bike can give you the boost to keep up with them though. So having an electric bike can allow you to not miss out here.

Cycling for Transportation

Electric bikes can prompt you to cycle certain types of journeys you wouldn’t normally cycle for. Again, due to the pedal assist. This can allow you to fit cycling more regularly into your daily life. For example, you may use an electric bike for shopping trips, visiting friends, or any general errands. You may even find that an electric bike could replace your car for certain journeys. If you’re overweight, you may not have the fitness to often cycle these trips on a regular bike. Remember though, regular cycling on an electric bike will increase your fitness.

Commuting   

I’ve already mentioned commuting before in this article, with regard to electric bikes helping with the distance. However, possibly arriving at work in a sweat may also put you off cycling to work. This is more likely if you’re overweight. Electric bikes though, allow you to cycle at a reduced pedal effort, so that you don’t arrive at work in a sweat. This can be the prompt you need to get you cycling to work. Remember, cycling to work at a reduced effort will still keep you more active compared to driving, or getting a train or bus to work. 

Less Likely to be Put Off Cycling in General

Electric bikes, reducing the pedal effort needed, can make cycling more enjoyable for you. For example, if you’re a heavier rider, you may be really blowing a gasket riding up hills, or against the wind. So if an electric bike is allowing you to easily cycle up a hill, then this can be a much more pleasurable experience for you. You’ll still be keeping active, but you won’t be feeling as much discomfort from overexertion. At the end of the day, the more enjoyable you find cycling, the more often you’re likely to do it. 

Having an electric bike can give you the peace of mind of knowing that the pedal assist can help get you home, if you become tired during a ride. If you’re very tired, you can change the pedal assist to the maximum setting for the rest of the ride. Knowing this can give you the confidence to go cycling in the first place if you’re a heavier rider. If you have an electric bike with a throttle, you can also use this to get you home if you’re tired. 

Makes Cycling More Fun   

This follows on from my point above, where I said you’re more likely to cycle often, the more you enjoy it. Electric bikes make cycling more fun for many people, simply because they help you to cycle faster. You may really enjoy speed, but if you’re a heavier rider, you may find it too much effort to cycle fast on a regular bike. At the very least, it may be difficult for you to cycle fast for long periods. This is another barrier that an electric bike can break. Having an electric bike can allow you to cycle fast, whilst you’re pedaling at an effort you can cope with. Therefore, if you’re a heavier rider, you can still have the thrill of cycling at speed for long distances without overexerting yourself.  

Electric bikes will also help you cycle up hills quicker, which you may find more fun. Cycling 2mph up a hill on a regular bike is likely to be frustrating for you. If an electric bike allows you to cycle 9mph up a hill instead though, then this can be much more motivating. This is aside from the fact that hills will be less of a struggle on an electric bike. 

Can Open Up New Cycling Routes

If you’re a heavier person, having an electric bike can allow you to cycle, where you wouldn’t normally. For example, you may find cycling on rugged off-road trails challenging on a regular bike. Having an electric bike can make riding on these trails doable for you, though. This is another example of how electric bikes break down barriers and makes cycling more accessible.  

How Cycling Helps You if You’re Heavy

Being overweight can lead to negative health implications. These can include heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers and high blood pressure. So if you’re overweight, exercise can help you to get to a healthy weight, to reduce the risk of these ailments. Cycling is an excellent form of exercise to help with weight loss. So again, electric bikes can get you cycling, if your weight makes it difficult for you to start cycling on a regular bike. As mentioned earlier though, being a heavier rider doesn’t always mean you’re overweight. Even so, if you’re not overweight, cycling is still a great way to keep yourself active, to help keep you healthy. 

By the way though, as well as exercise, eating sensibly is also important for weight loss. In fact, weight loss is 80% diet and 20% exercise. So exercise alone may not always lose you much weight. However, it will certainly help as part of an overall weight loss plan, that includes a healthy diet. You may only be a little overweight and already eat healthily though. In which case, regular cycling may be the extra nudge to get you to a healthy weight.  

