taylorgeo

I'm 350 lbs., and when I find a decent stand-over height (28" or less) and straddle the top tube, by belly presses against the stem/handlebars, while my keister hits the front of the saddle.

Is the REACH on a bike the best indication of a roomy cockpit?

velojym

As I can attest from experience, a big belly can make 'proper' cockpit fit tricky. I had to raise my stems and go like I was on a cruiser for a while. My bikes looked goofy as heck, but I was riding. Not so much an issue now, except on my racier bikes, though they're at least rideable now.

tyrion

Yes. And some bikes have more standover height (for their general size) than others. If you get a longer bike, you can shorten your reach (not the bike's reach measurement) by getting a shorter stem.

taylorgeo

Gotcha! The two bikes I'm considering buying are the Giant Talon 3 and the Kona Lana'i. The Giant (medium) has a 29.5" standover and a 16.5' reach. I actually sat on this bike. The standover was too close for comfort and the cockpit was tight (stomach pressing against the neck of the bike).

Now the Kona Lana'i (medium) has a 28.3" standover and a 17.3" reach. I did not actually sit on this bike, but I'm thinking, strictly based off of the numbers, the cockpit might be roomier then the Giant. I might take a leap of faith and pre-order the damn thing!

tyrion

That's a relatively safe bet.

cyclist2000

I was just wondering if you would be comfortable riding a bike with a longer reach. I would think that you would want the bike to be comfortable while riding it and when you are not riding it, get off of the bike, if it bothers you that your belly is touching the stem. If you aren't comfortable riding the bike, you won't ride it.

taylorgeo

Yeah, good point. The belly hitting the stem thing scares me if I need to make a quick stop... feel like I would smash up against it. I do have a lot of cushion there, and as long as I can protect the jewels!