ChrisL Whytes 29er series has proper size seat tubes if you fancied that.

If I paid about 300 quid for another 170mm Reverb then I’d have a seat post long enough that I could ride an XL Whyte 905 fairly comfortably. That seems like a steep cost to be able to ride a bike that’s apparently sized for someone my height to begin with.[/I]

tbh I’ve always had to buy a longer seatpost than came standard, currently have a large Camber 29 and have swapped out the Command Post for a 170mm Reverb as I was past the minimum insertion level.

I’m only 6’2″ but have long legs, still got +50mm of seatpost showing.

It sounds like it’s just something you need to budget for, and if buying new then a negotiation with the dealer.

renton – Member
ChrisL Whytes 29er series has proper size seat tubes if you fancied that.

I’m aware of that and they’re on my list, but the specs they have aren’t particularly what I’m after and there’s no frame only option.

kelvin – Member
Dear bike shops… please offer customers longer seatposts with your XL bikes.
Dear bike designers… keep at it with proper length toptubes, and let me slam that saddle low, please.

Or how about the bike designers made Lg bikes long enough for tall riders and XL bikes long enough for very tall riders? Then they could make the seat tubes the right length on both frames.

Expecting bike shops to swap out seatposts has probably become a bit more awkward since some seat posts have started costing in the region of 300 quid. Particularly if that means shops having to offer > 425mm seatposts, which are still not particularly common.

I’m aware of that and they’re on my list, but the specs they have aren’t particularly what I’m after and there’s no frame only option.

It is a pain I agree but isnt it fun swapping bits out for stuff you actually want.

The 629 looks decent for the money but the colour is pants.

I know Nukeproof (sorry OP) didn’t have tall riders giving feedback on the Mega above. A riding buddy (tall as me 2 6’5″) had a prolonged test ride on the new 290 and on his suggestions they stopped frame production to make design alterations.

Interestingly, the large Mega 290 is one of the few proper long bikes with a low enough seat tube for me.

Cotic’s large FSers are too high though.

Maybe that’s because of the fixes that Euro’s mate insisted on?

Or how about the bike designers made Lg bikes long enough for tall riders and XL bikes long enough for very tall riders? Then they could make the seat tubes the right length on both frames.

do the frame proportions stay the same as you go through the sizes? Ie whats a large or med seatube length? As a man with tiny legs and a long body I have completely the opposite issue. Quite like the idea of a bike with a 15 inch seat tube in a medium, as opposed to the standard 18 inch.

Maybe that’s because of the fixes that Euro’s mate insisted on?

I thought he was implying that they made the seat tubes longer.

I thought he was implying that they made the seat tubes longer.

It’ll not be on the current frames but the next batch will have a few tweaks. The seat tube wasn’t the issue – more the front end being too high. So shorter headtube and a few other minor tweaks

,jameso – Member
6’5″ – 6’6″ riders – what’s your bb axle to saddle top dist?

XL bikes being too small, Come across this problem myself and I’m only 187 (6’2″) saddle height is 82cm axle to top!

We stumpy legged chimps shouldn’t have to saw off the top of the seat-tube, just to prevent those with longer legs or shorter bodies (or the shop, or manufacturers) from having to fit a seatpost in proportion to their legs.

In the bad old days, we’d have to fit a longer stem to get a good fit… which has detrimental effects on handling… where as you having to use a longer post has a fairly neutral effect on how much fun the bike is to ride, no?

Euro – Member
It’ll not be on the current frames but the next batch will have a few tweaks. The seat tube wasn’t the issue – more the front end being too high. So shorter headtube and a few other minor tweaks

Weird. The 2016 XL Nukeproof Mega 290 has a 110mm head tube, which is pretty damn short by the standards of any XL frame I’ve looked at head tube lengths for. Only 10mm longer than the head tube on the S and M frames too.

That’s a personal bug-bear of mine, head tubes on XL bikes not being long enough.

I’m 6’2. I currently ride a 16″ frame with a 200mm dropper post (27.2). Doesn’t really go high enough for full roadie jaunts, but does the job. Unfortunately, the post is on its last legs, so I’m having to move to a much taller modern frame. I got all excited by this thread, but looks like Whyte isn’t really long\low enough for me either (and there’s no frame-only option) – what’s wrong with frames with significantly longer reach than seat tube (current is 423 vs 405mm – thats the sorta thing I want)

I’m 6’2. I currently ride a 16″ frame with a 200mm dropper post (27.2).

I’m also 6’2″ and I’ve just measured my 2 bikes, both sat at 830mm from BB to saddle top.

By your reckoning you’ve got only 606mm – so either:

1 you’ve very bent legs when pedalling and/or don’t pedal just go DH
2 long, long cranks
3 very short legs

84cm from bb centre to saddle top here, my XL 29er XC bike has a 400mm post in it right on the insertion line. I’d be stuffed if the frame were any lower, and it’s not even ‘modern’ geometry (the 120mm stem indicates that 😀 )

Weird. The 2016 XL Nukeproof Mega 290 has a 110mm head tube, which is pretty damn short by the standards of any XL frame I’ve looked at head tube lengths for. Only 10mm longer than the head tube on the S and M frames too.

Not weird – i just assumed (i know, i know) that making the head tube shorter would be one of the changes to lower the front. Will ask for more details when i next see him as im not sure how they’re going about it but they are doing it for next year.

Nicolai Argon GLF as it looks like you are eying up a hardtail. 500mm ST, 495mm reach, 680mm ETT.

I am looking for a hardtail, but not for one whose frame costs €1,449.00! 😮

The OP does have a point, I’m only 5′ 9″ but bought my latest bike in L because I knew the seat tube wouldn’t be a problem, sizing a bike L these days does seem to result in just a longer bike rather an overall bigger bike in everyway (head tube, seat tube etc) for the taller rider.

I`Mm 6ft 4 seat top to bb centre is 86cm

I’m also 6’2″ and I’ve just measured my 2 bikes, both sat at 830mm from BB to saddle top.

By your reckoning you’ve got only 606mm – so either:

1 you’ve very bent legs when pedalling and/or don’t pedal just go DH
2 long, long cranks
3 very short legs

so just measured my bike up – 770mm (+/-5mm) from bb centre to saddle. I think the remaining is made up of the dropper collar, clamp and saddle stack.

Add to that the fact I ride flats not spuds (probably 20mm in stack?) and I stated its not a full-roadie position (ie, could go a couple of cm higher, but I don’t want for that off-road) and we’re within 20mm of each other, which could easily be leg length. Maybe you’ve just got a stumpy body 😉

That’s a personal bug-bear of mine, head tubes on XL bikes not being long enough.

And me, it’s the first thing I look at on a geo chart these days. Not long enough on an XL frame – what else has the designer got wrong?

I finally got round to measuring my bike – about 84cm from BB centre to saddle top, measured to the bit of the saddle above where the saddle rails are clamped.

Funny how the forum’s resident bike designers are staying quiet on this one.

Shirley on a long travel 29er the top of the head tube is way high anyway even if you make the HT as short as you can. People who want more height can run a few spacers or riser bars easy enough, people who want it lower can run flat bars (though may have bar furniture fouling the top tube issues).

I demand longer top tubes and seat tubes, but shorter head tubes! 😀
Seriously, the main thing that puts me off using XL frames with a shorter stem is the fact that I’d have to use a stem that points directly down at the ground to get the right drop. So as it is I’m stuck with a 110mm -17deg stem on a large frame, and a colossal amount of seatpost showing.

I am very, very ‘XC’