I’m looking for an enduro bike. The problem is my size. I’m 6’6″ and just under 17 stone. Ideally would be on a 29er. But not ruling anything out but no hardtails. Budget is about 3k. Last bike was a 23″ cube stereo 29er which i really liked but some wee scumbag stole it. I’m looking very closely at the xl spesh enduro 29er carbon elite. Just not sure its big enough. Any suggestions? Cheers.

One of the guides at Bike Verbier last year must have been at least that hight and was riding an XL Specialized Enduro 29er. Didnt look to small for him.
The 2017 carbon Elites are a steal if you can find one

Depends what you want from it in terms of fit. Pently of variety in fit even for someone your height. Im 6ft4 and find bikes far to short in reach and far too tall at the front, others on here say the same bikes are too low at the front and arnt interested in getting more reach.

If you can identify what model/year and even geo your cube was, and how you want the new bike to differ you’ll get better answers, otherwise advice will be almost useless as few people are your height and fewer still want the same as you out of their bike.

I think Spesh go to small giant size. I think Cube do too, and maybe Canyon?

I’m going to be selling an XL Nicolai G13 frame which, if you’re happy building yourself, you could get into a bike for 3k.

That aside I would avoid specialized at your height, they’re very short in reach. Must be a few 2017 bikes around being discounted at the moment. A trek Fuel? Pretty slack and a guy on here races the EWS on one. Norco Sight?

Abit Over your budget but a geomotron g16 with 29 wheels.

I am about the same hieght as you and run a XXL.

I used to run an XXL stumpjumper but the geomotron fits better

For more info have a look at the geomotron thread.

I had an xl spesh enduro 29 2013-16 model, and at 6’2″ I found it a tad too short reachwise, but not really enough standover. While they have increased reach a little I still think it would be short for someone 6’6″ (of course standover won’t be a problem for you).

Canyons sizing used to be a little strange, from s to l that would be normalised increments in seatube and reach, then from l to xl they doubled the seatube compared to the reach. Not sure if that is still the case.

I had an xl spesh enduro 29 2013-16 model, and at 6’2″ I found it a tad too short reachwise, but not really enough standover. While they have increased reach a little I still think it would be short for someone 6’6″ (of course standover won’t be a problem for you).

I’m also 6’2″ and had an XL 2016 stumpjumper and found it too long and too tall for me, I then switched to a large 2017 enduro and love it. I prefer the feeling of the bike under me as opposed to in it. think it stems from my BMX background.

Not mine, but an XL Spesh Enduro frame popped up on eBay today.

At 6’2″ i was riding an older L Enduro but found it a bit small. Just upgraded to an XL Orange Segment and even riding round the garden it feels a hell of a lot better fit

I’m 6 2″ and ride a 2016 L Giant Reign. It is 459mm reach. I’d prefer another 15mm or so, but once you get it going it feels great.

Ben Cathro is I think 6’7″ and he is on an XXL Santa Cruz (was Tallboy now Hightower) for enduro. I’m 6’4″ and most XL sizes are fine, I think at 6’6″ they would be hit or miss.

I have been onto various bike company sites writing Down the geometry specs. Giant look good but don’t 29er enduro bikes.they seem a little on the thin side. My cube was a 2014 I’m sure. I ran 90mm stem and 800mm bars. The combo felt much shorter. I’m not sure if I just got used to how it felt but I did like it. I’m currently nursing a broken ankle so can’t test ride anything at the moment. Cheers for the reply.

Transition are long, Geometron seeems a good shout?

A mate of mine, who’s about your height, had a geometron on test for a while. Said it was the first time a bike felt like it fitted him properly. A bit out of budget though.

Mega 290 XL offers a bit more reach than the XL E29 – and longer wheelbase overall.

I’m not a geometry expert, but I suspect the long chainstays would work particularly well on the bigger sizes.

650b wise the bird Aries 145 has a reach of 530 ish
29er wise the new transition sentnal is long to 505 reach I believe! Unknown what a full build would come in at though.

There’s currently an XLong Geometron frame on eBay and if you were savvy you could maybe build it up in budget?

An XL Whyte S150 off the shelf would be under budget and allow for a few personal tweeks. Maybe not quite long enough?

If you’re willing to go secondhand on the frame then you’d easily do the G13 for 3k. 1850 frame and seatpost, yari for 420 at winstanley, hope Enduro 29 wheelset for 350 and then 430 ish for bars, stem, saddle, tyres and gears. Push the budget a bit and the new GX Eagle group is 380 isn’t it.

Cool, some great ideas. Some bikes I would have never thought of. Geometron seems to get mentioned a fair bit. I would have never came across them. A tad pricey though!

If you drop down to 27.5 wheels Mondrakers also worth a look.

I’m 6’4″ and really enjoying my cotic rocket max in XL having previously ridden Niner RIP9 and an assortment of bikes that were too small…

Geometron seems to get mentioned a fair bit. I would have never came across them. A tad pricey though!

You pays your money and takes your choice. At your height, you’re well into the realms of bike manufacturers ignoring you exist, so I’d consider that whilst something like the Geometron won’t be cheap, it will be money well spent…

I’m looking very closely at the xl spesh enduro 29er carbon elite. Just not sure its big enough. Any suggestions? Cheers.

I’m 5ft10 and I would consider an XL specialized only just long enough in the reach department for me… Standover would of course be an issue but there we go!

