[TallRider01]

OK, I've been trying to find a thread with this info for me. I am upgrading from my current hardtail to a full suspension and I need to know which one is one the better ones for tall guys. Keep in mind I want the best bang for the buck. I want to spend no more than 1500 and I have seen quite a few threads on Iron Horse MKIII bikes and was wondering what sets these apart from others or the opposite. I was almost dead set on a Fezzari Alta and now I am just unsure. Please help
thanks

I might add that I am 6'6" 225 athletic build 36"inseam

I intend to use this bike to do numerous things, commute, single trails. More of an all mountain set up.
hope this helps

 

[xdtr22]

I fit you size and weight to a tee and I had a Specialized Rockhopper with a 23" frame and it felt small, so I now have a Gary Fisher Hi-Fi Plus 29er that is a 21" frame and I love it. I would say try to go with a 29er. I feel more secure and not so top heavy as I did on my other bike.
That's my 2 cents worth!!

 

[dru]

At 6'6" you need to be very careful about what you pick. I'm 6'5", and have two bikes; one was hard to fit, and the other easy.

The former is my 'Ebay Special' for want of a better term, an old Concorde frame built up with stuff from all over. The frame is 22" XL, it has a 24 1/2 TT and despite having a 150mm head tube, it is still short for me overall. I am running an uncut 80 mm Bomber, have 50mm of spacers, a 0 deg. 150mm stem, and 1 inch riser bars. The seat height is 3 1/2 inches above the bars, and I run a 400 mm post.

The other bike is my XL 29er El Mariachi. It fits me well. Despite having only a 120mm headtube, my bar height is only an inch or so below my seat height, running 40mm of spacers and a 6 deg 120 mm stem. The much bigger BB drop of the 29er lowers the seat height relative to the head tube. Look at all the smaller 29ers with reversed stems you see here in photos, because of this. This is something a really tall guy will never need to do. For the record my El Mar. has a 25" TT and a 24" ST. I have a 400 mm post in it now but could run a 350 with no issues.

For someone your size all three components (HT, ST, TT) are critical.. Many shorter people don't have a clue about our fitting issues so be careful about who you listen to.

Drew

 

[dru]

I just checked out those two bikes for you. My guess is you'll find them a little small. If your inseam in pants is 36, like mine, your actual body inseam is closer to 38. On both bikes you'll be running 9 or 10 inches of seat post above the seat tube, with your post in the proper position for efficient pedaling (not where you'd run it for big drops, etc.). The TT on both bikes are a little short imho. The Iron Horse site actually lists a HT length for the 21" and it is more than enough at 6.5". The Ferrazi site, like many manufacturers does not list HT in the geometry. The lack of this dimension would be my deciding factor in not considering that bike.

Drew

 

[TallRider01]

ok that sounds great, now for the price, i might have to just be patient and wait to find one at a good deal with everything that I want, for instance i would like a good set of hydraulics like the avid juicy series, etc. it seems to me that the 29er seem to be for the taller guy. i really like the gary fishers look and they seem to be one heck of a bike too. I am upgrading from a good ole gt avalanche. thanks again for the help but links to certain bikes would be awesome and I really want to go full suspension and stay under 2000 if that is a reasonable thought.

 

[TallRider01]

would a gary fisher hifi delux xl work well? its not a 29er but if i can get it under 1500 and its practically new, would that be a good deal? thanks

 

[glueslug]

Check Competitive Cyclist for 08 Turners

The Turner 5 spot is a great full sus frame. And right now you can get a 08 5Spot for $1300 (normally $2300). Hand built in the US.

It is tough to beat that. I just picked up one and love it. I am 6'4"

-glue

 

[LyNx]

Seriouosly dude, @ 6'6" your THE prime candidate for a 29er - NO QUESTION! better to save up until you can afford one, than settle for something now. Heck I'm only 6'2" and when i moved to a 29er here's what my friend said to me......." dude, finally a bike that's your size. If they were to scale up my bike to your proprtions that's what it'd look like"...he's about 5'9". They don't make us taller folkes look like we're riding circus bikes, the bigger wheels roll over stuff better, it's easier to get the bar to the right height.

Go browse the 29er forum and do some reading, save your cash and buy a bike that fits you and in the mean time while saving try and get some test rides on as many bikes as you can.

