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johnnyc - cheers for the heads-up. However my ride out with MrTall has convinced me that a 29er is the way to go. I have a 23" Kona Cindercone which is great EXCEPT the wheels look all out of proportion to the frame - they look like they've been transplanted from a kids bike!
I'm off to the states in a few weeks time and am now thinking I might get a Spesh RH Comp SL 29 (if I can find a bag big enough to sneak it home in). I really did like the idea of a full susser though (sadly the Turner Sultan is a little out of budget)
I know I probably seem a shorty in this company at 6ft 3in, but although you've all managed to club together here guys the fact is that if you're 6ft 4in or taller you are very much in the minority/unusual. Even at my height I only know three people who're within 1" of being as tall as me, and that's out of scores of people (I'm not just limiting this to bikes). I feel your frustrations, and I rather selfishly designed the large Soul to be the smallest frame I could sensibly use, which does tend to preclude people taller than me. However, a few years ago I heard this tall bloke cry, responded with an XL Soul, and sold exactly 4 in 2 years. I sold off the other 5 at a knock down price in the only sale in Cotic's history. That's exactly why small guys can't cater for you. That number of frames is much less than 1% of total sales, and I imagine the numbers are the same for the big players, but given the volumes they'll actually be looking at selling a couple of hundred. Still, I know it's frustrating.
You must have some strange proportions/requirements as i'm bigger than you and happily ride a 26" wheeled 21" (or could even be 20") framed Inbred
Fair enough, it's 20" though, the only 21" they make are 29ers, with a shorter top tube than a 19" Rockhopper. I even directly asked Brant and was told (rather abruptly, I assume he got a lot of these mails) that none would fit.
I'm 6' 5". Not much to add to Cy's comments above - market for big bikes is very small, not least because a lot of tall people seem happy to ride bikes that i'd consider way too small for them. No shop will ever run an XL demo frame (it wont get any use and will be difficult to sell) so you're only chance is to find a shop owner or rider (by posting on here) who has the bike you're looking for. Amos at Keswick mtb always has one of their stock brands in an XL for himself that goes out as a demo.
FYI Nicolai, of course at a cost, do full custom geometry on all of our frames and have made some properly big and unusual frames over the years - a jump bike for a 6' 7" rider and recently a Helius AC for a 6' 9" rider.
I've not advertised it yet but my XL Helius CC Rohloff in black/white/grey camo is currently for sale.
Willard, jsut to echo what many of the folk are saying here, strongly consider a 29er. I ended up with one recently, and it is bloody superb.
I was looking to build a hardtail, and to get anything to fit I was so put off by the 'gate' aesthetics of big 26ers, so the reason for switching was a bit fey. However...
On Sunday went on a ride with my usual riding buddy (another 6'4" behemoth) who rides a stumpy FSR 26er, and a new guy on a 29er also like me. We totally converted my mate, it just seems to be a whole lot better on 29ers. I am clearing stuff that I had no chance of doing so before (esp rooty stuff), and the wholoe thing just feels right.
go 29! Naybe chat to charlie the bike monger? he gives good advice.
Kev
Too late guys... Found the Merlin website yesterday and fell in love with the Malt 2.
I know it's not a 29er. I know it's not flash, or modern, or hydroformed, BUT it is a stunning looking bike and the chaps that I pestered at Merlin were really good.
It's now just been ordered and I should have it soon, although if my wife asks, the shock upgrade was free, ok?
I am now officially excited about it turning up (could be a week, could be ten days) and have got the same feeling I used to have when I was a kid waiting to see what I had got at Christmas.
i'm 5ft 7.5". All shops, bike or other always have my size in stock and there ready to buy.
No reason to post this other than
na na na na na, na na na na na
There's always the custom option.
I second the views on a lack of 'shorter people' bikes. Plus all womens clothing, even that marked 'large' is actually nearer a size 6. Bike related suppliers hate any woman who does not look like an anorexic supermodel. And no, I am not seriously overweight before anyone suggests that 🙂
I know a lanky bloke with a Malt2 and he really likes it.
I'm not lanky (unlike some other tall people I know, I don't look like a rake with feet at one end), and with any luck my new Malt 2 will be here this weekend in time for a play.
I haven't been this excited about a purchase since the last time I bought a wakeskate.
I haven't been this excited about a purchase since the last time I bought a [b]wakeskate[/b].
A [i]what[/i]?
[img] 
[/img]
a wakeskate, earlier.
I know nothing about them but it doesn't look a comfortable way to travel.
That looks like it's gone a bit wrong...
i had the same probs being 6ft5. i looked everywhere and called everywhere all sayin they dont carry xl bikes in stock and wont order them either. giant even said the same for their own stores sayn i would have to pay a deposit which is shit. in the end i bit the bullet and bought a XL 21" merida full susser. its perfect. shame that i just had to bite the bullet rather than trying a few out but im happy
nick
Hope the bike works out for you big fella!!
My wife has the same problem but the other end. She's only 4'11", has a 12.5" GT Backwoods MTB (2000 model, I don't think they do that size any more) which is a bit long. Also has an XS sSpecialized Vita road bike which fits her perfectly (it has a 19" toptube!!!!!!!!!)
Specialized do seem to cater for the extreme ends of the height range so it's probably going to be another Spesh if I ever buy her a new MTB.
For big bikes Trek are normally one of the few people who do massive sizes but often they are only in cheaper models and if shops have to order them from Trek you may end up paying the full amount to get it in.
Hmmm off to look at the Nicolai website, shame we don't stock them though.
I'm 6ft 4 and ride fairly hefty and ride xl nicolais..... Si how much you want for your cc?
I have a brand new Giant Reign frame & shock for sale in size XL - live on eBay now - ends Tuesday 11/05/10
I'm 6'4" and took a big gamble a few years ago when I saw a brand new, fully built up Ellsworth Moment (in [u]medium[/u]) on eBay.
...four years later, I'm still riding it and still having great fun on tight twisty technical trails.
Recently, I had the chance to directly compare a large and an XL Knolly Delerium back-to-back and I found the XL waaaaay too big. So, I've come to the conclusion that small frames are better for my type of riding (at the risk of looking like I'm riding a kids bike) 😉