• For more information on how to avoid pop-up ads and still support SkiTalk click HERE.

What bikes should I be looking at?

Bendu

Sock Puppet
Pass Pulled
Joined
Jan 6, 2020
Posts
98
Location
Maine
At your height you will want the XL honzo. Your size may vary with other bikes....
 
Thread Starter
TS
musicmatters

musicmatters

Getting on the lift
Skier
Joined
Feb 14, 2019
Posts
218
Location
Atlanta
Really? Do they size smaller then others? All the charts I see point me to a Large
 

Bendu

Sock Puppet
Pass Pulled
Joined
Jan 6, 2020
Posts
98
Location
Maine
I would also be more inclined to go with the "big" Honzo. The Big has 27.5 + tires(2.8 - 3.0) which ride a ton more forgiving than 2.3 29 inch tires. Also the Big can take 2.6x 29 inch tires where as the normal Honzo can only take 2.3 inch tires. I know this does not sound like much but on a hardtail you want all the tire you have in the rear to act as suspension.

Large would probably be fine, but the link you sent me Larges were sold out. It was either M or XL and I would never size down on a bike except on the bike that really long low and slack which the Honzo is nt anymore. They do have this in a size large though.

 
Thread Starter
TS
musicmatters

musicmatters

Getting on the lift
Skier
Joined
Feb 14, 2019
Posts
218
Location
Atlanta
I would also be more inclined to go with the "big" Honzo. The Big has 27.5 + tires(2.8 - 3.0) which ride a ton more forgiving than 2.3 29 inch tires. Also the Big can take 2.6x 29 inch tires where as the normal Honzo can only take 2.3 inch tires. I know this does not sound like much but on a hardtail you want all the tire you have in the rear to act as suspension.

Large would probably be fine, but the link you sent me Larges were sold out. It was either M or XL and I would never size down on a bike except on the bike that really long low and slack which the Honzo is nt anymore. They do have this in a size large though.


Man you guys are not making this easier!! JK I really appreciate the help. I'm starting to feel like I do when I read ski reviews and then I realize I just need to demo them and see what I like. The issue is that all the bike shops are open, but only for curbside service and the show rooms are closed. I'd love to hop on a 27 vs a 29 and see the difference so i can make the call.

What you are saying makes sense on the 27 with the fatter tires, but I get other feedback in this thread that people say I should get 29 based on what I am going for. Any more votes on 27 vs 29 so i cna try to form some kind of consensus without riding them?
 

Bendu

Sock Puppet
Pass Pulled
Joined
Jan 6, 2020
Posts
98
Location
Maine
so 27.5+ and 27.5 are not the same thing...27.5+ is basically an outer diameter of a 29er. Most 27.5 + bike can run both. Basically what I am saying is I would avoid a narrow tired hardtail. 2.6 29er or 2.8-3.0 27.5 tires IMO are the best for all around riding.

Basically IMO(been MTBing since the early 90s....) bigger tires are better all around. Even roll faster over rough terrain.
 

Tony Storaro

Glorified Tobogganer
Skier
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Mar 2, 2020
Posts
7,806
Location
Europe
I would never size down on a bike


I get it you do not do much road biking then? :)

One of the main rules of road cycling: If between sizes ALWAYS size down....always.
You cannot shrink a larger frame, but you can always make smaller frame feel bigger.

In this particular case tho, at 6'1" he is closer to XL than M.
 
Last edited:

Tony Storaro

Glorified Tobogganer
Skier
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Mar 2, 2020
Posts
7,806
Location
Europe
What you are saying makes sense on the 27 with the fatter tires, but I get other feedback in this thread that people say I should get 29 based on what I am going for.

The reason for this is we have vastly different definitions of what mountain biking is, hence opinions differ.
If you gonna do lots of single trail and downhill, hardcore biking, then yes, 27,5 fat tyres absolutely make sense.
If however your idea is to ride dirt roads, tough gravel rides, in essence all that you can also do on a gravel bike but less comfy, including long rides, then you WILL suffer on these.

I tried a fat bike for longish rides (60km+) XC and it absolutely sucks. The lack of speed and the sluggishness of the whole system were killing me.

But that's of course my personal opinion.
 

Tom K.

Skier Ordinaire
Skier
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Dec 20, 2015
Posts
8,404
You mean STANCE, not Trance.

Yeah, thanks. I mis-typed ONCE out of several times, and it's too late to edit....

I would also be more inclined to go with the "big" Honzo. The Big has 27.5 + tires(2.8 - 3.0) which ride a ton more forgiving than 2.3 29 inch tires.

... and I would never size down on a bike except on the bike that really long low and slack which the Honzo is nt anymore. They do have this in a size large though.


Agree on both counts, though I'd run 29 x 2.6 tires on a hardtail. For me, the 27+ tires at 2.8 to 3.0 are a bit too much of a good thing.


