im 6'3 and about 16stone – and i want a full sus.

whats a good frame for a larger lad who rides trails, mainly in the Peaks?

air or coil shock etc..

thanks!

Ben

Orange 5 with a float RP23

Nomad with DHX 5 Air
16 1/2 stone rider no problems after 2 years riding mainly in the Lakes

+1 for Orange 5 and RP23 (copes with the weight, not sure about fit for your height), might also want to invest in Maxle swingarm too

I'm 6 4 and found the 'L' 5 too small

I'm 17.5 stone and have a SC Heckler with Fox Float R shock and TALAS forks, quality bike for a big lad IMO.

Spesh Pitch.

Chumba XCL with a coil 🙂

You will never break it, and it is not too heavy either!

hmmm, all the usual suspects here. ive been looking at the 5, heckler and Pitch pro.

so is air best then?

6'4 16 stone. FWIW (they don't make them anymore) I ride a Scott Strike (carbon fibre).

DT Swiss rear shock and Rebas work just fine.

I use a Float R ( I didn't need a lockout) and jump my bike pretty hard never been a problem and I'm 16.5 stone.

I'd go for a single pivot and something a bit sturdy Orange looks perfect.

If you want something more complex a Intense Tracer looks like a good bet.

I too am a big guy 6' 6" and 17st.

I recently had a conversation with TF Tuned and they informed me that the way the linkage works on my Commencal Meta 6 is much kinder to the shock than my Yeti 575. The Commencal felt incredibly plush compared to the Yeti and much smoother when descending. TF Tuned serviced the Yeti shock and it now feels much better, but this might be something to bear in mind.

I don't understand the maths / physics behind all this and can only describe what I feel but others on here can probably explain it though… Brant?

I am 6'4" and 16.5st and on a 20" Orange 5 and it feel fine to me, I would go as far as to say that it was the best I tried but thats why I bought it. Everything else just seemed too flexi or heavy.

6'3" and 16.5 stone here. +1 for the Nomad but if I get any heavier I'll swap for a DHX5 coil as I'm at the top end of the recommended air pressures now.

No Air isn't best, a nice strong stiff frame with a low shock leverage ratio and if you can afford it, a custom damped coil shock is what would be ideal.

ironhorse 6point?

I'm 6'2", 14 stone and ride the Peaks. I've got an '05 Nicolai Helius FR with a coil shock. I wouldn't use anything else.

No Air isn't best, a nice strong stiff frame with a low shock leverage ratio and if you can afford it, a custom damped coil shock is what would be ideal.

I agree…

Ventana El Saltamontes or El Ciclon or if you want 29" wheels the El Ray or El Capitan. These frames can handle any size and weight rider.

Shouldn't Ton be answering this question? I would buy one of his old/new bikes 😀

I'm 16.5 stone and I love my Pitch.

Easy!!! A Ventana!!!
High quaulity, high attention to deal, quad bearing pivots, well engineered, & endorsed by Ton, a larger than average rider with a passion for bikes.
I'm sure he'll be along shortly to confirm what I say.

Also have a chat with Alan Richardson at Riverside Cycles, you'll be hooked – a man who truely believes in what he sell's, & when you've bought what he sell's you'll agree that I'm right what I say.

Hi Si,

yeah ive looked at the Chumba, very nice indeed – do you offer finance!? 🙂

No finance i'm afraid 🙁 but i can take credit cards 🙂

First year I went riding in Spain, there was a big lad there on a Turner 5 Spot with coil shock.
I think he was 6'5 or thereabouts and 17stone. I think he had the XL frame which had an extra supporting brace on the seat tube.

I've just built a Ventana el Ciclon with Fox DHX5 Air & Fox Float 140s & am absolutely loving it. It only weighs around 29lb. I weigh over 16 stone kitted up & used to find my Meta 5.5 way too "articulated". The Ventana just goes where you point it and feels like a hardtail when climbing. The rock solid feel makes a huge difference. on the sunday ride I was actually near the front on long climbs, where I used to flounder at the back. On down hills, everyone was left for standing. Perfect big bloke bike without the weight penalty.

