It seems not that long ago when the advice on frame sizing for “‘tweeners’ would be to buy the smallest frame possible, and it wasn’t uncommon to see a 6ft 2 guy riding a medium frame with 430mm seat post maxed out and a 120mm stem.

With the nu-skool geometry the opposite now seems to be the case, and more people seem to be sizing up with the intention of running a short stem and wide bars.

I’d be interested to know anyone still sizes down / runs a longer stem in this day and age.

We have one or two experts on this. Hang on and they’ll turn up

What if you need a 20inch frame with about 450mm of pin out and a long stem ?

I think because so few companies make bikes for really tall guys then thats an exception.

I’m more interested in hearing from people who are right bang in the middle of a large on most size charts but run a medium because of preference. Seemed to be a very common thing to do even a couple of years ago but not as common now.

Sets stopwatch for a hora/Renton framefest debate..
😉

I used to size down for “chuckability” but then I got fed up of going over the bars or off the back. Now I size up and use a short stem and don’t fall off so much.

Awaits the appearance of someone to tell me I’m just a fashion victim. ..

there is always the option of buying/making the right sized frame…

:ducks for cover:

But then again if I look at size charts for bikes I should be in the middle of a large from most brands, but I’m often near the minimum insertion for a 400mm post (on an xc bike)

i like a larger frame.
bought a xl bike earlier this week, turned out that xl is 19”.

tha bike has been moved on because it felt too small. a new larger framed bike is on it’s way.

I’ve never got sizing down, i’ve struggled to feel comfortable on bikes that are supposedly my size let alone dropping down.

This new long and low thing is fantastic, 500mm seat tube with around 640mm top tube is just about perfect for my odd proportions. Just wish I could justify new bikes… 🙂

Apparently, at 5’10”, even I am a recommended a ‘large’ for most bikes these days, which is total bollx in reality. I’m sticking with 17.5″ frames. They rule. And are great fun to ride. I don’t really care if I’m at risk of flying over the handlebars on steep technical stuff, ’cause I’m a total mincer. I’ll walk it if I don’t fancy it, thanks. That’s just how I roll.. 8)

What if you need a 20inch frame with about 450mm of pin out and a long stem ?

You called? 🙂

‘Chuckability’ is mostly bolleaux. A L and an XL frame won’t have much difference and probably the same length stays, same angles, same wheelbase etc. The larger frame will enable the rider to have less seatpost and a shorter stem (I’m generalizing, yes) as long as they still have enough standover, but slightly more frame. making for a little stronger and a little stiffer. Going down rather than up has mostly been fashion and guff.

That doesn’t add up, though. You can’t have the same angles, stays and wheelbase, with a shorter stem, and end up with the same position.

Ouch that much pressure down below with a long post?

Tanks but no tanks 🙂

Apparently, at 5’10”, even I am a recommended a ‘large’ for most bikes these days, which is total bollx in reality. I’m sticking with 17.5″ frames.

You’re the same height as me. I recently saw a picture of myself riding down a slope, taken from the side. My elbows are well bent not locked, I’m fairly low over my (medium-size) bike, and my arse is a surprisingly long way off the back. I’m 90% sure that having some more top-tube won’t do me any harm at all*.

* hope not. Ordered a large size for my new one!

It’s not total hight you should look at but the proportion of leg v’s torso.
I’m 5.10 but with long legs and have mostly medium frames but also a couple are small and large too.

Also no two company’s frames are the same. Look at the cervelo site for some interesting data.

http://www.cervelo.com/en/engineering/thinking-and-processes/geometry-and-fit.html
Yes this if for road frames but I’d imagine mtb frames are the same.

Also. Why the F does my iPad crash when I try and create a web link…. Annoying

I like a smaller frame and all of my bikes are too small for me on paper. I no longer have my 14″ jump bike but still have an 18″, 19.5″ and 20″ frames. I don’t run particularly long stems (my 20″ bike = 70mm, 50mm on the others) and it’s not for fashion, it’s just what i prefer and what i happen to have had in the shed. My background is bmx – not mtb or road so that probably influences my preference for smaller bikes.

