Best Bikes for Tall People (6’4+ Riders)

Being tall isn’t all it’s croaky up to be. The person that no one wants to stand overdue at the gig. Learning the skills of a contortionist to fold yourself into your ramjet seat. The trouble you have finding gown that don’t leave your midriff showing.

OK, in a game of problem top trumps, these aren’t necessarily going the worst things to experience, but when it comes to finding a bike, tall people can have it tough. Today, most bikes are offered in a select range of sizes and stuff 6ft 4” or whilom can quickly narrow lanugo the number of bikes which will fit you.

Your tragedian is 6ft 9”, so in his opinion, he’s well-versed in the subject of the weightier bikes for tall riders. In this guide, we’ll aim to impart some of the wisdom learnt over ten-plus years of searching, comparing and buying a bike for tall velocipede riders.

Best Velocipede for Very Tall Person: Top 5

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What Size Do Bikes Normally Go Up To?

Getting the right-sized velocipede is incredibly important for everyone, not just tall riders. The wrong-sized velocipede can at weightier ruin the enjoyment of a velocipede ride and at worst rationalization injuries that’ll put you off cycling for life.

In our experience, most run-of-the-mill bikes are misogynist in four or five frame sizes. XS, S, M, L and XL are the most popular increments. The research we gathered when putting together our vendible bicycle size by height, suggested that most XL frames were sized for riders between 6ft and 6ft 3” – unmistakably no good for us long of leg.

If you’re lucky, some bikes will be offered in an XXL size or occasionally plane larger than that. Top-end road and gravel bikes are usually sold in increasingly size increments (sometimes 8 or plane 9 variegated sizes) than hybrid or mountain bikes, so some are manufactured in sizes to suit tall people. If that’s the kind of velocipede you’re without you might be in luck!

Road and gravel bikes tend to be measured in centimetres, and if you are 6” 4ft’ and whilom you’ll need to squint for a velocipede that’s 62cm or above. Some mainstream manufacturers offer frames up to 64cm, 65cm or plane 66cm.

Bikes for Tall Riders

That said, just plumping for the XXL or 62cm frame size considering your 6ft 5” isn’t the wisest idea. This is considering velocipede frames are all sized differently. One might be listed as an XXL size but it might be smaller than flipside velocipede which is listed as an XL.

If you’re tall like me, two velocipede geometry figures will quickly wilt your weightier friend when you’re searching for a velocipede that will fit you. Stack and reach. At first glance, they might seem confusing, or the preserve of velocipede nerds the world over, but withstand with us here, this will help you find a velocipede to suit you.

Stack and reach is a universal sizing method which overcomes the differences between frame designs. It’s moreover helpful when comparing variegated velocipede types. Looking at a traditional road velocipede frame and a step-through hybrid velocipede side by side, it can be difficult to determine whether a velocipede will fit or not.

Effectively these two figures will tell you how tall (stack) and long (reach) the velocipede is. Stack is a measurement vertically upwards from the marrow subclass to the point at which it intersects with a horizontal line drawn from the top of the throne tube. That horizontal line measurement is the reach. Both figures are usually given in millimetres (mm) to be as well-judged as possible.

Stack is important if you’re tall considering it’s likely that your legs are long too. To find a well-appointed pedalling position a velocipede for a tall person must have the right loftiness between the pedals and saddle. It’s the same for reach. Tall velocipede riders tend to have long stovepipe and a well-appointed riding position shouldn’t be too stretched out or too hunched.

Whilst the reach is important, the stack is probably the increasingly important measurement of the two. Adjustments can be made to yo-yo a bike’s reach, but the stack tends to be the limiting factor when it comes to determining whether a velocipede will suit, or not.

As a rough guide, if you’re 6ft 4” and whilom you need a velocipede with a stack of at least 630mm. Get clicking on those frame geometry tables people and find out what is, and isn’t a velocipede for tall people!

Where to Find Bikes for Tall Riders

Here’s the unfortunate news for us tall riders, there isn’t much nomination out there! We searched two of our favourite online bike-buying websites for a road velocipede for tall people – in our typesetting that’s something in a size 62cm or XXL and above. We found that of the hundreds of bikes that each retailer had available, only 7% and 12% of those listed were misogynist in sizes to fit tall riders.

In our experience, this has as much to do with the trends of online retailing, as it does well-nigh the availability of bikes for taller riders. Retailers often like to stock the most popular sizes and won’t be keen on stuff left with bikes at each end of the size spectrum as the increasingly popular sizes sell out.

