A mate of mine, who’s about 6’4″ has come to the conclusion that his XL (21″) Cannondale Prophet is just too small for him. He really needs something a bit bigger. Strikes me that a frame that size needs 29″ wheels, so I’ve come with the following:

Santa Cruz Tallboy Carbon, 23″ (carbon only, ally only does up to 21″)
Gary Fisher Rumblefish, 23″
Kona Satori, 22″

Anything else out there? He wants full suspension, on the longer side of travel for hooning downhills, yet with the ability to (realtivly) nimbly climb too.

What about the Germans? Cube, Canyon and Rose? Anything there?

I reckon he’ll need to throw a leg over a 29er as i doubt he’ll need a 23″ at 6’4″.

I’m 6’7″ and have several 29ers, all in different sizes. A 20″L Kona Honzo, a recently sold 21″ Inbred, a 22″ FS Salsa Big Mama and a 23″ Spesh Rockhopper (oh, and a 24″ XXL Fargo).

If anything, my 23″ may almost be a bit big even for me (and that’s with a 39″/40″ inside leg and stupid 7ft armspan).

My mate at my LBS is 6’4″/5″ and has a XL Niner and 21″ Trek Superfly and they seem to fit him well.

In my experience FS 29ers tend to feel big, especially with 120mm travel up front and besides, it’s usually the length of the cockpit that defines the fit (hence why i can just about fit on my new Honzo in the 20″ Long version).

Rode last night with a friend on his Rumblefish and he’s 6’2″/3″ on a size 19″. It’s a tad small for me but i could ride it at a push, i’d assume the 21″ would be fine.

Unfortunately, getting a test ride on an XL 29er FS is almost impossible unless you are lucky enough to find a shop that has one in stock already and i’m guessing only Evans etc will be able to help there. Although thinking about it, i had an email from Specialized recently saying that they can get any of their bikes in any size into your local Concept store for a test session so may be worth contacting them. Niner also worth a look as they have a 140mm FS but it’s not cheap.

He’s welcome to demo my Salsa if he’s anywhere near Brum.

6’6″ here, as above I doubt he’ll need 23″.

Specialized do longer bikes, 21″ would probably be big enough. In which way is the bike too small? It’s always been wheelbase/top tube here, having a giant seatpost is fine, but if the wheelbase is too small you end up in a stupid position.

Riding a 22″ Five now, which is huge, really getting on with it, and a 29er Scandal 21″, which also fits very well. 29ers are fantastic, but they’re not a blanket solution in my eyes, the bigger wheels fit me much better but I’ve never found the bike as eager for silliness as 26 trail bikes.

I’ve made numerous mistakes though, my 21″ Meta was always a bit short, had an 21″ Mojo that was too small in all directions, couple of GT bikes that were too small, etc.

Edit: Oh and on the Euro bike note, quite often they have short top tubes. The Cubes for example, crazy good value, a 22″ Stereo has a shorter wheelbase and top tube than a 19″ Stumpy Evo.

Also 6′ 4″ and riding mainly L 29ers. A 19.5 Inbred, a Burls Ti based on the Inbred and a L Turner Sultan…

Where are you? We could sort out some demos maybe…

🙂

Intersting that you reckon a smaller frame size is ok with 29″ wheels.
Its all relative I suppose, I’m a “conventional” 6’2″ and ride a 20″ Voodoo that looks like a gate, but feels just right to me (I’ve got long legs)

DSC_0650 by ir_bandito, on Flickr

My mate is over in Beverly, he rides in Dalby and Dumfries when he can. Anyone around either of those areas?

Just realised the Orange Five is available in 22″ flavour.
Anyone got one?

Yup, and it’s lovely! 🙂 Similar reach to something like an XL Enduro, bigger than my Meta that it replaced.

He doesn’t need 23″. I ride a 23″ Turner Sultan which is brilliant. I also ride a 21″ ScandAL which is also brilliant. I’m the same height as Mr Tall but a wee bit heavier. He’d probably rather enjoy a 21″ Sultan.

Think you’ll struggle to get bigger than this baby…