Pretty obscure post I guess but as you can probably tell I’m 5feet ten inches tall and my problem is getting a full suss frame that fits- up untill recently I rode ht an 18″ 456 ss which with a 60mm stem felt near perfect I’ve since been trying out fs and seem stuck I’m the middle of frame size on medium frames I love the flickabilty but feel really top heavy on the downs on the large I feel like I’m riding a stable barge- I’ve heard the yeti 575 and zesty are good in between sizes for medium bikes any one have any experience of this ? And if your a similiar height to me what do you ride ?

5’10” and used to ride a 18″ inbred (for reference). Full suss is a size large SC Superlight. I think this equates to a 19.5″ seat tube. Top tube lengths on both bikes are similar though (SC slightly longer)

Yeti ASR5 medium, fits me perfectly at 5’10, 65mm stem.

I’m 5’10” and I ride / have ridden:
– XC / AM: Intense 5.5, medium (19″)
– 4X / DJ: Intense Tazer VP, medium (15″)
– DH: Intense Socom, medium (16″)

So they’re all by the same manufacturer and all the mediums have different seat tube sizes.

HOWEVER; all three have the same top tube length (23″), and all three felt very composed in the air and on the way down. IMO TT length makes a huge difference (just 0.5″ shorter felt wrong to me), so I’d suggest checking the top tube on your 456 against the frames you’re testing. Maybe try swapping stems out on the FS bikes to get the right reach?

A tad over 5’10” and ride a medium Intense 5.5 which I absolutely love. No shortage of room and I opted for a shorter 50mm stem over the 90mm on when I bought it. I like my frames on the smaller side so I can chuck them about

I’m the same height as you and probably the best fitting frame was a 18″ Giant NSR, 19.5 Fuel EX and Top Fuel I had were a bit too long for my liking and I think size smaller they make would be spot on but I would probably need a long seatpost as there was quite a lot of seatpost showing on both Trek frames but like I said before, felt a bit long with a 100mm stem. 60-70mm would probably sort it. Also had a 17.5″ Scott G-zero ages ago and that was too short and felt too small.

I now ride a 19.5″ Genesis Altitude HT and it is a bit of a compromise, I only ride xc and like the stretched out position on the Genesis but I would like slightly smaller frame, something like 18.5″ for flickability. It’s not a massive problem as 99% of the time the frame is perfect.

18 orange 5 80 mm stem iirc- could ride the 16 ” which is far more flickable and may be better downhill but it would be too small for all day rides.
the 18″ feels large to get on but perfect once on it.
Also rode an 18″ Intense spider. Would have bought a 17″ if they did one though.also have a 1 ” HT and 15 ” SS [ bit short tbh but got it in a swap deal with a mate so cheap as chips.

5′ 11″ with 31.5″ inside leg. I ride a 17.5″ medium frame full suss and a 17.5″ medium hardtail.

I am always on the border line of medium/large on manufacturers size charts. I find looking at the geometry is a better bet, especially the Top Tube length which is more relevant than frame sizing.

5’11” here and always gone medium. Ride a 575 at the moment and it’s bob on. Did have a large Stumpy FSR once but found it a bit cumbersome.

5’10” and 18” 5

Full suss is a size large SC Superlight. I think this equates to a 19.5″ seat tube. Top tube lengths on both bikes are similar though (SC slightly longer)

Medium SC superlight here. I have short legs and long torso too, though I run it with a slightly longer than is trendy stem.

18.5″ Top Fuel, or medium Specialized.

5’10” on an 18″ Five

5.11-6ft here and ride mediums, I’m even more on the divide between frame sizes though.

My taste seems to go in cycles though. I used to ride medium XC frames (~590mm effective top tubes) with long (110mm) stems, then went upto larger frames (~610mm) and 90mm stems, then went back to 110mm stems. Which is definately a large from most manufacturers.

But conversely I’ve just bought a medium Pitch, which while short, is nicely ballanced which more than makes up for the more upright position when sat down.

At 5.10 I’d say you’re definately medium, get some demo rides to confirm if you’re not sure, most brands have demo days through the year where you can try as many bikes as practicaly possible for free. I found that I got allong well with a medium Pitch, but needed a large reign to feel comfortable, so it’s not even limited to the same size as the mesium reign and pitch measured up almost identicaly.

Yup, 5’10” and riding an 18″ Rocky Mountain after switching from a 17.5″ Top Fuel.

5’10.5″ with a 32″ inside leg and I ride a medium Nicolai Helius CC with a layback/joplin post & a 65mm stem with 711mm bars, I used to ride a medium (17.5″) Cove Handjob with a 90mm stem & 685mm bars with a layback post.

