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bkent136
1/12/2014 6:43pm
1/12/2014 6:43pm
Edited Date/Time
4/1/2016 8:29am
I wanted to know how I should set up my bike for being a taller rider. I'm 6 4. I have RC Tall bars, but I was wondering if I should invest in some lower footpegs or anything else. My style just looks to funny and bent over. How do you guys think I could fix this?
I would run a tall seat. Lower pegs might help, I have never tried them myself.
You might need stiffer suspension. Tall guys put more leverage on the bike.
The Shop
Rox speed risers, high seat, Fastway Low pegs.
Bars, I was more picky about from bike to bike.
Tall bars/good in a straight line. Low bars/good turning.
That was always a balance I had to find.
I don't recommend taller seat, yes it is more comfortable but I do believe it hinders cornering.
Low pegs will give you a little room and more space for shifting for your big feet. If you ride rocks and roots might be something to avoid but the F3 Fastways have a pretty low profile...
Taller bars or bar risers are good, try and get some that are pretty straight with no sweep...
What's his face, David Knight, he's a big guy too, there are some vids of him in his GNCC days that left my jaw on the floor, just smashing the bike
17 yrs old 6'5" looking like a goon when i stand up
Pit Row
Your tall, you will look goony on a machine built for 5'7" / 5'8" riders, just have to get use to it.
Can't imagine being taller than 6'4" and riding, my knees are already over the seat and gripping the tank makes you look like your trying not to piss yourself.
Have someone hold the bike so you can stand on the pegs
Stand on the pegs with your feet flat, parallel to the ground on your arches
Look straight ahead
Stand straight as a board
Arms straight as a board, palms down, hands and fingers also straight..
Keeping your arms straight, lower your hands to the grips till your fingers touch.
YOU SHOULD CONTACT ON YOUR 2ND DIGIT OF YOUR LONGER FINGERS.
This will get you VERY close...
I have found that riders that say they have their ergos really dialed...come in within 1/2" of this set up when they do this quick test....
This is why you can not definitively say that a certain bend is right...because rotating the bars fore and aft will effect the bar rise you want. If you rotate the bars back, you actually need a lower rise. As a taller rider, your are probably going to need to increase rider compartment size...so you are going to roll the bars forward quite a bit..probably about +1 min on the PT marks. Not sure about Renthals..
With your stock bars...get the fore and aft comfortable (likely rolled forward as noted)...then see how far off you are on contacting 2nd digits. Then do the math to see what rise will get you right close. I would recommend buying from a local shop so you can return them if you need to do some trial and error fitting before you ride em.
Strong back - check
Elbows up -check
Head up - Check
Relaxed looking arms - Check
A little more knee bend maybe...but nowhere close to goonish
The thing that really makes the pro's look like they do is their right hand. They are always either hard on gas (and thus out over the front) or had on the brakes (hips back). They also pivot more at the hips...and have their strong (straight) back closer to parallel to the ground (Tomac for example)..no matter whether they are forward or back.
Goonish looking riders often look that way because they are coasting...
But then again, I mostly ride hardpack or sand... When I rode rutty trails near my parents farm I found it was fine but I guess having size 13 boots you get used to your foot getting pulled off occassionally and not thinking about i.
The F3s move the pegs down and back both 1/2 inch I think. It's not gonna change the world in terms of that but does relax your leg position a bit.
I've just been a little sketched about your feet being _this_ much closer to snagging the ground.
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As for rider style. The taller guys that look coolest to me usually keep more of a bend in their knees to keep their torso more upright vs. the "ass up" style that a lot of tall guys have. I think ole Ryno Hughes would argue that's incorrect though.
I'm only 6' and I've found myself standing up a LOT more the last few times I've gone out.
With the Rox Risers I'm not stuck using only the highest bend bars, I can use any I want. They also allow a more forward bar position giving allowing me to get forward much easier. Not for everyone but not many are in the 0.01%.
YMMV
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