 

[TallRider01]

ok, as impatient as i am i guess i might as well listen to the advice. lol
This bike is more of a starter in full suspension, however, I look at it as a long term bike as well and I have a problem of trying to get the best bang for the buck and one of the better bikes out there, I will have to keep my eyes open for a niner i guess. I really like the gary fishers so I might look at the hifi series. I want to thank you guys for the help and incite, and please keep this thread going with other options and such.

 

[LyNx]

Look around online, there were a load of closeout/end of year deals on Niners, Turners,Titus and such - if you've got the cash now's the time to buy when things are being cleared out. Check with Brett @ Niner bikes to see if maybe he knows of any XLs left, or [email protected] for either Niners, Turners or what ever you might like.

ok, as impatient as i am i guess i might as well listen to the advice. lol
This bike is more of a starter in full suspension, however, I look at it as a long term bike as well and I have a problem of trying to get the best bang for the buck and one of the better bikes out there, I will have to keep my eyes open for a niner i guess. I really like the gary fishers so I might look at the hifi series. I want to thank you guys for the help and incite, and please keep this thread going with other options and such.

 

[TallRider01]

my biggest question is trying to figure out a good deal or what i'm prolly looking to spend on a full suspension bike. rather its a niner or not. would buying a 08 cannondale prophet 2 xl for under 1400 be a good deal, or a fisher hifi xl for under 1500 be a good deal. I know its not a niner but...

 

[Boyonabyke]

Seriously, I'd look at the Turners, they tend to take care of the bigger /taller folks among us that might need custom fitting on a frame.

 

[LyNx]

6'6", 29ers were made for you!

Dude, you're 6'6", that's damn tall, SERIOUSLY browse around the 29er forum and just look at a type of bike that'd fit and look better for anyone over 6ft. I wouldn't spend money now, knowing what I know unless A. it was a 29er and B. it fit me properly, because if it doesn't fit right it's just not worth it trying to make it fit and having messed up cockpit - too long a stem, setback post with saddle all the way back on the rails etc. I'm attaching a GIF of me on my Trance and then RIP9 just to show you how a 6'2" guy looks on 26" and 29" bikes - Looks inda like I'm on a 20" or 24" bike huh :madman: As you can easily see pretty much everything else is the same height - saddle, BB, handlbars, toptube - but I loose a bit in actual Head Tube length and the actual Effective Top Tube is 3/4" longer,, so don't have to have the saddle as far back on the rails as on the 26".

my biggest question is trying to figure out a good deal or what i'm prolly looking to spend on a full suspension bike. rather its a niner or not. would buying a 08 cannondale prophet 2 xl for under 1400 be a good deal, or a fisher hifi xl for under 1500 be a good deal. I know its not a niner but...

 

[TallRider01]

unfortunately those are out of my price range. I can't spend 3000 on a bike in no way right now looking under 1500 so a used bike is more likely than anything i guess

 

[TallRider01]

ok ok. there is a little different with the 29er over the 26in one lol i will just have to see what i can find i guess.

 

[MichiganClydesdale]

same

I'm pretty close in size, at 6'5", 225 with a 36-37 inseam. I am of the opinion that you should look hard at the 29er platform, in the 22-23 inch frame size, the like the XXL Lenz, Stumpy, or XL Karate Monkey or El Mariachi. Beyond that, look custom, which is where you'll end up if you stick with the sport and get serious. Manufactured bikes just aren't made to fit guys our size.

 

[LyNx]

Seriously, check out the Gary Fishers and Specialized offerings in your price range. Don't really know of any others in that price range with suspension, unless you check Bikes Direct Windsor Cliff 29er - I really am not found of them, especially for someone who doesn't know how to wrench their own stuff, but for the components alone it's a good deal -$979.99! Their biggest size may not be big enough for you though since they state the ETT as 24.5".

 

[TallRider01]

dont want a hardtail for thats what im upgrading from. i know how to wrench but just don't have the funds right now

 

[mtnbiker72]

I don't claim that a 29er hardtail is the same as a 26er full suspension. But a 29er hardtail is a quite an upgrade from a 26er hardtail. I actually switched from 26er full suspension (I've owned many hardtail and full suspension 26ers over the last 16 years of riding) to a 29er hardtail this summer. I can tell you comparing the ride of a 26er hardtail to a 29er hardtail is comparing apples to oranges.

 

[TallRider01]

i've heard that quite a bit actually its just that i am dead set on a full suspension. stubborn i guess. I am def going to be looking at a 29er fs now