# Folks over 6 foot, what size do you ride?



## unsuspended (Dec 17, 2005)

Now there are obviously differences in frame size/geometry between different manufacturers and bike models so we don't really need to discuss that. I just want to hear what size bike people in the 6'0" to 6'2" range range ride. 18",19",20",21", or larger? 26in wheel only please.
While you're at it let me know how you feel on the bike. Too big, too small, just right?


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## meloh1 (Jan 13, 2004)

unsuspended said:


> Now there are obviously differences in frame size/geometry between different manufacturers and bike models so we don't really need to discuss that. I just want to hear what size bike people in the 6'0" to 6'2" range range ride. 18",19",20",21", or larger? 26in wheel only please.
> While you're at it let me know how you feel on the bike. Too big, too small, just right?


There's no answer to this question. One manufacturers 18" is anothers 20" with very similar geometry. Personally, I ignore the stated size and look at the geometry. I know what fits me, particularly top tube, and pick the size that has the appropriate geometry. To me that's the only way you CAN do it when comparing bikes from different manufacturers.

I'm 6'2" with normal proportions (maybe slightly longer arms). Bikes that fit me best have top tubes in the 600-610mm range with normal 425mm chainstays and 71/73 head and seat tube angles (give or take a half degree or so) and head tubes around 130-140mm. However that changes if you're going with Fishers genesis sizing (longer TT and shorter stays, different angles). YMMV based on how upright or stretched out you like to be and how you balance out on the bike. How long the seat tube is or how the manufacturer measures the tube is something I pretty much ignore as long as it's possible to use a post that has enough left in the seat tube to be safe.

All 6'2" people are not created equal. Some have longer arms or shorter legs or longer torsos. You get the picture. Stem length and rise come into play, too, as well as seatpost setback. Lots to consider.


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## unsuspended (Dec 17, 2005)

Yeah I"m pretty much all legs and arms. There is a torso in there somewhere, but not much of one. Geometry is crucial and I do plan on tinkering with post/stem combo's till I get it right.


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## BigSharks (Oct 4, 2009)

6'1 (give or take) w/long limbs, I ride a Sonix in 18.


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## nachomc (Apr 26, 2006)

26" wheels

The seat tube on my 26" wheel Epic is a hair under 21". The seat tube on my 29'er is 20". I'm 6'3 and wear a 34" pant inseam.


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## jeffw-13 (Apr 30, 2008)

I'm 6' 2" & usually find a top tube in the 24.5" range suits me best.


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## Noobi-Wan Kenobi (Dec 24, 2007)

I'm 6' 2" with 34" pant inseam. ETT on all of my bikes is between 24.5" and 25". Two 26ers and one 29er.


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## Big L in NYC (Oct 5, 2009)

I'm 6' 1" and ride a 21" '01 Spec Rockhopper. 
According to conventional wisdom it's the 'right' size for me. But it's always felt too big. Meaning too stretched out (~23.5" TT) and not enough standover height (around 31"). So for my next bike I'm looking at something with a 22.5" TT and, at least, 29.5" of SO height. So I'll probably end up with a 19" or even 18" bike.


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## Soya (Jun 22, 2007)

6'4", ride a large 575. Wish I could find a XL, feels a bit small to me, even with a larger than normal stem. ETT is 24.4 I think.


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## scottzg (Sep 27, 2006)

6'3, long arms and legs, and i ride XL whenever i can. Currently on a 24.5" ett and 80mm stem, with the seat slammed all the way back on the setback post. 

I really like long cranks and wide bars, too.

try a 10-20mm shorter stem, big L. A little goes a long way, and i would have to be stuck on something so short.


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## trailtrash (Jun 25, 2009)

6' 1" I ride a kona kikapu 22"
feels real good


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## dl1030 (Sep 3, 2009)

wow, some of you guys a ride bigger bike than me. 6'5". Ride Trek ex8 21.5", standover is 31.5". My last trek was also a 21.5". Have rode a 24" trek and that felt big (friend is 6'10"). A quick test ride around the parking lot on a 19.5" resulted in a sore knee from banging it on the stem.


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## meloh1 (Jan 13, 2004)

The 21.5 EX 8 is their XL model with a 645mm (25.4") eff TT. That's bigger than anything mentioned here.


