XXL-Parts buying advice: Bicycle parts for particularly tall and heavy people

Tall bikers often have a hard time. If they have found a frame that suits them, this does not necessarily mean that the add-on parts harmonise with their proportions. Tall people don't necessarily have to struggle with seat posts that are too short or pedals that are too small. Fortunately, the bicycle industry has now also recognised the diversity of its customers and has suitable products in its range. With a body weight of 100 kilos or more, the choice of material quickly becomes a safety issue in a high-risk sport such as mountain biking. Not all MTB parts are designed for the correspondingly high loads. Then there is the tricky issue of suspension. Heavy riders often find it difficult to set up their forks and shocks.

A general tip for heavyweights is: durability tuning instead of weight tuning! Unlike 30 years ago, the stability of many parts today is fortunately guaranteed by various safety standards. Nevertheless, heavy riders prefer to choose parts from a higher category of use. In other words, if you weigh a lot and ride an all-mountain bike, it's a good idea to upgrade it with enduro parts such as extra-stable handlebars and stiff suspension forks. The higher the body weight, the more likely material fatigue is. A clean riding style protects the material. Heavy bikers should therefore also work on their riding technique.

XXL suspension forks

When it comes to suspension, the weight of the rider is more important than the size. Both the hardware and the setup have to be right. Forks and dampers are moving parts and therefore highly stressed points on a mountain bike - especially if the rider weighs 100 kilos or more. In order to avoid defects, suspension elements for heavy riders must therefore be particularly stable. When it comes to suspension forks, the high weight of E-MTBs has brought a whole host of thick models onto the market. 38-millimetre stanchions are particularly stiff and can withstand high loads over the long term. Examples of this type of XXL suspension fork include the Fox 38, the Rockshox ZEB, the DVO Onyx 38 or the SR Suntour Durolux 38. The E-Optimised series from Fox is particularly stiff. More material on the chassis can also benefit bikes without a motor but with heavy riders.

XXL damper

The higher the rider weight, the higher the pressure required for air shocks. This can not only have a negative impact on the sensitivity and durability of the shock, but can also mean that the other adjustment options do not deliver the desired effect. On trail, all-mountain and enduro bikes, heavy riders are therefore often better advised to use a coil shock. With the appropriate springs, even 120-kilo riders should be able to generate a suitable spring rate.

XXL wheels

Apart from the fact that tall riders harmonise better with large wheels of 29 or even 36 inchesMTB wheels must be particularly stable with high system weights. Filigree tuning wheelsets often have a weight limit of 90 kilos or less. In the manufacturer's specifications, a distinction must be made between body weight and system weight, i.e. the total weight of the bike, rider and equipment. To avoid damage to people and equipment, heavy bikers should adhere to the restrictions and opt for more stable wheels. For example, in contrast to the widespread 26 millimetre diameter ball bearings, Syntace uses larger 30 millimetre models, which are designed for loads of up to 250 kilos instead of 130 kilos. Nevertheless, the maximum permissible system weight is "only" 130 kilos.

Since heavyweight e-bikes have established themselves on the market, there have also been numerous high-quality wheelsets for MTB use with high weight approval. The DT Swiss HXC 1501 Spline One carbon wheelset, for example, is approved for a system weight of up to 140 kilos. Many wheels are built with 32 or fewer spokes. The stability of a wheel is by no means just a question of the number of spokes, but rather the construction of the individual parts and their interaction. With a higher number of spokes, the weight of the bike and rider can often be better distributed in the wheel. Hope, for example, offers wheels with 36 spokes per wheel.

XXL brakes

The higher the mass to be stopped, the more powerful the brakes need to be. Regardless of the area of use: hydraulic four-piston disc brakes, such as the trail version of the Shimano XT or the Magura MT5 or MT7 stoppers, should be mandatory for riders weighing 90 kilos or more. A braking force that matches the system weight not only improves ride quality but also safety. If you don't want to make any compromises, pay attention to large dimensions here too. More mass on the brake caliper and disc increases rigidity and leads to better heat dissipation. The Trickstuff Maxima, for example, not only has a higher heat capacity but also a larger pad surface than the already powerful Trickstuff Diretissima.

XXL brake discs

The choice of brake disc size is particularly critical for heavy riders. Here too, riders over 90 kilos should avoid lightweight construction and opt for large discs in favour of heat tolerance. In our tests, we were able to melt the aluminium core of high-quality Shimano brake discs at 400 degrees. XXL bikers are better off relying on models that are made entirely of steel or have a riveted aluminium spider, such as the Magura MDR. This design can help to dissipate excess heat more quickly and increase rigidity when braking. The lion's share of the braking force falls on the front brake. Discs with a diameter of at least 200 millimetres are therefore mandatory for heavy guys at the front.

