The Best Bikes for Tall Men in 2022 — An In-Depth Guide

As a tall person, it can be challenging to find tools to meet your needs. Something as simple as a good bicycle can be hard to get because sometimes, tall people get the short end of the stick.

Knowing how time-consuming it can be to look for a good quality bike, we saved you all the hassle by compiling a list of the best bikes for tall men.

By the end of this article, you will better understand the different types of bikes, bike frames, wheels, and tires and how these components affect your comfort and performance.

You will also learn how to choose the perfect bike for your weight and height. Read on for more!

Bikes For Tall Men Reviewed In This Guide

1. Mongoose Argus ST 24 Fat Tire Mountain Bike
2. Schwinn S29 Men’s Mountain Bike With Dual-Suspension
3. Schwinn Network 3.0 700c Hybrid Bike
4. Vilano TUONO 2.0 21 Speed 700c Aluminum Road Bike
5. Mongoose Salvo 29 Mountain Bike

Best Bikes For Tall Men List

1. Mongoose Argus ST 24 Fat Tire Mountain Bike

This hardtail, fat-tire bike from Mongoose is built specifically for young riders eight years and older. The Argus Trail Bike is suitable for both male and female riders from 4′ 8″ tall and up, and its solid steel frame can support heavy riders quite well.

Its listed weight limit is 260 pounds, but some adult riders who weigh more than 300 pounds have found this bike to be both comfortable and supportive. 

The bike’s disc brakes go well with its aluminum rims to produce an efficient braking system. This mountain bike is available in several colors and frame sizes ranging from 11 to 19 inches.

Specs

• Wheel size: 24″
• Suspension: Rigid
• No. of speeds: 7
• Frame size: 12″
• Frame material: Steel
• Weight in box: 10.2 kg
• Tires: 24″ x 4″; wire bead; knobby
• Brakes: Mechanical disc

What We Like

• Provides great support for heavier riders
• Comes with a lifetime warranty

What We Don’t Like

• Handlebars don’t seem to be adjustable
• Does not come with a kickstand

Overall, Mongoose’s Argus ST 24 Fat Tire Bike is a great option for tall, heavy riders who prefer riding on rugged terrain.

This model is a bit weighty, so you should keep that in mind if you plan on riding uphill a lot.

2. Schwinn S29 Men’s Mountain Bike With Dual-Suspension

This bike from the trusted brand Schwinn is built for riders 5’9” and above and can support more than 200 pounds. 

It is one of the best bikes for tall men and features an 18-inch aluminum frame, 2-inch wide tires, 21 speeds, and dual suspension. The rear and front suspension also do a great job absorbing shock to give the cyclist a smoother ride.

Weighing about 40 pounds, the bike is fairly heavy, but the 21 gears give the rider plenty of options to choose from for a comfortable ride. 

The Schwinn S29 Mountain Bike also comes in several cool colors so that you can ride in style.

Specs

• Wheel size: 29″
• Suspension: Dual
• No. of speeds: 21
• Frame size: 18″
• Frame material: Aluminum
• Weight: 18 kg
• Tires: 29″ x 2″; wire bead; knobby
• Brakes: Mechanical disc

What We Like

• Easy to assemble
• Offers great support for heavier, taller riders
• Suspension does a great job at absorbing shock

What We Don’t Like

• Not ideal for very rugged terrains
• Bike is heavier
• Some users noticed a faulty rear derailleur
• Some users complain about the bike’s durability

Schwinn’s S29 Dual-Suspension Mountain Bike is ideal for people who are taller than 6 feet. Although it’s pretty sturdy, we don’t recommend it for riding on extremely rugged trails.

3. Schwinn Network 3.0 700c Hybrid Bike

Schwinn’s Network 3.0 Hybrid Bike features an 18-inch aluminum frame and 28-inch wheels. The 21-speed bicycle comes with ergonomic handlebars with built-in trigger shifters, which allow the rider to change gears quickly.

As a tall rider, you will love that this bike’s frame lets you ride in an upright position. Plus, the bicycle’s suspension fork and seat post provide adequate shock absorption for a more comfortable ride.

Note that the manufacturers have listed this bike for adult riders between 5’4″ and 6’2″. However, some people around 5’4″ found that it was too big for them to ride comfortably.

Specs

• Wheel size: 28″
• Suspension: Rigid
• No. of speeds: 21
• Frame size: 18″
• Frame material: Aluminum
• Weight: 14.5 kg
• Tires: 700c x 1.5″; wire bead; knobby
• Brakes: Linear-pull brakes

What We Like

• Easy to assemble
• Comes with a lifetime warranty
• Quite durable

What We Don’t Like

•  Some users have complained about poor quality pedals

This bike is ideal for tall people (beginners included) looking for a lightweight bicycle to use regularly. Its all-terrain design makes it a great bike for commuting, exercising, and going on mini-adventures.