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## trailtrash (Jun 25, 2009)

dl1030 said:


> wow, some of you guys a ride bigger bike than me. 6'5". Ride Trek ex8 21.5", standover is 31.5". My last trek was also a 21.5". Have rode a 24" trek and that felt big (friend is 6'10"). A quick test ride around the parking lot on a 19.5" resulted in a sore knee from banging it on the stem.


As was mentioned earlier by meloh1 ,one manufacturers geometry is different from the next.My wife was borrowing a friends santa cruz heckler 17" and loved it and ended up buying a 19" kona 120.Everybody said it would be to big for her.
when you put the two bikes side by side they are virtualy the same.She loves the feel of the bike.


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## Soya (Jun 22, 2007)

dl1030 said:


> wow, some of you guys a ride bigger bike than me. 6'5". Ride Trek ex8 21.5", standover is 31.5". My last trek was also a 21.5". Have rode a 24" trek and that felt big (friend is 6'10"). A quick test ride around the parking lot on a 19.5" resulted in a sore knee from banging it on the stem.


Well I also ride a 19.5" EX6.


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## clarkenstein (Mar 8, 2006)

6'4 and i ride an XL frame size - 26" or 29" wheel. different bikes obviously have different fits, but i always end up on an XL frame.


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## sru (Sep 26, 2005)

6'2" here. Long torso, short legs.

I ride a 19" (L) Marin Rift Zone. It took me more than a year to zone in on the sweet spot. 3handlebar/stem combos, lots of fiddling with seat setback/height etc also.

One word of advice I can give to fellow long torso'd people is to buy a bike with a higher than average front end. Tall riders put alot more weight on the front end. Bikes with a lower front end just compounds the problem, as I have experienced. 

With the right riser bar, my bike now feels perfectly balanced, and fits like an old ball glove.


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## dirtrider7 (Oct 24, 2009)

sru said:


> 6'2" here. Long torso, short legs.
> 
> I ride a 19" (L) Marin Rift Zone. It took me more than a year to zone in on the sweet spot. 3handlebar/stem combos, lots of fiddling with seat setback/height etc also.
> 
> ...


6'1" and opposite build here. Long legs...35" cycling inseam and long arms so that means pretty average torso length. I ride a new 19.5" Large Trek 6000. I am relatively new to mountain biking having been a dedicated roadie for years. My bars are set up about level with the saddle. I am riding a pretty long stem at 130mm but my bars are rotated rearward to angle them down a bit. I don't think you can dial your cockpit in without incessant adjustments and I am in that mode right now. I am not there yet. I just can't really embrace a low back sweep handlebar common to mountain bikes. Higher back sweep affects cockpit reach so I am searching right now for the sweet spot. Sta and setback also matters for CG as well. As to bike size, I believe I am right at the sweet spot for fit although my stem length would suggest I am close to needing the next size up bike. This maybe my roadie background...perhaps I should be riding a shorter stem and embracing a more upright riding position. For me be it road bike or now mtb, fit is a work in progress.
OP....seems as though independent of proportions, the cut off for a 21" XL frame size is about 6'3" and taller. The shop I tested at said without question, I am on the right size bike and now having ridden it for a couple of months, would have to agree. Further, I didn't need a custom seat post, still plenty of engagement with the stock seat post even with my longish legs.
Hope that helps....having just gone through the same process.


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## derby (Jan 12, 2004)

6'1 tall, 32" inseam here. Large size up to about 6 inch travel, Medium when over 6.5 inch travel.


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## AZ (Apr 14, 2009)

6'3" , 34 " inseam , ride a 22"


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## Psycho Mike (Apr 2, 2006)

6'. 34" inseam riding a 19" (lg) frame in "old school" (i.e. long top tube) Gary Fisher.


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## agabriel (Jul 3, 2007)

So I'm 6'2" and also have a 34" inseam - or at least my pants do...

Anyway:
Yeti 575 - 19" L
Kona Cinder Kone - 20"
GT's Peace 9r - M; its a huge bike...


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## FoShizzle (Jan 18, 2004)

its MTBing...not road biking where sizing is more sensitive. I am about 6'2"-ish, 34.5" inseam and ALWAYS ride a Large, not XL which i certainly could ride. I simply prefer the general 19/19.5 sizing for my riding, period. 

