We got a lot of tall Paceliners!

[Lanterne Rouge]

Quite handy having y'all tall riders here as I have a question.

Have any of the taller riders tried the Ritchey Cross Breakaway in the largest size - 60cm I think?

[eBAUMANN]

Originally Posted by Lanterne Rouge

Quite handy having y'all tall riders here as I have a question.

Have any of the taller riders tried the Ritchey Cross Breakaway in the largest size - 60cm I think?

personally, i could probably ride either a 58 or 60 breakaway, but i opted for a 58 because its easier to pack a smaller frame into the case, more room for other stuff as well.

[echelon_john]

I haven't ridden that bike, but am happy on a 60cm Cannondale CX bike. For me head tube length/front end height is the determining factor. Since cross bikes have a taller fork than road bikes, if all else stays equal or close, I can ride a CX bike several cm smaller than road. If available, look for the stack and reach dimensions; most useful dimensions when comparing bikes IMO. Or figure it out using BB drop, fork length and head tube length, and compare it to a known bike.

Originally Posted by Lanterne Rouge

Quite handy having y'all tall riders here as I have a question.

Have any of the taller riders tried the Ritchey Cross Breakaway in the largest size - 60cm I think?

[bikingshearer]

6'3". 275 lbs. So what I lack in height for this discussion, I more than make up for in heft.

My bikes are/have been 61cm to 65cm, ctc - the current crop are all 63 or 64, and that seems ot be my sweet spot. My seat is 84cm from the BB spindle center on 175mm cranks. Top tubes range from 57 to 60, but I set everything up to be 57cm from saddle nose to rear edge of the bars. (Because the longest top tube mates up top the steepest head angle, the difference in stem lenghts is less than one might think.) I use the same kind of saddle, bar and stem on everything, so the numbers are an "apples-to-apples" comparison.

BTW, I have broad shoulders (and a pretty much a broad everything else) so I agree that 46cm bars are great. 48cm bars are even better.

[weisan]

wow! grateful to many of my tall pals, less competition on 'bay and the classified here.

[Chance]

Originally Posted by jmoore

Seems to me that we have a fairly large group (no pun intended) of tall guys on the forum.

A lot of small guys too. Although short men don't boast about their height as much.

[bking]

I gotta jump in, great thread.

6'3 3/4". I'm sure i've been beat down some through the ages though.

Bikes are just about 58 Square. 82.5 cm to saddle, 58 cm from tip to center of bar.

On the drafting thing we have a wiry guy in our group that goes maybe 130 dripping wet. His butt cheeks barely reach the edges of his saddle. Worthless.

[echelon_john]

Even if they did, we probably wouldn't hear it up here.

Rain's coming, btw. It'll reach you in a few minutes; better grab yer 'brelly...

Originally Posted by Chance

A lot of small guys too. Although short men don't boast about their height as much.

[Lanterne Rouge]

Originally Posted by echelon_john

I haven't ridden that bike, but am happy on a 60cm Cannondale CX bike. For me head tube length/front end height is the determining factor. Since cross bikes have a taller fork than road bikes, if all else stays equal or close, I can ride a CX bike several cm smaller than road. If available, look for the stack and reach dimensions; most useful dimensions when comparing bikes IMO. Or figure it out using BB drop, fork length and head tube length, and compare it to a known bike.

Looking at geo charts does my head in and I'd prefer to test ride but that does not seem possible with Ritchey bikes.

As much as I'm going to get slated for this but I don't ride with much more that a few cm drop from my saddle to my bars. The geo charts with HT length are pointless, the amount of steerer tube above is more important. But you don't get that information.

[echelon_john]

That's what stack is. It's a vertical measurement from the BB to the top of the head tube. Whether the HT is 1 cm or 4 cm above the TT doesn't matter when you look at this measurement.

The way to calculate it, in lieu of the official measurement, is to add the the bb drop (usually 67-80) to the axle-crown measurement of the fork (700c road forks are USUALLY around 368-373; cx are longer) to the ht length. (BBD+AC+HT)

If you like having your bars relatively high, this is one of the most important measurements you can take.

If you need a default measurement (if you can't find the axle to crown measurement, which is the only one of the three that isn't always published), I would just look at several carbon forks and average them out.

E.g. for a road bike, ENVE forks are 367 A-C, while Alpha Qs were 373. (Or maybe it's the reverse, but you get the point). So if you assume 370 for a standard road fork, you'll probably be within 3mm of correct. For a CX fork, look for the ENVE & Ritchey CX fork specs; they're probably within a few mm of each other. Split the difference and use that number.

This is the only reliable way to tell if you'll be able to get the bars high enough for you. Oh, and make sure the steerer is long enough, too. HT+(~25mm for headset)+Stem height (usually ~40mm)+whatever height you need in spacers.

Boy, if your head wasn't hurting before... ; )

Originally Posted by Lanterne Rouge

Looking at geo charts does my head in and I'd prefer to test ride but that does not seem possible with Ritchey bikes.

As much as I'm going to get slated for this but I don't ride with much more that a few cm drop from my saddle to my bars. The geo charts with HT length are pointless, the amount of steerer tube above is more important. But you don't get that information.

[Lanterne Rouge]

Echelon - sorry I completely forgot to thank you for this - really helpful

Originally Posted by echelon_john

That's what stack is. It's a vertical measurement from the BB to the top of the head tube. Whether the HT is 1 cm or 4 cm above the TT doesn't matter when you look at this measurement.

The way to calculate it, in lieu of the official measurement, is to add the the bb drop (usually 67-80) to the axle-crown measurement of the fork (700c road forks are USUALLY around 368-373; cx are longer) to the ht length. (BBD+AC+HT)

If you like having your bars relatively high, this is one of the most important measurements you can take.

If you need a default measurement (if you can't find the axle to crown measurement, which is the only one of the three that isn't always published), I would just look at several carbon forks and average them out.

E.g. for a road bike, ENVE forks are 367 A-C, while Alpha Qs were 373. (Or maybe it's the reverse, but you get the point). So if you assume 370 for a standard road fork, you'll probably be within 3mm of correct. For a CX fork, look for the ENVE & Ritchey CX fork specs; they're probably within a few mm of each other. Split the difference and use that number.

This is the only reliable way to tell if you'll be able to get the bars high enough for you. Oh, and make sure the steerer is long enough, too. HT+(~25mm for headset)+Stem height (usually ~40mm)+whatever height you need in spacers.

Boy, if your head wasn't hurting before... ; )

[archig8r]

Anybody still looking at this..?
I'm finding it really difficult to find a good off the rack frame...

6'-2" 175lbs and all leg. I think I have the legs of some one at 6'-5"

58.5 ETT
20+ HT
100cm saddle height

[seanile]

holy hell. what's your true inseam (floor to taint)? im 6'2 and have a 35.2inch (89.5cm) inseam, and saddle height is about 80.5cm. ETT is about 58 for me with 110mm stem, and HT is 190+1.5cm spacers.

[archig8r]

Originally Posted by seanile

holy hell. what's your true inseam (floor to taint)? im 6'2 and have a 35.2inch (89.5cm) inseam, and saddle height is about 80.5cm. ETT is about 58 for me with 110mm stem, and HT is 190+1.5cm spacers.

HA. I think I once measured it at about 37ish inseam. and keep in mind: i'm measuring my saddle height from ToS to Center of pedal spindle. to the bottom bracket I'm at 83cm. 100cm to bottom bracket would be circus freak territory...

[gavingould]

Originally Posted by Lewis Moon

And another pic of Gavin:

NAILED IT. Russian bear on unicycle may be more appropriate, actually