None of my bikes are particularly modern though (2008-2011) and i’d be interested to try the new larger frames.

‘Chuckability’ is mostly bolleaux.

It’s not a fashionable term anymore and may not suit how you ride, but that doesn’t make it bolleaux.

The only time I’ve seen this advice is when a shops trying to shift a bike that’s been glued to the shop floor for ages..
😉

I’m 6ft (well, actually 182cm, which is less than 6ft, but a lot taller than most people who say “I’m 6ft” for some reason).

Most of my bikes are Large which is fine for XC, but a 20″ frame with a Reverb is definitely taller than I’d like to be and results in excessive amounts of faffing to get it ~1″ lower for anything other than roads.

I can’t see why S/M/L aren’t 16/17/18″. I can see the need for a 20″ Codeine (or any other similar bike) if you’re 6ft4+, but that’s well into the realm of XL. Having said that the medium looks my size so I’ll let it lie.

I used to ride smaller frames, then realised they weren’t chuckable, just unstable when I bought a proper XC bike and it turned out to be more capable than my HT.

5ft 10″ is pretty much where most companies go from med to large. So I find people that height have to pay attention to body ratio to figure out their size, the best thing to do is ignore sizes and get the bike that actually fits.

Medium is a word not a measurement….

Proportions of leg arm torso etc are most important and slinging a leg over it is the real test.

I’m 5’11″(and a half) with fairly long limbs. Generally size charts say Large for me but a few cross over at the 6ft mark so put me on a Medium.

Since starting to buy new MTBs again in 2009 (before that I was on my early 90s Gary Fisher that finally died) I have been on both ends of ‘bike is too big’ (usually standover feels wrong) and ‘bike too small’ (short in most cases). I’ve had 5 bikes in that time but ridden countless others and won’t bore you with the breakdown of each one and where it felt exactly ‘wrong’.

As most have said it is about trying them. Although living with them often feels different – to me at least.

I’m close with my current bike but is still not perfect.

I feel a bit of a Goldilocks!

Road bikes though, different story. No problem feeling just right.

I’m bang on 6′ and for most of my life been on Medium frames, 17″ Trek 970, 17.5″ Stiffee, Medium GSpot, Medium Hustler and i’ve got a Medium but old skool PA (longer top tube). My new “do it all bike” is a Large Spitfire. I agree with some comments, that i believe the geometry has changed the thinking a bit, but looking at em on my bike now, compared to pictures of me years ago i still look slightly too big for my bike. I certainly wouldn’t have gone XL on the Spitfire, and even now i would not have gone bigger on any of the old bikes.

Unlike shoes sizes which are bang-on bike sizing can be quite subjective. Sizes on a manufacturers website is a recommendation/guide for instance- You need to see what suits your feel/preference/taste better.

I bought a medium Commencal AM V4 after trying out another of this parish’s and liking it. I run mine with a 55mm Easton stem and 780mm bars.

I also had a spin on a medium Commencal V3 and it felt cramped and obviously too short/wouldn’t get on with it.

If I was riding it for XC/all day on a regular basis I wouldn’t buy a V4 for starters- I’d buy a short travel size-up frame. For regular 2hour rides ranging to 3-4hour rides though its spot on as its got a longish TT (relaxed seat tube angle helps this too) and its wheelbase feels spot on.

Sorry if this goes against whats printed on a website. Its hard to explain- when you jump on a bike and think ‘ooo that just feels right‘ 😀

Here it is:

I’m 6ft1.6 BTW.

Saying all this I had a spin at the BMX track this week and found their bmx’s abit on the small size 😉 😀

Some interesting responses, thanks!

Another STW- (I hope I can talk for him)- hes over 6ft and rode a 20″ 456C for ages and on some descents he struggled with it. He bought an ex-demo 18″ 456C and I’ve not ridden with him since hes had it but I’ve heard hes turned into a bloody DH’er on it. I think it was the confidence – it helped him that bit that he needed.