God, who would have thought the average rider weight on here was about 16 stone?

What about something like this?

08 XL SC Heckler, 6ft 4", 34" Leg, over 16st kitted, run it with 09 140mm revs and a DHX 5 550LB coil !
Before choosing the shock I spoke with MOJO who took weight, frame details etc and advised me that an air shock RP or float 'could' work but with over 225psi air pressure this would put it at the top end of its working limit !
For some reason I had horrid visions of blown seals everytime I left the ground !

Result – the coil shock, fit and forget, heavier but better feel and fitted with a Ti spring will reduce the weight difference further
No brainer fellas 🙄

08 XL SC Heckler, 6ft 4", 34" Leg, over 16st kitted, run it with 09 140mm revs and a DHX 5 550LB coil !
Before choosing the shock I spoke with MOJO who took weight, frame details etc and advised me that an air shock RP or float 'could' work but with over 225psi air pressure this would put it at the top end of its working limit !
For some reason I had horrid visions of blown seals everytime I left the ground !

Result – the coil shock, fit and forget, heavier but better feel and fitted with a Ti spring will reduce the weight difference further
No brainer fellas 🙄

I'm 6'4" and about 18 stone and I ride this round the Peaks and further:

Rayt good it is too. I would definitely go with a coil shock over air at our kind of weight.

my mate hugh is 6.3 and 18stone. he rides a 20inch orange 5. i have seen him do horrific things to that bike and still it lives. he has killed a few wheels but thats it. he often says he wishes had gone for the A.M. because of the bigger fork and the maxle. amazing bikes and so much fun to ride. get one.

21 stone 4lbs at present, and the ventana el capitan is the best frame/bike i have ever ridden.
so good infact, i have owned it for over a year now.
air front and rear too.

Yep 18 stone and ive got both a santa cruz superlight and new heckler both take the abuse well plus only the two bearings to kill at most.
as for shock im running both air but will get a coil for going up wales etc for the heckler but having said that i took the s/l there for 3 hard day and it took it all in it's stride only victim was the rock shox rev with an oil leak by day three but all in great bikes to have and to own.
Bat.

6' 01" and 17 and a half stone with riding kit, Kona Coiler with lots of upgrades and an 800lb spring (biggest they do so I have got minimal preload wound on). I am looking to change when fianances allow to an Orange 5 (with sturdy build kit) or maybe a 160 Alpine as with the majority of big sturdy bikes comes weight penalty. Dont get me wrong its great on the descents but for Peak climbs and other similar singletrack climbs ie Cwmcarn its not fun winching up 36lb of metal.
My other main point of irritation is too many linkages to maintain/check/clean I used to own a Marin FS and I like the way it climbed and the lifespan of the single pivot set up.
And a good set of hubs are a must-Shitmano cheese ball bearings just dont cut the mustard for us biggies.

800lb/inch? **** me what's the stroke length on the coiler, an inch?

I'm 105kg/16.5 stone and only need a 550lb/inch for a 150mm travel bike with a 2.35" stroke.

On a separate note – Mathew, that's a nice lookin Nomad.

16-17 here on El-Ciclon.
Nice.

i ran a 800lb spring on my heckler….
i reckon that spring is way to big for you suggsy..

No trust me I bottom it out-I ride more like 30 stone 😛

Coil is great and plush but air is easier to fine tune and adjust. To be honest your weight is nothing to worry about. I wouldn't fall into the trap of thinking 'I'm heavy so I need a 6/7-inch full sus bike to cope'.

Any 4/5-inch trail bike will do you. Although if you get an air rear shock I'd get a high volume can for it (£40 for a Fox one).

FWIW I'd recommend a Cove Hustler, Boardman FS Team or Pro and the Giant Anthem or Trance. The Boardman is the raciest of them.

Or maybe a 5 Spot with a coil.

2006 S-Works Enduro 17.5 stone.

Wales Scotland Peak Alps – no worries anywhere.