4. Vilano TUONO 2.0 21 Speed 700c Aluminum Road Bike

Vilano’s TUONO 2.0 700c, 21-Speed Bike has a large, lightweight aluminum frame perfect for taller riders. 

The distinctive drop bars come with built-in thumb shifters, allowing the cyclist to quickly shift between gears.

This road bike has a reach of 24.8 inches, which is ideal for tall people, and it also supports riders weighing up to 250 pounds, thanks to its solid construction. Owners of this model particularly like that the bike has a lightweight yet sturdy build.

The tires on this ride are 25 mm wide, and the wheels are 700c (about 27.5 inches), which is a standard size for larger road bikes. 

There is no need to buy a bell or lock for your ride because this one comes with those accessories.

Specs

• Wheel size: 29″
• Suspension: Rigid
• No. of speeds: 21
• Frame size: 19.5″
• Frame material: Aluminum
• Weight: 13.4 kg
• Tires: 700c x 25mm 
• Brakes: Mechanical disc

What We Like

• Good value for money
• Lightweight
• Durable

What We Don’t Like

• Does not come with a kickstand
• Brakes are not as efficient as expected

This road bicycle is a good, pocket-friendly option for beginners and seasoned cyclists as well.

5. Mongoose Salvo 29 Mountain Bike

Another great option for tall people is Mongoose’s Salvo 29 Mountain Bike. This comp bike is lightweight and available in small, medium, and large sizes.

The dual suspension’s floating technology is ideal for aggressive riding and bumpy terrains. The knobby, 2-inch-wide tires also provide great grip on these types of surfaces.

This solid set of wheels features well-designed handlebars complete with trigger shifters, which lets the user shift gears without a fuss. Its lightweight aluminum frame can support tall riders who are 200 pounds and over.

Like the other models on this list, this one also comes in several different colors.

Specs

• Wheel size: 29″
• Suspension: Dual
• No. of speeds: 12
• Frame size: Small
• Frame material: Aluminum
• Weight: 17.2 kg
• Tires: 2.25″; wire bead; knobby
• Brakes: Hydraulic disc brakes

What We Like

• Sturdy, durable build
• Supports a large amount of weight

What We Don’t Like

• Some owners complain that the saddle is not very comfortable

This mountain bicycle is a great option for seasoned mountain bikers who need a bike that can support their height and weight.

What to Look for When Buying a Bike to Suit Your Height

Types of Bikes

Before deciding on a bike, you need to determine the type of terrain you’ll mostly be riding on.

• Road Bikes

As you may have guessed, road bikes are designed to be ridden on asphalt. They have lighter, thinner frames than most other bicycles. 

The top tube on a road bike is more or less at a 180-degree angle, and the distance between the wheels is wider than in bikes made for rugged terrains.

By looking at a road bike and a mountain bike, you can see the difference in the shape of the handlebars. However, this bike’s most distinguishing feature is its big, thin wheels.

• Mountain Bikes

Mountain bikes are built to withstand the damage caused by rugged terrains. They have wide, fat tires that do a superb job gripping the ground beneath them, plus their parts are made of heavy-duty material.

They are also designed to be more compact and closer to the ground than road bikes. This low center-of-gravity design, plus the built-in suspension, helps absorb shock and keep the rider stable.

Another feature that differentiates mountain bikes from road bikes is the top tube, which on trail, mountain, and other types of bicycles, is shorter, and at a sloping angle rather than at 180 degrees.

Did you know that trail bikes are a type of mountain bike? There are several other types, including rigid, hardtail, cross country, and downhill bikes.

• All-Terrain Bikes

These are also known as hybrid bicycles and are a cross between a road bike and a mountain bike. 

Some hybrid bikes have a sloping top tube, a slimmer frame, and smaller wheels like their mountain counterparts, while others are built to look and perform more like a road bike. 

One major difference is that all-terrain bikes allow riders to sit in a more comfortable, upright position rather than hunched forward.

This type of bicycle is a great option for newbie riders, casual cyclists, and people who commute by bike.

• Gravel Bikes

This kind of bicycle is similar to a road bike in terms of design. The major differences are the gravel bike’s larger, wider tires which typically have a knobby tread pattern. 

Another distinguishing feature is the frame geometry (gravel bikes have a shorter reach), which allows the cyclist to have a more comfortable, upright posture when riding. These bikes also typically have some type of advanced suspension. 

