I’m a very long time reader, but finally joined the forum tonight.
A little about me - this is my third year racing tri, I’ve got quite a few races under the belt with a handful of 70.3’s, eyes on the full in 2016-17. I currently ride a Kestrel Talon, aftermarket bars and aerobars, shifters, seat, wheels. I reside in STL MO. I am 6’6 - also known as a giant to the bike world. @ 182lbs, I’m also pretty slim. The Talon fit my budget at the time, and at 60cm it really fits my frame well.
I love tinkering and making my own equipment, and this winter I have decided to build a bike provided I find what I’m looking for. Definitely interested in the open mold models.
Here’s the problem, I’m 6’6. I love the FM086 model, it’s exactly what I’m looking for, but it maxes out @ 56cm. I’m sure some or most of you are aware of the frame, but in case here it is:
My question to the community if you wish to help me out, what frame suggestions would you have for a very tall rider like me? Definitely carbon fiber, and that 086 model is what I want but dang the size - a part of me wants to get it anyway and jack the seat up / get a pro fit.
I’m trying to steer away from buying a frame off of a major manufacturer, which I know in a sense is pretty stupid of me because the warranty factor, but I don’t want to pay a thousand dollar markup for a name and some paint, and something about an open mold build feels like it’s really MY bike - but I don’t know my options…
Buying a bike that is way too small is throwing money away.
I’d suggest that you set yourself the challenge of building the fastest bike you can for a set budget.
Which means focussing on kit that will get you into a good position. After that - right tyres, good fuelling set up, clean bar config, good wheels etc
has been discussed many times on the forum but bikes like the Cervelo P2/Felt IAx can get you superbike performance if set up carefully, so it’s hard to see an unfair markup when you’re getting that class of kit. R&D is not cheap (the lack of which is what enables open mould frames to be cheaper).
Fit options on the 086 are terrible. So it’s going to make you slower.
Might I suggest a Shiv? It’s getting old in the tooth, but still a great bike and available in the base model quite cheaply. I got mine for £1500 last year, and when they finally announce a new model they’ll be wanting to clear the old stock.
I’m 6’ 2" with long legs and ride a medium and could fit on a small, so I reckon you would have a good chance of fitting the large. A lot depends on your proportions though.
Last night I created a spreadsheet of my Kestrel measurements and started entering measurements of the open mold models, unfortunately they all fall short - all the ones that I reviewed at least. I’m not all legs, or all torso - a pretty balanced tall guy (pants are W33, L34), but I now feel that if at least my top tube isn’t matched I could possibly be kneeing myself in the elbows, don’t want to be that guy… I do not mind riding low in the saddle, my seat sits a good 5-6 inches over my drops and I’m still slightly upright, which I’m working myself slowly into a more forward position which strangely I find more and more comfortable for longer distance rides.
Part of wanting an open mold was price and customizing ability - I don’t mind spending some money, but I do have a budget to this. Felt IA series is a beauty, but this far exceeds my budget. The DA1 model isn’t very appetizing to me other than brake placement, it’s more than the Shiv Pro. Both max @ 58cm. Dare I bring up Cervelo - that P5 set is a jaw dropper, but now we’re talking big bucks. I would sleep on the couch for a year. The Shiv Pro has a 59cm frame that goes for 2,500. While decently priced, it’s a jump from dropping a grand on a mold. This is not out of the ball park but it is more than I wanted to spend on just the frame.
I’ve also looked at QR which doesn’t cater to tall guys at all from what I can tell, Fuji - nope, Argon - nope. Trek concept 9 is awesome, too pricey. Giant’s website is down.
While my eyes are on customizing my own creation, size and speed, I will say that the particular frame style I’m looking for is that of the Shiv, or P5 - a fat bar machine. I love the looks of them, and the feel.
Here’s the current ride so you’re aware of what my setup looks like. Notice the seat kicked way forward, one of the things I want to leave behind it this stock relaxed seat angle. I’m wanting to go more upright however the top bar will have to accommodate this degree of difference, or the bar setup I go with.
If you are looking for a large frame and don’t want to spend big bucks, I’d check out the new Cervelo P2 61cm frame. It has a 190cm headtube, which is very tall for a tri/tt bike. In fact, you might even want to move down to the 58cm size, depending on how aggressive your position is.
And eureka - I think I may have found an solution that meets in the middle. The HF-FM109 mold, known as the Avenger TM6. I’ve read a bunch of good reviews online this morning on this frame set, versatile in fit yet still a mold model - love the cable routing. It’s got the looks. And they make a 58cm model, which the actual spec measurements suggest it’s 59.8cm.
I’ve added to the stats and posted them below. It appears to me as an almost exact fit to the SHIV, if not a little better. I’ve inquired to HongFu on the price, I can’t find this for sale online anywhere…
It would be very hard for anyone to recommend a bike with just your height. I’m 6’4 but I have a 34 inseam, so i needed a long bike. I ended up going with a 2011 Felt b2 which has a true long geometry. I still had to go with a Tririg alpha to stretch it out more. Guess what im getting at is more info is needed to even get in the ball park for a frame. Like you I was looking at the same frames, but I realized they would not work. I luckily found a Felt that was painted John Deere green on ebay and nobody wanted it,so i got it dirt cheap. I restore cars so paint was no problem.
I’m also a tall guy looking for a new speedmachine.
Nope. Based on my “wants” versus my “needs”, my LBS wants me on a Plasma or the IA10 but I don’t have the dollars to drop at this time.
The following cater to the tall crowd:
Felt IA10 or B
Scott Plasma 20, 10, or 5
Specialized Shiv, S-Works
Cannondale Slice
Trek Speed Concept
Kestrel Talon / 4000 / ???
Based solely on my budget after the 2016 season, at this time I’m going to slap a new crank set on the Talon along with a paint job and give her an encore year in 2017 then look at what’s on the market in 2018. As well, Kestrel supposedly has a new bike on the way, they have removed the 4000 and hinted that something should be out in early 2017 to replace it. Based on how well the Talon fits me I’d like to see what they are up to before I make a purchase.