Many manufacturers now offer even larger brake discs - including Shimano and Sram. But beware: Not every fork and frame manufacturer approves their products for such large discs. For its 223 millimetre MDR brake discs, Magura claims a ten percent higher braking force compared to a 203 millimetre model. Compared to a 180-millimetre disc, it is said to be a full 20 percent more. As a rule, MTB brake discs have a thickness of 2 millimetres. With the Intend Massive, the small Freiburg-based label offers a disc with a thickness of 2.3 millimetres. The additional mass is said to result in up to 30 per cent better heat management. Hope even offers a brake disc with a double braking surface. The gap in the centre and the double mass lead to better heat dissipation. However, this internally ventilated design generates a thickness of 3.3 millimetres. Only the Hope V4 brake system can cope with this.

XXL tyres

MTB tyres also have a weight limit! However, this is far higher than what other components can usually withstand. For example, Schwalbe allows 110 to 125 kilos per axle, depending on the model and width. A total of 220 to 250 kilos is therefore possible. Heavy riders place a high load on the tyres. To prevent heavy bikers from constantly having to deal with punctures, the puncture protection should also increase with the weight. A tubeless set-up has a positive effect on riding performance and susceptibility to punctures. If you're in the heavyweight class and are travelling on trails, it's better to choose at least an EXO+ or even a double-down casing from Maxxis. With Schwalbe tyres, it can be the super-gravity version. Tyre inserts can protect rims and tyres from punctures. Wide tyres can not only be ridden with less air pressure despite a high rider weight, but also offer better damping than models less than 2.4 inches wide. Stable and wide tyres, ideally in combination with an inner width of at least 30 millimetres on the rims, can absorb loads before they reach the rest of the bike.

XXL handles

Tall people generally have large hands and feet. Suitable contact points with the bike are not just a question of ergonomics, but also of riding feel. One person who knows all about this is US giant Kyle Strait. Together with Sensus, he has developed the Meaty Paw grips, which - nomen est omen - also fit really big paws. With the GA2 Fat The ergonomics experts at Ergon also have extra grips with a diameter of 33 millimetres for large hands in their range. If you want a lot of grip volume and like lightweight silicone grips, you should take a closer look at the ESI Chunky.

XXL pedals

Tall bikers often live large. If the pedals are too small for their feet, the footbed and joints can tire earlier or be plagued by pain. In addition to suitable shoes with stiff soles, clipless pedals with an additional cage are recommended for cyclists with large feet. Trail pedals in particular, such as the HT X2 or the Shimano Saint SPD, often have a platform around the actual click mechanism, which can provide large feet with an additional contact surface and thus relief.

If you prefer to ride flat pedals, some manufacturers now offer a choice of pedal bodies in different sizes. Spank offers the Spoon flat pedals in three different sizes and Crankbrothers also has a "large" version for its Stamp pedals, which should still fit shoe size 49. Our editor with shoe size 48 has already tried it out, by the way. SQlab even goes one step further and sells the 50X Pedals with three different axle lengths so that they should fit shoes up to size 50. With large feet, a V-shaped foot position or a large sit bone distance, an increased Q-factor can lead to a more physiological and natural foot position. SQlab achieves this by extending the pedal axle as required.

XXL saddles and supports

Long seat posts allow frame builders to design ever shorter seat tubes. Fortunately, the manufacturers of dropper posts are developing models with plenty of travel at the same time. The One Up Dropper Post V2, for example, provides up to 240 millimetres of adjustment range. Especially with a long saddle extension, the stability of dropper posts can become a problem for heavy riders. With the Revive Max, Bike Yoke has a model with an extra large-volume dropper post in its portfolio. However, the additional stiffness requires a frame with an inner diameter of 34.9 millimetres in the seat tube. An adjustment range of up to 213 millimetres is possible. Lightweight tuning saddles can pose a safety risk for heavy riders and are therefore a no-go. It is better to opt for models with sturdy steel or titanium frames.

More XXL parts

A high rider weight can also affect the durability of the bottom bracket. To ensure that the crank turns smoothly for a long time despite high loads, heavy bikers can, for example, rely on the extra-large ball bearings in the Enduro Bearings Max Hit bottom bracket.

If you are tall, you are likely to have broad shoulders. Many enduro handlebars are now available in 780 or 800 millimetre widths. If you want an even wider grip, you should look at Race Face turn. The Canadians also offer almost all models in a gigantic 820 mm width. Heavy riders should not try to squeeze out every last gram at this safety-relevant point, but rather make sure that the handlebars fulfil high stability standards and are approved for downhill use, for example.