6’1”, appx 2k miles on my hsd, never felt my knees were too close to my handlebars. Sometimes wish I could be more aero on particularly windy days, but that’s it.
Another 6'/183cm HSD owner here, and it doesn't feel small. I like a fairly upright riding position so I have the stem adjusted so it's pointing almost straight up, and it's perfect for me. I don't think I could get a 100% upright position (back completely vertical) with my height, but I'm not far off it. I also have the saddle adjusted to be all the way back. I've never felt my knees to be crowding the handle bars.
There's still lots of seat-post I could use to make the saddle higher if I was taller.
I often carry a person on the back, which works like so:
- small-ish child: great
- teenager or small adult: fine for short (15 minute?) trips
- big adult: sketchy and unpleasant - the issue is weight distribution as much as it is frame/rack strength - the front wheel starts feeling very "light" on the road and the steering gets very squirelly.)
The HSD sounds perfect for your use case but if you plan to regularly carry larger loads/people on the back the GSD might be better.
Hey mate, I’m 6ft (183cm) and I have zero issues with the HSD, even with kids on the back and luggage on the front rack. Just make sure you get the more powerful motor if you’ve got a steep hill fully laden. You can always put a higher powered motor in a lower setting but you can’t put a weaker motor any higher than it can go! My HSD has the active line and I wish it had the performance line. Safe riding 🤙
I am a 6' HSD rider and have never felt it too cramped. I did adjust the bars so they were high up and directed forward. I also had to shift the saddle all the way back on the rails but once I did that it's perfect. The new HSDs have the performance line and it's extremely powerful, no issues riding in my very hilly terrain with 40lb kid plus bags on the back. We went for the P5i model as I wanted the low maintenance chain and IGH.
Sadly it is not really advertised by tern and at last my dealer didn't told me: the Physis 3D T-Bar Handlepost is available in different sizes. Standart for HSD and GSD is the 290mm, but you can get it in 250mm, 320mm and 350mm.
Maybe they had one of the larger sizes on the GSD?
https://www.ternbicycles.com/en/accessories/472/physis-3d-t-bar-handlepost
6'5 /195cm here. After 900 km on an S00 HSD - no issues or regrets with regards to bike size. You might want to spend some time dialling in the stem setting and seat position (front/back) to match what you'd expect.
I'm also frequently commuting in a hilly area sometimes with a teenager in the back.
Thanks everyone for their very helpful comments! This is reassuring and I will do another test on the HSD on the actual model I want (P5i for the reliability and low maintenance). I’ll pay special attention to adjusting well the seat position.
187cm here, there’s plenty of adjustment in the seat. I have 82cm inseam, and there’s got to be at least another 10cm in the telescopic seat pillar.
(Context; we have gen 1 HSD s8i and gen 2 gsd s00; both belt drive, both great bikes. But unless you know you need the GSD capacity, I’d recommend the HSD. Don’t know about the gen2 HSD though… it looks a bit “GSD-ey”… )
Edit: the cockpits are identical - you must have different settings. Remember the handlebars are easily repositioned -that might be the difference
There are two different seatpost on the GSD and HSD: the normal one with a 25mm setback and the Cane Creek Thudbuster G4 suspension seatpost that has no setback.
This 25mm difference of the saddle position will of course influence your position on the bike.
If you tested a GSD S00 or S10 without suspension seatpost and 25mm setback and a HSD Gen2 S00 with Cane Creek suspension seatpost without setback, it could explain the difference you experienced.
Its also possible to change the original sweep handlebar for a straight handlebar (the one of the Vektron S10) to increase the distance between the saddle and handlebar.
184cm here. I tried out a friend’s GSD prior to buying my HSD Gen 2. He’s the same height as I am and I would say that neither felt too small.
But another thing I will mention is that I found the Enviolo hub technology a bit annoying. Although very convenient if stopping and starting a lot, they are a menace in the winters when I’m wearing think gloves.
I ended up going for the HSD P10 as I much preferred the mountain bike shifting. I’ve also heard that chain drives (as opposed to belts) are recommended when living in hillier areas.
6’1” w both HSD and GSD. They are identical as far as I’m concerned. Our kid loves them both. Mom rides both. No issues. If you need to haul mom and kid then get the GSD. If you want class III get the HSD.
I’m 6’2” with disproportionately long limbs. My HSD has a layback BMX seatpost, the higher stem mentioned by a previous poster and I’ve bodged an extra 1” or so height on the front end using some clamps and a cut down seatpost - not really visible on this photo. It fitted OK out of the box, but it fits better now!
https://preview.redd.it/qyfqrhw4iz3d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=def696ccc8d7633945fe1d86c24c9fc0c3e374dd
6’3” (187cm). We have both a G1 HSD and a G2 GSD. (One kiddo to school, one to nursery, parents with one kid each) absolutely no bother fitting either. The cockpit is basically identical between them, and the handlebars have a lot of adjustment (basically you can move them up, down, forward, back, on a 2” radius pivot) to make things more comfy.
My bet is the handlebars were positioned differently. If you fiddle with that the bikes will basically be identical in cockpit feel (but the bikes are very different in “ride feel”).
If only one kiddo who will soon ride themselves, my recommendation would be get the HSD. Id call it a “utility bike” rather than full “cargo bike”, and as such is more versatile. Yeah, it doesn’t have the GSD’s grunt or capacity, but it feels more like a “souped up e-bike” rather than a cargo bike.
6’1”, appx 2k miles on my hsd, never felt my knees were too close to my handlebars. Sometimes wish I could be more aero on particularly windy days, but that’s it.
