Your body might be a little oversized and you think that you would look like a circus elephant riding a folding bike. That’s not true. There are a lot of heavy-duty folding bikes built for big and tall cyclists, so you can take advantage of all benefits of a folder.
If you are looking for one, following is a list of the best options.
Turboant Swift S1
The Turboant Swift S1 might be the most compact folding bike in this list, featuring 20-inch wheels, but it is also the most heavy-duty one. It claims the maximum load capacity of 330 lbs. Moreover, it helps people get around easier thanks to the powerful 750W motor.
Turboant equips the bike with fat tires and a front suspension fork, so it can provide superb comfort on almost all road conditions. We tested the bike for a few months and loved everything about it. The price is also quite reasonable for an electric bike.
Flatbike Change Bike 611
The Change Bike 611 is a rugged folding hybrid bike optimized for rough use on pavement and trails. Despite being a full-size 26-inch folder, the bike weighs just 26 lbs thanks to the aluminum frame and carbon fiber fork. It also features a Shimano Deore 27-speed drivetrain, a carrying bag, and a saddle bag for your pedals.
Notably, the CHANGE 611 frame has passed the European EN-14766 test suite of impact and load tests. That’s 1,200 newtons, or about 270 lbs of force on the frame from multiple directions. The EN-14766 stem test involves 600 lbs of downward force. And the bike features Mavic wheels, which are regarded as among the strongest in the industry. According to the manufacturer, its maximum load is over 300 lbs (136 kg).
Dahon HIT
The Dahon HIT is a compact and lightweight folding bike with normal 20-inch wheels, however, it features the impressive weight limit of 300 lbs. This is achieved by adding the Deltec cable to create a front triangle and distribute weight evenly. The structure is strengthened and makes this bike the sturdiest at this size.
Dahon Espresso
I reviewed the Dahon Espresso D24 a few months ago and was really impressed with the bike. It features full-size 26-inch wheels but it is still very compact and you can fold it easily. Moreover, riding the bike is extremely comfortable since it is equipped with a front suspension fork.
The bike weighs just 34 lbs and it can hold up to 242.5 lbs (110 kg).
Montague Folding Bikes
Unlike other folding bike manufacturers, Montague specializes in full-size folders only. There is a wide range of folding bikes for you to choose, for instance, Montague Navigator, Paratrooper, Paratrooper Pro, Paratrooper Elite, Paratrooper Highline, Paratrooper Express, Crosstown, Boston, Urban, Fit, or Allston. The maximum weight capacity of the bikes is 250 lbs (113 kg).
The most popular series is the Paratrooper bikes because they are folding mountain bikes equipped with disc brakes and front suspension fork. The only downside is that you will have to remove the front wheel when folding the bike.
The prices vary from $600 to over $2,000. You can find all Montague folding bikes on Amazon.
Tern Folding Bikes
Tern produces some decent big folding bikes and most of them are very well made. There are the Tern Eclipse, Tern Node and Tern Joe series. Some of them have 24-inch wheels while some others feature bigger 26-inch or even 27.5-inch wheels.
My favorite lineup is the Tern Eclipse since it includes some decent bikes like Tern Eclipse X22, Eclipse P20, and Eclipse Tour. The maximum load weight of those bikes is 230 lbs (104 kg).
Those are my recommended full-size folding bikes. They are expensive bikes but they are worth every penny. You should totally avoid some cheap bikes like the Columba or Stowabike.
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Tall Maybe, but none of those weights will hold a big person. Where are the folding bikes that can hold 350-450 lbs?
I wondered the same thing John. I don’t consider those weights to be heavy…300 to 500 is heavy.
Check out Bike Friday.. They have bikes rated for up to 400 pounds.
Up to 250? You must be joking. MOST of the tall man over 6.5 weigh more than this even when not being overweight. This review is completely useless.
