Viewing 23 posts - 1 through 23 (of 23 total)
  • 456 SIZING HELP
  • monkeyfiend
    Free Member

    One of those ‘have I done the right thing’ posts…

    I’ve just put an order in for a 456, due next week (fingers crossed).

    I’ve gone for a 20″ frame as I’m 6’3 and have an inside leg of 34″.

    I’ve currently got a 19″ Specialized Camber (26 wheels) and its perfect for chucking around.

    I’m now thinking should I have gone for the 18″ frame?
    Would the 18″ frame 456 be too small? and need an almighty length of seat post on display?
    Will the 20″ frame lose the BMX feel that I think I have with the Camber?
    Should I just shut up and ride the damn thing when it turns up?

    Is any one out there on the edge of the sizing chart able to offer a bit of help/reassurance?

    Cheers guys.

    Jase
    Free Member

    Not got a 456 but had a ‘normal’ Inbred. I’m 5’11” and had the 18″ which would have been too small for you IMO.

    cookeaa
    Full Member

    19″ Camber that’s a L then?
    I found a figure of 625mm for the Camber’s “effective TT” length online, the 456 Evo 2 in 20″ apparently has a 618mm effective TT so it’s actually got a slightly shorter front end, than your camber…

    the 18″ Evo 2 is quoted as 603mm apparently, so you’d have lost a bit of front end with that one relative to the Camber.

    I reckon you chose the right one, an inch less stand over doesn’t really matter as much as having the right sort of reach (all IMO of course)…

    firestarter
    Free Member

    I had a med and small 456 and medium was perfect for me at 5’10” so presume you have done right getting a large

    xterramac
    Free Member

    My 456ss was a 20 and I’m also 6,3″ with 34inside leg, it fitted well and rode so much better than expected. Normally ride 21’s for XC but for tech and chucking about the 20 was spot on. Kind of wish I still had it now as I got sod all for it on ebay.

    monkeyfiend
    Free Member

    That’s exactly the responses that I needed, thanks all.

    Extra marks for cookeaa, I was going to start measuring against the Camber this evening, but that’s saved mucking around in a cold garage.

    Now I just need to wait….

    Grupper205
    Free Member

    OP have you received your 456 yet? I’ll be interested in hearing your thoughts as I’m the same size as you and had one of the old style 456’s last year whilst my full sus went back to the manufacturer for repair. For some reason I could not get on with it and I put it down to possibly being too big.

    I’m now pondering getting an 18″ 456 evo, but concerned it may be a bit on the small side……..

    Duffer
    Free Member

    Perhaps a little late to this party…

    I am almost exactly 5’11″ish, and ride an 18″ 456. It’s been great for me, but in retrospect i should have probably bought a 20″.

    20″ gets my vote.

    Lester
    Free Member

    im 6.0
    20 inch ti 456 was right for me
    although i feel the fireline is a tad too big at 20 inch

    Euro
    Free Member

    Will the 20″ frame lose the BMX feel that I think I have with the Camber?

    Yes, yes you will. My 20″ 456 (Summer Season) is spot on for cycling with me being 6’5″ with a 35″ inside leg but there’s no denying it’s a gate. In fun mode with the seat slammed it’s bearable but the top tube could really do with connecting to the seat tube half/one inch lower. The type of riding this frame can cope with really needs a little more room imo. I mentioned this to Brant (when i got mine a couple of years ago) and he said something along the lines of ‘might look into that’ but no idea if the newer Evo/EvoII is any different. Also, unless you run some (lots) spacers under the stem and mid-hi rise bars you’ll foul your brake levers on the TT.

    A great, fun frame. Enjoy 😀

    maxtorque
    Full Member

    6.2″ here, 20″ c456 – spot on I reckon, super long and stable down steeps! 😉

    jambon
    Free Member

    Yes, although maybe too short.

    There’s bugger all difference in the reach and wheelbase between the 16″, 18″ and 20″ frames. I’m a gangly 6′ 1″ on a 20″ with wide bars and a 70mm stem and it’s a good fit but by no means long.

    I really wish the 456 sizing was better (BRANT!!!).

    Personally I reckon there should be an inch difference in virtual top tube between the small medium and large and the S, M and L should have 16″, 17″ and 18″ seat tubes respectively. 20″ bikes are gates.

    Just my point of view.

    Inbred456
    Free Member

    6ft 4″ here and have amongst others a 20″ frame which was fine. They do need a long seat post but that softens the incredibly harsh in my opinion rear end. I had to have an angled stem to lift the bars up a bit as well because the head tube is tiny, not a problem though just looks a bit odd!

    brant
    Free Member

    20″ bikes are gates.

    6ft 4″ here and have amongst others a 20″ frame which was fine. They do need a long seat post

    And therein lies the issue.

    How to design a frame for someone who, even with a 20in frame, needs a long seatpost, yet not to make the frame a “gate”.

    Big 26 in frames look worse than small ones. It’s a fact.
    Trendy braced seat tube frames are structurally hopeless unless the seatpost still comes right down to the top tube proper.

    If you want to run your saddle at proper height then, it’s going to have to be supported by the frame in some way.

    Or look mental. I keep looking at Brompton seatposts 😉

    dannyh
    Free Member

    Ever get the feeling that some people will just never be satisfied?