Electric Bikes are Effective for Weight Loss

Riding electric bikes with the pedal assist can be very effective for weight loss. Studies have shown the below amount of calories burned per hour comparisons.

The above shows that even though you can expect to be burning fewer calories on an electric bike compared to a regular bike, you can still burn a lot. 500 calories per hour is certainly a lot better than nothing. 

The above statistics also show that you’re not always burning that much fewer calories on an electric bike, compared to a regular bike. This does depend on your pedal effort and the level of pedal assist setting you’re using though.

The reason why you’re not always burning that much fewer calories on an electric bike compared to a regular bike is because you’re still using effort. You can even ride an electric bike using the same pedal effort as when you’re riding a regular bike. This more applies to if you’re riding on flat ground though. It’s just that you’ll be going faster on an electric bike, for the same amount of pedal effort as a regular bike. So an electric bike does not necessarily always mean you’re working less. This can mean you may be riding an electric bike with the same pedal effort you would be riding at anyway on a regular bike, but going faster for it. 

You’ll likely be riding an electric bike at a reduced (more manageable) effort, compared to a regular bike up hills though. This can also be at other tricky moments, like when you’re cycling against the wind. The key point here though is that you’re still cycling at all, as opposed to giving up. So all in all, you’re still getting a solid cardio workout on electric bikes, to help with weight loss. 

Using Electric Bikes for Specific Fat Burning Cycling

Electric bikes can in fact be more effective for weight loss than regular bikes, if used the right way. This is all down to that electric bikes can help keep you in the fat burning zone, better than regular bikes. The fat burning zone is when you’re exercising at an intensity, where your heart rate is at 60% to 65% of its maximum.

Exercising in this zone is not a high level of intensity. In fact, you should be able to hold a conversation, whilst exercising within this fat burning zone. The reason why electric bikes help keep you in this zone is because they allow the incline and terrain to not dictate your effort. So if you’re cycling in this fat burning zone on flat ground and then you come by a hill, you can then increase the level of pedal assist. This will help you to maintain the same amount of effort that keeps you in the fat burning zone, whilst cycling up the hill. 

Conversely, you may be riding a regular bike in the fat burning zone on flat ground and then you may have to increase your effort up a hill. This could then take you out of the fat burning zone. You’ll still be exercising whilst cycling up the hill, but likely not at the most effective intensity for fat burning. So electric bikes are a great tool to help you maintain steady efforts, that are ideal for fat burning.

You can check if your heart rate is within the fat burning zone, by using a heart rate monitor. Below shows how to calculate what your own heart rate should be, to be within the fat burning zone. By the way, the fat burning zone is also known as the aerobic zone.

Safety 

Electric bikes help you to be safer if you’re a heavier rider. The electric boost gives extra acceleration that can get you out of dangerous situations. For example, they can allow you to get out of harm’s way quicker at junctions and roundabouts, compared to regular bikes. If you’re a heavier rider on a regular bike, you may struggle to pick up speed quick enough to get out of danger’s way.

Conclusion 

Many people perceive that electric bikes are for lazy people. This is far from the truth though. They are an excellent tool to make cycling accessible, for people who would otherwise find cycling difficult. This is part of the reason why studies have shown that electric bikes can get you fitter than regular bikes. So if you’re a heavier person who finds exercise and cycling difficult, then an electric bike can change your life. This has been the case for many heavier riders.  

The rest of the reason why studies have shown that electric bikes can get you fitter than regular bikes is because they can get people who already cycle to cycle more. This is due to the fact that they can make cycling easier and more fun. This can especially be the case if you’re a heavier rider. Ultimately, electric bikes break down barriers. They mean that if you’re a heavier person, then you have the opportunity to cycle no less than anyone else.

The post Why Electric Bikes are Ideal for Heavier Riders appeared first on Electric Bike Planet.

Electric bikes are excellent for making cycling accessible if you’re a heavier person. This is especially if your weight normally makes it difficult for you to cycle. So if you’re a heavier rider looking to buy an electric bike, you should ideally buy one that supports your weight. 