6.5 and 250lbs is almost obese…
Yeah… according to a BS and scientifically incorrect scale…
On what planet? That is pretty normal weight for someone 6’5″
You realise the BMI scale is horribly flawed and inaccurate in every measurable way?
You guys are hillarious. Only in America, land of the obsese, could people be wondering about bikes to hold a 450lb person.
Kobe Bryant is 6’6 and 212lbs. LeBron James, who is an absolute monster of a human, is 6’9 and he’s only 250lbs.
If you’re well over 250lbs, you need to lose weight, people.
Listen ya. Folks are trying to be active and get better and loose weight and you just want to shit on a whole country because the state of things aren’t as desirable to you as where you are.
I am 193cm & 105 kg and I could easily loose five of those kilos. My work keeps me on the road so much I rarely see my bicycles at home. Looking forward to trying some of these.
I was on a scale in Puno Peru and it said a tiny bit under 100Kilos. 99.something. I’m 2 or 2 meters. Probably a-little more now than 15 years later. No problem biking across San Francisco aka “Pee Poo Pot Ville” yesterday except for all those Antifa/BLM deranged things cancelling free speech – speeches.
Sad but only wealthy people could afford those prices !
Weight on a CHANGE bike is no issue. All the force distribution of a standard diamond-shape frame applies here, unlike a folding frame with a single bar. And it also has Mavic wheels.
That’s why it can pass a 600lb downward force stress test. We routinely have truckers in the 350-400 range inquiring about these. And we had a pilot jump the folding mountain bike version at high speed on a trail, fully loaded with panniers–definitely not recommended, but also proof that a lot of downward force is OK.
Yes, you pay more, but it’s something that will last.
[…] Tern Eclipse X22. Image from BikeFolded […]
These may be bikes for big, but not tall. I’m 6’4” and bought a Montague. Big mistake. It is not for anyone over six feet tall. It’s miserable to ride for more than a half hour. Handlebars are not adjustable. If you’re tall, look elsewhere.
BTW, at 6’4” and 220 pounds I’m 20 pounds over where I should be due to too much time in the office. Trying to get back to a more healthy weight. Tired of being a fat American.
Hello Av, what frame size did you choose, and did you know that there are stem height adjusters? For the rest, is this bike compact?
The prices for those highly rated bikes are ridiculous.
Under 250lb a limit? I’m 195cm [ 6’4″ ] and now consider myself bit tubby at 95 kg [ 209 lb ], when cycling/walking regularly I’m 83 kg [ 180lb ].
Westerners seem to be getting a bit too heavy.
I agree that the largest 21″ Montague Urban frame is not for people 5’11” to 6’4″ like their website claims. Especially not for women with more height in their legs. I’m 6′ and the owners of the local bike stores I’ve been to are refusing to add a stem height riser and the longer cables that would require (even though I got my hands on a Montague Octagon riser, no-longer-made) because they say the bike’s frame is too small for me and won’t be safe regardless. I’m so dispointed, but even riding 3 miles was painful so I’m forced to put it up for sale. As far as “is it compact?”, relatively so. I bought it to be able to store on one side of my minivan and it pretty much takes up half the back behind the 2nd row.
Good post guys!
So, good/smart and a couple more ‘aggressive’ comments above. But bottom line: Is there ONE of these which would best suit a 6’3″ 205lb. adult? All of them are costly, but bikes in general have morphed that direction in recent decades. I’m willing to strain and pay a fair amount IF the bike has been experienced and/or reviewed as durable with normal care / upkeep. But I don’t want to be ‘crunched’ and uncomfortable on a 5-10 mi. ride on a bike that is not authentically designed to properly carry a 6’3″ person. Your input is appreciated, if indeed anyone has the experience or analysis of these to offer a ‘solution.’
montague used to rate their bikes for over 300lbs. I talked to them once and they told me the bike was tested for more, but the weakest point was the wheels. This is probably the case with many of the bikes. get you some tandem bike wheels that are rated for now weight, Ave the paratrooper should be fine.