Advice on frame size for MTB

(Treck543) said:

I'm planning to by a new MTB (for mixed use) and hesitate
between a 19'' and a 21'' frame size. My height is 181cm
and my inseam length is 83cm. According to the
manufacturer, the correct frame size for my *height* is
21''. According to online tables based on *inseam length*,
the correct frame size is 19''. I test-rided both bike and
feel more confortable on the 21'' because of its overall
reach. On the other hand, I have very little "free space"
between my legs when standing over the bike. This is better
with the 19'' but the overall reach is a little too short.
This could possibly be extended with a longer stem and
adjusting seatpost position. I'm a little concerned it
might negatively affect the bike's riding behavour, though.

What frame size do you recommend me, 19'' or 21''? Is one
size clearly more appropriate?

I'm 186cm and ride a 19" Specialized Enduro for mixed off
road use. If I were on a bike with a straight top tube,
I'd get a 17". If you need the longer reach of the 21"
bike, get a longer stem or look to a manufacturer with
longer top tubes on smaller size frames. You probably
won't notice a stem increase of 20mm in the handling,
though much more than that slows the steering; this may or
may not be a good thing.

Kinky Cowboy*

*Batteries not included May contain traces of nuts Your
milage may vary

(Treck543) said:

I'm planning to by a new MTB (for mixed use) and hesitate
between a 19'' and a 21'' frame size. My height is 181cm
and my inseam length is 83cm. According to the
manufacturer, the correct frame size for my *height* is
21''. According to online tables based on *inseam length*,
the correct frame size is 19''. I test-rided both bike and
feel more confortable on the 21'' because of its overall
reach. On the other hand, I have very little "free space"
between my legs when standing over the bike. This is better
with the 19'' but the overall reach is a little too short.
This could possibly be extended with a longer stem and
adjusting seatpost position. I'm a little concerned it
might negatively affect the bike's riding behavour, though.

What frame size do you recommend me, 19'' or 21''? Is one
size clearly more appropriate?

It all depends on the type of riding you'll be doing with
the bike, and the other setup items (saddle setback, stem
length, etc.).

To give you a comparison, I ride my MTB on difficult, steep
terrain and on the road. It would be virtually impossible to
set the bike up so that the position was perfect for both
types of riding - one or the other has to be compromised. In
this case, I choose to have a slightly shorter "cockpit
length" than ideal for the road so I can have better off-
road handling. If I were to use the bike exclusively on the
road, or on smooth fire trails, I'd opt for a larger frame.

I'm 178mm (5'10"😉 with an inseam of 84cm (33"😉. I ride a 17"
frame that fits me perfectly for "real MTBing".

However, my frames are measured center to top (of the top
tube). 21" sounds FAR too big for you if the frames you're
looking at are measured the same way. My guess is that
they're measured to the top of the seat tube - a nonsensical
way to measure a frame, IMHO.

Mark Hickey Habanero Cycles habcycles.comhabcycles.comOpen ↗ Home of
the $695 ti frame

Treck543 said:

I'm planning to by a new MTB (for mixed use) and hesitate
between a 19'' and a 21'' frame size. My height is 181cm
and my inseam length is 83cm. According to the
manufacturer, the correct frame size for my *height* is
21''. According to online tables based on *inseam
length*, the correct frame size is 19''. I test-rided
both bike and feel more confortable on the 21'' because
of its overall reach.

(snip)

You've answered your own question. Hopefully, you'll spend
more time riding on the bike than standing over it.

--
- Zilla Cary, NC (Remove XSPAM)

[email hidden] (Treck543) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I'm planning to by a new MTB (for mixed use) and hesitate
between a 19'' and a 21'' frame size. My height is 181cm
and my inseam length is 83cm. According to the
manufacturer, the correct frame size for my *height* is
21''. According to online tables based on *inseam
length*, the correct frame size is 19''. I test-rided
both bike and feel more confortable on the 21'' because
of its overall reach. On the other hand, I have very
little "free space" between my legs when standing over
the bike. This is better with the 19'' but the overall
reach is a little too short. This could possibly be
extended with a longer stem and adjusting seatpost
position. I'm a little concerned it might negatively
affect the bike's riding behavour, though.

