Bikes for Tall Cyclists: Road, Gravel, Touring, Commuter In XXL XXXL 62, 63, 64cm+

85 comments

1. I am 194 cm. I am riding the Norco Threshold A3 in size 60. Works for me!
   Reach 393 / Stack 624.

   http://www.norco.com/bikes/road/cyclocross/threshold-alloy/threshold-a3/

2. Hey, I know you said no custom, but check this out: http://www.dirtysixer.com
   When you’re tall you need bigger wheels!

3. I’m 198 CM, got a fitted and currently ride a 61 CM ALL Cities Space Horse that fits like a glove

4. I didn’t see http://www.maxx.de in your list. Roadmaxx Randonneur and Crossmaxx look large enough for me.

5. Thanks!

6. I am 204cm and I have a custom frame from Burls… it’s a stunning frame in Titanium and only cost me £995. I then hit ebay for ALL the other stuff and managed to build a great quality made to measure Ti frame road bike with mid range parts for less than £1600.

7. Very reasonable pricing for a custom titanium frame!

8. You don’t perhaps have a list mtb 29″ carbon in xxl

9. Good idea! But that said, riding a slightly small mountain bike with a long stem seems to work for most riders under 6’8. After that, you should probably go custom.

10. I’m 6’10”, 280 lbs. For a solid commuter bike that’s relatively inexpensive, I recommend the Trek 7._ FX series in 25″ size. They don’t post reach/stack geometry on their site, but I went to one of their dealers and it fits me. I owned its predecessor the 7200, and the components held up relatively well for about three years in a subtropical climate. They start at about $500, and after everything I’ve read and researched online, nothing comes close for an XXL sized bike at this price. That said, if anybody knows of a competitive make/model, I’d appreciate your input.

11. Hi Rob. Thanks for the comment, and glad you’re happy on Treks! Interestingly, the 25″ Trek FX isn’t all that big compared to some of the bikes we’ve got here. I’ve calculated it at 394mm reach, 645mm stack, and with a flat handlebar that’s quite short! If you’re after something bigger (at your height, you’d be more at home on something bigger), I’d suggest checking out the ‘flat bar’ touring bikes in this list: https://www.cyclingabout.com/list-of-xxl-touring-bikes-for-tall-cyclists/ Alee

12. I’m 203cm, 6’8 225lbs, I was wondering if you had a short list of manufacturers with decent sized frames for MTB. Can’t really do custom as it’s too expensive but don’t want to feel like I’m riding a kids bike either. Trying to find a happy medium. Thanks

13. Ad, I haven’t put together anything, but someone forwarded me this list recently which covers MTBs: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ByMVDtz6T8EawBQh1gcRDPqN8oJC3tCy-kdNzjuRI8M/edit#gid=0

14. Ad,

    I’m 6’8″ myself and about 245 lbs, fairly well proportioned with regards to arms, legs and torso. Also, I live in the US so all the fancy Euro makers don’t really work when considering the $1000 or more for shipping on top of the bike itself. I don’t know what sort of price point you’re looking at but I’ve had good luck with Specialized. If you just want a basic, solid hardtail you can’t go wrong with any of the Rockhopper 29ers which come in an XXL frame size, plenty big for me. If you’re wanting more of a trail bike the Stumpjumper FSR 29 comes in XXL frames, assuming you’re OK with aluminum. To me these bikes fit perfectly without having to resort to a lesser know mail order or import brand.

    Jonas

15. @6’7″ I have the 7.3 with some mods including the longest stem available in my local bike shop. I recently started looking for a new road bike and rented the trek 1.2 (62cm) a couple times and really enjoyed it. Guessing the 64cm will be perfect fit. The Rockhopper was also suggested as an option for cruising the bike paths. Question, any idea what “remove the 16 trick” is referring to ? see comments: http://wheelworld.com/product/giant-defy-5-237293-1.htm

16. I presume the cassette body on the stock wheels isn’t designed for the 11-speed cassette upgrade that the reviewer has made. To make it fit they must’ve removed the 16t cog from the new cassette to make it narrower.

