Wheels for heavier riders?

[lutz]

Hi all,

which wheels would you recommend for bigger people?  I weigh 260 lbs, am 6ft4, and would sometimes also carry a backpack.  I also will be a beginner, but hope to avoid buying a beginner wheel first - in part because the more affordable wheels do not seem to be suitable for my weight.  I am living in a rather flat place.

Thanks in advance for any input.

 

[Marty Backe]

MSuper V3s+ or MSuper X

Frankly, given your height and weight I think the Monster would be an enjoyable wheel for you, but it's not a good learner wheel (if for no other reason than the shell can break too easily during falls, which happens a lot when learning). @Bob Eisenman, aren't you rather tall, and on the heavier side? You love your Monster. Any thoughts?

The KS18S and KS18L would also probably work good for you.

[US69]

8 hours ago, lutz said:

Hi all,

which wheels would you recommend for bigger people?  I weigh 260 lbs, am 6ft4, and would sometimes also carry a backpack.  I also will be a beginner, but hope to avoid buying a beginner wheel first - in part because the more affordable wheels do not seem to be suitable for my weight.  I am living in a rather flat place.

Thanks in advance for any input.

 

As Marty allready said, you should defintly go for a Minimum 18inch Wheel , with at least 1000wh...

Only a big battery has the ability and power to handle such weights safely!

While the Monster is for sure the Wheel that can handle such weights the best...it's no learner Wheel, and also not very comfortable to use it for example as a commuter or for just some small rides as it is ay to heavy and big. In my view it is a Long range Wheel for Long trips, there it is the absolute best.

 

For any other usage i would recommend GW MSuper X or KS18L or KS18S....GW for beeing near the Monster and Offroad abilities, the 18L with it's thin Shell and  middle handle as probably best commuter, the 18S with the best ability to ride seated...to Name SOME of These Wheels usecases :-)

[winterwheel]

My weight fluctuates between 235 and 245 and generally carry a backback or at times heavier stuff, such as boxes of equipment. I have even at times used one wheel to carry another one from place to place.

I have successfully done my commute to work on all of my wheels -- V5F, V8, ACM, ACM2. There is one short but particularly steep hill that the V5F had trouble with; I would often make it, but sometimes it would literally yell at me to "Get Off'. That's why I moved up to the V8, which I really liked but can't keep up with bicycles. And I *hate* being passed by bicycles. So now I'm on the ACM series and I find it spectacular. I rocket up and down hills and around town at 35-40km, manage every kind of surface, no issues whatsoever. 

None of this is to suggest that a bigger wheel wouldn't be the best choice for the original poster; my experience is limited to a 30 second ride on an MSuper X (which seems amazing but soooo much different than the wheels I'm used to riding.

It is only to say that I have found that wheels like the V8 and ACM are perfectly usable for the non-lightweights of the world.

Edited September 14, 2018 by yegwheel

[Marty Backe]

42 minutes ago, yegwheel said:

My weight fluctuates between 235 and 245 and generally carry a backback or at times heavier stuff, such as boxes of equipment. I have even at times used one wheel to carry another one from place to place.

I have successfully done my commute to work on all of my wheels -- V5F, V8, ACM, ACM2. There is one short but particularly steep hill that the V5F had trouble with; I would often make it, but sometimes it would literally yell at me the "Get Off'. That's why I moved up to the V8, which I really liked but can't keep up with bicycles. And I *hate* being passed by bicycles. So now I'm on the ACM series and I find it spectacular. I rocket up and down hills and around town at 35-40km, manage every kind of surface, no issues whatsoever. 

None of this is to suggest that a bigger wheel wouldn't be the best choice for the original poster; my experience is limited to a 30 second ride on an MSuper X (which seems amazing but soooo much different than the wheels I'm used to riding.

It is only to say that I have found that wheels like the V8 and ACM are perfectly usable for the non-lightweights of the world.

One bit you left out. How tall are you?

When the OP wrote 6'4" I immediately thought that the 18-inch form factor would be a better fit for a bigger framed guy.

[winterwheel]

1 minute ago, Marty Backe said:

One bit you left out. How tall are you?

I'm a bit over 6'.

What I like about the ACMs particularly is that I feel like I am riding with my feet/ankles rather than my shins/knees. For me that makes it feel really maneuverable.

For that reason I personally don't think height the extra height would make too much of a difference, but I'm definitely not 6'4" so mileage may vary.

 

[Bob Eisenman]

2 hours ago, Marty Backe said:

Any thoughts?

Maybe an ACM2 as a good wheel to start on.

