Bicycles for tall people!

After so many years I'm keen to get back into cycling again mainly for
fitness, fun, and probably some weekend travelling... I haven't been
to any cycle shop yet... just been looking around a number of web
sites.. and lurking around here for a coupe of days... I have a few
questions before I go... always helps to know what you need / want by
then!

From my requirements, Im looking at racer / touring bikes.. however
being on the slightly tall side at 6'5".. I'd appreciate any advice.
What concerns me is the reach from saddle to the handlebars... esp
since I have had back problems. Any other tall cyclists out there who
care to share some information?

Price wise... I'm looking at around £350-£400.. including all the
extras.. flaps, lights, lock, cover (it's gonna be stored outside),
full tank of... ) etc... Unfortunately that is outside a custom
build... so given that I can comfortably sit on a factory build how
should I proportion my spending? At the moment I'm considering
something along price of the Dawes Giro 200... but slightly concerned
at how much I should budget for the extras.

Any thoughts gratefully welcome,
Mark

Mark Blewett wrote:
From my requirements, Im looking at racer / touring bikes.. however
being on the slightly tall side at 6'5".. I'd appreciate any advice.
What concerns me is the reach from saddle to the handlebars... esp
since I have had back problems.

Depends what riding position you prefer and what your proportions are
(back vs legs, etc). If may be impossible to find an off-the-peg bike
with a long enough top tube if you want a serious flat-backed racing
position, but you might be just about ok with the largest sizes if happier
a bit more upright that that; more likely still with a typical touring
position.
Longer stems (with more horizontal extension) can be used but there's
a limit to what's available and how far you can go before handling becomes
horrible: 130 to 140mm, I find.
A seatpost with more layback than average might help. A longer one
may be required as well.
A good dealer will swap post and stem free of charge if they're keen
on your business.

Even at 6' 2", I find head tube height - therefore handlebar height - is a
problem. However, a riser stem can get the bars high enough, and you
should ask for forks with a full-length uncut steerer if the bike uses the
threadless system.

~PB

Pete Biggs wrote:

: Depends what riding position you prefer and what your proportions are
: (back vs legs, etc). If may be impossible to find an off-the-peg bike
: with a long enough top tube if you want a serious flat-backed racing
: position

I'd say he'd be ok with a Cannondale - they do dales in very large
sizes (up to 65cm ISTR) though I doubt there's a shop in the country
that has one in stock and I don't think they do all models in the
very large sizes. Well worth a look though.

Arhtur

--
Arthur Clune http://www.clune.org
"Techolibertarians make a philosophy out of a personality defect"
- Paulina Borsook

Arthur Clune wrote:
Pete Biggs wrote:

Depends what riding position you prefer and what your proportions are
(back vs legs, etc). If may be impossible to find an off-the-peg
bike with a long enough top tube if you want a serious flat-backed
racing position

I'd say he'd be ok with a Cannondale - they do dales in very large
sizes (up to 65cm ISTR) though I doubt there's a shop in the country
that has one in stock and I don't think they do all models in the
very large sizes. Well worth a look though.


I've seen a 68cm as standard in the touring range but at 6'6" I find my
fairly readily available 63cm to be a great fit. The other advantage is
Cannondales are known as stiff frames and are good in the large sizes.
Quite a few frames which are more giving in average sizes become a bit
noodly in the very large sizes.

Tony

--
"If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything."
Mark Twain

iarocu wrote:
Mark Blewett wrote in message
. ..

Handlebar height is always a problem. For the older
quill type stems you can buy longers stems to get enough height. For
Ahead type stems you can get a device that clamps on top of the stem
raising the bars by about 2 inches. If thats not enough using an
adjustable A head stem combined with the stem raiser should do the
job. The Stem raiser is sold by both Halfords and Edinburgh Bicycle
Cooperative as well as other shops. One brand is made by "ZOOM".

Another alternative for a quill stem is to get the quill-ahead converter -
basically a quill stem that is just a vertical post. You can set it at the
maximum and then put an ahead stem on at the top sans spacers (which are not
needed).

Tony

--
"If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything."
Mark Twain

Tony Raven wrote:
iarocu wrote:
Handlebar height is always a problem. For the older
quill type stems you can buy longers stems to get enough height. For
Ahead type stems you can get a device that clamps on top of the stem
raising the bars by about 2 inches. If thats not enough using an
adjustable A head stem combined with the stem raiser should do the
job. The Stem raiser is sold by both Halfords and Edinburgh Bicycle
Cooperative as well as other shops. One brand is made by "ZOOM".

That won't be necessary if a stem with sufficient rise can be found - and
there are a few with very steep angles if needed.