17. I found another:
    http://www.pelagobicycles.com/bicycles/stavanger.html?___store=en&___from_store=default

    Their size 67 is really high. ‘Stand-over’ is 913 mm. I briefly tested one in the shop and it looked even higher. Unfortunately they don’t give reach & stack. I’ll try to ask.

18. I’ve sketched up the Pelago Stavanger and think the Stack is 708mm and the Reach between 420-430mm. That’s one tall front end! I’ll need more geometry details to get something more accurate, so let me know how you go. Thanks for your input.

19. Hi Alee,
    Great list. I was looking for something that is either road with the ability to attach bags on the back or a touring bike under 1k US. I’m 6’6″ or 198cm. Any suggestions?
    Justin

20. Justin,

    I’d recommend picking a bike for your riding purposes first. Are you after a heavy duty commuter, something you can tour with or a bike that will mostly be a road bike? If it’s the latter, you can actually fit racks to road bikes provided your load is under 18kg. Check out the Axiom Roadrunner DLX or Tubus Fly racks for that purpose.

    Otherwise, a light touring bike will be heavier duty, with the ability to run wide tyres. And a touring bike heavier again with all of the loaded-bike features. Check out:

    Light Touring and CX Bikes: The Giant Revolt 3, Trek CrossRip Elite, Kona Jake and Cannondale CAADX Tiagra will get close and should be big enough in the largest sizes.

    Touring Bikes: Fuji Touring, Jamis Aurora and KHS TR101 could fit the bill.

    Alee

21. I’m 6’7” tall, my Cycling Inseam is 39” 4/8 in a triathlon shoes (38” 2/8 bare feet). Any recommendations? Any revommendation will be greatly appreciated! Thank you

22. You’re likely going to need to be shopping near the top of this list. My recommendation to you would be to get sized up at a bike shop. Flexibility, core strength and other body proportions will need to be taken into account in order to get the best bike for you. Here’s a bit more on bike fit: https://www.cyclingabout.com/understanding-bike-fit/

23. Sitting here, enjoying the list but with 8 broken ribs, a smashed clavicle and a punctured lung after a car decided to to a U turn in front of me. Going to treat myself to something quite special when I start riding again in a few months. Want a hybrid bike to commute with. Half my journey is gravel, half road. I’m 6 foot 5 (short compared to most here I know) and 230lbs. Was looking at the Specialized Sirrus Expert as I love my basic Sirrus (which is now somewhat unrideable). Any ideas?

24. What is the cheapest bike here for a 203.2 cm rider?

25. I know everyone posting here is a man, but I’m at a loss. I’m 6’1″ with a 38″ inseam (very leggy, especially compared to similarly tall men). Anyone know what I should look for in a commuter bike?

26. Hi Lisa. You’re going to want a bike with a long seat tube, and a long head tube. Those bikes will have a tall “stack” measurement. Simply head into your local bike shop and test a few bikes in one of the top two sizes! Alee

27. Are you looking for a road, endurance road or cyclocross bike?

28. If you liked your Sirrus, I’d stick with one of those! Great commuting bikes. 🙂

29. I don’t have a preference. However, I’m reading endurance road bikes are easier on the back, which is a problem I have now with my current bike.

30. The biggest, cheapest endurance bike I can think of is the Fuji Sportif 2.7. It’s just US $445 and has a stack of 641mm and reach of 402mm. http://www.fujibikes.com/bike/details/sportif-27#bk_desc_tab

31. Thank you! There’s a dealer for that brand in my area too.

    And thanks for making this list too.

32. Thanks & I’m seriously considering the carbon fibre model.

33. I am 6’6…255. Looking for a straight bar bike that I can use mostly for for road and cement trails…not much off roading in my future. Want something with speed and toughness….Any suggestions?

