Bikes for Tall Cyclists: Road, Gravel, Touring, Commuter In XXL XXXL 62, 63, 64cm+

Hello, fellow tall person!

You want a bike huh? Well, it’s your lucky day because I’ve put together a list of road, gravel, commuting and touring bikes just for tall people. That’s bikes sized 62, 63, 64cm along with anything XL, XXL or 3XL or beyond.

With more than 130 bikes(!) listed below, there are options for anyone from 193cm (6ft4) right up to 7ft3 (221cm). But first, let’s take a look at a few things you’ll want to consider before buying your big bike.

Note: This article was originally published in Aug 2014, but has been updated in May 2020.

Big And Tall Bike Components

If you’re under 100kg/220lb, good news – most bikes available in your size will have components that are perfectly adequate. But many tall riders are often heavier, so there are a few bike components to look out for, especially if you tip the scales at over 120kg/265lb.

The wheels are undoubtedly the most important component on a bike for a heavy rider. I recommend using rims designed for bicycle touring as they can resist very heavy loads (I’ve got an article on the best rim models HERE). You’ll also want to look for wheels with a higher spoke count – ideally, a minimum of 32 spokes, but on a stiffer carbon rim, you may be able to get away with 28 spokes.

The tyres should be wider than typical to withstand the extra weight. For a road bike, that’s likely 32mm, on a gravel bike that’s 40mm or wider and on a touring bike it’s 55mm+.

You may want to look into extra-long crank arms (200-215mm) if you’re over 200cm/6ft7, allowing the crank length to be more in proportion with your inseam. But keep in mind you cannot install long crank arms on any bike; the bike frame needs to be constructed with a higher bottom bracket shell to maintain the equivalent pedal clearance from the ground.

Larger wheel diameters may also be preferable, but they aren’t mandatory. After all, a typical adult will ride a folding bike with tiny wheels without issue (usually on smooth roads). Many manufacturers actually offer their big and tall bikes with 26-inch and 27.5″ wheels because a smaller wheel is stronger with the equivalent components.

In general, buying a ‘touring’ bike is a great way to ensure the components will be strong enough to last under a bigger and heavier rider.

Bikes For Tall Cyclists: The Bike Fit

Unless you’re really comfortable on your current bike, I’d recommend getting a bike fit at a shop before buying your next one. Not by the work experience kid, but by somebody who has a long history of making people comfortable on their bikes.

At a cost of roughly US $100, a bike fit consultation will have you set up on a stationary bike. The bike fitter will ask you how often you ride, about the type of riding you do, and about any riding goals that you may have. They’ll also incorporate some flexibility and strength tests in there too.

The measurements that come out of your bike fit session will allow you to be extra comfortable on your new bike. Provided you collect the ‘stack’ and ‘reach’ data from your bike fitter, you’ll even be able to use this resource to find your next bike!

How To Use ‘Stack’ and ‘Reach’

The universal sizing metric that I’m using to compare big bikes is called ‘stack’ and ‘reach’. The reason it’s the best sizing metric is that it can inform us about how long and tall a bike frame is. Simply measuring the seat tube or top tube doesn’t take into account the bike’s angles, head tube length or fork length.

Most bike sizing is based on the seat tube length. Some manufacturers will tout their bikes as XXL or 3XL, but when we calculate the ‘stack’ and ‘reach’ numbers, they’re simply not that big. Just take a look below – some “66cm” bikes are actually smaller than other “58cm” bikes! Don’t get caught out…

When I list the ‘stack’ and ‘reach’ of the bikes below, you’ll see it written as two numbers separated by a backslash. The smaller number is always the ‘reach’, and the bigger number is always the ‘stack’. For example, (405/666) means the bike has a ‘reach’ of 405mm and a ‘stack’ of 666mm.

All of the bikes in this resource are listed in order of frame ‘stack’, from tall to short. I do this because most tall folks have a very long inseam, which results in a very high seat. Without a tall ‘stack’ height at the front of your bike, you will find your handlebars will be too low.

Don’t focus too much on the ‘reach’ numbers. The difference between bikes is usually no more than 30mm, so we can easily accommodate this length discrepancy by swapping the handlebar stem. It’s not a huge deal at all.

If you’re interested in learning all about the frame geometry of a bicycle, click HERE.

Big Road Race Bike List: By Stack Height (Tall-To-Short)

The following bikes have an aggressive, race geometry and narrower than 30mm wide tyres.

