MTB size

This is such a tough question and one I have struggled with lately, even after biking for decades. All I can say is, formulas dont work because everyone's "geometry" is different. However, try on two or three sizes before making a decision. Dont ask the size, just ask the salesperson to pick the size she/he thinks is best, then let you try one size larger and one size smaller. FYI I am 5'7" and have a 30" inseam and long arms. I am pretty happy with 16" MTB and 52 cm road bike. But I have a 20" hybrid that fits me perfectly, so go figure.

jedimaster said:

This is such a tough question and one I have struggled with lately, even after biking for decades. All I can say is, formulas dont work because everyone's "geometry" is different. However, try on two or three sizes before making a decision. Dont ask the size, just ask the salesperson to pick the size she/he thinks is best, then let you try one size larger and one size smaller. FYI I am 5'7" and have a 30" inseam and long arms. I am pretty happy with 16" MTB and 52 cm road bike. But I have a 20" hybrid that fits me perfectly, so go figure.

hey thanks for the reply! I tried a 19 and 20 inch, the 20 felt way to big length was OK. The 19 felt to short, with a longer stem i'm leaning toward this size.

Common formulas suggest an 18 inch, I might try one of them with a longer head stem and see how it feels.

for what its worth, my road bike frame is 56 or 57cm, a 19 should be ballpark right?

Steve, as long as you can achieve your proper cockpit (top tube) length via a reasonable stem length, I would lean towards the smaller frames you mentioned. A smaller MTB frame allows more stand over clearance, which is very beneficial on technical terrain. It allows you to "throw" the bike around, underneath your body, more than a larger frame.

thanks guys, ended up getting myself a nice fuji 😄