Bikes for the Big and Tall

Chalo

Gary Jackson wrote:
>
> > Worksman -- I asked about maximum rider weight for their bikes.
>
> They didn't give me a maximum rider weight, but they recommended the
> large Coney Island Cruiser (2 straight top tubes) with Kevlar tires,
> puncture proof tubes, and the three speed hub.

Worksman bikes and trikes are rugged, almost to the exclusion of all
other beneficial qualities. One nice thing that makes them pretty
easy to upgrade for even more robustness is the use of old American
standard interfaces-- a one-piece crank shell and 110mm rear spacing.
The strongest and most reliable cranks in the world are made for that
kind of shell, and thick-axle 48-spoke BMX rear hubs are common in
110mm spacing. The 26" wheel size is optimum for a combination of
high strength, outstanding parts availability, good ride quality, and
low rolling resistance. Worksman bikes run almost as well when poorly
maintained and in lousy condition as they do when they are perfectly
tuned, so they are an appropriate choice for people who can't or won't
do preventive maintenance on their bikes.

Downsides of Worksman bikes include flexible frames, considerable
weight, sluggish handling, very limited sizes, and an inconveniently
small seatpost diameter (necessitating a solid rod of very strong
steel for a tall and heavy rider). It's not convenient to retrofit
the Worksman's 110mm rear-opening dropouts with more than 3 speeds.
The stock wheels and other parts are crude-- more needlessly heavy
than strong. And the cost of these bikes is substantially higher than
that of similar quality cycles from other manufacturers.

Thick tires and tubes exact a toll on ride quailty without increasing
load-carrying capacity versus more sophisticated items. A quality
tire like the Schwalbe Big Apple 26 x 2.35" fitted with a normal
weight tube will provide a faster and more satisfactory ride than the
heavy-duty stock items from Worksman, without diminishing the bike's
ability to support a heavy load.

> > Schauff -- I asked about getting the Sumo in the United States.
>
> More honesty from bike makers: they told me that they would not export
> to the United States because of liability concerns. Trial lawyers, is
> there anything you won't ruin with your greedy, well-manicured
> fingers?

Many folks who have been expensively injured or disabled in product
failures might be less eager to sue for compensation if there were a
good public health and welfare system in the US, like there is in most
European countries. It's probably not a coincidence that product
liability is so much more of a burden to manufacturers serving the US
market.

Chalo