Frame

Taller riders need a bike with a larger frame. Here are some of the things to consider when looking for a frame:

• Material

Modern bicycles are typically made from alloys of aluminum, steel, and carbon fiber. These materials have different properties but do not differ greatly in terms of performance.

Steel is the heaviest, sturdiest, and most solid of the three, while carbon fiber is the lightest and most expensive but least sturdy material.

Aluminum is quite light and inexpensive and is widely used in bikes built for smoother surfaces. One advantage of aluminum is that it does not rust.

While bike shopping, you might see that some of the most expensive bikes on the market have titanium frames. This metal is very strong but also light, making it ideal for mountain bikes.

For heavier, taller riders, the best choice might be to go with a steel or titanium bike frame.

• Construction

Road bikes have a larger reach (horizontal distance between the head tube and the center of the bottom bracket) than mountain and all-terrain bicycles.

As a tall rider, you have a longer upper body than the average person, so you want the reach to be just right for your frame. You might also want to ensure that the stack is high and that the saddle can be adjusted high enough for your comfort.

As you might expect, all-terrain and mountain bikes have a shorter reach and a lower stack than road bikes. This allows you to ride more comfortably without leaning forward too much.

• Size

Wouldn’t it be great if you could determine what size bike to get by comparing your height measurement to a chart? Well, you can! Here’s a handy bike frame size chart.

Wheels

Since taller people tend to weigh more than the average person, look for wheels with a higher number of spokes. 

More spokes in the rim allow for the rider’s weight to be distributed more evenly along the wheel’s circumference. If your rims have too few spokes, there’s a higher chance of the spokes breaking and the rims getting damaged.

Bicycle rims are also made from carbon fiber, aluminum, and steel alloys. Aluminum rims tend to work better with disc brakes than other materials but bend and dent more easily than the other elements.

Carbon fiber rims are more likely to break than bend, given their rigidity, but usually only if they undergo extreme stress. Rims made from steel alloys are available, but they don’t work the best with brakes.

Bicycles typically have a maximum recommended weight, so we suggest checking the manufacturer’s website for information about the amount of weight the bike you want can support.

Tires

The tires on road bicycles are thin and have a smoother surface than tires built for other terrains. You will find road tires in various widths, the most common being 23 mm, 25 mm, and 28 mm.

If you’re a fairly heavy rider, you might want to opt for wider tires.

Mountain bikes, on the other hand, have wide or fat tires covered in treads that come in different patterns and sizes. These tires are available in several sizes, the most popular being 26″, 27.5″, and 29″. 

You can also find fat tires with widths from around 50 mm (2″) to 127 mm (5″).

Hybrid bicycle tires come in different sizes, tread patterns, and widths, typically ranging from 35 mm to 45 mm.

As far as the construction of the tires goes, you may want to opt for the tubeless options, as they tend to give a more comfortable ride and are less likely to go flat. Puncture-resistant tires are also a good choice if you can afford to spend a little extra on tires.

Suspension

Bicycles built for bumpy terrain usually have suspensions in different parts of the machine. 

Bikes with suspension in the front and rear are called “dual-suspension” bikes, while those with only front suspension are known as hardtails. 

Less common parts that have suspension systems are the seat post and hub.

Handlebars and Saddle

Handlebars come in different widths, and you can replace the one on your bike with a wider one if needed. As a rule of thumb, your handlebars should be about shoulder-width wide.

You’ll want to choose a comfortable, well-cushioned saddle because if your seat is too small, it will cause a lot of pain.

A Recap of the Best Bikes for Tall Men 

Let’s take a quick look at our picks of the best bikes for tall men for 2022:

• Best mountain bike for adults – Mongoose Salvo 29 Mountain Bike
• Best mountain bike for kids and teens – Mongoose Argus ST 24 Fat Tire Mountain Bike
• Best road bike – Vilano TUONO 2.0 21 Speed 700c Road Bike
• Best hybrid bike – Schwinn Network 3.0 700c Hybrid Bike

Keep in mind that when you’re shopping for a bicycle to suit your height and size, you should consider factors like:

• The size of the frame
• The frame geometry, which determines the bike’s reach and stack
• The material the frame and rims are made from
• Wheel spoke count
• Types of tires
• The bike’s weight limit

Conclusion

Choosing between the best bikes for tall men doesn’t have to be difficult when you know what you’re looking for. Remember that it is always better to physically test the bicycle in-store before buying it.

If that’s too inconvenient or just not possible for you, then the next best thing is to refer to a bike frame size chart to get the best idea of what size bike will suit you best.

Everything for big and tall