Transition Sentinel sizing

Hi all,

Considering someone who’s 184cm tall (long arms), which Transition Sentinel size would you suggest?
Owners around that height, what size do you have?

Thanks

186cm,long arms, on an XL. I tried the L and it felt a bit too short

My fear with the XL is that the front center would be too long Vs the chainstays and demand a ton of front wheel load to get grip.
Do you notice that?

Funny you mention that as I was occasionally losing front end grip on the odd occasion. I’m 6″2 on an XL…
I’ve narrowed it down to not being over the front enough and strangely I do it more on flatter stuff for some reason! Steeper stuff I’m fine but I’ve had to make sure I’m not slacking off with the body position on the easier stuff when I think I can just cruise it. Been fine since I realised.

Awesome bike though but I guess all the newer longer bikes need this adjustment in your riding style.

Sounds like you need a test ride to be sure

defo large

I’m 172cm and a little longer in upper body. After a test ride I found the medium felt real cramped and the large perfect. Test ride could be the way! Even sitting on one in the shop the staff were surprised how cramped the medium looked when I was sat on it

Speaking of shops which stock the Sentinel, does anyone have any recommendations for ones in southern England/Wales? I’m looking to get one at some point and would like to avoid online only if possible so I’ve got some support in the future.

I got mine from Plush Hill Cycles in Church Stretton. Nice bunch and they had test models.

I’m 6″2 on a Large, just to add that. I occasionally think I’d have maybe appreciated going smaller, it’s a big ol’ bike. Which I guess shows that fit is subjective!

It takes a lot of getting used to (I came from a Cotic Solaris), in temrs of speed, stability, and getting the length of the thing around corners. I’m a big fan though, it goes down well, up steadily, and round corners like a sledge.

@tetrode -not sure if it’s a bit North for you, but Creation Cycles near Nottingham stock them.

Dean Forrest cycles in fod, kustom bikes near minehead, top bloke too!

As a former Sentinel owner, I would suggest a large too, because of the steeper seat angle, the seated position feels like it puts you forward on the bike more, but you’ve still got something of a reasonably big thing underneath to move around. The Xl I tried didn’t feel overly balanced, because of the longer front & same length chainstays.

I have something that compares to the reach of the XL (albeit with a steeper SA) but longer stays, so it feels a lot more balanced. There is no getting away from the fact it feels like a big bike though (as did the Sentinel) and you certainly need the terrain/trails to make it work.

Hi Hob Nob,
What bike have you now?

XL Raaw Madonna (what i’m comparing it to, rather than my shorter travel bike).

Thanks for the shop recommendations all! I’m in Bristol but willing to travel ~2 hours for a decent shop so there’s a few to think about.

Hob Nob, how to you like the Madonna?
How does it compares to the Sentinel?
Thanks

FWIW I demoed a large and XL sentinel and at 188cm tall I felt I was inbetween sizes.

Large was noticeably short both climbing and descending, whereas the XL felt just the slightest bit stretched out. I could happily have lived with it and would have been my choice, but as mentioned above you really have to load the front and be full gas all the time. Was also hard work in the really tight stuff. On flat out stuff the like dh tracks I tried it on in the FoD it was great though.

Ended up with a whyte s-150 which is slightly less slack and the XL was in the middle of the two transition sizes. Much lighter and climbed better as well. You still have to really weight the front when railing it but it’s much easier to get round the tighter stuff, probably down the shorter wheelbase and steeper head angle.

Not an owner, but I agree the relatively shorter chainstays on the XL seem a concern. Too short for my tastes on the large and medium as well.

Are bikes with longer rear ends off the cards?

Just to add my 2p worth.

I have a XL 2018 model and find it a good fit.

Im 184cm with longer body than legs. I tried a large but found it felt shorter than my previous Codeine (Large)

I think its a combination of steep seat angle and slack head angle makes it feel shorter than the numbers suggest.

Im based between oxford and cheltenham if anyone wants to throw a leg over mine to see.

Hob Nob, how to you like the Madonna?
How does it compares to the Sentinel?
Thanks

To be honest, i’ve not ridden it a huge amount, as it’s a massive thing & it warrants the right terrain to make the most of it.

I bought it because I was wrecking my shorter travel bike taking it abroad & doing bigger races on it I probably shouldn’t have. I ended up trying the Sentinel, but with only 10mm more travel on the back, it didn’t make much sense – it always felt like the back couldn’t keep up with the front on big stuff & setting up the rear suspension was like walking a tightrope, trying to get a balance. But, the geometry worked for me, so I went hunting for something similar, just with more travel.

It’s long, low & relatively heavy, but then it’s a coil sprung big enduro bike, which is fairly uncompromising in it’s main goal, to go fast. As racing kicks off, on the bigger stuff i’ll use it, it’s coming to Whistler for a month in the summer with me, then off to Zermatt for the EWS & Finale for some more fun. To me, it’s better in every way than the Sentinel, but then it costs considerably more money, so you could say that should be expected.

Astons Pinkbike review recently pretty much covers it pretty well IMO.

I just did some measurements and in my current bike with a 470mm seat tube, I only have 18mm left of dropper post insertion. I guess the XL Sentinel is out of the window… Maybe a L with a +5mm reach headset would be a sweet spot?

Any more opinions on this topic?
Thanks

I’m 6″2 and I have a XXL Sentinel.

Large will be too small (and so will the XL 😉)

XXL 😳😳😳

I would definitely try and get a test on an XL before discounting it.

I’m sure you will fine a large too small

I have an XL Smuggler although 2017 frame still 495mm seat post. Am slightly shorter than 184 & run a 170mm dropper & I have a long back & short legs

I mean I dont want to be silly about it, but Transition say you are a large. like, a perfect large. They know a great deal about bikes, they want to sell you the right bike…

What is this obsession with bigger bikes? an xxl Sentinel at 6′ 2, i highly suspect you’ve bought the wrong bike… *

*runs away.

I found the difference between transition sizes to be not that different. i.e. a XXL has an extra 15mm of reach over the XL. Other bike brands that I looked at had a reach difference of 30mm.

I simply wanted a bike that fit me and my last bike was closer in size to a XXL than a XL.

I would recommend testing one out for a day or two. It all comes down to personal preference, and what trails you ride.

On paper transition size me perfectly to a medium, test riding a medium though the bars felt so so close that it was not comfy, a large felt right and fitted way better. What’s right on a rough guide isn’t real life body proportions. Sit on a couple or test ride is the only way to tell. The Specialized store behind ikea sell transition I think. Dean Forrest cycles have demo bikes. Plenty of options!

I’m 186cm and on a large 2018 SBG Scout…perfectly happy with it.

I guess I lean towards that these bikes are supposed to feel a certain way. SBG or whatever.  If you want to go two sizes above the recommended, perhaps you lose that and these arent for you. No right or wrong though, but the guides are there for a reason. Either way OP enjoy the bike they are awesome