5’10” and I ride a 17.5(medium) inch Meta 55… But could have gone for a 18 in another brand.

5’10” and ride a Medium Yeti 575 with a short 65/70mm stem and inline seatpost.

Also had a medium sized full-sussers in the past from Pace, Orange and Specialized.

Medium should be fine for you at 5’10”.

5’9″ ish and my Bullit is a medium which ends up about 17″, usually ride a 16″ hardtail. Feels just right actually, I wish more frames came in this instead of 16 as their medium! Surprising how much difference an inch makes, and yes that is what she said.

5’10” 16 inch 5

oh and I also ride a 18″ 456SS with 60mm stem, 34″ iside leg…

5’10” and I ride an 18″ Five and a 16″ Alpine 160. Five has a 60mm stem whilst the Alpine runs a 50mm. Bars are wider on the Alpine so positions on both feel similar – certainly after a few minutes riding both feel pretty natural.

5’10” with 31″ inside leg, I ride an 18″ On-one summer season and an 18″ Orange 5, on paper they are within 5mm for standover, top tube etc and I find they both fit me fine

Large S Works enduro carbon…..fits like a glove……WIN

5’10” and currently ride a medium (18.5″) Canyon Nerve AM (and also a 17.5″ Gary Fisher hardtail which actually feels longer than the Canyon).

5,10 here too. 18″ Orange Alpine, 17.5″ Cove Stiffee and am looking at a medium SC Driver 8. The Alpine sometimes feels a little large and 17″ would be the sweet spot for climbing and descending.

5’11” – 33″ inside leg – 17″ Orange Five

5’10” medium (18.5) canyon nerve xc – 90mm stem, feels perfick

5’10 is a pretty textbook medium. My 456 is a medium with a 60mm stem funnilly enough, and I fit lovely on every medium frame I’ve tried- 575, Zesty, Five, Alpine (could get away with a small on the Alpine though), Idrives and Hemlocks and Anthems and Boardmans and Ellsworths, well, basically, I am a very medium chap.

5ft 10 on a medium turner flux – but I am right on the edge of fitting with a 110mm stem, could have gone large with a shorter stem.

Just a shade under 5’10” in my bare feet, and riding a Giant VT1 in M, which I think is 18″.

Perfect fit. Can’t see me trading up or changing it any time soon.

Off the top of my head stem length is 90mm.

I’m 5’10” and ride medium 575. It’s the “best fitting” bike I’ve ever ridden.

wow great response guys, totally unexpected some great info there, i have been offered a medium 575 frame at a cracking price seems a good bet from the above – in saying that i just had a sit on a giant trance 18″ medium which looks tiny but felt very good – but leaning towards the yeti based on some of the above comments.

5’10” with a 32″ inside leg here, with a large Heckler and an 18″ Inbred. Stems are 70mm and 80mm respectively. A medium Heckler might have been more playful, but I doubt it would’ve made a good all-day bike for me.

5’10” & 32″inside leg.

16″ 456
Med Covert
Med Session 88
Med Meta 5

5’10 32inseam

16″ Alpine 160, replaced a medium Nomad, replaced a medium/17″ Coiler.

I like ~22.5″ top tubes which means I like bikes at the smaller end of the recommended range. I had a small 456 which has been replaced by a 15″/22″TT Dialled Alpine (so yes both my bikes are Alpines!).

Beware Yeti size guide is frankly bonkers. I came close to getting an ASR7, and their small which they reckon suits something like up to 5’8″ is fractionally bigger than a Santacruz medium (I’d have gone for a small ASR, which IIRC has a 17.7″ ST and 22.5″ TT), which is consistent with many reviews (riding the yeti recommended size) commenting on the bike being too tall/long. So well worth getting the advice/opinion you’ve sought here .

@crashtestmonkey – I’m a 32″ leg too. How did your medium Nomad measure up compared to your 16″ Alpine? Did it have a similar amount of “chuckability”?

I’d say get the medium. I’m 6’3 and ride a 16″ full sus (albeit one with a 24″ effective tt)

Just over 5’10” here – 18″ Patriot + 65mm stem = perfect fit.

saxbara, the top tube lengths are near identical and there is as much standover height (whilst the nomad was nominally larger at ~17″ it has that huge dip in the TT where the top link is). Sitting stationary it feels exactly the same, and riding it I actually prefer it. I had a Mk1 which suffered hugely from compressing the lower link, effectively shortening the chainstays with every stroke in the granny ring, and shock set up was more finicky to stop it blowing thru the midstroke (though the Nomad had a DHXAir, the Alpine a CCDB so a bit harsh to compare directly).

Apologies to OP for slight tangent/hijack!