34. You’ll be fine on any of the largest size “flat bar road bikes”. The Specialized Sirrus, Trek FX and Giant Cross City bikes are some of the more popular models to look for.

35. Hartje, a German manufacturer, makes a bicycle with a 670 mm stack:
    http://www.hartje-fahrrad.de/modell/livorno/

36. Hi, thanks for the list. I am 6’7″, 230 lbs, 36″ inseam, height mostly in my legs and have long arms as well. Looking for a solid comfortable bike for long touring (multiple weeks/months). I’m intrigued by the KHS Flite 747 in 3XL but I’m wondering if that’s overkill. Do you know if I need to go that far or if I could get away with something either easier to find (e.g., Trek 520, Surly LHT, Cannondale Touring), or more affordable (e.g., Fuji Sportif). Thoughts? Thanks,

37. Hi Scott. With those dimensions, you should be fine on any XXL sized touring bike with perhaps a longer stem. I have a book with a sizing comparison of 100+ touring bikes coming soon! Alee

38. Thanks Alee! That is helpful, the 3XL Flite is hard to find, expensive, and heavy. Do you have any touring bikes you’d recommend for me? Don’t want to break the bank but want to be comfortable doing multi-month trips.

39. I am 6’10”, 275lbs. Finding a bike was hard, but I found one! Now I just need a little help from my friends https://www.gofundme.com/giantbike

40. Hi John. If you don’t get funded, here’s a cheaper option for you @ $3499: https://dirtysixer.com/

41. I thought about about that bike, but it doesn’t have any suspension. I’m looking for a mountain bike that can handle rocks and uneven terrain.

42. Hi, I asked the official numbers for Pelago Stavanger 67 and Pelago Sibbo 65. The figures are:

    Stavanger 67
    Stack: 696
    Reach: 384

    Sibbo 65
    Stack: 664
    Reach: 402

    They promised to update the figures to their webpage also.

43. That’s awesome – thanks so much for getting them.

44. I’ve got a 99 cm inseam and ride a Marinoni 65cm .But it’s harder to get a Fat bike with the proper fit . Here my Rocky Mtn Blizzard ( xl ) with a seat post extention . Note that all my bike are fit with trial stem , in the +35 deg raise and 160cm long + varieties .

45. Is there any update to this list since it was published in 2014? In particular, I’m curious about Storck’s Aernario Disc G1 in the 63cm. Moving from a Madone 5.2 in a 64cm seems “doable”, but I’m struggling with commitment.

46. I update this list when I can. You can expect the Storck to be about 15mm longer in the top tube, and about 10mm lower than your Madone. Those dimensions can easily be made up with a headset spacer and a slightly shorter stem.

47. i m 6.8 (203c,). Looking for fixgeared bike, any suggestions?

48. The Surly Steamroller (421/618) is one of the best fixies for tall folk, as it is long, but also has a tall front end.

49. The Specialized Rockhopper is the most generously sized bike I’ve found. https://www.specialized.com/gb/gb/bikes/mountain/trail/rockhopper-comp-29/115498

50. A Specialized Rockhopper has the longest top tube I’ve found: https://www.specialized.com/gb/gb/bikes/mountain/trail/rockhopper-comp-29/115498

51. For a mountain bike, the Specialized Rockhopper is tall (464/672), but it isn’t necessarily long. In comparison, a bike like the 2017 Salsa Timberjack is almost 30mm longer in reach (492/625).

52. have a look at lapierre line. they have xxl bikes in their range.

53. I just wondering why you did not calculate stack divided by reach as that number gives a relative bike geometry, and then sort bikes according to that number?