That’s a nice bike hora. I approve 😀

Apart from the odd one’s, I think it’s mostly always been bolleaux as someone very eloquently put further up.

Most frame sizes now seem to relate to the length of the bike rather than having a massive seat tube & silly standover height, which is better IMO.

But it is all personal of course, using the example above, being apparently the same height as Hora there is no way i’d even consider a bike as small as he rides, i’d be on an XL – my wife who’s 5’9″ wouldn’t even be riding a medium.

Proportions of leg arm torso etc are most important and slinging a leg over it is the real test.

^ what he said

Size up, Size down, whatever you need to be comfortable and make it fit.

I have frames ranging from 15-17inch in catalogue numbers, and Small to Medium in catalogue words, they all fit me.

I have the annoying problem of short legs and long torso, meaning I often feel like I need length in the top, but low standover/TT/ST to deal with my short legs, putting me ‘between’ sizes even when I’m not between sizes so to speak.

Hob nob- when I rode a STW’ers medium before deciding to buy I also rode his V3- THAT was tight in the cockpit. Different seat/headtube angles also come into the mix- the V4 does feel really relaxed on climbs for instance.

I tried mine with a 60 stem- it just didn’t feel right. If I had to ride the medium V3 I bet I’d soon have a bad back.

BTW- roadbikewise I DO ride the correct size for my height along with a 110mm stem 8)

I’m 6’1 but have long arms and legs, current bike is an 18″ Scandal with a ridonculous amount of seatpost shjowing which is why I’m after a 19.5″ Scandal, V1 preferred but I’ll get a V2 if someone wants to sell. Cash waiting.

I have a want ad but it’s generated zero interest

Unlike shoes sizes which are bang-on

Utter rubbish.
Depending on brand I can be anything from a 8.5 to a 10.

I have 43,44 and 45 sized cycling shoes in my cupboard that all fit perfectly.

But bikes…size on TT length, intended usage and desired stem length, only check ST is long/short enough for a dropper post to work.

Utter rubbish.
Depending on brand I can be anything from a 8.5 to a 10

Depends what I see in the sales and what I WANT to try and get away with 😆

Depending on brand I can be anything from a 8.5 to a 10.

Didn’t hora mean that whether a given bike fits is subjective, whereas whether you can get your foot into a shoe is more-or-less conclusive?

You wouldn’t try on the same model of shoes in 8.5, 9 and 10 and say “I’ll have the 8.5 as it feels more chuckable for short walks”.

🙂

I always ignore S/M/L these days. We seem to be in a strange phase where manufacturers can differ by huge amounts on these.
See YT industries versus Bird for example.

So, for sizing, I always look at TT length first, then seat angle/reach/stack/standover and seat tube length to make sure nothing untoward is going on – e.g. not being able to fit a 125mm dropper. Most of that you can ignore if the side-on picture looks normal though.

At 5’10” I would look for a 600-620mm ish TT these days to use with a 35-50mm stem.

That puts me on a Med Bird Aeris, but a Large Santa Cruz/Division/Capra/etc

Interestingly I noticed that Pace have revised their sizing for the new RC127 and made the Medium 610mm!

Actually, I have no idea why I just said that. Someone on here has shoes in different sizes for different walks…. 😉

Steep stuff they’ll go down to a 8? For all day walks they wear these?

“I like to have room to wiggle my big toe on longer, all-day walks”

🙂

Different seat/headtube angles also come into the mix- the V4 does feel really relaxed on climbs for instance.

Very much so – bikes with very steep ST angles can push you forward & make the bike feel quite short when you’re sat pedalling, yet feel long when stood up.

Like most, the numbers that are important to ensure i’m in the right ballpark for fit (rather than geometry preferences) are; reach, stack, ST angle & lastly ST length.

If they are in the right area, i’d look at the rest, to see if it was in the sort of area i’d want it to be.

^I agonised over this part- if I hadn’t had a spin on a STW’ers (drove from Manchester to Bradford area) I’d have ordered the large V4 which I think I’d have felt too stretched out on in practice. The online figures etc though all pointed to a large.