I want to get a steel hardtail that both the missus and I can use, she’s 5’6 and I’m 5’9. I know that this should be an issue but isn’t necessarily cos I really like the GEOMETRY OF MY BRONSON which is a really compact frame.

Any recommendations on what frame to get? It needs to be 650b.

Ta

Surely you both need to sit on a few bikes to check they fit you, rather than asking for specific suggestions?

(Do you both like the same stretch? Will she be happy with a longer frame or you with a shorter, that’s the sort if thing I’d be wondering. I’m 5ft 10″, my wife 5ft 6″. We can’t share a bike because she doesn’t like a long top tube.)

16″ 45650b?

The 14″ has exactly the same reach as a small Bronson, but you didn’t say what size you had and my gut feeling would be that 5ft9 it’s more likley a medium?

Weirdly the larger O-O sizes don’t get longer as quickly as the SC sizes. Which is weird because I found even a large SC unreliably small.

Bear in mind HT’s don’t have the problem of sagging at the back on climbs so don’t need such steep seat angles and as a consequence should feel a little longer whilst climbing anyway for 2 frames with the same stack/reach.

Steel hardtail frame that will fit me and the missus?

You’ll be wanting a Tandem.

No substitute for sitting on something and trying it, but I reckon a medium (16″) Cotic Soul/BFe would do you both fine if you like a more compact feeling bike.

3 inches in height isn’t a big difference. Would have thought it would be pretty easy to find something to fit you both. Wife’s 5’6, I’m 5’11, she rides mine, I ride hers. All medium/17/18in ish.

It’s essentially a 2nd bike for me that she will use every now and again (SHHHHH) so the eff TT, reach, stack etc could do with being as close the Bronson as poss.

I suppose I need to know what people’s experiences are of riding frames that are too small for them in the standover but they liked cos of the cockpit. Fnarr

I suppose I need to know what people’s experiences are of riding frames that are too small for them in the standover but they liked cos of the cockpit.

I ride a 20″ O-O fatty, they all have the same standover form 16″ to 20″, and the TT is dropped even on the 16″ so it’s around 14″ center2center. Apart from the obvious gonad clearance there’s nothing unusual about the way it rides. The only downside is it’s a PITA to lift over stiles etc as it can’t be shouldered comfortably. TBH I don’t really see why any bike needs to be bigger than a 16″ frame except for bikepacking, with a seat-tube brace, small, medium, long and extra long, rather than small medium, large and XL.

There is an argument on L an XL frame that the chainstay needs to be longer and ST steeper to stop the saddle going back over the rear wheel, but that shouldn’t be an issue on 16″-18″ frames.

I occasionally ride my wife’s 14″ dirt jumper (although, it’s set up more like a mini-downhill hardtail). She is 5’3 and I’m 5’10. It’s a bit small for pedaling any distance on, but great for ripping through single track and downhill. I set a PR on it that took ages to beat on my bike 🙂

It’s essentially a 2nd bike for me that she will use every now and again (SHHHHH) so the eff TT, reach, stack etc could do with being as close the Bronson as poss.