I get it you do not do much road biking then? :)

One of the main rules of road cycling: If between sizes ALWAYS size down....always.
You cannot shrink a larger frame, but you can always make smaller frame feel bigger.

Boy, not for me. I'll always choose the larger size if I'm in between, and shorten the stem if need be. ALWAYS.

Though this is undoubtedly influenced somewhat by my long torso/short legs proportions.

But remember, the OP is looking for an mtb.
 

Bendu

Sock Puppet
Pass Pulled
Joined
Jan 6, 2020
Posts
98
Location
Maine
I get it you do not do much road biking then? :)

One of the main rules of road cycling: If between sizes ALWAYS size down....always.
You cannot shrink a larger frame, but you can always make smaller frame feel bigger.

In this particular case tho, at 6'1" he is closer to XL than M.

really depends on the year of the bike. A L bike from 5-10 year ago can be shorter than a small bike from today even of the same model. Also you CAN shorten a MTB by using a shorter stem, swept back bars, and pushing the seat forward. All of which make a bike easier to ride for mountain biking. The thing about MTBing on trails is there is no reason to not get a long wheel base under you, make the bike steer worse, but you should not be steering it anyway you should be leaning and carving it which a long wheel base does better.
 

Tony Storaro

Glorified Tobogganer
Skier
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Mar 2, 2020
Posts
7,806
Location
Europe
Boy, not for me. I'll always choose the larger size if I'm in between, and shorten the stem if need be. ALWAYS.

Though this is undoubtedly influenced somewhat by my long torso/short legs proportions.

Let me quote something from another place: "Think of the difference between sizes like a sports car vs a limo. For a blast around a windy road, take a sports car, for an eight hour drive down the interstate, take the limo. Choose the size that suits the riding you will do most often."

Smaller frame will always be nimbler, more agile and easier to throw around.
 

Bendu

Sock Puppet
Pass Pulled
Joined
Jan 6, 2020
Posts
98
Location
Maine
The reason for this is we have vastly different definitions of what mountain biking is, hence opinions differ.
If you gonna do lots of single trail and downhill, hardcore biking, then yes, 27,5 fat tyres absolutely make sense.
If however your idea is to ride dirt roads, tough gravel rides, in essence all that you can also do on a gravel bike but less comfy, including long rides, then you WILL suffer on these.

I tried a fat bike for longish rides (60km+) XC and it absolutely sucks. The lack of speed and the sluggishness of the whole system were killing me.

But that's of course my personal opinion.


The OP is going to be riding single track in the south eastern USA, my guess is its going to be mostly dirt with lots of embedded roots and rocks. . On singletrack wider tires (think 2.4-2.6) actually roll faster than say 2.0 - 2.3. I know this is hard to comprehend but it has everything do with the leverage ratio acting on the tire and the ability to absorb small bumps. A wider tire deflects less, and roll faster on less than smooth terrain. The trade offs are is they are generally heavier and will roll slower on smoother terrain but most dirt is not smoother.

This is going to be the OP home trails.


its actually smoother than what would have expected. Still IMO on a hardtail there is a ton more to be gained with wider tires.
 

Bendu

Sock Puppet
Pass Pulled
Joined
Jan 6, 2020
Posts
98
Location
Maine
Let me quote something from another place: "Think of the difference between sizes like a sports car vs a limo. For a blast around a windy road, take a sports car, for an eight hour drive down the interstate, take the limo. Choose the size that suits the riding you will do most often."

Smaller frame will always be nimbler, more agile and easier to throw around.

not really. Smaller frames are also easier for the trail to throw around, easier to endo and more liable to jack knife at speed. We are not on pavement and very few turns are tight enough where nimbleness really comes into play. Most people confidence for riding mountain bikes is killed by riding a bike too small for them. It also arguable that almost all bike were too small 10 year ago.

If you are going to use cars, I think this is type of car that best describes mountain biking.


 

Bendu

Sock Puppet
Pass Pulled
Joined
Jan 6, 2020
Posts
98
Location
Maine
Dirty Kanza is not mountain biking... it is gravel biking.
 

Erik Timmerman

So much better than a pro
Instructor
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
6,304
That would be a great price. Makes me wonder if it is broken or stolen. It was probably at least 5000 bucks new.
 

Tom K.

Skier Ordinaire
Skier
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Dec 20, 2015
Posts
8,404
Smaller frames are also easier for the trail to throw around, easier to endo and more liable to jack knife at speed.

Bang on!
 

Philpug

Notorious P.U.G.
Admin
SkiTalk Tester
Joined
Nov 1, 2015
Posts
42,624
Location
Reno, eNVy
That would be a great price. Makes me wonder if it is broken or stolen. It was probably at least 5000 bucks new.
Seller might realize it is a buyers market and has to move it fast.
 

Sponsor

Staff online

Top