I’m 6’6″ 36 ” inside leg with long arms, I’ve had and got the following:-
Orange c-16r 23″
Orange 5 2012 22″
trek fuel ex8 21.5″
on-one 456 20″
Merlin Malt 1 20″ – (too small)
Orange g4 21″
I’m trying the g4 and using it to build an xc whippet, I’m considering the 456 carbon or ti as the steel frame is ace but a tad small.

I’d argue people shouldn’t write off shorter seat post frames without understanding the geometry fully.

Bingo, my Yeti is 15.25″ seat tube, but the 23.5 top tube with a 400mm seatpost makes it lots of fun even at just under 6’5″

bigpole – Whats the 22″ orange 5 like?

Bingo, my Yeti is 15.25″ seat tube, but the 23.5 top tube with a 400mm seatpost makes it lots of fun even at just under 6’5″

It does sound fun. Unable to be ridden for any real distance, but fun. Short seat tubes are fine. But if short seat tube + long seat post = very bent knees, then it is never going to be anything other than pointing down hill or a play bike.

Blimey! didnt realise this was a giants dating forum 😉 You lot are massive!! and there are loads of you.

Also didnt realise singular sold so many bikes, never seen any down here in Daarset.

It does sound fun. Unable to be ridden for any real distance, but fun. Short seat tubes are fine. But if short seat tube + long seat post = very bent knees, then it is never going to be anything other than pointing down hill or a play bike.

whilst that’s true – a long post can avoid the issue. 400mm post in a 15″ frame gives an extended inside leg of 35″. sure there are giants out there who wouldn’t fit, but there’s probably very few people who couldn’t get on with that seatpost and a 17″ frame.

In an 18″ frame, a 430mm post still puts me slightly shy of my ideal seat height. Not by enough to be a problem, though – I’ve ridden that bike for 50 mile rides with no discomfort. 400 in a 15″ is over 4″ shorter – not sure how that can work with a 35″ leg for long rides.

The BMX analogy has more than a whiff of truth to it. But it’s a good thing in my book – a bike that rides like a big BMX is bags of fun.

whilst that’s true – a long post can avoid the issue

Not if it doesn’t add up. Given that most people don’t ride with 400mm seatposts, you might think that might not be the norm.

there’s probably very few people who couldn’t get on with that seatpost and a 17″ frame.

There are enough to warrant a market in bikes bigger than 17″. I barely get the right height with a 400mm seatpost in a 21″ frame.

a bike that rides like a big BMX is bags of fun.

Probably – but I like a bike to ride mike a mountain bike. I’d not want a bike that rode like a BMX for uphill, along or downhill riding, which covers me.

Not if it doesn’t add up. Given that most people don’t ride with 400mm seatposts, you might think that might not be the norm.

I’m not saying people have to ride small frames. I’m just saying that if the geometry of the frame is right, the seat tube length shouldn’t be a limiting factor. Frankly, the majority of frames have similar geometry, and would be rather short if you just dumped a long seatpost in them – but there are quite a few frames out there that have short seattubes (to allow for seat slamming) but the same cockpit length – both my bikes (ns surge and banshee wildcard) are examples of this – in both cases, if you were the ‘traditional’ height for a 16/17″ frame, they’d be way too long for you (the 16″ wildcard is only reccomended for those 6’2 and above).

someone asked earlier how people can get away with small frames – this is how – some small frames, with the saddle up, measure up the exact same as large frames

In an 18″ frame, a 430mm post still puts me slightly shy of my ideal seat height

how much of that post is showing? I would have thought around 14″ (350mm) at full extension – that’d put crank (7″) plus frame plus post plus saddle (1″) at a whopping 40″. Giant doesn’t even start to describe you!

My 20 inch on one inbred has a 450mm seat post all the way up after it became an 18.9 inch frame with new seat clamp braised on .I couldn`t ride anything smaller and this is pushing it a bit

It’s on the minimum insert line.

My seat height is normally (ie on a road bike) around 34″ (IIRC) from BB centre, give or take a bit depending on pedal type; add 175mm cranks and I guess that’s 41″ to the pedal axle. Inside leg is 36″, not too gigantic.

Check: post is 420mm and has 12.5″ exposed to the line. Total saddle height is 32″. The road bikes are all 34″ or so. Pedals differ, of course.

From the top of the seat to the pedal axle on my mtb is 1040mm (41″).

how much of that post is showing? I would have thought around 14″ (350mm) at full extension – that’d put crank (7″) plus frame plus post plus saddle (1″) at a whopping 40″. Giant doesn’t even start to describe you!

Just shows peoples lack of understanding which is echoed by designers.

From the top of the seat to the pedal axle on my mtb is 1040mm (41″).

do you point your feet down a lot when you ride? mine are mostly flat? Even if you add, maybe an inch onto your inside leg measurement for the sole of your shoe/width of pedal, I can’t see how you’re reaching the pedals comfortably? maybe I’m missing something?

I could see how pedal+cleat+shoe could be nearly 2″ and most people do angle their foot down a bit at the bottom of the stroke, use their calves too.

5lab – when you say ‘inside leg’ do you mean trouser inside leg or ‘cyclist inside leg’ which is barefoot floor to crotch? My pedal to saddle is about 40″ and that is using my heel on the pedal to set it.

Toes tend to be down at the bottom of the stroke, no? If your feet are horizontal through the whole stroke you have an unusual pedaling technique.

I am 37″ crotch to floor.

do you point your feet down a lot when you ride? mine are mostly flat? Even if you add, maybe an inch onto your inside leg measurement for the sole of your shoe/width of pedal, I can’t see how you’re reaching the pedals comfortably? maybe I’m missing something?

My feet are flat the same as you. ‘Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance’ has a section on the correct way to set up your seat height and fore/aft position, I use this. Length is basically your leg just of straight when the cranks are at full extension. I also check it’s not too high by back pedalling as this seems to show it up easier.

I wear jeans with a 38″ leg, tall people have long legs 😉

EDIT: Should have just said the heel method as TooTall

maybe I’m just wierd? I ride with flat pedals with the pedal in the arch of my foot, rather than under the ball of my foot, as you’d ride with spuds. My inside leg was measured as floor-to-crotch (I thought that’s how you measured trousers as well?) I think the main difference is maybe in how people are measuring inside leg..

“I ride with flat pedals with the pedal in the arch of my foot, rather than under the ball of my foot”

Same here. Ball of foot sits between axle and front pins, big toe curled over front pins.

It does sound fun. Unable to be ridden for any real distance, but fun. Short seat tubes are fine. But if short seat tube + long seat post = very bent knees, then it is never going to be anything other than pointing down hill or a play bike.

Its the same reach as my Trance if not slightly longer, and the saddle is only about 1 cm lower than my normal riding height.

6’3″
Gary Fisher Mamba XL / 21″
Has same frame as more expensive models, so is worthy of upgrades.

Recommend fitting wider bars with a shorter stem.

First moubntain bike to really fit me. As fun.

Wow, didn’t know there were so many tall riders on here!

6’4″

XL Singular Swift

XL Stumpjumper FSR 29