[Jerome]

I'm 6'4"+ 240 lbs and learned on and did about 300 miles on a Ninebot One E+. It never cut-off climbing hills but was under-powered and the 13 mph maximum speed and 8-9 mile range (my weight) was a deal-breaker. I now have a KS18L and it is the right fit for me. I can ride real slow among pedestrians, yet run down all but the seriously in shape biker. The 20% battery range is about 30 miles at a brisk pace. I will be checking out maximum 20% range this weekend keeping the speed down to between 14-18 mph. You may also want to check out the MSX and Z10. The powerful 16" wheels can handle your weight fine (ACM2, Tesla, KS16S). I would say V10/F except the early batches seemed to have problems climbing hills with heavy riders. I don't know if this has been addressed.The Monster is absent from my recommendations because to me it is a "specialty/2nd/3rd.." wheel and not recommended for all around use or beginners. That said Tishawn weighing only about twice the Monster's weight rides it all over NYC and 30 miles a day commuting. In the end it is usually the rider and not these "modern" wheels, which all probably all capable, that determine our joys and sorrows. Learn to ride well and a bad wheel choice won't be so bad and good wheel choice will by sublime. 

[Marty Backe]

47 minutes ago, Jerome said:

I'm 6'4"+ 240 lbs and learned on and did about 300 miles on a Ninebot One E+. It never cut-off climbing hills but was under-powered and the 13 mph maximum speed and 8-9 mile range (my weight) was a deal-breaker. I now have a KS18L and it is the right fit for me. I can ride real slow among pedestrians, yet run down all but the seriously in shape biker. The 20% battery range is about 30 miles at a brisk pace. I will be checking out maximum 20% range this weekend keeping the speed down to between 14-18 mph. You may also want to check out the MSX and Z10. The powerful 16" wheels can handle your weight fine (ACM2, Tesla, KS16S). I would say V10/F except the early batches seemed to have problems climbing hills with heavy riders. I don't know if this has been addressed.The Monster is absent from my recommendations because to me it is a "specialty/2nd/3rd.." wheel and not recommended for all around use or beginners. That said Tishawn weighing only about twice the Monster's weight rides it all over NYC and 30 miles a day commuting. In the end it is usually the rider and not these "modern" wheels, which all probably all capable, that determine our joys and sorrows. Learn to ride well and a bad wheel choice won't be so bad and good wheel choice will by sublime. 

I like to read stories such as yours. When the various wheels are fully capable with huge guys (take that as a compliment) such as yourself, I've got nothing to worry about 

[gon2fast]

I am 6ft 3 and hover around 248lbs. I learned the basics on a V3 Pro (with varying tire pressure between the two tires lol), moved up to a G3 and eventually onto a V10. The V3 only gave me issues when the battery was drained, but never shutdown on me. Truth be told i probably put about 75 miles on the unit before upgrading to the G3. I rode the G3 everywhere, on and offroad. The battery was good enough for getting across town and back with an ample charge remaining (18 miles with 3 bars left). I currently keep the G3 in the trunk of my car as it only weighs 29lbs so it perfect for when I am out and about. Finally i obtained a V10 in early July. The V10 is my go to wheel for any log rides or if I need to run errands. My V10 has never shutdown or overheated, but I do not push it to the limit. In conclusion I would suggest the Glide 3 (G3) or the V10 based on my experience as a larger rider. both wheels are great for learning on as the shells can take a tumble. Also, InMotion customer service is as good as it gets. They have helped out a number of times and are always open for constructive feedback. That said I will be purchasing a MSX as my next wheel, but that is only after 1500+ miles of training on my other wheels.  

[lutz]

Hi All,
thanks a lot for the advice.  It is good to see that my weight might not be such a problem and that both 16 inch and 18 inch wheels could work.

This area is rich in goathead thorns and similar unpleasantries.  Is any tire setups perhaps more thorn or flat resistant than others? 
I am aware that slime or similar are highly recommended here.

 

[Marty Backe]

14 hours ago, lutz said:

Hi All,
thanks a lot for the advice.  It is good to see that my weight might not be such a problem and that both 16 inch and 18 inch wheels could work.

This area is rich in goathead thorns and similar unpleasantries.  Is any tire setups perhaps more thorn or flat resistant than others? 
I am aware that slime or similar are highly recommended here.

 

I don't have any quantitative data to support this, but the Z10 tire appears very robust and I think the Monster tire might be the best of any EUC tire in terms of resistance to thorns and such. It's 22-inches in diameter and looks more like a motorcycle tire than the more typical bicycle tire. The tread is very beefy.

[Bob Eisenman]

6 hours ago, Marty Backe said:

I think the Monster tire might be the best of any EUC tire in terms of resistance to thorns and such. It's 22-inches in diameter and looks more like a motorcycle tire than the more typical bicycle tire. The tread is very beefy.

Monster tire tread at 7887 km

 

[Marty Backe]

47 minutes ago, Bob Eisenman said:

Monster tire tread at 7887 km

 

I wonder if anyone has ever gotten a flat on the Monster? It has the gnarliest tread of any wheel out there 

[lutz]

Thanks, this tire profile does inspire confidence.

