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forum
Do-it-all bike with a large frame
Hi,
I'm a total amateur when it comes to biking. I am looking for an affordable do-it-all bike.
I need a bike to commute to work on that I can strip down to take part in amateur triathlons (emphasis on the amateur) and I am planning a tour of just over 500km through Holland and Belgium so I need to be able to put carry everything we need (tent etc) and cycle on dirt tracks but have little drag when on road.
Also I am tall (6'6" - that's 2m in metric and means I have a 38" inner leg) so I need a frame that is big enough for me but as my fist child is due soon I have to be careful with money. My work has a cycle-2-work scheme that I plan to take advantage of.
Someone recommended the Merida Speeder T1 or T2 but I can't see one with a big enough frame.
What recommendations are there for an affordable do-it-all bike that would fit me?
thanks in advance for your input.
If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.
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1 comments
The Speeders are good bikes, we tested the T3 (review at http://road.cc/content/review/1205-merida-speeder-t3) and liked it. They're surprisingly big; I was riding the 55.5cm frame without any problems and I'm 6'3". There's a 58cm too which I suspect would just about be okay for you, but it's certainly worth trying one if you can. I'm not guaranteeing it'd fit you but i wouldn't be surprised.
If you have a 38" inside leg then it sounds like you're long in the leg, even for your height. That being the case you'll probably need to run plenty of seatpost on whatever you ride, which may make the front position of a bike that's otherwise the right size a bit low. this can easily be remedied with a higher rise stem though.