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Any used full suspension bicycles for 6'4" 280lbs or do I need to be 250lbs?

2254 Views 10 Replies 8 Participants Last post by  celswick
Lost 100lbs in a year riding bicycles without sweating to much and without huffing and puffing to much, maybe just a small hill every now and then but I ride every single day, rain, snow or shine. Now I am at 275-285 and I am 6'4" are there any older full suspension bikes or do I need to get down to 250lbs?

What suspension combo would be good for me?
What spring rate would be good?

My riding is slow and steady, single track with off camber that can be off the fall line with lots of roots, the occasional 5" hole or 5" rock to get over.
Speed was never my thing, I occasionally ride in the bmx kids pump tracks.


Primarily ----------- I am sick and tired of feeling the cracks and bumps in the multi-use pathway.

I was a fat obese guy who always rode full rigid, because the cruiser with front suspension fork did not last long but it was a $500 new bicycle cruiser.
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I think you've been posting here long enough to know there are full-suspension bikes that will handle your weight. Lots of Clydes with experience. Most manufactures will say their bike are rated to 300 lbs. So excellent job on the weight loss. You are now in the range of most bikes. It's more about the pressure limits of the shock, rims, brakes, and a good slightly wider saddle:)
Some solid XL or XXL frame with a FOX 36 or 38 fork, and a FOX Float X shock. Strong rims and big brakes. You're bum will love it:)
I will only offer this as motivation to loose even more weight. Your selection of bikes increases exponentially if you get below 250lbs. Sure, bikes can handle 280lbs but you and the bike will feel so much better below 250lbs. I am speaking from experience.
Yeah I need to research and search the forums and web, figure out air vs springs. I will probably make the excuse that I dont deserve a good full suspension bike and make the excuse they are to expensive even used. I look at the price of some front suspension forks and it amazes me. I'd hate to buy more then what I ride, maybe I will try renting a good fs bicycle and drive out to some technical trails once it warms up and a few other things fall in place.

I would say a used full suspension bicycle in the range of $500-$1200
I will keep my eyes peeled on the online classifieds like pinkbike and kijiji, I heard facebook marketplace was pretty good but I never got into it and dont have an account they can track me with.


I just absolutely hate breaking stuff
Seats was very common, I just put up with the broken seat for as long as I could and try to look for a used seat or cheap department store seat at walmart.
Pedals for awhile, not sure what that was. Could have been the alloy in the crank arms.
BSO FS bicycle suspension mount on one, bottomed out on most others I tried out.
Entry level oem bicycles forks
A few frames even
Lots of flat tires
A few collapsed rims
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I think you would be fine at 275-280 and ride just about any FS bike. Aluminum or steel would be ideal material to consider. I am 285 myself and I ride a Levo. In the past I've ridden a variety of bikes like a Transition Sentinel, Scout, and PB&J without any real issues. Having a beefy suspension helps with the weight and taking hits on the trails.
Yeah I am honestly nothing fancy, steel is good in my books, aluminum too but I would shy away from titanium or carbon fiber or anything else fancy,

I dont mind old school 26 wheels but I think 29's have their place when I rode the 26x4 fatty which is 29. 29 plus would be pretty cool in my books, x 2.50-2.75.
until I see the price for replacements but since I am lighter I wont be breaking stuff as often. Also I would shy away from the expensive 1x11, I dont know I am just old, I like my 3x7 or 3x8 with cheap $10 gears and $5 chains but things have changed. My goal is 250lbs, BMI says 205lbs but 225lbs would be good I doubt 205 is good for me, bmi is just generalized. Me at 274lbs I seem boney chest and neck area, got to start making muscle. 225 or 250 aint hard, just hitting a biology wall at 274lbs but fluctuates tomorrow morning will be 282lbs, tomorrow night will be 290lbs from food and drink but I am back in ketone area with 1.5mmg/L.

I did look at pinkbike website for sale, looked at DH, XC and AM/Enduro both complete bicycles and frames and nothing came up but I wasnt scared off by $800 or $1200 price tags, probably have to acquaint myself with the new standards for axles, headsets tapered and such.

Kijiji is another place I looked last night, its harder to pinpoint bicycles on there, I need search terms because they have more stuff for sale.

Like I probably said I dont do Facebook, I did make a fake account to check out marketplace, I was not impressed, forgot what I was looking for, probably vehicles or maybe bicycles months and months ago.
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I’m 285 and have a Hightower V2. I did swap the shock for the new FloatX which works great for big boys like us.

One other thing I did was buy a used Shockwiz for setting up fork and shock. Slowly dialing it In and I must say it’s worth every penny for a new MTB rider and a Clyde who has no idea how to set shocks up. I got a used one for $150 and was one of the best things I’ve bought.

But yea - there are lots of bikes out there that will work for your weight now and as you lose more. Avoid Rockshock shocks as they usually max out at 300psi and at your weight you’ll be at that or above.

If looking for used - go to Pinkbike.com BST section. You can filter prices, type of bike and location etc.
5'11 275 lbs...Just bought an Eminent Onset MT comp & 🤯 - 160mm Fox 36 rhythm (added 6 volume spacers) + 155mm rear travel Fox DPX2 (added 1.02 max vol spacer) ...Highly recommend. Nearly zero pedal bob on the climbs and with the low speed compression turned up a bit, this bike feels tight like an XC until you smash the downhills and then it pops around like my FS bike did in my 20's when I was 215 lbs lol.

They have a section on their site for selling used/demo bikes
Your weight is dependent on how hard you actually want to ride. I take my 350 lb brother out on mild rides and he hasn’t broken any of my bikes or any of their parts. It is pretty mild though with no jumps or drops but it is actual trails with plenty of ups and downs and it’s a bit rough.
From someone who stared at 285 and went down to 235 for a while, your bike and you just ride better the less you weigh. Plain and simple. Gravity is undeniable! haha
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When I started back riding 2 years ago
at 250, I thought that was too heavy for full suspension (I didn’t know any better) so I went hard tail.

I’m 200 now and thinking about/plotting on how to get a full suspension bike without losing half my house and 401k when my wife finds out.


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