Cycling has a weight problem: a call for the industry to be more transparent about its weight limits

July 30, 2024

Cycling has a weight problem. No, I’m not talking about the pressures on the pro peloton to be as light as possible to improve their power-to-weight ratio. I’m not even talking about the rampant diet culture that assumes people ride bikes predominantly for weight loss. The weight problem I’m referring to lies in cycling equipment itself —specifically, the low weight limits and the lack of accessible information on the weight capacity of products.

With 74% of adults in the United States classified as being bigger-bodied individuals by the CDC, this is not a niche problem. Yet, many bikes and bike equipment are still manufactured with only the other 26% in mind. The market is far more diverse, and people with larger bodies, myself included, especially enjoy riding bikes because it’s easy on our joints and allows us to travel further than we could by walking or running. I currently struggle to walk a mile (thanks to a torn meniscus) but regularly ride 50+ miles without issue. CW