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55. Thank Alee for great job! Any update availaible? 🙂 Thanks! Manu

56. I DON’T UNDERSTAND! First of all, when I want a bicycle… It has to be around a extended wheelbase. This make’s the bike performance safe to ride. Try a 42″inch top bar, and a 36″inch chainstay. I like to have the seat post at 15.5″inche’s, however strength and performance would makeba dynamic development of the seatpost at 17.5″inche’s. Now for wheel’s; I susggest that everyone should use a standard measurement of inche’s instead of foriegn milimeter’s. Another note to reccomend is that bicycle’s are sold and retail marketed by the size of the rim, not by ghe size of the tire. I don’t see any bicycle anywhere being sold as advertised. One more note. TIRE’S! A bicycle has to have goid tire’s. Nothing with a steel bead, just nylon belted tire’s with a good rubber compound. Now, try setting the size of the tire’s at 42″inch + and use some wide axle’s to accomodate the tire’s.

57. I am 199cm and 110kg. I have had a Jamis Satellite for a number of years. It’s a good 2hr/day commuting bike.
    I am hard on my back rim, I warp them a lot to the point I bought a rim mount to straighten it myself. Any advice on keeping my rims true?
    I did get the highest quality spokes I could. Maybe a specific rim?

58. David butters

59. Hi there I’m 6’10, 208cm and 144kg. I have a specialized allez with a flat bar, has served me really well for a daily commute for over 5 years now. I would love to hear from anyone about bike cleats in large sizes. I’m a US18 EUR53 and can’t find any anywhere

60. I’m not sure of any EU53 cycling shoes. Both Shimano and Sidi make shoes up to size 52, however. If you think it’s worth a crack, check out the Shimano RO88 (road), Sidi Genius 7 Wide (road) and Shimano MO89 (MTB).

61. Thanks alee. It’s quite hard to find stock of these In Australia so may have to ship a couple over to see the fit. Thanks for help, love the list

62. Hey David. I am 7’1.. Would you be able to send a photo of yourself on the specialized allez (assume XXL)?

63. I saw some pairs in Cycles Galleria Richmond (Melbourne) recently. Give them a call!

64. Thanks alee I went out to Richmond but they’re running really small! Reckon I need a full size larger….shop assistant was gutted for me

65. Yeah, that’s going to be hard. Let me know when you come up with a solution.

66. iam 213cm and aim riding a german maxx bike.

67. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/25e2186090190e6cdf402cf3bcc2eb0fafffae07125964236b41997895ac6e60.jpg I am 6’4″ with a 37″ inseam and find the XL Specialized Fatboy (the aluminum model, not the carbon) fits me really well. The head tube is plenty long and the stack/reach feel just about perfect. Could be an option for you. Here’s a photo, pardon the dog leash strapped to the top tube.

68. Thank you so much for writing this article. As a moderately big guy (6’4″, 37″ inseam) it’s the first I’ve ever found that actually gives me the information I need. There’s far too many bike shops and manufacturers who try to fit tall people onto too small bikes and we end up suffering as a result.

69. Happy to help! I hope you can find something that fits well.

70. Great article !

    I’m 194cm 6’3 1/2″. 94 kilos 207 lbs. 36″ inseam.

    I’m looking to buy a flat bar racer in UK or Ireland, but from what I can see, most of the big brands only go to ~55cm frame (eg Giant)

    By my calculations I need a 62cm or 24 1/2″ frame.

    Appreciate any recommendations up to around the USD1,000 or Eur1,000 or GBP850 mark

71. Frames are all measured in different ways due to whether the frame is designed to be more ‘compact’ (like the 55cm Giant) or ‘traditional’ (bikes with horizontal top tubes). The virtual sizing between these models is often the same though. Stack/reach data is the best way to make a direct comparison but it’s rarely available for flatbar road bikes.

    Based on your height, you’ll likely be fine on whatever the biggest size is in most mainstream brands (eg. Trek, Specialized, Giant etc) but try to go for a test ride on some to see what you like best.

72. Thanks for quick reply. The biggest size on Giant (XL) appears to be 55cm, but the frame calculator says in need 62? Do you think this would work ?

