Better Bikes for Bigger Folks
Exercise is not so easy if you’re seriously overweight. Jogging or aerobics, for example, can totally blow out your knees. And pumping iron can be dangerous if not done correctly – one wrong move and it’s goodbye collarbone, hello, emergency room. Enter low impact exercise – physical activity that burns calories without subjecting your body to damaging impacts. Cycling a great low-impact exercise, but most folks think of biking as an activity for muscular overachievers in skin tight stretch shorts. Besides, if you’re looking at a touring bike, the thought of balancing your behind on one of those bladelike seats is just ridiculous.
Fortunately, all is not lost: a company called Super Sized Cycles has created a special line of Zize bikes designed for riders weighing up to 550 pounds. The bikes are made with reinforced parts and special ergonomics to ensure safe and comfortable riding. Several models also feature a battery-powered motor that can boost your pedal power, making the uphill grind not only possible, but fun.
So, if you’ve been looking for an exercise option that won’t grind your bones to a fine powder, getting a supersized bicycle may be the answer. As always, talk it over with your doctor before deciding if cycling is right for you. One word of warning, however: stay away from the skin-tight stretch shorts. Nobody looks good in those!