XXXL Parlee Z-Zero – (405 / 666)
64 Trek Emonda – (401 / 654)
62 Pinarello Dogma/Gan/Prince – (410 / 651)
61 Specialized Allez – (396 / 649)
66 Soma Smoothie – (417 / 639)
64 Stevens Aspin – (420 / 636)
62 Cannondale Super Six/CAAD – (406 / 634)
2XL Canyon Ultimate – (428 / 631)
61 Cervelo R/S Series – (405 / 630)
60 Colnago C64 – (410 / 628)
XL Ridley Helium – (403 / 624)
62 Cannondale System Six – (409 / 620)
61 Felt AR/FR – (417 / 617)
60.5 Norco Section – (409 / 614)
63 KOGA Kimera – (417 / 613)
2XL Canyon Aeroad – (423 / 612)
61 Fuji SL – (413 / 612)
61 Specialized Tarmac – (410 / 612)
62 Rose X-Lite – (416 / 611)
XXL Ritte The Ace – (414 / 610)
61 Scott Addict – (410 / 606)

Note: All road race bikes in this list have a minimum ‘stack’ of 610mm. 

Big Road Endurance Bike List: By Stack Height (Tall-To-Short)

The following bikes are extra upright and a bit more mellow handling – but with road bike speed.

4XL Clydesdale Draft*** – ( 434 / 715)
3XL Clydesdale Draft*** – ( 427 / 691)
3XL KHS Flite 747*** – (427 / 691)
64 Specialized Roubaix – (404 / 675)
64 Condor Fratello – (380 / 665)
64 Gunnar Sport Disc – (402 / 663)
62 Trek Domane – (386 / 656)
66 Soma Fog Cutter – (412 / 655)
XXL Clydesdale Draft*** – (424 / 654)
XXL KHS Flite 747*** – (424 / 654)
2XL Canyon Endurace – (417 / 652)
62 Cube Attain – (391 / 649)
61 Fuji Gran Fondo/Sportif – (403 / 645)
XXL Maxx Roadmaxx – (428 / 644)
61 Salsa Warroad/Warbird – (408 / 642)
62 Rose Reveal – (412/ 643)
61 Cervelo C3 – (400 / 641)
XL Parlee Altum – (394 / 641)
61 Cannondale Synapse – (402 / 640)
XXL Storck Aernario – (421 / 637)
61 Felt VR – (401 / 635)
61 All City Zig Zag – (415 / 631)
61 Focus Paralane – (404 / 630)

Note: All road endurance bikes in this list have a minimum ‘stack’ of 630mm. When a bike has a ‘reach’ under 400mm, I have made sure the ‘stack’ heights exceed 640mm.

*** As the Clydesdale and KHS bikes employ 200mm+ crank arms and a higher bottom bracket, the stack measurements are not directly comparable to bike with all other bikes. To draw a more accurate comparison you need to add 25-40mm to achieve the same ‘effective’ stack.

Big Gravel Bike List: By Stack Height (Tall-To-Short)

The following bikes feature extra tyre clearance and more relaxed angles for gravel and dirt roads.

5XL Dirty Sixer All Road*** – (529/ 787)
4XL Dirty Sixer All Road*** – (484/ 780)
64 Specialized Diverge Comp – (419/ 684)
66 Gunnar Hyper-X – (399 / 684)
65 Pelago Stavanger – (390 / 680)
60 Idworx Grandone – (391 / 679)
XXL Accent Feral – (389 / 670)
58 Polygon Bend RIV – (425 / 668)
66 Soma Wolverine – (420 / 668)
60 Salsa Cutthroat – (406 / 664)
XL Argon 18 Dark Matter – (398 / 664)
XL Merida Silex – (430 / 663)
55 Kona Libre – (394 / 660)
61 Moots Routt 45 – (399 / 651)
61 Fairlight Secan – (405 / 650)
XXL Centurion Crossfire – (413 / 649)
XXL Sour Purple Haze – (390 / 647)
59.5 Salsa Vaya – (385 / 647)
62.5 Knolly Cache –  (438 / 645)
2XL Canyon Grail – (440 / 644)
61 Felt Broam – (398 / 643)
64 Surly Midnight Special – (423 / 641)
XL Rocky Mountain Solo – (414 / 641)
XL Parlee Chebacco – (393 / 641)
61 Jamis Renegade – (405 / 640)
XL Cannondale Topstone – (402 / 640)
XL Kinesis Tripster AT – (393 / 640)
XL Litespeed Gravel – (393 / 640)
60 Marin Headlands – (426 / 639)
60 Masi Randonneur – (417 / 638)
XL Rondo Ruut AL – (406 / 638)
2XL Canyon Inflite – (428 / 637)
62 Niner RLT – (407 / 637)
61 All City Cosmic Stallion – (410 / 634)
61 GT Grade – (403 / 634)
XL Wilier Jenna – (401 / 633)
XL Pinnacle Arkose X – (408 / 632)
XL Genesis Fugio – (405 / 631)
61 Cervelo Aspero – (415 / 630)
XL Sonder Santiago – (410 / 630)
58 Mongoose Guide Sport – (406 / 630)
58 Kona Rove – (400 / 630)

Note: All gravel bikes in this list have a minimum ‘stack’ of 630mm. When a bike has a ‘reach’ under 400mm, I have made sure the ‘stack’ heights exceed 640mm.

