Hi

I’m close to ordering a radon swoop 170 but struggled with sizing. If you own one and are 5’11” what size did you go for and was it right?

Thanks

I’m 5ft 10 and was advised a large by Radon.

Hi Ashy

By large I assume that’s the 20in. That’s what I suspected but not what I was hoping for as the 20in is sold out in the 8.0. It’s available in the 9.0 but not sure I fancy the fox suspension over the rs.

Which did you go for and is it as good as the reviews say?

Thanks

Sorry, I didn’t buy one in the end. Decided I needed to save my $$$. Go on the geometry geeks website. You can compare sizes side by side. Might help you compare vs other brands. I think the 20in Radon Swoop was very similar standover to my medium cannondale, but obviously much longer and slacker. Hope that helps.

Go large

And strip and rebuild with threadlock were needed espec all the linkage bolts. Mine and the two bought by my mates all fell apart, good value but built by chimps.

Great ride though 🙂

Hi Dango

Thanks, I’d heard a few reports about bolts going missing so that would be the first thing done if I get one 🙂

Did you or any of your mates go for the 9.0 with the fox kit? If so how did it compare to the 8.0?

Sounds like you’d want the 20in.

I’m 5ft 8on on a good day and the 18in was perfect for me. And all my other MTBs are size large.

I’m selling an 18in frame if you do decide to err on the smaller side though.

Mrs stu is 5’10” and was close to ordering a large Swoop.
But then got offered a deal that couldn’t be turned down and ended up with a medium Geometron.
Not much help I know but she did try a large Swoop out and its seemed to fit quite well.

Aghhh. My head is now officially fried.

Both radon and bike-discount are recommending I go for the 18 yet the unanimous opinion here is that large is the way to go…

I’m 5’11” and have a medium.

Seems to fit me fine, but I’m sure a large would also.

5 11 seems to be the cut over point between the sizes. Looking at the reach figures and the 18 its still almost 2cm longer than the large capra which is on my list of potential candidates. And the same reach as the nukeproof mega in 18 which is listed as the right size.

I can maybe see where they are coming from.

They are really long bikes by mainstream standards and the 18in has a longer reach (460mm) than most brands are using for their “large” frames. So it depends if you want to go fairly long or really long.

And although I’m 5ft 8in, I do have short legs and a similar length torso to someone of your height (with normally proportioned legs).

Hope that makes sense.

To be fair this will be replacing my titus el guapo 26in full sus which at 420 reach is not exactly long by today’s standards.

My main concern is that I tend to err on the larger frame sizes but that could be down to older standards.

Can you try a friend’s bike with that kind of reach?

Also – what kind of riding is it for? If lots of tight and twisty stuff, then that’s where I found the Swoop wasn’t quite as fast as some of my older bikes due to the length of the TT.

Not too many of these about locally but its the same reach as the nukeproof mega so going to see if I can get a nosey at one of them.

As for the terrain it will be used on, it will be a mix of most trail types ranging from tight twisty xc to wide open dh. For the ‘lighter’ stuff I’ll probably use my hard tail.

I’m 6′ 2″ with an inside leg of 32 and I went Medium, fits me perfect.

Where are you based? if you’re anywhere near Aylesbury come and have a go

Hi Pickle

Thanks for the offer but I’m in northern Ireland so don’t think I’ll be able to take you up on it.

The more I look at the geometry and hear from you all the more I think the 18 is the way to go

Ahhh sorry mate

Oh and I changed the tyres as well as I found the front was awful and gave no confidence at all.

But i guess they’re a personal thing

Yeah the tyres will be the first thing to be changed. Big fan of the magic mary’s

Was it the 8.0 you went for?

Well you know where I am if you want to build an 18in frame up to try out.

5 11 and medium, fits perfectly and really nimble. went for the 8 even though 9 only a couple hundred more as not a fox fan, but that all black look….
Anyway am nr Stroud if that helps and you want to size it up. And yes threadlock everything! Mine lost a shock bolt in transit/never put on, but Radon v good at sending out a new one

Likewise am 5’11” and went for the 18″. No complaints. As above in comparison to other brands sizes up as a large nukeproof mega etc.

Both radon and bike-discount are recommending I go for the 18 yet the unanimous opinion here is that large is the way to go.

.

Same company, think Nukeproof and CRC

To be honest I did think they where linked but wasn’t sure it was as close as crc and nukeproof.

The next big decision is whether to go for the rs kitted 8.0 or the fox spec’d 9’0.

I’ve been underwhelmed by the fox 36 in the past and current have the 26in lyric on my current bike, but the all black 9.0 looks sooo good

This was in one of their messages:

RADON-BIKES is a part of H&S Bike-Discount GmbH, you can order our bikes via our online-shop http://www.bike-discount.de

Oh and a heads up, the bolts and hangers they use are the same as Cube and can be bought faster and cheaper from CRC, have done this recently

The next big decision is whether to go for the rs kitted 8.0 or the fox spec’d 9’0.

The 9 comes with potentially troublesome E13 wheels, a Float X and 2×11 XT drivetrain.

The 8 has solid but unremarkable DT wheels, a Vivid Air and 1×11 GX drivetrain.

I’d go for the 8 mainly on the basis of the shock and 1x setup. I also prefer the blue/black, personally.

My DT have been fine, few pawls with a slow pick up though

My mates with the E13 have been replaced with Hope/Stans as they fell appart

Personaly not a Fox fan either

All this makes me glad I went for the 8! But the all black is lovely…

Aside from the colour the wheels were one of the reasons I was considering the 9.0 as I’d heard the dt were slow on the pick-up. Thanks for letting me know about the problems with the e13. Makes choosing the 8.0 easier.

What did you go for in the end?

Hi Ashy

After ordering then cancelling the 18in swoop 8.0 I ended up getting a nukeproof mega pro.

Only had the nukeproof out a handful of times but really impressed with it.

It was the sizing that made me cancel. I went to look at the nukeproof in the crc store and it was the right size with a 170 dropper post whereas the radon had a shorter seat tube and dropper so would have had too much seat post out of the tube. The 18in in both bikes were more or less the same length wise though.

Bike-discount could not have been better about cancelling the order with the money being refunded very quickly.

I don’t doubt that the radon would have been a great bike but nothing beats being able to throw a leg over the bike before pulling the trigger.