Selling to overweight buyers

[wheelhorseman]

Yesterday I sold a worksman porto trike weight capicity 215 lbs. The lady stepped outa her van was about 5 ft tall AT LEAST 350 lbs. maybe more.Enormous. Scared to death she would test ride crushing a rim. Luckily she never sat on it and bought it.

How do you handle that situation? Cant say no your too fat but also dont want someone to destroy what your selling. I was literally shaking in fear.One good jolt wheels would have buckled.

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[Indyjps]

Luckily no test ride, once money changes hands....well, mention you can be contacted for repairs at shop rate.

Might not hurt to save pics of how it was sold.

 

[wheelhorseman]

If she test rode it she could have easily destroyed it leaving me with a crumpled up piece of junk and no sale tho.

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[G-Matt]

Can't help but get a laugh out of this one but then again I'm not a fat guy [emoji13][emoji13][emoji13][emoji13]
You know how the old saying goes.
You break it you bought it .

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[dragnusa]

I have many friends and family that are bigger people and ride bikes and have never had a problem. I never worry that they will tear up a bike any more than I would tear one up. My son is 6' 3" 280lbs and rides circles around people half his size on his 90s trek

 

[xray]

Funny - I've probably sold 5 bikes in the last year, and I think for 4 out of the 5, I had calls or emails where the first question the person asked me was the weight limits of the bike.

Heavy people are generally only too painfully aware of their weight, and the limits it places on them as to being able to be comfortable on an airplane or to be able to sit on certain kinds of delicate furniture and machines like bikes. They've undoubtedly been embarrassed by breaking something at some point.

I almost gotta think that lady bought the bike for someone else. She didn't ask to test ride it. She probably didn't intend to ride it.

Myself, before I sold somebody a bike that was gonna break under them, waste their money and maybe even hurt them, I would absolutely be compelled to mention that it was built to certain specs. You know? You don't allow a person who doesn't know what they are doing to handle a loaded gun. If I'm selling somebody something that's not going to work, I tell them that up front.

In the case of a very fat lady, I might say something like, "Ma'm, a gentleman never comments on certain things about a lady - her age, and so on, and I would never want to offend you or hurt your feelings - but even more, I would not want to take your money if you can't use the bike, or to allow you hurt yourself because I did not know how to say this politely. Just let me warn you not to haul anything heavy on this trike, because it is designed with a combined rider and cargo weight limit of..." and here is where you simply LIE and say "...about 175 pounds."

That allows you to underestimate her weight. At that point, if she laughs and says, "Heck, I weight twice that much," you can say, "I never would have guessed."

If a speech like that offends someone, then that's not your fault. You express your concern for their safety, and then state the weight limit lower than it really is if you are afraid to suggest that they might actually weigh more than 250 pounds.

 

[Wildcat]

A Worksman trike can probably handle 400lbs easy, just has a lower limit for warranty purposes. I had a friend who weighed in excess of 450 growing up who rode a 50's Hornet, then traded it in on a Raleigh 3 speed lightweight, no problem, he rode that Raleigh everywhere.

 

[wheelhorseman]

That porto trike 20 inch has the exact same wheels a 20 inch kids bike has. Dont think a kids bike will hold up with a 400 plus pound person on it. You see my concern.

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[The Renaissance Man]

Funny - I've probably sold 5 bikes in the last year, and I think for 4 out of the 5, I had calls or emails where the first question the person asked me was the weight limits of the bike.

Heavy people are generally only too painfully aware of their weight, and the limits it places on them as to being able to be comfortable on an airplane or to be able to sit on certain kinds of delicate furniture and machines like bikes. They've undoubtedly been embarrassed by breaking something at some point.

I almost gotta think that lady bought the bike for someone else. She didn't ask to test ride it. She probably didn't intend to ride it.

Myself, before I sold somebody a bike that was gonna break under them, waste their money and maybe even hurt them, I would absolutely be compelled to mention that it was built to certain specs. You know? You don't allow a person who doesn't know what they are doing to handle a loaded gun. If I'm selling somebody something that's not going to work, I tell them that up front.

In the case of a very fat lady, I might say something like, "Ma'm, a gentleman never comments on certain things about a lady - her age, and so on, and I would never want to offend you or hurt your feelings - but even more, I would not want to take your money if you can't use the bike, or to allow you hurt yourself because I did not know how to say this politely. Just let me warn you not to haul anything heavy on this trike, because it is designed with a combined rider and cargo weight limit of..." and here is where you simply LIE and say "...about 175 pounds."

That allows you to underestimate her weight. At that point, if she laughs and says, "Heck, I weight twice that much," you can say, "I never would have guessed."

If a speech like that offends someone, then that's not your fault. You express your concern for their safety, and then state the weight limit lower than it really is if you are afraid to suggest that they might actually weigh more than 250 pounds.

Sounds like you have been hanging around my wife, she always has a sensitive approach to talking with people in any situation!

 

[Captain Awesome]

I'm not good at the soft sell


Caveat emptor

 

[xray]

Some call it "sensitive," some call it being a good BSer.

I simply would not sell somebody something that might hurt them. Sorry - I don't need the money bad enough to steal or harm someone else in the process. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" is a good rule of thumb, no matter your beliefs otherwise.

 

[Wildcat]

That porto trike 20 inch has the exact same wheels a 20 inch kids bike has. Dont think a kids bike will hold up with a 400 plus pound person on it. You see my concern.

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I figured they were Worksman wheels. I'd order a set but shipping is out of the question except for small packages.

 

[xray]

I've got three Worksman trikes - I believe the wheels on all Worksman trikes are on proprietary rims that are ~substantially~ heavier than a kid's bike. I believe they rate the trike at about 250 pounds, but that is not entirely determined by wheel strength, but also frame configuration and the capacity of the rear axle and bearings. I'm pretty sure you'd bend the back axle under a load before you bent the wheels. You've also got a hinge in the middle of the frame. As long as the tires are properly inflated, I think you'd destroy something other than the wheels first.

 

[Bicycle808]

The Worksman port-o-trikes/ Tri-Fecta/Eagle/PAV/Executive trikes are far different from their Industrial Trikes (Mover, Adaptable, Front-loaders).... the Rec trikes have 14g/.080 spokes, thinner-walled tubing, etc.... and the folders, of course, fold at a hinge. I weigh 250, and i regularly ride the Port-o-Trikes (with a 225lb weight limit) without problems, but these are typically just post-tuning test rides for the athletes on my SO cycling team. I wouldn't rock one as a regular rider, b/c i'm too heavy, and if I break it, that's on me.

The Industrial Worksman trikes have either 11g/0.120 spokes and extra-HD rims OR welded steel mag rims, plus they're made from heavy-gauge tubing, have no hinge, etc. Those things are rated to 500 to 550lbs. Totally different machines.

 

[xray]

I stand corrected! I still think you'd screw up other stuff before you bend the wheels, unless you're curb hopping.

 

[A.S.BOLTNUT]

Ha , I thought it said Overnight Buyers !

 

[Bicycle808]

I stand corrected! I still think you'd screw up other stuff before you bend the wheels, unless you're curb hopping.

Yes, good chance.

I've spent a fair amount of time tuning the port-a-trikes. They're good, well-built little trikes.... and the wheels are still 36h 20", which is bound to be strong even if the rims are cheap. I suspect the main weakness is at the hinge.