Surly Ogre/Trucker [/anything else] - photos with 6'4" rider

[stevejk]

Hi
Does anyone in the 6'2 - 6'6 range have any photos of themselves next to their XL/XXL-framed (62/64) Surly that they can post, or link to?

[Preamble:]
I'm looking for a replacement for my Dawes Galaxy. It's been a really competent tourer that I bought in 2009 but my main reason for buying it was because it was the only thing in the shop that I didn't look ridiculous on. I'm 6'4 and with spacers and a raised seatpost I feel like I'm riding on top of it. I want something sturdy that will take my luggage but that's also fun when I take the racks off. I'm interested in the Surly Ogre / Trucker, because I've heard that they're solid and have large frame sizes (62/64). I have heard that Surly seem overpriced but I'm struggling, and I'm very open to any suggestions - got to be steel and take 38+ tyres though and no more than £2k complete. For obvious reasons, the large frames are scarce in bike shops and rarely made up for me to try so I can only view the bikes online, which is pointless ("these are small, but the ones out there are far away"). If any tall types have photos of themselves next to their large framed bikes I'd appreciate it.

Thanks, Steve

 

[si_c]

Hi
Does anyone in the 6'2 - 6'6 range have any photos of themselves next to their XL/XXL-framed (62/64) Surly that they can post, or link to?

[Preamble:]
I'm looking for a replacement for my Dawes Galaxy. It's been a really competent tourer that I bought in 2009 but my main reason for buying it was because it was the only thing in the shop that I didn't look ridiculous on. I'm 6'4 and with spacers and a raised seatpost I feel like I'm riding on top of it. I want something sturdy that will take my luggage but that's also fun when I take the racks off. I'm interested in the Surly Ogre / Trucker, because I've heard that they're solid and have large frame sizes (62/64). I have heard that Surly seem overpriced but I'm struggling, and I'm very open to any suggestions - got to be steel and take 38+ tyres though and no more than £2k complete. For obvious reasons, the large frames are scarce in bike shops and rarely made up for me to try so I can only view the bikes online, which is pointless ("these are small, but the ones out there are far away"). If any tall types have photos of themselves next to their large framed bikes I'd appreciate it.

Thanks, Steve

As a taller rider (over 6'5") I've often struggled to find bikes in a suitable size - for some reason some manufacturers think a bike which is marketed as XXL should have a 58cm top tube!

I've not got any experience with Surly bikes - I never found the aesthetics in the larger sizes appealing - but if you're willing to broaden your options I can highly recommend Trek's Domane series of bikes as they fit me really well in the 62cm frame size and mine is really comfortable, it's the bike I grab most often. The Domane AL runs up to around £2k, it's Aluminium rather than Steel, but I've not found that to be an issue, takes up to 38c tyres (although only 35 with mudguards) and can take a rack with options for mounting other things as well. I know a couple of people with the last couple of Gen versions and they all rated them highly - both using them as everyday commuters. My Domane is a 2018 model and aside from scuffs to the paint is running really nicely.

My other recommendation would be to look at Kinesis - I wouldn't be looking at the pre-set up bikes though the sizes on them run a little small, but the framesets run to 63cm (I have the RTD, which doesn't have rack mounts unfortunately, but the AT does) and again I find them a really good fit. You'd need to be willing to invest the time to build them up though or willing to pay a shop to do it for you.

Hopefully there are taller riders here with the Surly though so you can get an idea of what your looking at!

 

[stevejk]

As a taller rider (over 6'5") I've often struggled to find bikes in a suitable size - for some reason some manufacturers think a bike which is marketed as XXL should have a 58cm top tube!

I've not got any experience with Surly bikes - I never found the aesthetics in the larger sizes appealing - but if you're willing to broaden your options I can highly recommend Trek's Domane series of bikes as they fit me really well in the 62cm frame size and mine is really comfortable, it's the bike I grab most often. The Domane AL runs up to around £2k, it's Aluminium rather than Steel, but I've not found that to be an issue, takes up to 38c tyres (although only 35 with mudguards) and can take a rack with options for mounting other things as well. I know a couple of people with the last couple of Gen versions and they all rated them highly - both using them as everyday commuters. My Domane is a 2018 model and aside from scuffs to the paint is running really nicely.

My other recommendation would be to look at Kinesis - I wouldn't be looking at the pre-set up bikes though the sizes on them run a little small, but the framesets run to 63cm (I have the RTD, which doesn't have rack mounts unfortunately, but the AT does) and again I find them a really good fit. You'd need to be willing to invest the time to build them up though or willing to pay a shop to do it for you.

Hopefully there are taller riders here with the Surly though so you can get an idea of what your looking at!

You're right, the aesthetics don't often work in larger road bikes / tourers. My 5'2" wife has just bought a 2nd hand Surly Long Haul Trucker and the dimensions are perfect - there's only 1cm or so where the down- and top tubes meet, and the top of the stem is only about 15cm above that. It looks solid and compact. Comparing that with larger frames which have the seat and head tubes lengthened, a massive seat post above that and then spacers and it all starts looking like a tall bike - there's too much going on above the forks. Having seen a larger-framed Long Haul/Disc Trucker since my original post I'm now less inclined to get one - it looks fragile. I'm hoping the dimensions of the XL Ogre are better thought out.

I had a look at Trek Domane, and the Checkpoint. I do prefer your 2018 frame over the 2023. My other issue is that the new models looks so eye-catchingly stealable. I'd be sweating leaving it unattended in a populated area. The Trek 520 would work better for me, but the larger frame size looks terrible. I'll have a look at Kinesis.

Thanks for the reply. Made me think about how frame sizes are actually made to be larger.

 

[si_c]

You're right, the aesthetics don't often work in larger road bikes / tourers. My 5'2" wife has just bought a 2nd hand Surly Long Haul Trucker and the dimensions are perfect - there's only 1cm or so where the down- and top tubes meet, and the top of the stem is only about 15cm above that. It looks solid and compact. Comparing that with larger frames which have the seat and head tubes lengthened, a massive seat post above that and then spacers and it all starts looking like a tall bike - there's too much going on above the forks. Having seen a larger-framed Long Haul/Disc Trucker since my original post I'm now less inclined to get one - it looks fragile. I'm hoping the dimensions of the XL Ogre are better thought out.

Yeah that was one of my dislikes how fragile it looked - the tubing is woefully undersized in a frame that large. It kind of works on an older bike - I've had a couple of road bikes from the 70s/80s - but the Surly just seems spindly. I have come to accept the longer head tube as an unavoidable tradeoff with being able to reach the top shelf of the cupboards.

I had a look at Trek Domane, and the Checkpoint. I do prefer your 2018 frame over the 2023. My other issue is that the new models looks so eye-catchingly stealable. I'd be sweating leaving it unattended in a populated area. The Trek 520 would work better for me, but the larger frame size looks terrible. I'll have a look at Kinesis.

Thanks for the reply. Made me think about how frame sizes are actually made to be larger.

Yeah I did have concerns about leaving my Trek locked up, but once I added mudguards and it got a few scratches and I stopped washing it, it looked less like a theft magnet. I've left it in Liverpool unattended for a couple of hours without issue (although I do use a good d-lock in town).