In summary, dont loook for advice here...my guess is that most will tell you XL, as they do me, but its subjective, end of story. Some people are unambiguously an XL but I am on the grey area so i default to the smaller of the two


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## Big L in NYC (Oct 5, 2009)

FoShizzle said:


> In summary, dont loook for advice here...my guess is that most will tell you XL, as they do me, but its subjective, end of story. Some people are unambiguously an XL but I am on the grey area so i default to the smaller of the two


+1
Like I said, by the book, my bike is the right size. But after riding it for around 7 years I KNOW it's too big for MY style of riding. 
I've ridden smaller bikes and they've always felt better. 
Plus, it's MUCH easier to control a smaller bike. Easier to hop, easier to jump, easier to wheelie/manual, easier everything. 
So, ultimately, don't let some chart (or people on the internet) decide for you. Get what's right for YOU.


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## FoShizzle (Jan 18, 2004)

Big L in NYC said:


> +1
> Like I said, by the book, my bike is the right size. But after riding it for around 7 years I KNOW it's too big for MY style of riding.
> I've ridden smaller bikes and they've always felt better.
> Plus, it's MUCH easier to control a smaller bike. Easier to hop, easier to jump, easier to wheelie/manual, easier everything.
> So, ultimately, don't let some chart (or people on the internet) decide for you. Get what's right for YOU.


yep!


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## scottzg (Sep 27, 2006)

Big L in NYC said:


> +1
> Like I said, by the book, my bike is the right size. But after riding it for around 7 years I KNOW it's too big for MY style of riding.
> I've ridden smaller bikes and they've always felt better.
> Plus, it's MUCH easier to control a smaller bike. Easier to hop, easier to jump, easier to wheelie/manual, easier everything.
> So, ultimately, don't let some chart (or people on the internet) decide for you. Get what's right for YOU.


As i said, i bet your spec has a huge ass stem that makes it seem bigger than it is. That was the name of the game back in 2001. Try something 10-20mm shorter and i think you'll be pleasantly amazed. 23.5 is too short.

i'm amazed by all the tall people riding the little bikes. No wonder i have such a hard time finding something that fits correctly when there's 6'+ people riding around on mediums. No wonder tall people like 29'ers- they're forced into riding a size that fits properly. Absolutely bizarre. No offense intended, y'all.

Size is for the person, geometry is for the intended use.


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## Big L in NYC (Oct 5, 2009)

scottzg said:


> As i said, i bet your spec has a huge ass stem that makes it seem bigger than it is. That was the name of the game back in 2001. Try something 10-20mm shorter and i think you'll be pleasantly amazed. 23.5 is too short.
> 
> i'm amazed by all the tall people riding the little bikes. No wonder i have such a hard time finding something that fits correctly when there's 6'+ people riding around on mediums. No wonder tall people like 29'ers- they're forced into riding a size that fits properly. Absolutely bizarre. No offense intended, y'all.
> 
> Size is for the person, geometry is for the intended use.


A shorter stem would help with the 'stretched out' feeling but it'll do little to alleviate the *main* problem. And that's the standover height. I can't tell you how many times I've put a foot (or feet) down only to have my nuts resting, quite uncomfortably, on the top tube.
So I'll say it again: My bike is too big for *ME* and *MY* riding style.
But I guess if I put on a shorter stem and 20" wheels I'll be good to go...


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## Kwahe (Jul 10, 2009)

6-1 and a fairly long bike inseam. I fit exactly right on a 19" Misfit.


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## dirtrider7 (Oct 24, 2009)

For those technical cats that are focused on dialing in their fit here are my specs. I recently went back down in stem length back to stock config and am more comfortable.
Height: 6'1"
Leg length: 35.25" cycling inseam i.e. pb to ground
Bike: '09 Trek 6000
Size: L 19.5"
Top tube: horizontal (effective) 625mm (I need it with my long arms)
Bar: Bonty riser 6 deg backsweep (not enough backsweep for my taste)
Bar height: level with saddle
Stem length: 110mm, 6 deg rise
sta: 73 deg. Have seat pushed all the way back for KOPS for my long femurs.
Back angle: about 50 deg or so to vertical.
Standover: 4-5" which I appreciate.

The bike fits me perfectly. That said, as mentioned previously, I have low back sweep bars. I therefore have a Misfit Fubar handlebar on order which will likley increase my stem size to 130mm or so for the same net reach. This will be a lot more comfortable on my wrists and I look forward to this change.
Cheers.


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