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Road Test/Bike Review (1987) Six Road Bikes for Tall People

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Road Test/Bike Review (1987) Six Road Bikes for Tall People

Old 01-27-21, 10:50 AM
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Road Test/Bike Review (1987) Six Road Bikes for Tall People

LOTUS Triomphe, NISHIKI International, CANNONDALE SR-1000, ALAN Record, PANASONIC DX-2000, and GUERCIOTTI Nuovo Record Carbonio are featured.




















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Old 01-27-21, 11:37 AM
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Ergonomic bike designs and evolution of high tech materials on modern bikes make these huge steeds look so crude and disproportionate! Thank God for clipless pedals, sloping top tube geometry and advanced shaping of frame tubes.

Thanks for the post though SpeedofLight

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Old 01-27-21, 11:40 AM
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Very cool, thanks for the post.
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Old 01-27-21, 11:44 AM
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Originally Posted by masi61
Ergonomic bike designs and evolution of high tech materials on modern bikes make these huge steeds look so crude and disproportionate!
I wondered why they chose to photograph these bikes from an angle that would tend to accentuate that.
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Old 01-27-21, 12:58 PM
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I think many of look to our own bikes as "normal" looking, and some of these are indeed my size, but the photographs seem to be trying to make them all look freak-show huge. Since I am used to looking at 62-64 cm bikes as normal, only the Panasonic looks huge to me. The rest are just at the upper range of normal.

I am 6'04" and anywhere from 210-230 pounds. I could shop at the "big and tall" stores, but usually can find my sizes at normal stores. Same goes for bikes: most makers offer a 62 ctc (or equivalent).

So my point it this: none of these bikes are tall-specific. They are all just the larger end of sizing on existing bikes. I am sure every one of them also comes in a sub 50cm size too.

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Old 01-27-21, 01:40 PM
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"Hanging anything less than Campy on this fine Italian [Lotus] frame would be ... the equivalent of topping that perfect pizza crust with cheddar cheese and soy sauce."

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Old 01-27-21, 05:33 PM
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I love how the comparison between the Cannondale and Alan being as close as it was with the huge difference in frame flex didn't lead them to the obvious (and correct) conclusion:

Frame stiffness is not a relevant factor in bicycle performance, unless the bike handles badly.

--Shannon
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Old 01-27-21, 08:59 PM
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Thank you for posting this article. I agree with people's sentiments here. Garbage angle on the photography, even if it was "to make it look huge." Tall bikes have a tough enough time looking attractive to those that don't ride them, don't add to it. In reality, only the Panasonic is awkward when viewed at a normal angle. The rest of those bikes are actually all well-proportioned. Bicycling.....guhhhh.

The Cannodale's 59cm TT is not too short, IMO. Writer was complaining way too much about that. Man, this is how it is in the automotive industry. [I will refrain from a diatribe on that] Disappointing. 100-110mm stems on a bike that tall are just fine!

Also, if you have to duck through doorways, 5 out of the 6 bikes are rubbish for accurate testing. A 63cm????

6 bikes for tall tall people (for 1986) should have been something like:

1) Panasonic DX-2000 [already a part of the test] in 28" (71cm) size.
2) Lotus Challenger (or similar) in 66cm size.
3) Schwinn Le Tour in 27" (68.5cm) size.
4) Miyata 110 in 27" (68.5cm) size.
5) Fuji Del Rey in 27" (68.5cm) size.
6) ST800 (canti) or ST500 (caliper) in 27" (68.5cm) size.

Honorable mention: Trek 700 (05 500) in 25.5" (65cm) size.
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