Being tall you’re probably used to shopping ‘by size’ so it can finger deflating when online shops don’t offer the endangerment to filter by frame size.

A largest place to squint for bikes for tall riders, online anyway, is the manufacturers’ website. If they sell directly to your door they’ll likely have the weightier nomination of stock in their larger or uneaten larger sizes.

A second place to squint is your local velocipede shop. Whilst ownership online can offer you a wealth of nomination and information at your fingertips, there’s no substitute for getting sized for a velocipede in-store.

In most cases, if your friendly velocipede shop owner doesn’t have that XXL hybrid velocipede in stock, he’ll probably be worldly-wise to get you one to sit on surpassing you decide to part with your cash.

The Weightier Bikes For Tall Riders

In this section, we’re going to recommend five bikes that will suit riders of 6ft 4” and above. We’ve tried to alimony the bikes fairly affordable with all of them unelevated £2000 or $2500, depending on the model some are much, much cheaper than that. Where we have the price listed, this is for the entry-level model.

1. Trek Emonda 64 cm

• £1,125
• $1,199
• 1,299

Prices are injudicious

Type: Road bike

Suggested rider height: Up to 6’7″ (200cm)

Stack: 654mm

Lightweight, performance aluminium frame

Fun, energetic handling

Hydraulic disc brakes and Shimano gearing

If you’re a tall rider searching for a road bike, Trek are a good bet. Their lightweight aluminium option is named the Emonda. Whilst the vital model starts at just over £1,700 you’ll get a performance ride to match the price.

For tall riders, Trek have specced the 64cm frame with a longer stem, wider handlebars and longer cranks – all component changes that will help make the Emonda well-appointed to ride.

Pros

• A proper, modern road bike
• Sleek internal cabling
• Available in a vital colour and bright, sunset fade

Cons

• There’s no getting virtually it, at £1700, the entry level Emonda is expensive
• Maximum total weight of 125kg

Check Price

2. Cannondale Quick 2XL

• £750
• $960
• 999

Prices are injudicious

Type: Hybrid bike

Suggested rider height: 193-205cm (6’4″ – 6’9″)

Stack: 650mm

Quick as you like

Well-appointed and capable

Versatile

Beginning our list of the weightier bikes for tall riders is the Quick from Cannondale. This is a hybrid velocipede that’d be unconfined as unstipulated runabout and a size 2XL has a quoted height range between 193cm and 203cm. The stack icon is 650mm, plenty unbearable for us lanky folk. The Quick 4 is priced sensibly and as simple 1x gearing that’s easy to get to grips with.

Pros

• Plenty big unbearable for tall riders
• Different models available
• 32 spoked wheels to cope with uneaten weight

Cons

• Not all Quick models are misogynist in the 2XL frame size.
• No option with mudguards pre-fitted

Check Price

3. Specialized Sirrus XL

• £525
• $650
• 650

Prices are injudicious

Type: Hybrid bike

Suggested rider height: 183-193cm (6’0″ – 6’4″)

Stack: 633mm

The XL frame size is big!

Larger components to help the velocipede fit betterr

Various models to suit variegated budgets

Similar to the Quick, is the Sirrus from fellow velocipede industry big boys Specialized. Like the Quick there’s a variety of models at various price points. From top end options costing over £1000 to those starting at just over half that.

The XL isn’t as big a the 2XL Quick, but the Sirrus would happily suit someone who sits on the 6′ 4″ cusp. Specialized moreover fit uneaten large or long components to help the velocipede fit taller riders. For example the stem is uneaten long as is the seatpost.

Pros

• Top-end trademark performance from Specialized
• Riding position should be well-appointed for most
• There are equipped models misogynist with lights, mudguards and a pannier rack
• Looks great

Cons

• Humdrum colour options

Check Price

4. Canyon Pathlite XL

• £999
• $999
• 999

Prices are injudicious

Type: Hybrid bike

Suggested rider height: Up to 6’7″ (200cm)

Stack: 678mm

The 2XL frame size is big!

Premium components

Canyon represent good value for money

The only velocipede on our list with a front suspension fork, the Pathlite is a super-versatile velocipede from Canyon. Equipped with the suspension fork and uneaten wide knobbly tyres the Pathlite will happily take on some genuine off road riding.

COMING SOON: a 2XL size for riders up to 6’11 (210cm)!

