How do bigger wheels affect frame sizing? I’m 5’11” and usually opt for slightly smaller frames, usually 17in or medium. This sometimes feels a little cramped but I like feeling the bike to be a little bit more ‘chuckable’. Does this approach still work on 29ers?

i know the correct answer is that I should try both medium and large but this is not an option for me as need to go mail order and the bike is not in stock locally to try. It is for a cannondale by the way.

Same size for me – 17″ Genesis Altitude 10, to a 17″ Salsa El Mariachi.

However, going back to the Genesis after a few months on big wheels has made the Genesis feel all wrong to me.

franksinatra – Member

I’m 5’11” and usually opt for slightly smaller frames the right size for me, usually 17in or medium. This sometimes feels a little cramped after i’ve stuck a 50mm stem on, but I like feeling the bike to be a little bit more ‘chuckable’ ‘the right size’. Does this approach still work on 29ers?

you’re 5’11” – you’re a medium.

Yes, buying a bike that’s right size works on 29ers too – who’d have thought it?

🙂

(edit: in an attempt to say something useful: based on nothing more that casual observation, ‘large’ in the world of 26ers seems to mean 19″, but something like 20″ in 29erland. i would be very surprised if someone 5’11” found a large 29er a better, more ‘chuckable’ option than the medium…)

5’9″ here.
18″ (29er Inbred right on bottom limit for me, but 18″ (26er) Inbred was spot on.

My medium SIR.9 is spot on, but a small would have been way too small for me.

same size for me – 17″ Genesis Altitude 10, to a 17″ Salsa El Mariachi.

That is really helpful as I also have a 17″ Altitude 10! How tall are you?

5’10” here and a 17.5″ 29er frame fits spot on. 18″ would also (both medium frames) but large would have been too big.

Double post.

5’7″ on a medium El Mariachi. A Small would be ludicrously cramped. I ride a medium Blur XC and 907 fatbike too, so I’d say stick with the size you normally ride if it’s the same sort of riding you are going to do. Most of the manufacturers offer advice on their websites. I normally follow it as they are more likely to be correct than a bunch of random responses off the internet.

Why would it be any different to a 26er? Large 26er Santa Cruz before, Large 29er now.

Large or 19″ Fisher, On One, Lynskey, Singular, Cotic, Yeti and Turner are also all good for me.