73. 55cm is simply the way the frame is measured, it really has no bearing on size. The Giant Cross City in size XL has a stack and reach of 423/612. For comparison, the biggest Trek equivalent (25″) is 394/650, so it’s shorter but taller.

    You’ll ideally want to test ride the bike to know that it’s comfortable. But you can rest assured that an XL Giant is quite large.

74. I’m 198cm and 280 lbs… any suggestion for a urban commuter bike to be used in the nation’s capital? I was first pointed towards a Redux 1 XL by the guys at the local bike shop, but they were concerned it was just a tick too small. Their next idea was a Surly Cross Check (64cm). Any thoughts on either or advice for something else? Thank you

75. Sorry, did not clarify – the nation being the States. I live in the Washington, D.C. area. Thanks again

76. It really depends how you want to sit on the bike. You’ll be able to fit on both, but the shorter Redux with a flat handlebar will have in a more upright position, while the Crosscheck 64cm will have you stretched out in a more ‘road bike’ positioning. I’m the same height and one of my mountain bikes has similar dimensions to the Redux.

77. I’m 198 cm and just bought a Wiliers-Triestina Jareen. It’s an aluminum gravel grinder and is an XXL. I had to go with a shorter stem because it comes with a 120 mm. A real boat tiller. I love this bike with its neutral handling, stiff bottom bracket, and smooth ride.

78. love the work you put into this. is there an updated list floating around anywhere?

79. Guys, I recommend the ROSE brand of bikes, I’ve had 2x 63cm road bikes, top quality frames and components. They only sell via the internet (as do Canyon) but for me in Singapore knocking off the German VAT, pays for the shipping and local VAT so I get a top bike at European prices avoiding local price mark ups. I’m 6’7″ (202), a nimble 250lbs…. and the 63cm frame fits perfectly. For example:
    https://www.rosebikes.com/bike/rose-xeon-rs-4400-819638/aid:819711?bikevariantchanged=819747#3H-FP1d7-FP1d8-FP1dB-FP1dC-FP1dI-FP1dJ-FP1dK-FP1dL-FP1dM-FP1dN-FP1dP-FP1dR-FP1dS-FP1dT-FP1dU-FP1dV-Fd7pF-Fd7pG-Fgpk8-FgpkA-GBA89-GBwPL-H3xTc-H3xTd

    The KHS 747 has intrigued me for some time but the Rose works fine to be honest.

80. Luke, looks like a really nice bike, however they want $375 just to ship it to the US.

81. Hey Bruce, the US is a super competitive price market so I doubt the price would work there but in places where taxes are high or there is limited and expensive choices it works well. As I said, the VAT discount offsets the transport charge… Good luck with your search!

82. Excellent resource! Thanks! Is there a list, even just the top 5 for velodrome track bikes for tall people? (198 cm, usually ride a 62cm roadie, which is even a bit tight).

83. I haven’t put anything together, but look to the manufacturers that offer big road/cx/gravel bikes. If they offer a track bike, it will likely also be large. Keep note of the ‘stack’ data. Track bikes, on paper, look especially long; that’s because they have short head tubes. You’ll want something with a tall-ish stack (a bit shorter than a road bike), but also a long reach. Goodluck with your hunt.

84. I’m 6’7″ or a bit over 201 cm, not all that serious about biking these days- but in the 1980’s did a few triathalons – my 1986 cro-moly frame bike is a 27″ frame, Ralieigh Team USA model (about $700 back then, (with a machine shop seat post extension), my around the block bike now is a Fuji- fat tire bike, with extra tall seat post). Better way to think about bike sizing especially with the newer frame designs -Reach and Stack -I like it. (my Taiwan bike was a KSH or something like that and I think it was a 65cm frame/ sold it in 93 when I moved back to the states). Finding cars I can fit in and drive is more of a topic for me now

85. I got a Fuji hard tail hard nose for under $200 on sale once and added a long seat post -I think the normal price is about $400 / 1.6″ wheels fat tire (I’m 6’7″ a bit over 201 cm)

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