Maybe a dumb question… My current bike has a reach of about 440mm, and a 70mm stem. It never feels too long.

I want to run a shorter stem on a potential new bike. So, bikes I’ve been looking at have a reach of about 440 in large (not much change there), go up to 465ish in xl.

If I go 465, then I knock down to 50mm stem, overall 5mm longer, no bother,right?

Just a bit disturbed I am looking at size XL…I’ve never been XL!

As long as the standover is ok, you’ll probably be fine. I’ve just moved up to a ‘large’ frame. I am not a large human, I’m actually quite wee! But the numbers all worked out. The top tube was 20mm longer than my last bike. I went from a 50mm stem to a 30mm stem. The wheelbase is ever so slightly longer, the chain stays are the same length. The bike fits really well. It’s about the numbers really, not the silly manufacturer size.

I often think people ride bikes that are too small, across all of cycling: from commuters on hybrids to roadies to mtbers. Good luck with the new bike hunt, have fun!

What manonasoul said

Did the same earlier this year with my new full sus. Knew I didn’t want to run a 60-70mm stem on it which I would have needed on the medium. The large had 20mm longer reach, wheelbase and ETT numbers which logically dictated to me it would feel fine with a 40-50m stem fitted.

Standover wasn’t an issue for me as I’ve got relatively long legs anyway for my height, but also the frame has a dropped top tube so even the XL has the same standover clearance! But might be worth checking for many people on their chosen frames.

Long and the short of it, despite being 2 inches shorter than the manufacturers recommended height for a large sized frame (though they still recommended a 40-50mm stem for me on a medium) it feels good. I’ve noticed no downsides to what is, for me, a pretty long wheelbase, but plenty of positives.

I’ve done the “ride a bike one size too small for you” that the mags used to preach about to death over the years. Yes, they feel fun/flickable and out of control very easily. But I find I have more fun on a bike that’s inherently more stable these days, that allows me to push the limits of my riding more. I do think some companies like Mondraker have pushed sizing and geometry a little too far for the average person, but there is some method to their madness.

Oh and conversely to MTB sizing, most common mistake I tend to see on road bikes is people riding bikes too big for them (presumably to get a longer head tube), with correspondingly short stems. Had one guy, same height as me (5ft10) the other day trying to convince me that a 60cm frame would be the right size for him. Of course, first thing he was going to do was put a 70mm stem on it too (meaning it was at least 40mm too long in the Top Tube), but he’d convinced himself this was correct. Had to build a 59cm Pinarello for a guy the other week, at 5ft11 (Bradley Wiggings is 6ft3 and rides a smaller bike!) he needed a 60mm stem to make it “fit”. The 50mm of head spacers just added to the “I bought totally the wrong bike, but at least it was cheap” look of it all…

I ride a 60cm with a 120mm stem on the road, and it looks just right 🙂