[Lukas83]

On 9/14/2018 at 4:40 PM, US69 said:

MSuper X or KS18L or KS18S....GW for beeing near the Monster and Offroad abilities, the 18L with it's thin Shell and  middle handle as probably best commuter, the 18S with the best ability to ride seated...to Name SOME of These Wheels usecases :-)

hmmm? on every Single Page i found they higlight the Max payload for the msuperx with 100kg... is that not true? if its not a Problem i would go for the msuperx 

[winterwheel]

24 minutes ago, Lukas83 said:

hmmm? on every Single Page i found they higlight the Max payload for the msuperx with 100kg... is that not true? if its not a Problem i would go for the msuperx 

I imagine nobody even considered that it might have such a low weight limit compared to other top-end wheels. I wonder what the story is with that. Very surprised to hear this. This puts the Z10 back in play as my next wheel.

Edited September 20, 2018 by winterwheel

[mrelwood]

Reported max load is one of the numbers that bear barely any weight in the actual wheel performance, or suitability to heavier persons. Just like the MSX and Z10 ”top speed” is 20km/h. (Z10 = 45, MSX = 60+)

Look at the V10F: 2000W motor and an ”active” cooling system, yet it is one of the worst performers on longer hills due to overheat issues. Z10? Latest tech, largest manufacturer, but many riders feel it is unsafe on steeper DOWNhills even for an average weight rider.

Currently the MSX might well be the best wheel to carry heavy weights uphill and in other rough conditions.

Edited September 21, 2018 by mrelwood

[lutz]

It seems to be quite difficult to find any page that has max load information on the MSuper X.    Ewheels no info, TecToyz no info,  euc.nyc  220 lbs, 

I can imagine this might be an an error. Seems unlikely that the payload is 1/3 less than its predecessors?

[Marty Backe]

27 minutes ago, lutz said:

It seems to be quite difficult to find any page that has max load information on the MSuper X.    Ewheels no info, TecToyz no info,  euc.nyc  220 lbs, 

I can imagine this might be an an error. Seems unlikely that the payload is 1/3 less than its predecessors?

I think the primary determining factor for the weight capacity of a wheel is the axle and supporting pedal hangers and pedals.

Since the MSX shares the same motor (and axle), pedal hangers, and pedals as the ACM2, Tesla, and Monster, use the largest number listed and you're good to go.

The number I come up with is 350-pounds.

[RockyTop]

I think that the weakest point on the MSuper is the pedals. The pedal hinge is a poor design.  It puts too much pressure / leverage on the hinge. I keep having to shim my MSuper 3vs+ pedals to keep them from being flat. The KingSong hinge is much stronger. They don't bend and flex. I am going to convert my pedals to KingSong in the near future. 

[winterwheel]

13 hours ago, lutz said:

Seems unlikely that the payload is 1/3 less than its predecessors?

This is precisely what worries me. A small wheel, I'll ride it carefully knowing I'm over the limit, no worries. A big wheel that should have a 350 lb limit but is rated only for 220 lbs would have me always wondering what might be about to fail. 

[Xoltri]

39 minutes ago, winterwheel said:

This is precisely what worries me. A small wheel, I'll ride it carefully knowing I'm over the limit, no worries. A big wheel that should have a 350 lb limit but is rated only for 220 lbs would have me always wondering what might be about to fail. 

I wouldn't worry, the MSX is a beast - I'd go with Marty's estimate of 350lbs for sure.  I've carried my 90lb kid short distances (so 310-320lbs total), pushed my wife on her bike up a really steep hill at the lake, jumped off a 2.5 foot deck multiple times, and have suffered no ill effects to the wheel.

[The Fat Unicyclist]

It's interesting... When King Song released the 1036 Wh 18L, they specified the maximum load at 120 kg. I asked about this at the time, and they told me it was to ensure maximum safety and performance.

But now, in the specifications for the 1554 Wh 18L (18XL?) the maximum load has been increased to 150 kg... Presumably as the wheel has more power to pull on when needed, therefore raising the limit.

[winterwheel]

45 minutes ago, Xoltri said:

I wouldn't worry, the MSX is a beast - I'd go with Marty's estimate of 350lbs for sure.  I've carried my 90lb kid short distances (so 310-320lbs total), pushed my wife on her bike up a really steep hill at the lake, jumped off a 2.5 foot deck multiple times, and have suffered no ill effects to the wheel.

My concern isn't that bits of the wheel would snap off when I step on it , it is more about how it behaves when carrying an over-the-limit rider at 40-45kph, which I quite often ride at. One sees so many pictures of scrapes, bruises, broken bones that after a while you start to get paranoid about such things.