Some electric bikes will support your weight better than others if you’re a heavier rider. An electric bike that doesn’t support your weight very well, wouldn’t necessarily fall apart the moment you sit on it though. However, the better a bike supports your weight, the longer it will last. Also, the less likely it is that any parts will break. Rest assured though, that no matter what your weight is, there will always be an electric bike for you. 

Here in this article, I will talk about what to look for when choosing an electric bike, if you’re a heavier rider. 

Wheels 

If you’re a heavier rider, it’s a good idea to pay attention to the wheels when buying an electric bike. The heavier you are, the more pressure you’re placing on the wheels. This can mean that you’re more likely to break a spoke. So to reduce the likelihood of this as a heavier rider, you can make sure your wheels have more spokes. Being a heavy rider, opting for wheels with 32 or 36 spokes should give you good peace of mind. Any fewer spokes, and it’s more likely a spoke will break here and there over time.

The heavier a rider you are, the more pressure you’re placing on the wheel rims as well. This can lead to enhanced wear and tear on these. However, having more spokes helps here as well. This is due that this spreads the pressure placed on the wheel rims more evenly. So the more spokes, the less concentration of pressure on any given part of the wheel rim. This is due to there being more contact points. 

Below are some further considerations with regard to wheels if you’re a heavier rider.

• Smaller wheels with wider tires will be better supported under your weight if you’re a heavier rider. This is opposed to large wheels with thin tires. Generally speaking, 26 inch wheels (in diameter) is a suitable wheel size for heavy riders. The smaller the wheel you opt for below this size, the more likely you’ll experience handling issues. This is due to the frame needing to be a certain design to accommodate the smaller wheels. A suitable tire width if you’re a heavier rider is 2 inches or wider. This should support you very well. Anything below an inch ⅓ is not ideal for heavy riders. 
• Wider tires are also especially beneficial if you’re riding on rough terrain as a heavier rider. They’ll absorb the bumps better than thin tires, reducing impact on the frame. This will particularly benefit the frame, due to the extra pressure already imposed on the frame from your weight. So this will minimize the chance of any cracks in the frame. 

• Opting for wider and deeper rims, ideally double wall aluminium rims, are suitable for heavier riders. These are heavy duty and will make the wheel stronger. Again, making the wheel better able to accommodate the extra weight. 
• Wheels tend to be stronger on fully hand built bikes. Here, they will hold out better if you’re a heavier rider.   

Brakes

Having effective brakes is particularly important if you’re a heavier rider. This is due to that the extra weight will mean it’ll take longer for your bike to stop. When it comes to brakes, you’ll find there’s 2 main types. These are rim or disc brakes, as talked about further below.

Rim Brakes

This is the most common type of brake you’ll find on bikes. These brakes work by pads that clamp down on both sides of the wheel rim to create friction. You should find that if tuned correctly, these types of brakes can have plenty enough stopping power for even the heaviest of riders. So if you’re a heavier rider with rim brakes, then it’s a good idea to make sure they’re always well maintained.  

Disc Brakes 

These types of brakes are more effective than rim brakes. This means they give you better stopping power and therefore more safety. So if you’re a heavier rider, this can give you extra peace of mind. Also, disc brakes do not cause any wear and tear on the wheel rims, like rim brakes do. They also provide the 2 below benefits.

• Work very well in all weather conditions.
• Provide greater control than rim brakes, as braking is more consistent.

Disc brakes work in a similar way to rim brakes. The difference though, is that you have a disc (called a rotor) at the center of the wheel, which has pads on each side of it. When you apply the brakes, the pads press down on this disc to create friction to slow down the bike. These brakes tend to cost more than rim brakes. However, due to the better stopping power they provide, this can be worth it if you’re a heavier rider. 

Saddle

Some saddles are made to accommodate more weight better than others. In particular, the saddle rails can fail if they’re not made to handle extra weight. These rails are on the underside of the saddle, which connects it to the seat post clamp. The materials that saddle rails are available in varies. These can include steel, titanium, aluminium and carbon. However, steel and titanium are the strongest materials that saddle rails come in. So a saddle rail made from either of these 2 materials is going to withstand your weight better as a heavier rider. This means the saddle rails will be less likely to break or bend, under any extra pressure due to more weight. 

