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Hi
Looking at a C456 but hoping it could be used by both wife and I.
She's 5'8" and looking at sizing guide it looks like the 16" frame is perfect for her...but would I be able to use it too at 5'11" 1/2 ?
Would that work with a long seat post or would it be too small for me to enjoy(we share 32" inside leg)?
Conversely is the 18" frame a better bet?
I'm 5ft 8ins or thereabouts and I had a 16" Summer Season and I needed a 410 post to make sure enough post was in the frame. I've not ridden an 18" frame but you may just get away with it but enjoy may be another thing altogether.
You can always change stem length and seatpost layback to help too.
There's barely any difference in geometry between 16 and 18 so I'd argue that stand over height is the important factor. Without rechecking the numbers I think the effective top tube on the 18 is about 1cm longer than the 16, the rear triangle is the same and the head tube is a little longer so you can't have the bars quite so low.
From memory the 16" is 9mm shorter than the 18". The extra stand over would have been nice if I'd noticed the small difference, but I'm happy on the 18". 5'8" though I like long top tubes so run a 100mm stem.
Great sounds like I can go for the 18" to fit me and it will do for the odd time the better half wants to ride it as stand over height is fine for her.
Doubly pleased with that advice as the 16" c456 frame plus fox 32s I'd been watching on ebay, went this evening on "buy it now" whilst I was out on a miserably foggy and muddy ride.....
thanks all
You'll be fine IMO, I'm 5'10" (32" inside leg) and ride a 16". Currently use a 410mm seatpost and there is still 130mm of seatpost in the frame at the max. height I have it on the climbs. Maybe, just get a slightly longer seatpost. They are very long in the top tube.
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5' 9" on a 16" here. Sometimes my wife will borrow my C456: she's shorter than me but we have a similar inside leg measurement...we just have our own seatpost and saddle combo: layback seatpost for me and an inline seatpost for her to compensate for her shorter reach.