What do the taller people ride? (warning possible heightist material)

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What do the taller people ride? (warning possible heightist material)

95 posts & 61 voices | Started 2 years ago by teadrinker | Latest reply from coolhandluke

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TooTall - Member

ctznsmith - Member
Clubber I guess it could also be a 'self-fulfilling' prophecy as the more that 'theory' gets banded about the more 29ers get made in 'large' sizes to meet demand whilst companies don't make XL+ size 26" wheeled bikes?

Disagree. I had a 24" Gary Fisher Marlin. I had a 21" Scott rc20. Neither felt anything as good or in proportion as either of my 29ers, despite my belief that they were the most comfortable and capable bikes I'd ever ridden (before 29er). I have ridden, for many years, huge 26" wheeled bikes and, despite 'fitting', felt awful after a month on a 29er.

Posted 2 years ago #
Lucas - Member

6ft 3 here, short body and longs legs (36inch inseam).
XL 5 spot (HL)
XL chameleon (old 2000 one though)
58cm Jake the snake
58cm Spesh road bike

Tried a L chameleon - way too small to be able to pedal, had a L 5 spot which was fine but seat post at limit and the XL is a much netter fit. I find larger road bikes are too long for my body though.

Posted 2 years ago #
yetidave - Member

Had a go on a 21" hei hei 29er up in Lagan last year, much fun and still makes me want a big wheeled bike. "Normal" XL Orange 5 as well, both fitted very well.

Posted 2 years ago #
thomthumb - Member

Posted 2 years ago #
yetidave - Member

my 23" rockhopper is bigger than that!

Posted 2 years ago #
MrTall - Member

That gate only looks like an XL - do they come in XXL.....?

ps Is it steel or Aluminium.....? Do you have a buy it now price?

Posted 2 years ago #
ctznsmith - Member

Is that gate a single pivot design?

Posted 2 years ago #
Shandy - Member

6'3" here, short back and very long limbs.

"29ers fit tall people better" - I think in certain circumstances it makes sense. Taller riders have a higher centre of gravity, especially with the seatpost up. On a 29er the larger wheel raises the axles to compensate for the heightened COG. COG vs axle height is proportionate with a smaller rider on a 26er.

Posted 2 years ago #
clubber - Member

Yes indeed, the axles are higher but how does that make it better? Raising CoG is never put forward as a good thing at least not in any way that I can make sense of. I don't really see any 'compensation' - you seem to be suggesting that because tall riders have a worst (higher) CoG than shorter riders that you compensate for it by making it worse still?

In theory, if the wheel was solid and not rotating but had tiny rollers at the bottom (eg in contact with the ground), that would be the same dynamically (ignoring gyroscopic effects and the effects of tiny wheels rolling on anything other than a smooth surface).

The point that you actually pivot on is the tyre contact patch, not the axles... I can't think of a reason why the axle height is important.

Posted 2 years ago #
Shandy - Member

I am saying that a high COG makes things difficult. If you have long legs and a saddle set for pedalling efficiency you are stuck with a high COG.

The bigger wheels on a 29er roll better and "catch" less on imperfections on the trail. I suppose I am thinking of the force required through the pedals to push the bike over/through an obstacle. It will require a lot less force if the BB is lower in comparison to the axles.

Posted 2 years ago #
ctznsmith - Member

So the solution for tall people is a 36er recumbent?!

Anyhow
6"4
XL Swift (which I'm yet to build/ride...will have all the parts one day! :roll:)
58cm Tricross

Posted 2 years ago #
MrTall - Member

If somebody could make me a big framed 36" wheeled bike (rigid of course at that size) for less than £1000 i'd buy it in a heartbeat just for a giggle. Can't see them being much cop offroad but i'd love to have one to play around on.

All the ones i've seen online have been prohibitively expensive (custom steel, Ti etc) and have all seemed to have been based around 18" or so frames.

Coker bikes in the US have a 36" wheeled town bike which is pretty cheap but has horrible 'Apolloesque' brakes on it and no way to run discs. I'm sure one will pop up one day in the not too distant future.

