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

Cycling products’ weight limits are typically hidden deep within owner’s manuals or not listed at all. This is a problem.

Marley Blonsky races Unbound in 2022
Writer Marley Blonsky races Unbound
(Image credit: Marley Blonsky)

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.

As a well-known larger-bodied cyclist who runs a size-inclusive nonprofit (All Bodies on Bikes), I receive emails weekly from heavier individuals, searching for a bicycle that will fit their bodies and the style of riding they are planning to do.

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