What bikes can take a 260 lbs person?

Answer 1

At that weight, you're beginning to push things a bit. Plenty of bikes will hold up for casual riding, but going over a curb too fast or things like that can certainly break things.

First off, I suggest you look for a rigid, steel frame mountainbike.

You might be tempted to go for a suspension bike, but the good stuff, like air/oil suspension won't be rated for your weight.

On top of that, rigids are cheaper anyhow.

Make sure the frame is big enough for you. Lighter people can run long stems and long exposed seat posts. For you, that's not ideal.

For comfort, fit the widest tires that frame/fork can take. Something like Schwalbe Big Apple comes to mind.

Next thing is wheels. Look for 36 spoke(or more), and wide, beefy rims. For casual riding, pretty much any 36H front wheel will do. Rears are trickier.

If you want external gears, see if your budget allows for a 40 or a 48 spoke tandem rear wheel. Or go for one with internal gears or a single speed. Wheels w/o external gears are inherently stronger, so a sensible choice if you want to stay within the easier available 36H.

And do try to shop from a reputable, local dealer. Dedicated riding at your weight will require better-than-average stuff, which takes some skill to source and put together.

Answer 2

Just about all bicycle frames will be OK with that, but you'd need to spend some attention to the wheels. And if there are suspension parts(forks, rear shock) using air, you might want to check their rating too.

But for the wheels, go for something with traditional spokes, 32 or 36, and preferably an asymmetric rear rim, ideally either hand built or at least adjusted by a good wheel builder and you should be OK.