Posted 2 years ago #
Shandy - Member

On a 36er recumbent you can't make any real weight adjustment because it is all acting through your arse and not through the pedals/BB. It does stand to reason that wheel size could be optimised like any other measurement on the bike.

Posted 2 years ago #
clubber - Member

The bigger wheels on a 29er roll better and "catch" less on imperfections on the trail. I suppose I am thinking of the force required through the pedals to push the bike over/through an obstacle. It will require a lot less force if the BB is lower in comparison to the axles.

eh? I don't think that makes any sense I'm afraid. You're right about the 29er wheels inherently rolling better but the 'lot less force bit' is completely wrong - the BB height in relation to the axles makes no difference at all to the power/force required as it's simply transferred through the chain and it doesn't matter what angle that's at in relation to the rear axle.

Posted 2 years ago #
clubber - Member

Oh and along with MrTall, I'd love to try a 36er though I do suspect it'd be a pretty sluggish affair offroad on anything twisty.

Posted 2 years ago #
Shandy - Member

Clubber, if the height of the BB relative to the axles is irrelevant why is there so much fixation with BB heights in general?

Posted 2 years ago #
clubber - Member

That's about bb height in relation to the ground, not axles!

Posted 2 years ago #
TooTall - Member

clubber doesn't want to believe that, for some people (and a few of them are tall), 29ers feel better.

On the subject of BB & axles - the drop to BB from 29er axles is greater. What does that do then? It puts my weight further below the centre of rotation for the wheels and I know it feels more stable, but you seem to have the edge on engineering reasoning as to why things work or not.

Posted 2 years ago #
clubber - Member

You've really got me wrong there TooTall. I actually WANT to find a 29er I like riding since I think that they are great for covering ground fast and these days I need all the help I can get... As I've said many times, I just don't want to compromise on enjoying the riding as a consequence but since I'm constantly being told that the latest 29ers are so much better than the older ones, I'll keep hoping that there is one out there that I like. I'll be riding one again in a couple of weeks to try yet again.

What I don't like is typical bike industry myths that become facts because it's endlessly repeated. I've only challenged the idea that 29ers are inherently a good choice for tall riders and I've yet to hear a convincing reason for it though I'll openly admit to wondering if there's some factor of the equation that I've missed since so many tall people seem to think they're a revelation though in the same breath I can't help but suspect that it's just because they look more in proportion.

The stability thing however sounds perfectly legit though I'd suggest it's because of the bigger wheels acting as a bigger gyroscope - the same as jumping with heavier wheels adds stability in the air - rather than because of the larger axle->bb measurement. I'm not certain that feeling more stable is inherently a good thing or not though.

Posted 2 years ago #
TooTall - Member

You know there is a Sultan you can try as well. Going to the Bike Jumble next weekend?

Posted 2 years ago #
clubber - Member

Nah, doing better than that - off to Afan and will be trying at least one 29er...

Beside, I reckon your Sultan would be too big for me (not to mention that there's no way I'd be spending that kind of money on a frame!) but I do appreciate the offer.

Posted 2 years ago #
rootes1 - Member

Convincing reason for 29er and tall people - big framed bikes look better in proportion with bigger wheels. That part of the reason I got a 29er as the proportions are sort of the same as an 18" 26er. Having said that at 6' 6" my daily Brompton and I looks way out of proportion!

Posted 2 years ago #
Metasequoia - Member

6"4.

XL Niner MCR
XL Niner Jet (waiting for replacement frame)

Obviously proper wheels

Seven Axiom Road bike sloping top tube 58cm C to C, seat tube 60.9cm top tube.

Posted 2 years ago #
rootes1 - Member

I also have a 62cm pearson touche road bike good size and proper size wheels

Posted 2 years ago #
coolhandluke - Member

Nobody mentioned looking at Giant's range of bikes yet?

I'm only 6ft 1" but on a 20" 456 and a 61cm hybrid for commuting.

My mate who is a good 4" taller can't ride my bike as he can't reach the pedals. Either I have very long legs (34" kecks) and a short body or he has very short legs and a long body, so its not all just about actual height chaps.

Posted 2 years ago #

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