Luckily, steel and titanium are not the most expensive saddle rails materials. This is due to the fact that the cheapest saddle rail materials are the lightest ones, not the strongest. You may consider saddle weight not much of an issue though, by the way. This can be due to the weight of the saddle having a negligible impact on the overall weight of the bike. 

Some saddles have extra thick padding, especially for heavier riders. This helps the saddle to support the extra weight better. Again, this will help the saddle rails to last longer, due to less stress placed on them. If you opt for a saddle with extra thick padding, then this will add more weight to the saddle again though. If you’re concerned with extra saddle weight though, due to if you have steel or titanium rails and extra padding, then you can negate this by opting for a carbon chassis. This will add more cost though, as carbon is the most expensive saddle chassis material. This is due to it being the lightest.    

A lot of cyclists think that the bigger you are, the wider the saddle needs to be. This is not always the case though. The ideal width of your saddle depends on the width of your sit bones. This is the part of your anatomy which comes into contact with the saddle. If you’re big bottomed, it does not always mean that your sit bones have a big width. So you can have a big bottom, but your sit bones can be of a small width. If a saddle is too wide in relation to your sit bone width, then this can cause chaffing.

Conversely, if the saddle is too narrow, then this can cause undue pressure on your sit bones. Both cases will mean discomfort. Many bike shops have devices that measure the exact distance between your sit bones. This will then allow you to determine the most appropriate width of saddle for you. 

Frame 

The frame material choice (in terms of strength) is not really an issue if you’re below 120 kilos, 19 stone or 165 pounds. Any frame material should be strong enough here, whether it be aluminium, steel, titanium or carbon etc. So if you’re within this weight range, other factors may influence your choice of frame material. For example, you can pick a carbon frame, for the bike to be lighter. Although carbon is the most expensive frame material by the way. 

If you’re above 120 kilos, 19 stone or 165 pounds, then you should consider the strength of the frame material more. Steel and titanium are generally considered the strongest bike frame materials. Titanium frames are more expensive than steel frames though. However, many riders consider titanium to be the best all round frame material. This is due to the fact that it offers a great balance of many properties. These include strength, being fairly lightweight, shock absorbent qualities and rust resistance. Furthermore, titanium frames are easier to repair than other material frames. This is in addition to the fact that they are well-equipped to withstand heavier loads anyway. So you can have extra peace of mind, for just in case the frame was to ever break. 

To be extra safe though, you can always check the manufacturers specifications, with regard to the bikes maximum weight limit. In terms of the frame shape, the standard triangle frame, where the fame consists of a front and rear triangle, will be the strongest. As a scientific rule, triangles are always the strongest shape. Having said this though, there are low step bikes that have a different type of frame. Some of these types of bikes are stronger built, especially for heavier riders. The advantage of these low step bikes is that the frame design makes it easier for larger/heavier people to get on and off the bike. Again, if you’re buying a low step bike as a heavier rider, you should check the specified maximum weight limit first.  

Bike with low step frame

Electric Bike Types Considerations for Heavier Riders 

Electric Hybrid or Gravel Bike

If you’re a heavier rider who will be doing a lot of road riding, then a suitable option can be a hybrid or gravel bike. These types of bikes have a more robust build quality compared to road bikes. This means that they are better equipped to handle your weight if you’re a heavier rider. So the frame of these bikes will be more likely to last longer and less likely to break. 

The reason why hybrid and gravel bikes are more robust than road bikes is because they are general purpose bikes. So with these bikes, you also have the advantage of having a bike that’s suitable for light off-road. Additionally, these types of bikes can accommodate wider tires compared to road bikes. Wider tires offer more support and stability, which is also handy if you’re a heavier rider.  

