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A few years ago, I've bought this (see edit) bike. At that time I was around 90 kgs and I didn't have any problems.

Today I'm around 120 kgs and I was considering (among other things) starting cycling again. Is this bike "good" enough to carry me? What should I expect? Any tips?

EDIT! Apparently, Drag have renamed some of their bikes in the last few years, so the above information is a bit wrong. This seems to be my bike. At first I didn't recognize much difference, but this one has suspension on the front which mine also has. Does this change anything

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  • Do you notice much bending or flexing in the frame when you're pedalling hard?
    – Mike Samuel
    Aug 12, 2012 at 22:27
  • In the frame? No. The tires do look a bit "compressed" though. Would that be relevant?
    – Duru Can Celasun
    Aug 15, 2012 at 13:40
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    Maybe consider inflating them to a slightly higher pressure then. There are some tables online (eg), but mostly you just want to avoid pinch flats from the rim bottoming out, without making the ride harsher than necessary
    – Useless
    Aug 15, 2012 at 15:15
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    @D.CanCelasun, no. Compression in the tires is not a sign that the frame is under stress, just a sign that the tires are not at a high enough pressure for the weight they're supporting to ride on a firm cushion of air. It means you might be at risk of pinch flats when you get a momentary increase in downward force. I would go with Useless's advice.
    – Mike Samuel
    Aug 15, 2012 at 16:03

3 Answers 3

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On a road surface you will be fine - try not to jump any kerbs ;-)

Compared to the force when a bike with even a light rider goes over say a pothole or a jump the static load from a 120Kg rider is small.

You might want to check the spoke tension reglarly - those are the parts that will suffer most.

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  • That's good to hear, thanks! I'll make sure to check the spokes regularly.
    – Duru Can Celasun
    Aug 12, 2012 at 18:08
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I'd say no sweat -- the bike can handle you and another 100kg, so long as you don't go off-roading with it or some such.

The wheels appear to be 36-spoke and plenty wide, so they can easily handle the weight. The frame is a standard diamond, the strongest design you'll find. No fancy suspension to bottom out or break. Barring a manufacturing defect or incredibly poor materials probably the seat will be the first thing to wear out.

Do get it an annual checkup at your local bike shop, though, if you end up using it regularly.

Update: The changes to the original post affect what I said above to some degree. The "new" bike has an aluminum frame and front suspension. The Al frame is a bit more apt to fatigue over time, especially if overloaded (though a 120kg rider is not really "overloading"). Of slightly more concern would be how well the front suspension handles the load, something that is hard to judge. The bike is most probably OK for a 120kg rider, but questionable for, say, a 180kg rider.

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120 kg is not that heavy, especially for a bike that is meant for a rider and panniers. You don't have any carbon bits that have trouble with periodic flexing which really leaves the wheels as the potentially weak link. Am I too heavy for my road bike tires? addresses tires and as Daniel R. Hicks points out, you've got fairly robust wheels -- there're tandems that have similar wheels.

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