Tall Riders First HardTail

joelpalmer89

Hi All,

First ever post on here as i've been racking my brain trying to make my mind up on what first Mountain bike to go for; so decided to come to the fountain of knowledge. Im 6 foot 6 and about 16 stone which is where some of the confusion is coming from. Riding will be on road to dirt trails with very small jumps. Budget is about £1k, hardtail, I'd like a droper post and have seen the below 4 which thought might be a good fit, but i am open to any suggestions?

https://www.evanscycles.com/norco-fluid-2-ht-2020-mountain-bike-EV363972
https://www.wiggle.co.uk/vitus-sentier-29-vr-bike-sx-eagle-1x12-2020/
https://www.wiggle.co.uk/ragley-big-al-hardtail-bike-2020/
https://www.wiggle.co.uk/gt-zaskar-lt-al-elite-hardtail-bike-2021/

Going to buy it on the cycle to work scheme so needs to be from a retailer that accepts this.

Any advice or input will be extremely grateful

Thank you in advance all

Joel

JBA

Ragley Big Al followed by Vitus Sentier. However, neither are showing as in stock in XL, which is what you would probably need.

steve_sordy

Ragley Marley 2.0 for just under a grand, add a Brand-X Ascend II dropper for £100 and away you go!

http://ragleybikes.com/products/marley-2-0-complete-bike-2020/

They do an XL, but you may need an XXL

rwoofer

I'm same height as you and ride a Bizango 22inch bike. The bizango is a test winner at £650 and at your budget you can get the Bizango Carbon that solves the minor issues with the cheaper one and you get a decent groupset/fork upgrade as well.

joelpalmer89

rwoofer said:

I'm same height as you and ride a Bizango 22inch bike. The bizango is a test winner at £650 and at your budget you can get the Bizango Carbon that solves the minor issues with the cheaper one and you get a decent groupset/fork upgrade as well.

I did read a lot of positive reviews about the bizango and that was my first initial choice, however didnt know if for the extra few hundred pounds would give me better specs?

joelpalmer89

steve_sordy said:

Ragley Marley 2.0 for just under a grand, add a Brand-X Ascend II dropper for £100 and away you go!

http://ragleybikes.com/products/marley-2-0-complete-bike-2020/

They do an XL, but you may need an XXL

Do they do a XXL version of this model? i thought as this wasnt a 29" it would be slightly smaller again?

steve_sordy

joelpalmer89 said:

steve_sordy said:

Ragley Marley 2.0 for just under a grand, add a Brand-X Ascend II dropper for £100 and away you go!

http://ragleybikes.com/products/marley-2-0-complete-bike-2020/

They do an XL, but you may need an XXL

Do they do a XXL version of this model? i thought as this wasnt a 29" it would be slightly smaller again?

I don't know whether they do an XXL or not. Wheel size should not influence bike size (apart from trying to squeeze 29ers into an XS frame!!). The industry used to make 26ers to fit you!

joelpalmer89

steve_sordy said:

joelpalmer89 said:

steve_sordy said:

Ragley Marley 2.0 for just under a grand, add a Brand-X Ascend II dropper for £100 and away you go!

http://ragleybikes.com/products/marley-2-0-complete-bike-2020/

They do an XL, but you may need an XXL

Do they do a XXL version of this model? i thought as this wasnt a 29" it would be slightly smaller again?

I don't know whether they do an XXL or not. Wheel size should not influence bike size (apart from trying to squeeze 29ers into an XS frame!!). The industry used to make 26ers to fit you!

So do you think i will be ok with a 27" on a Xl frame?

steve_sordy

For two bikes that are the same size, intended for the same purpose, there is no reason why wheel size should make a difference. I can clearly accept that bigger bikes look better with bigger wheels and of course it is impossible for bikes below a certain size to have a larger wheel. When the biggest mtb wheel was 26", the industry provided bike for everybody, even guys as tall as you Joel.

If a designer made a bike to be sold in two different wheel-sizes (it has been done), then there would be some small differences. The BB drop would be slightly bigger on the 29er and the chain stays would be slightly longer. But the reach, stack, head angle and seat angle would all be the same.

I cannot answer your question Joel, as I don't know whether you will fit an XL even if it was a 29er, if it does then the 27.5 should fit as well.
How can you tell without sitting on one? If you have an mtb that does fit, then compare the geometry with the one you are considering. In particular look at the reach and stack dimensions.

This article from Bike Radar should prove very helpful to you.

https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/sizing-and-fit/mountain-bike-sizing-what-size-bike-do-i-need/

If in doubt about whether generally, an XL will fit, I can think of no better way than to go sit on and preferably ride as many XLs as you can, whoever makes them. If you always feel constricted, then the answer is you need an XXL. Or maybe you can make the best of it with a longer stem, wider bars, a layback seatpost, longer cranks? all of those are legitimate methods to improve bike fit.

Be aware that not all bikes are the same. I am a size Large in bikes. I have come across L bikes that were too short (reach), but the XL was too tall (stack). Ditto with other bikes where the M size was the right reach, but the stack was too short. Go to an L and the stack is OK, but the reach is too long.

Don't try comparing your drop handled road racer road bike with mtb, the functions are too far apart.

joelpalmer89

steve_sordy said:

For two bikes that are the same size, intended for the same purpose, there is no reason why wheel size should make a difference. I can clearly accept that bigger bikes look better with bigger wheels and of course it is impossible for bikes below a certain size to have a larger wheel. When the biggest mtb wheel was 26", the industry provided bike for everybody, even guys as tall as you Joel.

If a designer made a bike to be sold in two different wheel-sizes (it has been done), then there would be some small differences. The BB drop would be slightly bigger on the 29er and the chain stays would be slightly longer. But the reach, stack, head angle and seat angle would all be the same.

I cannot answer your question Joel, as I don't know whether you will fit an XL even if it was a 29er, if it does then the 27.5 should fit as well.
How can you tell without sitting on one? If you have an mtb that does fit, then compare the geometry with the one you are considering. In particular look at the reach and stack dimensions.

This article from Bike Radar should prove very helpful to you.

https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/sizing-and-fit/mountain-bike-sizing-what-size-bike-do-i-need/

If in doubt about whether generally, an XL will fit, I can think of no better way than to go sit on and preferably ride as many XLs as you can, whoever makes them. If you always feel constricted, then the answer is you need an XXL. Or maybe you can make the best of it with a longer stem, wider bars, a layback seatpost, longer cranks? all of those are legitimate methods to improve bike fit.

Be aware that not all bikes are the same. I am a size Large in bikes. I have come across L bikes that were too short (reach), but the XL was too tall (stack). Ditto with other bikes where the M size was the right reach, but the stack was too short. Go to an L and the stack is OK, but the reach is too long.

Don't try comparing your drop handled road racer road bike with mtb, the functions are too far apart.

You're a star thank you for your advice Steve, really appreciate it

Joel