As I’m planning my 26er hardtail build, I’m trying to convert people around me into spending their cash on mountain bikes, too. It’s a holy cause.

So, there is this 190cm (~6’4″) tall guy I work with who is becoming more and more fascinated by the idea of ditching his cheesy urban/hybrid mall bike and replacing it with a quality 29er. I reckon the guy has a slightly long torso for his height (inseam 85cm / 33.5″). Talking to him and looking around, we arrive at the following conclusions:

1. The bike will probably be a 29er; he feels comfortable on big wheels and kinda crumped on 26ers. Any big fellas out there feeling strongly in favour of 26ers?

2. The bike will be used on the trails only on weekends probably. Right now there’s no room for two bikes, so during weekdays it’s going to have to be an acceptable commuter (switch wheels, same rotor sizes/cassette, off you go).

What we are looking for is frame suggestions (or good deals on completes).The Singular Swift looks gorgeous right now, albeit a tad expensive, but what else is out there? How would any of these handle daily commuting?

Please help my friend spend some money…

SWIFT

Swift thread closure!

Gary Fisher / Trek will have a longer top tube that would help with his long torso.

How would any of these handle daily commuting?

i commute on my swift

Swift or Genesis Alfine …

Swift 8)

[with Rohloff]

Certainly no issue with a Swift. I’m very happy on mine.

swift ! 🙄

I’m the same height with only slightly longer legs. I don’t personally get all this “tall blokes should ride 29ers” stuff. There is no logic to it apart from aesthetic, and maybe speed if you’re a racer. A 26er with a long top tube like a 19″ Soul fits the bill for me. Comfortable, chuckable and doesn’t look like scafolding.

@bol: how about a 36er then? 🙂
Actually my opinion is that 29ers and 26ers are relevant to essentially different situations. Depending on the trails you ride, you trade off maneuverability and response for speed and terrain-smoothing and vice versa. Big blokes have been around for quite some time now and have been riding 26″ pretty hard. The right geometry can make’em fit, sure.
That being said, I started this thread for a friend who’s “probably” looking for a 29er. Nothing is final yet and he was indeed drooling over some pics of a soul I showed him yesterday. But the swift is gorgeous, too. We’ll see…

Couldn’t agree more. What I don’t really get is why anyone would choose to ride a bike off road and then smooth out all the lumps, unless they were racing. The reason I ride a hardtail in the first place is so I can feel the terrain under me. It’s fun. Each to their own though. Most of my mates ride 29ers now and seem very happy with them.

What I don’t really get is why anyone would choose to ride a bike off road and then smooth out all the lumps, unless they were racing. The reason I ride a hardtail in the first place is so I can feel the terrain under me.

If you meant that, wouldn’t you ride rigid?

Couldn’t agree more. What I don’t really get is why anyone would choose to ride a bike off road and then smooth out all the lumps, unless they were racing

So you’re riding solid, non-pneumatic wheels then? 😉

It’s a question of degrees and balance as ever.

It’s a question of degrees and balance as ever.

You’re quite right. No, I don’t ride a rigid, because suspension fork make riding more fun for me. I’m just not convinced that big wheels would make my riding more fun, and based on what I think I like, think they would make it less so.

6’4″ here, on an O-O Scandal 29er. Feels great – light, stiff, but compliant (due to long tubes??)
Considered a Swift, but saved over a pound in weight and £200 in sterling. Very happy with it.

I reckon the longer chainstays on a 29er might help reduce auto wheelying when riding up steep stuff for us tall guys but thats a guess as both my bikes are 26 inch wheeled. I’m pretty sure the next one will be a 29er. (I’m 6’6″) so I can find this out and feed my obsession with procuring bikes …..

They’re fun in a different way IMO.

My 26″ bike feels fantastic being very fast handling and easy to hustle around twisty stuff

But then my 29er is just as much fun because it gives me the confidence to do sillier things than I would normally.

Both are good.

6’4″ here, on an O-O Scandal 29er.

@boxelder: I was wondering which size frame and what sort of fork your bike has?

swifts are officially common as muck*, even to the point where the obligatory On-One mound was replaced by a singular pile at SSUK.

*means they must be either a: very good or b:easy niche for the masses 😀