Hello all! Firstly, in advance of anyone posting an opinion/experience, thanks!

I’m in the market for a big bike,6 inch type job for the Alps, heavy days in the Lakes, going away to Morocco, Spain, that sort of thing. Maybe the occasional chairlift day as well.

So far, the two bikes that I have come down to are the SC Nomad (which I demo’d for a day yesterday), and the Titus El Guapo (which I cannot find for demo but have swung my leg over a medium).

I’m about 6ft 3″, and normally ride a Large Pace 305 with a 90mm stem and my seat back on its rails (but an inline post). The SC I tested was a Large with a short stem, but it felt very cramped, I found myself with a sore lower back from bending over to compensate, I even found it a little short on the descents (slightly sore lower back again), however I can’t deny how much fun it was to chuck around! It was superb.

The conclusion I came away with, is I would want an XL, and run a shorter stem/inline seat post. But the guy in the shop said I wanted as small a bike as possible and stick a longer stem on (!). The XL has the same standover as the L, but an extra inch in the reach. I know on a bike like this you want it as chuckable as possible, but, I also need to be able to ride it comfortably for a day.

What are peoples thoughts on this? The Titus comes up with the same tope tube length as the Pace, a little longer than the L Nomad, but shorter (top tube) than the XL. I’m aware of being a bit anal – but equally if I do this then it is a lot of money and I don’t want to get it wrong, so peoples experiences would be most welcome.

Fitting a much longer stem to that kind of bike is not a good idea. If you have tried the L and its too short you should try the XL?

You could run a layback seatpost instead to lengthen the cockpit with the seat up, but it would make for a very slack seat angle.

I’m 5’10” with long legs and on a test a L Nomad fitted me fine. (I ride a L Chameleon). Can’t believe that it would go all the way up to 6’3″. Have you spoken to Jungle, they were really helpful for me, but I’d say you’d want the XL

Fitting a much longer stem to that kind of bike is not a good idea. If you have tried the L and its too short you should try the XL

Why ? Is my 100mm stem wrong?

OP – I have a L Nomad and am 6′ 1″ w/34″ IL, feels fine. Dunno if that helps…I’m no big air monster tho.

Thanks guys!!! I also am of the feeling that I’d rather have a larger frame with a shorter stem – difficulty is getting hold of an XL to try! tricky.

Cheers

i’m almost 6ft, but have comedicaly short legs (31inside leg tousers) and thus end up deliberating ove bike sizes far too much.

my steel hardtail has a 22.75TT and 90mm stem, don’t let longer stems put you off. But i’d try and test a XL and a L back to back, maybe even with a 90mm stem on the L and a 65/70 on the XL and see which you prefer. Bear in mind as the TT increaces so does the wheelbase, which make it more stable. I found this in jump bikes, i ended up with a 90mm stem on a trailstar, everything else (mainly longer frames with shorter stems) just felt plain hard work.

Might be worth goig to another brand’s demo day if you can an tying siilar bikes, just make a note of to tube lengths before you go and ride similar sizes.

I rode medium anthem x and a large reighn x, ended up with about the same reach (loger TT and shorter stem) as my hardtail on the reign, but the longer stem on the anthem gave it as much reach as i’d ever want.

Everyone probably has their own idea of what the perfect reach for a given bike, mine seems to be a 23.5TT and 60mm stem for fun and 23.5tt and 110m stem for a longer ride.

Cynic-al – Yes! very 😛

Anthony – depends more on how you’re going to ride it, not where.
if you’re going to be riding flat out fast rough stuff a longer bike will be better but tighter/techy mid speed stuff and steeper/shorter jumps a shorter bike can be more fun.
if you are going to be doing more DHing than XCing on it I’d avoid going to a long stem, you should be able to climb just as easy on either (even with short stems) you’ll just have to adapt your riding position to climb well on a shorter bike.

I personally don’t like either of your choices but it might also be worth while deciding which you prefer, FSR or VPP?

Good points thanks! I quite liked the VPP – I’d run it with a tad less sag than the demo had, but basically thought it was ok as long as you hadthe lockout option for hills. Its a tricky one the shorter versus longer bike, as really I like to do a bit of everything! Ideally, as you all suggest, I’d gethold of an XL to go back to back with, but the chances of thatare very small, I had enough trouble getting on an L!

Cheers guys!