36-ers - tall guy specials

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All the pics on that link have one thing in common, everybody is smiling :happy:.

I would think that with all the push-back on 29ers due to wheel strength, that a 36er would be a hard sell. I've taco'd a 29er, but, it was a Walmart bike...so it probably doesn't count :bigsmile:.

Seems like 36" wheels could lead to some interesting cruisers...I think someone had a build thread recently that was working on putting some 32"s on a cantilever frame.

Jason
 
Everybody is smiling when they ride one, and they all look like little kids sitting on top of those big wheels. Maybe that's what we're looking for anyway? To feel like a kid again? If all I gotta do to feel happy is have great big wheels, I''m all for it. :)
 
...and they all look like little kids sitting on top of those big wheels. Maybe that's what we're looking for anyway? To feel like a kid again?
That's why I have 26" and 29" bmx bikes...makes me feel like I'm 11-13 again, which is about how old I was when I gave up bikes for motorcycles and cars :grin:.

Jason
 
The Coker monster has been around for awhile, about 700 bucks.
3d585364b75d5ba9560bac49efe4c87f.jpg
 
The only bike that has put a bigger smile on my face than a C/T, was a repop penny farthing.
 
One thing I'm glad I'm average height about is that I don't like the aesthetics of bike frames for tall people, but these large wheels allow for builds with balanced proportions.

I want to do some weird bike build with these wheels, but they're not cheap enough for bikes that would hardly be ridden.
 
We have a 2000 Coker Monster here with an original Coker springer on it. It's been here since 2012, and gets a little seat time now and then. The smile thing only got lost once - I got in too big a rush to get on it and forgot to rotate the pedals to the highest point before leaning it down to step over and on to it. We all hit the ground at the same time.


What I learned from that: Old fat guys ain't meant to do stuff like this, and it IS very important to think before you leap. The other little useful piece of education received was how much blood can leak out of a cut in your knee. Great fun!

Still like to ride it though, just a lot more careful getting on it than I used to be.

Rat Royale
REC Elsewhere
 
This subject is fascinating to me. I marvel at how we always seem to be looking to solve a problem that doesn't exist. Larger and larger wheels have more disadvantages than advantages, but we seem to be hoping otherwise. No-one sells PennyFarthings anymore, and these large wheels went by the wayside 100+- years ago. We turned away from 27, 28, and 29ers and went with the very-versatile 26" wheel for all-around performance.
No-one can improve upon the lowly, but light & strong 26" wheeled bicycle, (IMO) but we look elsewhere with high hopes.
For 80 years they were the go-to wheel size. The true road bikes, which stuck with the 700c high-pressure pavement-crushing wheels made for speed held fast because it made sense. Back and forth we go. :confused:A bicycle manufacturers dream...
Unfortunately, debating this subject would be like debating what a "RAT ROD BIKE" "is"..:wondering:
 
This subject is fascinating to me. I marvel at how we always seem to be looking to solve a problem that doesn't exist. Larger and larger wheels have more disadvantages than advantages, but we seem to be hoping otherwise. No-one sells PennyFarthings anymore, and these large wheels went by the wayside 100+- years ago. We turned away from 27, 28, and 29ers and went with the very-versatile 26" wheel for all-around performance.
No-one can improve upon the lowly, but light & strong 26" wheeled bicycle, (IMO) but we look elsewhere with high hopes.
For 80 years they were the go-to wheel size. The true road bikes, which stuck with the 700c high-pressure pavement-crushing wheels made for speed held fast because it made sense. Back and forth we go. :confused:A bicycle manufacturers dream...
Unfortunately, debating this subject would be like debating what a "RAT ROD BIKE" "is"..:wondering:
http://www.hiwheel.com/ :cool2:
 
BC. Cool site! I really like the old stuff, don't get me wrong here. :thumbsup:There will always be these types of bikes rolling around for pure enthusiasts, but they wouldn't be the type of bike I reach for on most long rides, even at 6'-4" and with 55 years of riding bikes under my belt. JMO.... skpc
 
Walmart still sells two versions of a 32 inch bike. I had one, but the tread pattern was the worst possible for rolling resistance. And the one speed gearing was too high for an enjoyable ride. It was almost as much work riding as a Mongoose beast.
e953cdfd-5645-483a-b399-d2197db47acb_1.8cda03198c7820208a783fe112639cfb.jpeg

Now they have a 7 speed, but still the same tires.
520443c2-a516-4349-a846-fc8a00742be0_1.9847bc817b53eb5a338a6d45484903f1.jpeg
 
I would love to build with a set of them 36's!
@deven_science has built an awesome bike with a pair, it looks amazing and the proportions are spot on for a big guy like him.

Hopefully he will throw up a pic.
 
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