Nobody is too heavy or too tall to ride a bike, even that is a folding bike. I heard stories of many people saying that they want the portability of folding bikes but they are doubtful that the folding frame and small size can withstand their weight. Therefore, they gave up.

If you are among them, you are making a big mistake.

In fact, riding a bike has many great benefits for heavy people. Generally speaking, riding a bike improves metabolism, burns calories and helps prevent different types of injuries. Below, we are going to give you more details on healthy benefits of biking.

It’s widely known that cycling is one of the best ways to burn calories and lose weight. However, you’ll be able to reveal the weight loss benefits of riding a bike only if you do cycling regularly.
The numerous medial researches have shown that on average a biker burns up to 355 calories if he/she rides a bicycle at the speed of 12 – 14 mph for about 30 minutes. That means that if you do this type of a regular biking routine for a week, you’ll be able to burn up to 3500 calories.
The reality is you’ll be able to improve your metabolism dramatically and burn more calories if you ride a bike for about 45 – 60 minutes a day and 5 days per week on a regular basis.

Weight loss is not the only health benefit of biking for heavy people. Another big advantage of cycling is that this activity has a huge positive impact on joints. Without a doubt, a regular biking routine will make it possible for a heavy person to ease his/her joints and prevent different types of injuries such as ankle injuries, knee injuries as well as injuries of hips. Biking is known for being a stress-relieving activity. Riding a bike is likely to result in reducing stress and getting a better night’s sleep. If you do exercises on a regular basis and sleep better at night, you’ll be able to improve your weight loss results over time.

Unfortunately, not so many bikes for heavy people are available for sale these days. That’s why selecting a bike for a heavy person can be a very challenging task. So, it may take a heavy person too much time to find a good bike.

The big question is – what type of a bike a heavy person needs? It’s clear that you should aim to purchase a high quality bike with a strong frame. While most folding bikes can fit cyclists with the height of up to 6’4″ (193 cm), we are just afraid the frame is too weak for our weight. Your concerns might be true as majority of manufacturers recommend the rider weight should be under 220lbs.

So what happens if you plus your luggage are heavier? Fortunately, there are some bikes that can help you have a healthier life. You need to know that there are a lot of bikes that have been designed with heavy people in mind. Here are the top heavy-duty folding bicycles. First of all, we’ll briefly describe some of the best folding bikes for heavy people. Plus, we’ll tell you about the key features of each model and outline the pros and cons of each bike.

1. Montague Paratrooper Mountain Folding Bike

The Paratrooper is a full-sized mountain bike that can be folded to a compact size of 36″ x 28″ x 12″. The rugged bike comes with Folding Integrated Technology (F.I.T.), 24 speeds and mechanical disc brakes. Although this is a mountain bike, its compact size allows you to use it as a commuter bike. It comes with 2 frame sizes, 20-inch frame suggested for rider height of 5’11” – 6’4″ and 18-inch frame for 5’3″ – 5’10”. Montague stated that their bikes are designed for cyclists with a total weight of 250lbs.

While the officially listed weight capacity for all of Montague bike models is 250 lbs, that’s really on the conservative side. You should have no issues at about 300 lbs. Even then, it’s only the wheelset that limits weight capacity, as the frames have been tested to handle more. You could get a higher spoke count wheelset if you needed even more weight capacity.

The bike is available on Amazon for around $850.

2. Montague Boston 8-Speed Folding Commuter Bike

If you need a commuter bike with a more attractive design, it’s difficult to beat the Montague Boston 8-Speed. The bike has the same folded dimensions of 36″ x 28″ x 12″, it features 700c wheels, custom 7005 aluminum frame, 8 speeds and weighs only 27 lbs. The Boston comes in 3 frame sizes, 17-inch frame for 4’8″ – 5’2″ cyclists, 19-inch frame for 5’3″ – 5’10” and 21-inch frame for 5’11” – 6’4″. Like the Paratrooper, the Boston 8-Speed can withstand the total weight of about 250 – 300 lbs.

You can buy the Boston on Amazon for $995.

3. Brompton S1E

The Brompton S1E is the smallest folding bike in the list. It has the small 16-inch wheels, therefore, it is so lightweight and small when folded. The folded dimensions are 22.2″ x 21.5″ x 9.8″. The Brompton uses steel frame, the material is considered more reliable for heavy-duty bike because it is not prone to fatigue and sudden breakage. Brompton recommended that their bikes are designed to carry a maximum load of 242 lbs (110kg) including luggage.

The Brompton S1E is priced at more than $1,200

Bottom Line

Thank you so much for reading this buying guide for best folding bikes that have been designed for heavy people. This type of buying guide gives you a great opportunity to explore all of your options carefully and make the best possible choice. Take a closer look at each of these folding bikes for heavy people and study its features as well as pros and cons. And remember, you should always aim to buy a folding bike that fits all of your needs and budget.

Do you know any other high-quality heavy-duty folding bike? Let us know in a comment below.