*** As the Dirty Sixer bikes employ 200mm+ crank arms and a higher bottom bracket, the stack measurements are not directly comparable to bike with all other bikes. To draw a more accurate comparison you need to add 25-40mm to achieve the same ‘effective’ stack.

Big Touring Bike List: By Stack Height (Tall-To-Short)

The following bikes have been designed for long-distance touring, all with drop bars.

4XL Maxx Crossmaxx – (441 / 724)
XL Salsa Fargo – (409 / 690)
68 Waterford Adventure Series – (401 / 688)
64 Surly Disc Trucker – (413/ 685)
XL Cinelli Hobootleg Geo – (405 / 681)
XL Marin Four Corners – (427 / 678)
XL Shand Bahookie – (413 / 671)
XL Co-Op ADV 1.1 – (389 / 670)
66 Soma Saga – (403 / 667)
64 Gunnar Tour – (390 / 666)
L The Light Blue Darwin – (391 / 665)
XL Finna Landscape – (397 / 664)
XXL Crust Bombora – (416 / 660)
XL Moots Baxter – (404 / 657)
XL Masi Giramondo – (411 / 657)
64 Fuji Touring – (402 / 657)
58 Mason InSearchOf – (397 / 657)
63 Trek 520 – (400 / 655)
XL Curve GMX+ – (491 / 651)
XL Wilier Jaroon Plus – (396 / 650)
58 Dawes Super Galaxy – (402 / 648)
XL Genesis Vagabond – (410 / 646)
XL Bombtrack Arise – (411 / 644)
61 Trek 920 – (405 / 642)

Note: All touring bikes in this list have a minimum ‘stack’ of 640mm. When a bike has a ‘reach’ under 400mm, I have made sure the ‘stack’ heights exceed 650mm.

Big Touring Bike List: By Stack Height (Tall-To-Short)

The following bikes have been designed for long-distance touring, all with flat bars.

5XL Dirty Sixer All Road MK2*** – (500/ 785)
4XL Dirty Sixer All Road MK2*** – (480/ 760)
3XL Dirty Sixer All Road MK2 – (440/ 750)
70 Raleigh Rushhour 4.0 XXL – (427 / 753)
XXL Kalkhoff Agattu – (420 / 729)
4XL Maxx Crossmaxx – (439 / 728)
4XL Clydesdale Rein*** – (434 / 715)
XXL Idworx All Rohler – (410 / 712)
70 Schauff Sumo – (421 / 700)
70 Santos Travelmaster – (421 / 699)
XL Shand Tam – (438 / 693)
3XL Clydesdale Rein*** – (427 / 691)
XXL Tout Terrain Amber Road – (416 / 691)
64 Rivendell Clem Smith – (441 / 685)
XL Crust Scapegoat – (457 / 674)
64 Stevens Randonneur – (420 / 663)
64 Trenga MLS – (420 / 663)
62 Cube Travel – (402 / 663)
3XL Velotraum VK3 – (480 / 662)
63 Koga WorldTraveller – (405 / 662)
XL Surly ECR – (433 / 657)
21 Trek 1120 – (471 / 651)
XL Bombtrack Beyond+ – (460 / 651)
XL Quantor Earthling – (405 / 651)
XL Tumbleweed Prospector – (445 / 650)
63.5 Stanforth Pamira – (415 / 648)
62 Contoura Pollino – (424 / 646)
67 VSF T-300 – (430 / 645)

Note: All touring bikes in this list have a minimum ‘stack’ of 640mm.

*** As the Clydesdale and Dirty Sixer bikes employ 190-200mm crank arms and a higher bottom bracket, the stack measurements are not directly comparable to bike with all other bikes. To draw a more accurate comparison you need to add 25-40mm to achieve the same ‘effective’ stack.

Big Commuter Bike List: By Stack Height (Tall-To-Short)

The following bikes are all under US $1000 and will be great commuters for tall folk.

XXL Specialized Sirrus X 4.0 – (410 / 709)
XL Cannondale Bad Boy – (446 / 688)
XL Kona Dew – (465 / 682)
XXL Norco VFR – (452 / 657)
2XL Cannondale Quick – (430 / 650)
Norco Indie – (470 / 640)
Salsa Journeyman – (449 / 638)
Jamis Sequel – (448 / 638)

Let me know below if there are any other manufacturers catering for tall cyclists.