Electric Cargo Bike

Another consideration as a heavier rider is possibly opting for a cargo bike. These bikes tend to be overbuilt, due to that they’re designed to carry heavy loads. Cargo bikes will typically have heavy-duty parts, such a robust frame, robust wheels and robust tires. This can be a good option for you, even if you’re not planning on carrying much cargo, if ever. However, the option to carry cargo is always available to you though, for if you ever choose to. 

Electric Mountain or Fat Bikes

If you’re intending to do a lot of off-road cycling, then the go-to option is going to be a mountain bike. As long as you’re opting for a good quality mountain bike, then you should always expect it to be robust. Again, this is what you want if you’re a heavier rider. Another option to consider as a heavier rider is a fat bike. These have very fat tires for support and stability. Again, they tend to have a robust build quality, to accommodate heavier riders.

Electric Folding Bikes

Folding bikes are a popular option. This is due to the storage and transportation conveniences they provide. These types of bikes tend not to have a very robust build quality, or heavy-duty parts though. So if you’re a heavier rider, a folding bike may not be strong enough to withstand your weight. This doesn’t mean that a folding bike will fall apart on you straight away, but it may not last very well. Sooner or later, a part here and there might break. 

These days, some folding bikes are coming onto the market with a more robust build quality though. However, if you’re tempted to buy a more robust folding bike as a heavier rider, I’d certainly still be careful. As with buying any bike as a heavier rider, it’s advisable to check the  manufacturers maximum specified weight limit. Also, robust folding bikes will have a higher price premium. 

My article “Which Type of Electric Bike Should I Buy?“ talks further about the bike types mentioned above. This can further help you to decide which bike type you may feel is most suitable for you. 

Pedals 

It’s also worth considering the robustness of the pedals as a heavier rider. Pedals can break during rides if they’re not strong enough to handle the weight of the rider. Some pedals are made lightweight, where the spindle is not very thick. These are therefore not ideal for heavy riders. A pedal with a standard bearing though (as opposed to a sealed bearing) can generally be a bit thicker. This will make them heavier duty and so more suitable for heavier riders. You’ll also find that pedals found on mountain bikes will generally be heavier duty. 

Suspension 

Generally speaking, full suspension bikes are too demanding for heavier riders around 300 pounds or over. This is due to the fact that the rear suspension often can’t handle enough pressure to keep you in the appropriate sag, if you’re this sort of weight. Sag by the way, is to do with setting your suspension specific to your weight. This video talks further about suspension settings, which includes talking about sag. 

You should be aware that some shocks absorbers (as part of a full suspension system) can handle more weight better than others. This is even if you’re below 300 pounds, or above for that matter. So if you’re considering a full suspension bike as a heavier rider, you should definitely check if the suspension can accommodate your weight. If the shock absorbers are not rated for your weight, then you may prematurely wear them out. 

For more information about suspension on electric bikes, you can read my article “Do I Need Suspension on an Electric Bike”. 

Suspension Seatposts 

You may find a suspension seatpost to be a viable alternative to full suspension. This is a seatpost with shock absorbing technology, which you can replace the existing seatpost on the bike with. These seatposts can absorb any bumps and impacts whilst cycling, to provide comfort. 

There are suspension seatposts especially for heavier riders, available on the market. Kinekt makes a good range of these suspension seatposts for heavier riders. These particular suspension seatposts have heavier duty parts to accommodate more weight. So aside from the suspension benefits, these heavy-duty suspension seatposts are likely to be better equipped to deal with more weight than the seatpost that came with the bike.

Gears

Riding up hills can be tricky whoever you are, let alone if you’re a heavier rider. A compact or a sub-compact chainset will provide a low gear ratio to give you more help up hills. Therefore, these types of chainsets are a suitable option for an electric bike if you’re a heavier rider.

You may think that gears are not so important if you have an electric bike, due to the boost you’re already getting. However, gears are still beneficial on electric bikes for the below reasons.

• They give you even further assistance up hills, in addition to the electric motor. An electric motor may only help you so far up very steep hills, especially if the motor’s not high-powered. This can particularly be the case if you’re in the UK or EU, where the legal motor power limit is 250 watts. 
• Even if the electric motor is helping you up hills, having gears can help you get up hills faster. 
• Using gears to help you up hills also helps prolong the battery range. This is due to the fact that gears leverage your pedal effort, which reduces the effort needed by the motor.  

