# Good Euro brands for tall riders?



## HelmutHerr (Oct 5, 2012)

I'm thinking of picking up a new bike while my wife and I are in Europe next year, but don't know anything about Euro brands.

In particular, we'll be in Amsterdam for a few days, where I hope I can find a CX or 29er to fit my weird tall proportions, since the Dutch are quite tall on average.

Any advice or recommendations?


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## perttime (Aug 26, 2005)

It has always seemed to me that German brands, in general, tend to favor long legs. What sort of "weird" are your proportions?
If you are going to do local shopping, it is best just to try everything that they have.

Are you taking the bike(s) away from Europe? Better check what it costs to ship a bike, and what sort of taxes and Customs you might have to pay.


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## HelmutHerr (Oct 5, 2012)

Cheers.

I've got massively longs and a really short torso, 6" 5' all up. In the English-speaking world a custom frame is the only real option for a good fit, but I wonder if the tall Europeans have a different range of geometries. 

And yeah, getting it out of the country might be a nightmare.


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## HelmutHerr (Oct 5, 2012)

*6' 5"

Six and a half inches tall would definitely need a custom.


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## perttime (Aug 26, 2005)

You are tall enough that there are few stock bikes that will fit - and maybe even fewer if your proportions are unusual. Have you checked out Zinn Cycles ? He specializes in bikes for tall people and there's also a fit calculator there: Lennard Zinn bicycle fit calculator

As for European brands, here's a few off the top of my head: Cube, Canyon, Ghost, Radon, Lapierre, Focus. Write them into Google and add "bikes", to find their websites.


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## HelmutHerr (Oct 5, 2012)

A Zinn would probably be perfect, but being in Australia, the shipping would make it more economical to have a frame built locally. 

I was more wondering if Europe has a wider or different range of sizing that might provide stock frames in the right dimensions.


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## BoomShakkaLagga (Apr 18, 2008)

wanna go *bling*?

check out nicolai or liteville. Nicolai builds custom size frames and liteville comes as standard with "proportion" sizes, means e.g. chainstay will grow with the size. the only real alternative I saw was specialized endure or sj 29 and had the feeling sitting ON the rear axle when the seatpost is out. this makes climbing harder.

I am 6'6" and totally happy with my liteville 301 29" 160mm setup. it alternatively comes in 140mm

both brands above are a bit pricey and actually only sell frames, so that you have build a custom bike, but for our size it is pretty competitive to find a bike off the rack.


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