Another alternative for a quill stem is to get the quill-ahead
converter - basically a quill stem that is just a vertical post. You
can set it at the maximum and then put an ahead stem on at the top
sans spacers (which are not needed).

I agree that is a good solution because it's easier to find good quality
ahead stems with the necessary angle (the adaptor shafts aren't very long,
btw) and with 25.8/26.0 bar clamp. Most quills are 73 degrees with quite
short shafts and most don't have front opening clamps either.

~PB

On Tue, 16 Sep 2003 02:25:52 GMT, "elyob"
wrote:


"Mark Blewett" wrote in message
.. .
snip
From my requirements, Im looking at racer / touring bikes.. however
being on the slightly tall side at 6'5".. I'd appreciate any advice.
What concerns me is the reach from saddle to the handlebars... esp
since I have had back problems. Any other tall cyclists out there who
care to share some information?

Price wise... I'm looking at around £350-£400..

snip

My first thought is that buying oversized equipment is always more
expensive.

Certainly seems more expensive than the last bike I had 20 years ago!
Spent ~£80 for a secondhand bike, alloy frame with centre pull
brakes.. replaced the bearings etc, re-built, re-spayed the frame by
hand.. didn't look expensive, but reliable and a good ride...
certainly better than the average racer at the time. Then bought a
Dawes (can't remember the cost) when I was at 6th form... nicked
within the first 6 months (.. and the last time I cycled

If I was looking at £400 all-in (locks, lights etc), then I'd consider
second hand.
You won't get the locks thrown in, as decent ones are kept, likewise lights.
So, with cheap locks and lights, you're down to £350.

Thanks, that was the approximate costs for the extras I was thinking.
Are mud guards normally included... most of the pics I see on sites
seem to be missing them?

You'll have to get a cover for the bike at night. It'll rust to bits
outside. Take another tenner or so off for that.

.... and a damp seat too )

At £340 and 6ft 5" you'll need to make sure the frame size is correct. A
visit to your LBS is the best bet here to get an opinion.

LBS? Local Bike Store?

Hope you find something, but I think it's optimistic to find something
comfortable and reliable. Put another hundred into the kitty, and look
through the second hand market?

That is a possibility... I think I'd happy to buy secondhand, and
rebuild. Where's the best place to look?

No experience in road bikes myself, but the
prices in the shop today were around £1100 for a decent model. I didn't even
check the prices on the expensive ones. Very light though, and I want one.

So do I, but it's out my price range... for the time being at least
until I get hooked!

Regards
Mark

On Tue, 16 Sep 2003 03:08:41 +0100, "Pete Biggs"
wrote:

Mark Blewett wrote:
From my requirements, Im looking at racer / touring bikes.. however
being on the slightly tall side at 6'5".. I'd appreciate any advice.
What concerns me is the reach from saddle to the handlebars... esp
since I have had back problems.

Depends what riding position you prefer and what your proportions are
(back vs legs, etc).

From my experience of gliding, "short" (relative!) legs but a long
body... I'm not looking for an areo-dynamic position.. but also I'd
like a bicycle which doesn't put too much stress on my back because
it's the wrong size.

If may be impossible to find an off-the-peg bike
with a long enough top tube if you want a serious flat-backed racing
position, but you might be just about ok with the largest sizes if happier
a bit more upright that that; more likely still with a typical touring
position.

I'm not looking to break the sound barrier... a comfortable position
would be good. From my searching (for example
http://www.habcycles.com/road.html), the standover height should not
be a problem.... floor to crouch being ~89cm", so a 62 or 64cm frame.
What concerns me its the top-tube length at 59.5cm.. doing some
measurements... sounds very small... given ~65cm from chair to mid
shoulder, and 70cm from mid shoulder to palm... whatever.... it's
going to be a very upright position!!

Longer stems (with more horizontal extension) can be used but there's
a limit to what's available and how far you can go before handling becomes
horrible: 130 to 140mm, I find.

130-140mm in the hortizontal direction (relative to the head stem
angle?). Sounds a lot.. I take it takes awhile to get used to it?

A seatpost with more layback than average might help. A longer one
may be required as well.

Sorry... I'm not up with the terms... Layback?

A good dealer will swap post and stem free of charge if they're keen
on your business.

I hope so!

Even at 6' 2", I find head tube height - therefore handlebar height - is a
problem. However, a riser stem can get the bars high enough, and you
should ask for forks with a full-length uncut steerer if the bike uses the
threadless system.

I never considers the handlebar height being a problem (having not
tried any for size yet).. so thats for the heads up.

Thanks
Mark