Bike for 6' tall 225 lbs., short legs, long upper bod -suggestions?

[werewolf]

Long and low and strong bike. Any suggestions?

[idcruiserman]

Any cross bike should fit the bill. Most have short seat tubes and long top tubes due to higher bottom bracket relative to road bikes. 225 isn't going to break anything assuming the wheels aren't balsa wood.

[Ziemas]

Any cross bike should fit the bill. Most have short seat tubes and long top tubes due to higher bottom bracket relative to road bikes. 225 isn't going to break anything assuming the wheels aren't balsa wood.
I'm going to disagree with this and say that most cyclocross bikes in fact have a shorter top tube compared to a similarly sized road bike.

An exception to this would be something like the Surly Cross Check, which might suit your needs if you are looking for a bike to tool around on and not for racing.

[idcruiserman]

My cross bike is a Surly :).

From Cannondale's website:
If you ride a size 56 cm Cannondale road bike, you should choose a size 54 cm Cyclocross frame. This will give you the same top tube length but more standover height. That tells me the top tube is long relative to the seat tube.

[Ziemas]

My cross bike is a Surly :).

From Cannondale's website:
That tells me the top tube is long relative to the seat tube.
Both my cross bikes (a Torrelli and a Vanco) have short toptube lengths compared to road bikes of a similar size. I think it might be that frames made for racing have a shorter toptube while frames made for the non-racer have a longer toptube. Maybe someone else can chime in on this.

[JOHN J]

Yo Werewolf

I have the same sort of build.

Its a problem for sure. I built up a Surly cross check 2 years ago as a commute and day tripper bike. I used a 50 CM frame , my inseam is short.

since the top tube is horizontal the geometry is not in tune with my upper body.

1) the top tube is too short my brooks seat is all the way back and I have a 120mm reach stem

2) I also cant get the bars up as High as Id like!! again the frame is for a smaller rider I just have a smaller rider inseam. My stack height is a 5.1/3 inch YUK.

a sloping tube is what I need but there are very few slope tube frames offered in touring or cross models.

short of building my own frame Im taking a serious look at the Soma Juice 29er frame.

this frame in the 18 " will give me about the same Stand over as my 50 XC (using smaller 32 or 35 road Tires)

and since the JUICE is an MTB frame the top tube is longer and the head tube higher , designed with flat bars in mind . This set up is an unlikley round about probelm solver for our problem, this should take care of the short inseam long torso issue. I should be able to keep a inch or two stack height at best .

"John"

[Revtor]

my lemond has a long top tube for its size. Im 5'9" pretty standard build and ride a 52cm lemond.. maybe try a few on.

if you are truly off the scale with dimensions, a custom bike might be what youd benefit from the most. if you have the dough
~STv

[felixtannenbaum]

im 6'3 with a 30-32 inch inseam and 36/37 arms- i test rid a 60cm cc the other day(i think it was a 60 anyway) and the top tube was nice and long, the seat was pretty low, and i barely had any clearance on standover, but it was the best feeling road style bike ive riden in a while.

im thinkin about the Long haul trucker though, cause you can get a higher stem on it, which would help out too...

[adrien]

try a kona JTS. I'm 6'3 with a 32 inch inseam and 37 sleeves. Fit nicely on a 58.

Remember you can always tune it a little (seat post with a bend, longer stem).