Long legs short torso: More comfortable frame, (Kona,GT,DBR)

[maroon113]

For a rider 6'1" with very long legs compared to torso. Looking for a steel rigid frame. Something fast for trails, yet it can commute comfortably, long distances on street. Basically a racey yet comfortable steel hardtail. Frame with short-ish top tube that is semi-sloping. Bars slightly below saddle or level. Kona's are a little more upright? Considering: Diamondback Axis/Apex 94-97, Kona Explosif/Kilauea 94-97, or Trek Singletrack 930-950-970-990 from 93-97. Additional/different frame suggestions will be appreciated.

Past/Current bikes:
1) 1996 GT Zaskar 19": (Fits well with a 1" riser bar. Otherwise the geometry would be too dumped. The top tube was slightly long for me at 23" and pretty horizontal, but fitted a 90mm stem. The 5" head tube was bigger than my other bikes, seemed to help. Not a perfect fit but very decent. Love this bike).
2) 2003 Specialized Rockhopper 19": Fit like a glove bone stock. Sloping top tube at 22.5" was wonderful. Then it got stolen, don't want another aluminum frame at the moment anyway.
3) 1994 GT Bravado LE 18": (23" top tube is totally horizontal, too stretched out. Head tube is very small at only 4", geometry is too dumped, beautiful feeling steel frame however).
4) 1996 Klein Pulse Comp 18" (long top tube for its size, 23". Pretty horizontal toptube as well too stretched out and dumped once again. The older Klein frames are better for riders with long torsos and shorter legs?)

Riders please help me out if you can

 

[Pyro Tim]

Re: Long legs short torso: More comfortable frame, (Kona,GT,

I'm about the same shape, I guess, as you. I ride DBRs from the era you've mentioned. They have stems between 120-130mm and I am a little stretched out. I could do with something a little shorter, and a little more rise. My bikes are in the below link

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=240161

 

[al-onestare]

Re: Long legs short torso: More comfortable frame, (Kona,GT,

From a Kona perspective, for long legs you're going to need a pretty large frame size unless you like the smaller, more chuckable "feel". The dimensions of that era, couple with the short stays and sloping top tube mean, IMO, you'd need at least a 20", probably 21" and sadly for us taller chaps - they are more rare, especially in the higher end models.

Let's put it this way, at 6ft 2" with fairly normal legs to torso ratio (stop sniggering), I can't get on with anything smaller than a 19". That and 20" are very comfortable but 21" is too long in reach even with a shorter more upright stem.

It's each to their own of course and what works for one won't for another.

 

[maroon113]

Re: Long legs short torso: More comfortable frame, (Kona,GT,

Gorgeous DBR Axis Pyro Tim, love that color scheme, those are very difficult to find in my area. Not much on Ebay either. There are a few Trek Singletracks for sale around here, I would try an 18" and 19.5". And from a BMX background I have a strong preference for smaller frames. I'm guessing an 18" DBR Axis/Apex would work due to the 22.5" top tube that has a slight slope, plus the 4.5" head tube is not too small. It is dangerous to guess though. I'll be looking for a 18-19" Kona Explosif/Kilauea as well. The length of the top tube does not scare me. My torso is shorter than usual for my height and I've never used a stem over 100mm on all previous bikes, even though many were sized "medium" some still felt too stretched. Especially the Klein Pulse and GT Bravado LE. The catch is the seatpost can go too high for the frame due to my long legs and create a very uncomfortable position, where the drop is too large. Riding is not fun when your neck hurts and you have to strain yourself to look up. Thank you for the input fellas still looking.

 

[Pyro Tim]

Re: Long legs short torso: More comfortable frame, (Kona,GT,

mine are 18" officially, but I call them 19" as that's what it measures C-T. There are pics of my other Axis and my WCF on that thread too. All the same size

 

[dirttorpedo]

Re: Long legs short torso: More comfortable frame, (Kona,GT,

I have the opposite issue - I'm 6'1" and short legged / long through the torso. I'm riding an 18 inch Zaskar as well finding 100mm stem and a riser bar the sweet spot for me. The Zaskar has a much shorter steerer than my previous hardtail, but with a couple of spacers I'm making it work. I can't remember what bikes came with the shorter top tubes BITD. I test road a Canondale a few years back and I definitely found it squishy, but that won't help you because you're looking for steel. My sense is that Kona's, Rocky's DeKerf's, Brodies, Norco's and the other PNW brands pretty much fell into a similar set of dimensions by the early 90's.

 

[maroon113]

Re: Long legs short torso: More comfortable frame, (Kona,GT,

Another issue is the bike itself. For example, your Diamondback Axis, Pyro Tim, looks hot. The vibrant colors, its stance. For commuting and riding around town, I don't want to deal with the hassle of thieves, and there are plenty out there. In fact, I have had to retire my GT Zaskar to trail-only misanthropy, due to this issue. The frame is Red Anodized, and thieves just grin, with lit-up eyes when they see it. At the time I was looking for a Silver Zaskar, but a 19" frame popped up in my area and it happened to be Red. Didn't think much of it at the time. However the color does flash out from far distances. There have been attempts on the bike, even in the middle of the afternoon. At a local library and then a supermarket where I stopped in for a few minutes. Don't like that extra worry in the back of the mind. When you lock it up somewhere. So something more low profile. Yeah the Trek would be kinda lame IMO but I don't think those punks would bother with it. But then again I don't want to ride a Trek. Those old DBR's look meaner, more swagger. The Kona's are awesome as well, but then again the thieves probably think along the same lines, so what attracts us attracts them. And many of them live and breathe in the bicycle community anyway, yet no one suspects them.

 

[My_Teenage_Self]

Re: Long legs short torso: More comfortable frame, (Kona,GT,

I'm only 5'8, but have the same problem, long legs/short body.

I have to ride small frames, and ALWAYS end up shortening the stem. In your boat, your going to want a short toptube, short stem, and inline seatposts.

Konas are great, (I have a 93 Fire mountain) but you're going to need a LOT of seatpost! Here's mine, 16" frame, 350mm seatpost right on the limit, and 110mm stem.

HTH

 

[Pyro Tim]

Re: Long legs short torso: More comfortable frame, (Kona,GT,

disagree on the inline seatpost. I have big feet, and having an inline destroys my knees. You can get the Apex, same frame in a blue, or red, and looks much more subtle (at least in UK). The nickle plated one looks bling, I admit, as does the red, white and blue, which is Ritchey tubing on the US spec.

 

[matt24777]

Re: Long legs short torso: More comfortable frame, (Kona,GT,

How long are your legs? Do you have long arms to go with them?

I'm 6'0" with 33.5" inside leg. I ride a 18" or 19" kona but I can ride a 17" orange comfortably. It's so difficult to recommend, there are so many variables other than the frame. Stem length and rise, seat post layback, saddle position on rails, crank length but the most important, what position you find comfy!!

I personally like a small frame but a stretched out position, arse up/ head down. So long konas fit me well, the orange was a little short for my knees more than anything, but only just.

So difficult to recommend.