@Clink
“Interesting notes on sizing. I’m 5’10” and test rode a large and it felt spot on, wouldn’t want to go smaller.”

Of course sizing is personal. A reach of 440 mm is rather average for 5 10 and good for general riding. For my use, I dislike it when the reach and ETT get so long that it affects, shoulder and hand position and forces weight on the hands. I can imagine that if yo do mainly downhill you would prefer to err on the long side to be more flat and elongated on the bike, while there would pressure on the hands anyway. Habits and personal preferences rule.

@jayx2a

I bought an XC bike based on size charts and ended up with an L bike with a long reach and punishing standover, being on the very top of medium and within the bottom of large. I changed the stem, bars, etc. To get a bearable ride. For XC it sort of works, but I decided that for the Signal I wanted a more ‘in control’ position rather than ‘hanging on’. I use a 40 mm stem on the Signal. Of course tastes differ. Most important for me is being aware of the reach and eff top tube for pedaling and then go from there to get a comfortable bracket to bar distance.

@jayx2a
I am 5 10.2 (178.5 cm) and a medium is a good fit keeping reach in normal levels but still able to ride with the upper body low without any weight on the hands.

@chiefgrooveguru
The mud and rain in my region are apparently different because the inside of a steel seat tube turns into a rusty mess within a week and the mud and sand that enter the tube make it hard to remove the dropper because it is kept in place by ‘sandpaste’. The rear wheel propels anything and everything just into the little space on the top of the seat tube. Google alu seatpost stuck in steel frame.

@burko73

The bin bag (actually nylon fabric tube) is to keep the dropper seat post clean. If you regularly ride in mud/rain your dropper post in a steel frame will quickly sit in wet rusty muddy goo, not good; remember it is not stainless 🙂

This is a great if not elegant solution.

Thanx everybody for the help !!!!

The titanium Sonder Signal is by now 1400 euros frame only, so I gladly settled for steel. Very nice geometry, feels like it has smaller wheels than 29 and a natural comfortable fit for me. Maybe one day titanium, we ‘ll see.

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Contrary to our expectations the geometry of the ti and the steel is different. The steel has un ‘updated’ geo and is a little longer.

This makes me even more curious about the perceived playfulness of the steel one.

Singletrackworld.com has a first impressions article about the Signal steel. Not being a member, I could only read a few lines, but there the differences in geo were mentioned.

@Northwind

“… Sorry, that’s not helpful! I guess the big thing is, you just can’t really know, you’ve probably got to just make the best guess you can. ”

Thanks, The Signal steel I have in mind weighs 14kg which is 30 lbs + 400 grams. You sum up why I ask the question. It is impossible to say what a certain geometry feels like in steel or titanium without trying. Steel might feel good or aluminum might be better.

On the other hand if I want as playful as possible I should probably take a not long and slack aluminum 27.5 , but I like the idea (or dream) of a playful do it all steel 29 er.

@postierich

“Loving my Ti Signal it handles some knadge 🙂 I picked up a Steel Ti in store and it felt heavy, my main concern would be what forks you are fitting!”

Thanx for your reply. That’s my concern, that the steel version is heavier to the extent that it kills part of the described playfulness / crispness of the ti. Now I am too heavy myself, so not sure to what extent I should worry about bike weight 🙂

I suppose that with steel ti, you mean steel Signal BTW.

Why are you concerned about the fork in a Signal?

@cynic-al
‘Pre cen the ride difference between ti and steel was obvious to me’

Thanks for your help. Could you elaborate on the differences a little bit, especially playfulness? Sorry to bother.

@ EIShalimo, Thanx, never heard of it.

Thanks for your help. Could you elaborate on the differences a little bit, especially playfulness? Sorry to bother. And what is pre cen, pre production?