Pros

• Good value when you consider the components on offer
• The most versatile velocipede on our list

Cons

• Cheapest model starts at a smidge under 4 figures
• Bland frame colours
• All 2XL versions were out of stock at the time of writing

Check Price

5. Marin Four Corners XL

• £1,125
• $1,199
• 1,299

Prices are injudicious

Type: Gravel bike

Suggested rider height: Up to 6’4″ (194cm)

Stack: 677mm

Frame diamond makes it suitable for tall riders

Super well-appointed riding position

Components make it easy for everyone to ride

Although the Four Corners is only misogynist in 5 frame sizes, it’s upright, relaxed riding position makes it suitable for those of us who are taller than most. The XL frame size has a whopping stack icon of 677mm.

The Four Corners would make an spanking-new defended passenger bike, but it would happily transmute to a weekend touring, bikepacking or gravel riding.

Pros

• Sensible gearing to ride wideness most terrain
• Loads of snifter and gear mounts to siphon uneaten items

Cons

• The frame is steel so in an XL size its heavy
• 3×9 gearing might take some getting used to
• £1000 might be difficult to stomach if just getting into riding

Check Price

Best Velocipede Brands for Tall Riders

We’d have to say direct-to-consumer specialist Canyon offer a decent range of bikes for very tall riders. Wideness most velocipede types there’s scrutinizingly unchangingly an XXL or 2XL option available.

If gravel bikes are your kind of thing requite Kinesis, Salsa and Surly a tinkle on the keyboard. Honourable mentions moreover go to Gazelle (based in Holland – the tallest nation on earth apparently!) and Pashley for their range of municipality bikes for taller riders. They’d have made our list of weightier bikes for tall riders if they’d have widow their stack and reach figures to their website.

And if your upkeep can stretch to something super specialist or you are at the taller end of tall, then Dirty Sixer (noteworthy considering they diamond their bikes virtually a larger wheel size), Clydesdale and Zinn bikes are all American-based specialists who diamond and make bikes for very tall riders.

Cheap Bikes for Big Cyclists

Whilst several specialist manufacturers offer bikes for tall riders, three big players perhaps offer the weightier nomination when it comes to affordability. US-based Specialized, Trek and Cannondale all have a decent selection of bikes for tall riders wideness a variety of velocipede types.

3 Tips for Tall Cyclists

There are several other considerations to yellowish in mind when searching for a velocipede for a tall cyclist.

Tall can moreover midpoint heavy

Being tall can moreover midpoint that you weigh increasingly than the stereotype person. This widow weight has implications for the tautness of some velocipede components, and in some cases, the maximum recommended total weight a velocipede can carry.

After purchasing my first road velocipede (an XL Giant TCR) that was too small, I finished most velocipede rides in frustration at the side of the road with one, sometimes two, wrenched spokes in my velocipede wheel. If you’re over 100kg like I am, it’s a good idea to squint out for wheels that have 32 spokes at the very least. Although not guaranteed, the uneaten support from each spoke keeps the wheels running true.

Before ownership a bike, it’s moreover a good idea to squint at its maximum weight figure. Manufacturers quote this icon from a warranty perspective and it’s most likely the icon they’ll have subjected the velocipede to in testing. For example, the Trek Farley, featured in our list of bikes for heavy riders, has a maximum permitted rider weight of 130kg. Incidentally, the XL size has a decent stack icon of 619mm too!

This is moreover important if you want to add a set of pannier tons or sling a rucksack over your shoulder and start riding to work.

Minimum saddle insertion isn’t your friend

These days all velocipede seatposts have a minimum insertion mark for safety reasons. Leave this sticking out whilom the frame and you might suddenly find yourself riding with a wilting velocipede frame!

For taller riders who are trying to transmute to a smaller bike, or those with uneaten long legs sometimes the seatpost can be adjusted only so far surpassing the dreaded mark appears on the seatpost. Uneaten long seatposts can be brought as an aftermarket purchase but if you’re ownership a brand-new velocipede this can be frustrating.

Storing and travelling with your velocipede can be problematic

Big bikes don’t tend to fit into small spaces! In our experience, extra-large bikes can struggle to fit in train compartments, the when of the car and plane some velocipede racks. Increasingly often than not this is considering the saddle is so upper that it clashed with the roof of the car or the frame of the proximal bike.

If you don’t unchangingly ride with an Allen key, a quick-release seatpost clutch can quickly overcome this problem.

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