6'6" - 165 lbs - What bike should I get?
- Thread starter Kractx
- Start date
Kractx said:
That'll be a bit of challenge, mostly because of the limit you placed on the bike cost. You will suffer on a bike that is too small for you. The single most important thing about buying a bike is the fit. I suggest going to local bike shops to talk with them.
you have to start somewhere and a good bike shop could really be helpful, with your budget I think you may be able to do well with a used bike, 2nd hand road bikes often get ridden very little...
online bike fitting calculators might also help you along, enter your body measurements and they can suggest frame/top tube/stem sizes...
online bike fitting calculators might also help you along, enter your body measurements and they can suggest frame/top tube/stem sizes...
As mentioned above, a bike that fits is paramount. The good news is that you can sometimes find good deals on used bikes in your size because there aren't as many folks looking for them. Once you figure out what size is likely to fit you, I'd look around online if you need to get into that price range.
FWIW. At your height of 6'6", you probably would want a frame with a massive 64cm top tube ... since most off-the-peg road frames rarely have a top tube longer than 60cm, in lieu of a custom frame my recommendation is that you try to track down a HYBRID with a rigid/non-suspension fork OR a 29er frame/bike (again, with a non-suspension fork).Kractx said:
A 'L' 29er frame will have a 62cm virtual top tube and an 'XL' 29er frame will have a 64cm virtual top tube ... I think Hybrids are sized similarly.
A 29er frame will let you use almost any tire size that strikes your fancy ... although you are light enough to use a 700x23 tire, if you choose a 700x28 @ 90PSI to replace the MTB-type tires which will probably come on a 29er, you will find that the ride will be more comfortable than it would be with the smaller tire.
A Hybrid will also use 700c wheels, but the tire size will probably be limited to 700x42. The Hybrid will have a longer wheelbase than a 29er or standard road bike & will therefore give you a slightly more comfortable ride.
The Hybrid will probably use V-brakes whereas the 29er will probably have disc brakes. For riding on the road, V-brakes are a better choice in most situations.
With your limited budget you will probably need to look for either a USED bike or NOS inventory at a bike shop ...
Eventually, you can change the stem & handlebars, etc. as your budget allows ... V-brakes can be replaced with cantilever brakes if you end up installing some drop bars & integrated road shifters.