What I’m trying to say is ignore the more mainstream manufacturers, they are just too far off the pulse right now. At your height you need to embrace the smaller guys that are pushing the geometry boundaries…

There’s currently an XLong Geometron frame on eBay and if you were savvy you could maybe build it up in budget?

Belongs to Scant from said parish… Give him a shout. 530mm reach is in the ball park at least…

An XL Whyte S150 off the shelf would be under budget and allow for a few personal twee

Run my own shop and as a Whyte dealer I think they’re awesome bikes. At 6ft6 I think you may just be a bit big for the XL even though, but id be happy to be proved wrong. If you’re in the midlands, I’ve got an XL in stock if you want to come and throw a leg over… Incredible bike for the money if it fits!

I just messaged the guy on eBay about the geometron. They look very differnt to anything I have ever ridden. I will do some sums and see if I can make it work with geometron. Its alot of cash for a used shockless frame, well for me anyway. I think most bikes I have ever owned have felt a bit on the small side. With the exception of my cube 23″. But even that had compromises. I just dont want the arse in the air super low front combo.

I really like the look of the Whyte S150! Im up near glasgow but thanks for the offer to try it out.

New Transition Sentinel XL?

500mm reach and the NX version is £3K.

tinytim – Member

I’m 6’4″ and really enjoying my cotic rocket max in XL

Me too (only an inch taller). A bit lighter than the OP and doubt the Xfusion shock, as good as it is for the money, could cope with another 2 stone under hard riding without a bit of tuning. There’s a Cane Creek option that might be better suited but maybe push the budget. Cotic seem to get about with the demo days so you should really try and blag a go. I bought one of the first batch blind and so glad i did. Can’t stress how good a bike it is if you like to push on a bit. But it minces just fine too if you can’t be arsed trying or the trails are on the tame side. A bit less travel than the competition and that’s possibly why it’s so bloomin versatile but don’t think that it can’t keep up when the going gets rough – it’s not called a Rocket for nothing 😆

XL Spesh + Whyte will likely be too small (and this is coming from someone who happily rode a L Stumpy Evo for a few years 😀 )

The XL canyons seem to be a good size. Felt a lot longer than any previous XL bike I had ridden, I’m 6’3. So a bit shorter but worth a look.

Is it really hard to get demos on XL and XXL bikes?

It would be better to get a quality frame that fits well and put Deore kit on it (which works brilliantly) and some fairly standard wheels than go for the bling and end up changing it again.

I’d agree with you, spending thousands on a complex used frame (does it still have the warranty?) gives me the heebie-jeebies…

Transition XL with a Works +5mm reach headset.

Is it really hard to get demos on XL and XXL bikes?

In my experience, it is not hard, it is near enough impossible.

6’5″ and have had two XL stumpjumper FSR 29ers. First one was a 2014 model and second the revised 2016 version. Both great and fantastic fit for me.

It was really easy for me to get a demo on the XL 2016 model, (just went into the Spesh concept store and asked) and had it for a weekend. Best all round MTB I’ve owned in 28 years.

Where are you based?

^^^ likewise. Unless it’s a big manufacturer driven demo day then most shops don’t stock a demo in XL. We’re just too much of a minority in bike sales to make it worthwhile so whilst it is frustrating it is also understandable.

It’s been problem for 20+ years finding a xl or xxl to even sit never mind test ride. I think i have narrowed it down to the long slack angle 29er bikes. Whyte S150, Transition sentinel and the geometron looks ace but even second hand looks out my price range. If there are any bikes around 3k similar to these then let me know. I usually run my seat at 865mm from centre of cranks to top of saddle with 175 crank arms. Seems to be a nice spot for me. Cheers for All the suggestions.

The only point I would make about the Transition is the new Sentinel has their new geometry with the weird offset fork (44 from memory) on it doesn’t it? As far as I’m aware this is a new approach from an industry perspective and if it doesn’t catch on you may be left with a bit of an outlier. This may or may not bother you but thought it worth mentioning. That aside they are, by all accounts, awesome bikes to ride.

Whyte S150 also uses a reduced offset fork. Think the Giant Reign mentioned earlier also uses an unusual offset fork as standard. Mondraker also have the long TT and short short stems.

Geometron couldn’t really be considered normal either despite the facet it uses ‘standard’ components.

Seems like we are in a time of experimentation/evolution and some of the things like Transitions SBG and the Geometron concept are probably playing to the big guys who’ve felt cramped for years?

Yeah I was going to say I have seen a few bikes with odd offset forks. It might be an issue if I ever want to change them in the future. I wouldn’t not buy it for that reason though. The standards are all over the place it seems.

Gotama, how much for your G13 frame? Send me a massage, I might be tempted. The one on eBay was just too pricey with no shock or warranty. I’m not sure they are transferable.

For someone who is 6,6 I would imagine you want a reach in excess of 500mm but I guess it comes down to personal taste. I’m 6ft and I feel my 460 reach a bit short, ridden the longer G13 and that felt right for size at 490 reach. Sentinel with + 5 reach might get you there.

I usually run my seat at 865mm from centre of cranks to top of saddle with 175 crank arms.

With massive long dropper posts you’ll actually be able to get that saddle height from a 17″ (440mm) frame. But it’s all about the reach!

At your height I wouldn’t hesitate to get that secondhand Geometron – it may be a complete revelation and even if it turns out to be not quite your thing it’ll doubtless sell on for little loss and you’ll have learnt what really fits you right. And it’s a very adjustable frame, you can mess with headsets, shocks, bushings, and so on to get it to better suit your riding.