“I was always too tall actually for the XL frame of every brand" - Michael Schär on the struggles of being a 6ft 5' pro cyclist
Cycling
For nearly a decade and a half, Michael Schär competed at the very top level of road cycling, including eleven different editions of the Tour de France.
For a man of Schär's size, 6-foot-5-inch (2m), clambering over some of cycling's most historic climbs such as Alpe d'Huez and Mont Ventoux was no mean feat. “I was always too tall actually for the XL frame of every brand,” recalls the 37-year-old Swiss, in conversation with the Bobby & Jens podcast.
Retiring at the end of the season, Schär will become a DS at Lidl-Trek. Hopefully, the former Swiss National Champion can put his experience to good use in regards to any cycling giants he meets in the future.
“We tried so much different stuff: 180 cranks, then we had 190 cranks,” he details, before explaining how it turned out smaller was actually the right way to go. “It got more relaxed, my position. From a 150 to a 140 stem, to now it’s a 130. It’s always getting a bit more ready for retirement.”
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- he is doing 460 watts for 35 min to achieve 7 w/kg with VO2 at 96 , just unreal numbers.abstractengineer08-11-2026
- Just do it, and put up with the consequencesJumpyjohn08-11-2026
- "was a headliner at the Tour de France" Nobody cared about Piddie. Only rivals that were there for Pogi, Jonas, Remco, Sexias, Lipo, Del Toro and they were all expected to lose. Piddie was not even in any conversation.abstractengineer08-11-2026
- exactly, he had an amazing season, but with these overstatements they don‘t do him good.Ketterechts08-11-2026
- More to the point, it isn't his remaining goal.Renz08-11-2026
- lol yeahmij08-11-2026
- I know, their headlines can be so misleading. Pidcock had a great season with 5 wins. and some solid 2nds. no reason to take away from that with a fake headline.mij08-11-2026
- You can clearly see the the posture change from slightly sitting to again out of the saddle while changing of gears in the video of the sprintabstractengineer08-11-2026
- He has already beaten Pogi twice in the TDF. the achievement is over. He cannot beat Pogi now and he only has a few years left at the top. Win Giro and compete in the TDF, maximise palmares.abstractengineer08-11-2026
- Just looked again at the photo. Yeah I stand by that. If MS had fallen over in Brands direction I don’t even think she would have hit her. You must be a UCI race commissioner. I’ll be sure to check my sock height should I ever see you on a ride. Looks like everyone else on here sees what I see.mij08-11-2026
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