Normally buy a 18" frame, so not sure what I would do given the choice of a 17.5" or an 18.5". Also a bit confused about Trek having virtual and actual frame sizes; differing accounts of whether Trek quote virtual or actual and which you should use.

Anyway, in the absence of trying one on for size, which I would do, I was thinking 18.5 would give me the option of running a shorter stem fro extra DH with no trade-off against uphill?

Thoughts?

I'm 5'10" btw and I would want to be able to fly up hills as well as down please.

I am 5'10" and have an 18.5

The 17.5 felt too crampt in the cockpit area with my knees.

90mm stem and you are away!

I am 5'9" and have an 18.5.

It's long (ett 24.0" as opposed 23.2")but meant I could reduce the 100mm stem same as dan

:edit: I did start a thread which may help…
http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/trek-fuel-ex-ownersyour-height-and-frame-size-please

Nice one. For some reason I tend to treat trying on bikes and clothes with the same contempt as instruction manuals. Must be a man thing.

Paul, i'm 6'2 and run a large Fuel ex so 19.5 (virtual 18.5) and really like the sizing.

Regards,
Matt

You're not…surely not…you're not going to get a new bike Rocky? Not a new one, a Trek even, when there's so many 10 year old boutique bikes available on ebay. How will you incorporate your little touches, you know the 600mm seatpost and the piece of wood that acts as a front derailleur????

Gut feeling mate – get the larger one. You ride like a roadie… seat high and you look taller than 5' 10" when you're on a bike if you know what I mean… you stretch out.

6ft 2" on a 18.5-virtual 17.5, set up with my prefered saddle height, looks like this

Keep it quiet George!