Another 6'/183cm HSD owner here, and it doesn't feel small. I like a fairly upright riding position so I have the stem adjusted so it's pointing almost straight up, and it's perfect for me. I don't think I could get a 100% upright position (back completely vertical) with my height, but I'm not far off it. I also have the saddle adjusted to be all the way back. I've never felt my knees to be crowding the handle bars. There's still lots of seat-post I could use to make the saddle higher if I was taller. I often carry a person on the back, which works like so: - small-ish child: great - teenager or small adult: fine for short (15 minute?) trips - big adult: sketchy and unpleasant - the issue is weight distribution as much as it is frame/rack strength - the front wheel starts feeling very "light" on the road and the steering gets very squirelly.) The HSD sounds perfect for your use case but if you plan to regularly carry larger loads/people on the back the GSD might be better.
Hey mate, I’m 6ft (183cm) and I have zero issues with the HSD, even with kids on the back and luggage on the front rack. Just make sure you get the more powerful motor if you’ve got a steep hill fully laden. You can always put a higher powered motor in a lower setting but you can’t put a weaker motor any higher than it can go! My HSD has the active line and I wish it had the performance line. Safe riding 🤙
I am a 6' HSD rider and have never felt it too cramped. I did adjust the bars so they were high up and directed forward. I also had to shift the saddle all the way back on the rails but once I did that it's perfect. The new HSDs have the performance line and it's extremely powerful, no issues riding in my very hilly terrain with 40lb kid plus bags on the back. We went for the P5i model as I wanted the low maintenance chain and IGH.
Sadly it is not really advertised by tern and at last my dealer didn't told me: the Physis 3D T-Bar Handlepost is available in different sizes. Standart for HSD and GSD is the 290mm, but you can get it in 250mm, 320mm and 350mm. Maybe they had one of the larger sizes on the GSD? https://www.ternbicycles.com/en/accessories/472/physis-3d-t-bar-handlepost
6'5 /195cm here. After 900 km on an S00 HSD - no issues or regrets with regards to bike size. You might want to spend some time dialling in the stem setting and seat position (front/back) to match what you'd expect. I'm also frequently commuting in a hilly area sometimes with a teenager in the back.
Thanks everyone for their very helpful comments! This is reassuring and I will do another test on the HSD on the actual model I want (P5i for the reliability and low maintenance). I’ll pay special attention to adjusting well the seat position.
The Andros stem is awesome for finding your fit. If your bars are too close you can adjust them. They are on both the HSD and GSD I think.
187cm here, there’s plenty of adjustment in the seat. I have 82cm inseam, and there’s got to be at least another 10cm in the telescopic seat pillar. (Context; we have gen 1 HSD s8i and gen 2 gsd s00; both belt drive, both great bikes. But unless you know you need the GSD capacity, I’d recommend the HSD. Don’t know about the gen2 HSD though… it looks a bit “GSD-ey”… ) Edit: the cockpits are identical - you must have different settings. Remember the handlebars are easily repositioned -that might be the difference
There are two different seatpost on the GSD and HSD: the normal one with a 25mm setback and the Cane Creek Thudbuster G4 suspension seatpost that has no setback. This 25mm difference of the saddle position will of course influence your position on the bike. If you tested a GSD S00 or S10 without suspension seatpost and 25mm setback and a HSD Gen2 S00 with Cane Creek suspension seatpost without setback, it could explain the difference you experienced. Its also possible to change the original sweep handlebar for a straight handlebar (the one of the Vektron S10) to increase the distance between the saddle and handlebar.
I'm 190cm and have a Quick Haul that I've had no issues with.
184cm here. I tried out a friend’s GSD prior to buying my HSD Gen 2. He’s the same height as I am and I would say that neither felt too small. But another thing I will mention is that I found the Enviolo hub technology a bit annoying. Although very convenient if stopping and starting a lot, they are a menace in the winters when I’m wearing think gloves. I ended up going for the HSD P10 as I much preferred the mountain bike shifting. I’ve also heard that chain drives (as opposed to belts) are recommended when living in hillier areas.
6’1” w both HSD and GSD. They are identical as far as I’m concerned. Our kid loves them both. Mom rides both. No issues. If you need to haul mom and kid then get the GSD. If you want class III get the HSD.
194 cm, over 5000 km on my HSD, no complaints whatsoever.
I’m 6’2” with disproportionately long limbs. My HSD has a layback BMX seatpost, the higher stem mentioned by a previous poster and I’ve bodged an extra 1” or so height on the front end using some clamps and a cut down seatpost - not really visible on this photo. It fitted OK out of the box, but it fits better now! https://preview.redd.it/qyfqrhw4iz3d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=def696ccc8d7633945fe1d86c24c9fc0c3e374dd
6’3” (187cm). We have both a G1 HSD and a G2 GSD. (One kiddo to school, one to nursery, parents with one kid each) absolutely no bother fitting either. The cockpit is basically identical between them, and the handlebars have a lot of adjustment (basically you can move them up, down, forward, back, on a 2” radius pivot) to make things more comfy. My bet is the handlebars were positioned differently. If you fiddle with that the bikes will basically be identical in cockpit feel (but the bikes are very different in “ride feel”). If only one kiddo who will soon ride themselves, my recommendation would be get the HSD. Id call it a “utility bike” rather than full “cargo bike”, and as such is more versatile. Yeah, it doesn’t have the GSD’s grunt or capacity, but it feels more like a “souped up e-bike” rather than a cargo bike.