Bike For Taller Riders

[nbr-chris]

OK I cant be the only person a little above average height that rides.

I'm around 6 foot 4, mostly ride dh but due to my location have been dabbling in trials.

I don't really know any trials riders so can't try different bikes, I bought an echo control long but still find it a little cramped.

Its around 2005 with urban forks so I believe the wheelbase is around 1080 which seems to be about as big as you can go?

I run riser bars which help a little and an echo stem I would guess is about 110mm so again unless I was to run a mod stem I can't go much bigger.

What do other taller riders run?

On my DH bike I like to be over the front end a bit which suits my riding style fine but on a trials bike it just doesn't work for me, unless its just an excuse for my poor riding!

I'm wondering wether to go towards the whole 24" streety set up with steeper angles or maybe even a mod just so theres more room under me but I'm reluctant to go throwing cash into it when I can't try before I buy.

Do any shops allow test rides (obviously I appreciate theres not going to be a chance to ride it properly but even a car park test would be better than nowt) or are there any riders around Aberdeen that would meet up and give me a shot of their bike.

As I say the echo was just a stab in the dark really (and a bargain), logic said go long and low but now I'm not so sure.......

[Mark W]

Its around 2005 with urban forks so I believe the wheelbase is around 1080 which seems to be about as big as you can go?

A lot of frames are nearer the 1090-1100 mark these days - Stan's Orange Sky was over 1100mm pretty comfortably. Reach is the clincher though - you could have a bike with a mega slack head angle that'd push the WB out to - say - 1200mm, but if the reach is really short it's going to feel short regardless of whatever the wheelbase is. I think Stan's still selling his Sky frame (or trying to), which has a pretty hefty reach. Something around the 690mm mark if memory serves, which is probably 20mm or so more than your Control.

...an echo stem I would guess is about 110mm so again unless I was to run a mod stem I can't go much bigger.

The Trialtech high rise stem is 130mm x 25°, so should make things feel a little roomier for you.

[Krisboats]

I'm 6'5" and am riding an onza limey 2 with urbans, 5mm of spacers, echo 130mmx15 stem and viz pro 720 bars rocked forward slightly. It is probably the best riding bike i've owned so far and the longest riding thing i've tried as well. Sometimes i still feel a little cramped on this as well though but i have fun on it and can usually throw it around just fine.

You can definately get longer than a control if your wanting some more hoppy style riding. A control to us tall folk is similar to how a baseTA26 feels to others.

[isitafox]

I'm 6'3" and used to ride a 06 control. Its a bit hit and miss when you first start trials as the geo is like a whole new world, especially when you have to consider whether you prefer high or low bb so trying different frames is the only way. I currently ride a 2011 Because Simple 26" which is the 3rd proper trials frame I've owned and I love it, I think the bb rise is about +45mm, wheelbase 1090 and I use a high rise trialtech stem, trialtech sport bars and 20mm of stackers and currently it feels great.

Edited June 22, 2011 by isitafox

[nbr-chris]

Cheers for the replies, it helps having people with more knowledge than me!

I think maybe the trialtech stem might be a good investment for me for a start, i'm not really keen to replace the frame at this stage or able to afford it.

At least I've been along the right lines with riser bars and spacers, obviously I have a fair idea of geo and my prefernces from riding dh but its a completely different ball game on a trials bike even if the principles are the same.

Like I say my knowledge of parts is pretty hit and miss, based on a combination of common sense and looking on tartybikes so theres deffinately stuff out there I'm not aware of.