I'm looking at getting either a Breath of Life frame but I'm not sure on sizing. At 5' 10" with a 32" inside leg I currently ride a 16" 456 which is a perfect fit.

I've phoned a couple of bike shops and one said 16 the other 18 just to confuse the issue.

I would also be interested to know if there were any changes to the frame between the current models and last years models.

I have a Soloist in 18" an am your height, i wouldn't want it any smaller.

Depends on your riding, theyr ever so slightly longer than inbreds IIRC.

I'm building an 18" with a 110mm stem for all day XC and I'm just shy of 6ft but wear 32" trousers and have a preferance for longer bikes.

I'm 5'8" and I had a 16in Sanderson. IIRC they are a tad longer (1/2 inch?) than an Inbred. They are certainly loooong bikes, put it that way!

If you're on a 16in Inbred, a 16in Sanderson will be spot on.

I did say they're long didn't I? Yes. They ARE long. 🙂

EDIT
Basically, you're 2 inches taller than me, and I've got a 30in inside leg, so it's all in your legs. 16in. You don't need it any longer. 🙂

I am 5'11" and have 33" indside leg. I liked my mate's 16" 456 with a short stem and looooong inline seatpost, its a 'fun' rather than efficient riding position. I also ride an 18" soloist with a 100mm stem and 350mm post all the way out which is much more 'xc' but just right. I wouldn't want a 16". I suppose i would be wary of seatpost length if you went for a 16" sanderson: if you are proportioned like me you will need a 400mm post about an inch away from max.

Thanks for the responses gents very prompt.

So to summarise, get one of each just in case 🙂

Riding will be predominantly XC, Woburn sort of stuff up to 4 hours in the saddle.

The On-one has a 50mm stem with a straight post. I had a Cotic medium frame that pushed me further forward than the 456, but fitted equally as well.

get the 18.
I'm 5ft 7in and ride the 16in soloist. I also had a 16in 456.
Tho. you find the 16in 456 fine – that would be due to the 456 super long top tube. The soloist is about an inch shorter in that measurement.

So to summarise, get one of each just in case

😆 that's the way its looking isn't it! Perhaps best to try a couple. IIRC the geometry is the same on the breath, life and soloist so you don't have to be fussy which ones you have a go on. I'm in deepest devon with an 18" if that helps.

A short 6ft here. I've been running a 16inch 456 for a couple of years as a 'woods play bike' but its actually morphed into my main ride for the last year.

As I've got fitter and the mileage has gone up, I've realised its a bit too short for the longer rides. I'm also right at the limit of a 410mm seatpost. I'd get an 18 next time.

Having looked at the specs, the 456 and Sanderson are the same length.

I've just looked up the specs –

456 (ACTUAL TOP-TUBE)
16 – 584mm
18 – 597mm

Life/Breath (ACTUAL TOP-TUBE)
16 – 584mm
18 – 597mm

Soloist (ACTUAL TOP-TUBE)
16 – 559mm
18 – 572mm

Yep, that's not a missprint, a 456 is identical in length to a Life/Breath 🙂

So, if you like your 16in 456, a 16 in Life/Breath will be spot on, but you'll need an 18in Soloist.

Confusion sorted. 🙂