There are giants living among us, and we're not just talking 7-ft-plus basketball players. For pedal bikers, being super tall can cause serious problems – even with XL frames. That's where DirtySixer comes in, with its extra-large-framed, big-wheeled bikes and ebikes. Now the latter are riding with Bosch motor power.
This is not the first time we've rolled with the big boys, so let's have a recap. DirtySixer was founded in 2013 by David Folch following an ankle break on a regular-sized bike in 2011 – and the 36er was born, a ride specifically designed for folks over 6.5 ft (1.98 m).
The name 36er refers to the wheel size of these monster bikes, with the large frame and oversized components designed to be a perfect match. We first spotted DirtySixer at the North American Handmade Bicycle Show in 2016 when the company hit Kickstarter to fund scale-up plans and increase production.
That crowdfunder attracted enough super-tall riders to clear the campaign target, and all of the hand-built bikes shipped in December. The 36er bikes kept rolling out, and DirtySixer started work on a slightly smaller mountain-bike model called the 32er – appearing as a concept prototype in 2017.
Not surprisingly, in the years since the company has attracted former and current NBA players to its client list – including Lebron James, Rik Smits, Keith Closs, Shaquille O’Neal, Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell. In 2021, a new 36er variant hit the Indiegogo platform, a rigid-frame mountain bike with all-rounder aspirations.
This time the campaign coffers overflowed with more than US$370,000, but the bike took a little longer to ship than originally estimated. DirtySixer joined the ebike revolution in 2022 with a 36er sporting a Shimano STEPS e8000 motor at the bottom bracket matched to a 500-Wh downtube battery.
Now Shimano has been sacrificed for Bosch with the launch of eDirtySixers in both 32er and 36er guises – accommodating tall ebikers from 5.83 ft in height right up to 7.38 ft (1.78-2.25 m).
"The highly-regarded Bosch CX Performance mid-drive motor with Smart System provides up to 85 Nm [62.6 lb.ft] of torque and 600 watts of power assist activated through the pedals," confirmed the company in a press statement. "With electric assist, the long climbs to the top of the funnest descents are now easy, and those commuting to work no longer need to pack a change of undergarments."
Pedal-assist is provided up to 20 mph in the US or 25 km/h in Europe, but other than the promise of a "long battery life" details on the matched Bosch Power Pack have not been revealed, nor whether there are mounts included for a Frame Pack range extender.
Both models boast new off-road tires made by VeeTire specifically for large-wheeled DirtySixer bikes. The e36er wheels are wrapped in 2.25-inch T-Monster rubber while the e32er benefits from 2.4-inch variants. The electric 36er is reckoned best suited for riding gravel roads and commuting while also being "unmatched in the way it rolls over the roughest terrain." The 32er flavor can handle all of that too, "but finds its sweetest spot on tight singletrack."
Elsewhere, the bikes are built around a 6061 aluminum frame with a chromoly rigid fork and an oversized handlebar. You've got a gel-padded Velo saddle, Samox cranks and proprietary pedals. A 10-speed Shimano CUES gearset offers flexible ride choices, and reliable stopping power is served up by Tektro hydraulic disc brakes with 203-mm rotors. An optional rear rack is available for bikepacking needs, as are frame-fitting bags.
The suggested retail price for either model is US$8,999. They're up for pre-order now, but if you're super quick you could benefit from a significant discount via an in-house crowdfunding effort (which we've been told is due to close this weekend). Either way, shipping is estimated to start in February next year. The video below has more.
Product page: eDirtySixer