Motor Type 

An electric bike’s motor will either be a hub motor or a mid drive motor. A hub motor is positioned in the center of either the front or rear wheel of the bike. A mid drive motor is positioned at the center of the bike, between the pedals. Neither of these electric bike motor types is better than the other. Your choice of motor type should be down to what suits you best. Nevertheless, mid drive motors offer some advantages over hub motors that are beneficial for heavier riders. I talk about these below. 

Do be aware though that mid drive motors are higher in price than hub motors. So having a mid drive motor will increase the overall cost of an electric bike. 

Mid Drive Motor Advantages for Heavier Riders

More Efficiency 

Mid drive motors are more efficient than hub motors. This is because they directly leverage your pedaling power. So therefore, mid drive motors help with cycling up hills more. This is along with other challenging cycling conditions, like rough terrain, or cycling against the wind. So if you’re a heavier rider who finds cycling in these conditions difficult, then you may really appreciate a mid drive motor. 

Kinder on the Battery

Mid drive motors allow for longer battery range compared to hub motors. This is because mid drive motors are only moving a sprocket, rather than a whole wheel. Therefore, the motor is not working as hard, which means less drain on the battery. Anything that helps prolong the battery range, will really benefit you if you’re a heavier rider. This is due to that the extra weight you’re carrying, is already draining the battery more compared to a lighter rider. So having a mid drive motor can help minimize the impact of this compared to a hub motor. 

Better Weight Distribution 

As mentioned above, mid drive motors are at the center of the electric bike. This means they provide better weight distribution throughout the bike, compared to hub motors. Better weight distribution throughout the bike makes it easier to climb hills. You will have less weight behind you pulling you back, or less weight in front of you, to push up. 

Also, as mentioned before, disc brakes give better stopping power than rim brakes, which is especially advantageous for heavier riders. So if you have disc brakes and a hub motor, then you will have even more weight on the wheel that the hub motor’s situated on. This negatively impacts the bike’s weight distribution even further. So if you do have disc brakes, then this can be even more reason to opt for a mid drive motor.   

My article “Hub Motors Vs Mid Drive Motors” talks further about the differences between these 2 motor types. 

Motor Power 

This is a particular consideration if you’re a heavier rider, looking to buy an electric bike. The more powerful the motor, the more assistance you get from the electric bike. So as a heavier rider, you’re more likely to appreciate the benefit of a powerful motor. As you may expect though, generally, the more powerful the motor, the more cost it will add to the bike. 

The power of electric bike motors is measured in watts. You will usually find electric bike motors are either 250, 350, 500, 750 or 1000 watts. Depending on the electric bike laws of where you’re based, there’s likely to be a limit on the power of the motor you’re allowed to ride with. For example, the maximum power electric bike motor you’re allowed to ride with in the US depends on what state you’re in. However, in most states you’re not permitted to ride on an electric bike with a motor above 750 watts. In the UK and EU, the electric bike motor power limit is 250 watts and in Canada it’s 500 watts. 

Nevertheless, as a heavier rider, you may want as powerful a motor as your budget allows. The more power you have, the more help you’re going to get riding up hills. This is as well as other challenging riding conditions. My article, “How Much Power does my Electric Bike Need?”, talks further about electric bike motor power considerations. 

Conclusion

As mentioned before, there is an electric bike out there for everyone. So no matter how heavy you are, you will always find an electric bike that will accommodate you. It may just take a little bit of searching and research to find one that is suitable for your weight. Again, having a bike that’s not built to handle your weight very well doesn’t mean it will break straight away. It’s more that it’s less likely to last very well and parts can break and wear prematurely. 

Being a heavier person certainly shouldn’t put you off cycling. Remember cycling is a fun way to keep active, whilst getting some quality outdoor time. If you do find cycling difficult as a heavier person, that’s where electric bikes come into their own. Electric bikes break down barriers and make cycling accessible for all sorts of people, including heavier riders.

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