    Seriously, if the seat post is advertised as 20″ then that is an absolute. How you can expect it not to look like a gate is beyond me! If the top tube increased in proportion you’d be laid flat along it with your arms out to the side Kate Winslett in Titanic style. It would also never make it around any corner that is moderately tight.

    Anyway, I’m biased. I’ve got the 18″ frame and absolutely love it.

    Brilliant frame, brilliant price. What’s not to like?

    nick1962
    Free Member

    Giantworld problems.

    jambon
    Free Member

    If you look at the geometry charts, there’s very little length difference between the 16″, 18″ and 20″ bikes. This equates to shorter people having a really long bike and tall people having a relatively short bike or having to resort to a long stem. That’s my point.

    I think it’s a bit odd.

    There’s a massive difference between the 14″ and 16″. Equally odd.

    Personally, I’d love an 18″ that was a gnat’s longer than the current 18″ rather than a 20″ that’s about an inch (or less) longer than the 16″ frame.

    I suppose what I’m trying to say is that the virtual top-tube length should increment equally between the 4 sizes (IMHO) rather than what there currently is. AND I like to get the saddle right out of the way for the downs.

    That’s all.

    I really like my 20″ c456 but if I could wave a magic wand it would be subtly different. I also feel a tad sorry for REALLY tall folk out there as the 20″ is virtually the same length as the 16″.

    Grupper205
    Free Member

    “Giantworld problems” LOL!

    jambon
    Free Member

    Purely for my benefit to prove that I’m not going mad, and ‘coz I’ve nothing better to do:

    Reach for 456 EVO

    14″ 16″ 18″ 20″
    375 390 397 410

    7mm difference between the Small and medium.
    13mm between the medium and large.

    That’s not much.

    Reach for c456

    14″ 16″ 18″ 20″
    381 413 416 427

    Even closer. Could anyone feel the 3mm difference between the Small and Medium?

    monkeyfiend
    Free Member

    OK…

    I don’t normally check STW at the weekend,so thanks for the extra input everyone.

    The build is going ahead today, and I contacted On-One on saturday to see if I could change my mind on frame size as I was unsure, and I didn’t mind the trek up there to see the guys in person and make sure it’s the right size.

    Was advised to stick with the 20″ and when I get it (next day or two) if I was definitely sure it was the wrong size, then they can do a frame swap?

    In the mean time, I researched my current bike geo (Camber)as I wasn’t sure of the lengths that cookeaa came up with.

    The actual TT length is 590mm (+90mm stem) so I can recreate that length on the 456 with a 70mm stem.

    The ONLY thing that I’m still unhappy about is the stand over of the 20″, as I intend to be giving it some grief in XC mode with some jumps and drops aswell, because I can!

    The camber has funny tubes so the stand over is quoted as 764mm, the 456 is 805 and 830 in 18″ and 20″ respectively 🙁

    The reason I’m being so bloody fussy is because it’s the Ti 456 and the plan is it’s my only bike so I NEED it to be spot on first time.

    I have no issues with it looking funny, gate or huge post sticking out, I just want the performance right.

    I’ll keep you posted…

    daver27
    Free Member

    i had a ti 456, i am 6’1 and a bit (because tthe “bit” is important!)

    i also have a 34″ inside leg and i rode an 18″. it fitted fine, had a decent reach with a 60mm stem, but if i was to buy another, i would go up to the 20″.

    monkeyfiend
    Free Member

    Small update.

    Bike finally arrived (Yodels poor reviews are well deserved-even taking Xmas deliveries into account!).

    Handlebars on and a set of nice clean pedals in so I can give it a ‘sit and bounce test’ indoors.

    First impressions are that I may need a slightly longer stem (70mm) and the bars are wide, REALLY WIDE (810mm), but I don’t want to change anything until I’ve given it a proper run, as I know it’s a bike designed for a slightly different style of riding than my Camber.

    Side by side comparison to the Camber (should’ve got some pictures-sorry) and the main differences are higher TT obviously, and a slightly longer wheelbase, but a shorter distance from seatpost to stem.
    I’m putting this down to the longer forks and smaller head angle.

    I’m happy with the 20″, I’m made perfectly for a 19″ but feel that going smaller would make me suffer on the type of riding I do the most.

    My only ‘wish’ would be that the TT could have a bend in it to reduce the stand over, but this would no doubt rise the price and possibly lower strength? (just guessing here).

    I’ll try and get a couple of pictures up to finish the thread off.

    Thanks again for the input, it’s difficult sizing up a mail order bike and that’s without being in-between sizes.

    deadkenny
    Free Member

    I sized it based on the geometry charts and ignored the frame size. I have a medium Nomad but ended up with a small / 16″ (in my case Carbon) 456 frame, purely because the length of the medium was a fair bit longer than the Nomad which is just too long. The small is still longer but works for me with the riding I do on the hard tail compared to that on the full sus. I also got a very short stem and wide bars. In all it’s pretty much in a perfect spot aside from old wheels and forks that I might upgrade.

    Stand over – really not an issue with mountain bikes unless the TT is stupidly high but then it would probably be far too big a frame if that’s the case. Generally though with sizes, smaller is easier to fix than too big.

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