Tall Bike - Design Considerations

Design Considerations

Tall bikes present some interesting design considerations, and different localities tend to have different methods of dealing with them.

One consistent issue is that the seat tends to end up in line with, or behind, the rear axle, which creates a powerful tendency to lift the front wheel of the bicycle on acceleration. Some bicycle builders simply accept this tendency, but others solve the problem by moving the seat post forward, lowering the handlebars, or by using a smaller wheel in front, typically a 24" instead of a 26".

Stability can also be negatively affected, and enhancements such as extended wheelbase by welding extensions on the front and rear dropouts can benefit stability. Contest holders often place restrictions on such modification to prevent unfair advantages.

See the bicycle and motorcycle geometry and bicycle and motorcycle dynamics articles for more on these issues.