Bicycles

Large-wheeled Bosch-powered ebikes geared for super-tall riders

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Taking the high road riding the Bosch-powered eDirtySixer ebike - which is available with 32-inch or 36-inch wheels
DirtySixer
Taking the high road riding the Bosch-powered eDirtySixer ebike - which is available with 32-inch or 36-inch wheels
DirtySixer
The 32er and 36er ebike variants feature a mid-drive Bosch Performance Line CX motor for up to 600 watts of peak power and 85 Nm of torque
DirtySixer
The 32er (center) and 36er (right) eDirtySixer ebikes are designed for tall and super-tall riders
DirtySixer
Each bike rolls with spoked wheels wearing VeeTire T-Monster tire specifically developed for DirtySixer
DirtySixer
DirtySixer bike production began after founder David Folch broke his ankle riding a bike that was simply too small for his 6ft6 body size
DirtySixer
The 32er version of the DirtySixer model was first prototyped in 2017, but development stalled "by the lack of a serious mountain bike tire"
DirtySixer
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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.

The 32er (center) and 36er (right) eDirtySixer ebikes are designed for tall and super-tall riders
DirtySixer

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 32er and 36er ebike variants feature a mid-drive Bosch Performance Line CX motor for up to 600 watts of peak power and 85 Nm of torque
DirtySixer

"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."

Each bike rolls with spoked wheels wearing VeeTire T-Monster tire specifically developed for DirtySixer
DirtySixer

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

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3 comments
Trylon
36-inch wheels don't make sense. High-end tires don't come in that size. The Vee T-Monster is an ancient design created by a framebuilder – not a tire company – almost two decades ago, and Vee isn't a top-tier tire maker. The wheels are inherently weaker since these are only 36-spoke. The larger wheels make for gearing problems, requiring unusually small chainrings or unusually large rear cogs to get a decent low gear. They cheaped out with Tektro hydraulic brakes instead of good Shimano ones. They claim to aim for the super-tall but only have 175mm cranks, which are standard on many mountain bikes. This whole campaign is all hype. Mini velos have 20" wheels yet they work great for average-height riders, and the 20" wheels are a lot stronger. The smaller the wheel, generally the stronger it is, one reason BMX with all its jumping uses 20" wheels. Most people who tried a Cannondale Hooligan thought it was great fun. If you really need a bike for a super-tall and/or super-heavy person, any of the Chinese custom framebuilders (like Waltly or Titancycles) can build you a super-tall frame for under $2000, reinforced as much as necessary to fit even a 400 or 500-pound rider, and made specifically to fit you rather than off the rack. Out of titanium, not cheap aluminum. Titancycles can even make you custom titanium cranks as long as you need, although frankly most people are already running longer than optimum.
ReservoirPup
To what Trylon has stated, I can only add I'm glad I'm just about 190cm.
McDesign
And that 6'11" guy still has his seat too low - even pedaling flatfooting, his knees get nowhere near straight.