What frame size do you recommend me, 19'' or 21''? Is one
size clearly more appropriate?

I'm similar size, 180 cm height, 85 cm inseam. 5'11"
height, 33.5" inseam. I bought a Raleigh mountain bike a
few years ago. 20" frame size. M600 I believe is the model.
It fits perfectly for paved road riding or converting into
a touring bike or use on hard packed flat trails. Reach is
ideal with a 140mm 10 degree stem and slight riser bars.
However, the bike is too big for real mountain biking where
you have to dismount to get around obstacles or throw the
bike around. I'm guessing this is what real mountain biking
is. For real mountain biking, I would need the 18" frame
size, and a longer stem to get the reach. So your choice is
whether you want a bike for real mountain biking or one for
all around use. For me they do not equal the same size
mountain bike frame.

Treck543 said:

I'm planning to by a new MTB (for mixed use) and hesitate
between a 19'' and a 21'' frame size. My height is 181cm
and my inseam length is 83cm. According to the
manufacturer, the correct frame size for my *height* is
21''. According to online tables based on *inseam
length*, the correct frame size is 19''. I test-rided
both bike and feel more confortable on the 21'' because
of its overall reach. On the other hand, I have very
little "free space" between my legs when standing over
the bike. This is better with the 19'' but the overall
reach is a little too short. This could possibly be
extended with a longer stem and adjusting seatpost
position. I'm a little concerned it might negatively
affect the bike's riding behavour, though.

What frame size do you recommend me, 19'' or 21''? Is one
size clearly more appropriate?

Top tube length is more important. Do you feel stretched or
squashed? Most modern MTBs will have huge nad-to-top tube
clearance.

Hi and thank you all for your useful answers.

"Zog The Undeniable" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Top tube length is more important. Do you feel stretched
or squashed?

I feel nicely stretched on the 21'' and little squashed on
the 19'' :o)

Quoted message said:

Most modern MTBs will have huge nad-to-top tube clearance.

This is unfortunatly not the case with the MTB I have in
sight. This is also the main reason I am considering the
smaller frame size. My feeling is I'll take the smaller
frame size (19''😉 and adjust the stem and seatpost a little.
As Russel indicated in the posting above, the 19'' is
probably a good size for "trail" biking whereas the 21''
would have been better for "road/racing" biking.

Greetings Treck

Treck543 said:

I'm planning to by a new MTB (for mixed use) and hesitate
between a 19'' and a 21'' frame size. My height is 181cm
and my inseam length is 83cm. According to the
manufacturer, the correct frame size for my *height* is
21''. According to online tables based on *inseam
length*, the correct frame size is 19''. I test-rided
both bike and feel more confortable on the 21'' because
of its overall reach. On the other hand, I have very
little "free space" between my legs when standing over
the bike. This is better with the 19'' but the overall
reach is a little too short. This could possibly be
extended with a longer stem and adjusting seatpost
position. I'm a little concerned it might negatively
affect the bike's riding behavour, though.

What frame size do you recommend me, 19'' or 21''? Is one
size clearly more appropriate?

21" for off-road is huge for someone 5'11" (if I'm
converting right).

I'm 6'2", ride frames that are from 19" to 21.5". The larger
frame has dropbars and is ridden on trails and roads where I
don't have to get on and off alot.

Greg

On Sun, 2 May 2004 00:40:42 +0200, "Michael T." <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Hi and thank you all for your useful answers.

"Zog The Undeniable" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Top tube length is more important. Do you feel stretched
or squashed?

I feel nicely stretched on the 21'' and little squashed on
the 19'' :o)

Quoted message said:

Most modern MTBs will have huge nad-to-top tube
clearance.

This is unfortunatly not the case with the MTB I have in
sight. This is also the main reason I am considering the
smaller frame size. My feeling is I'll take the smaller
frame size (19''😉 and adjust the stem and seatpost a
little. As Russel indicated in the posting above, the 19''
is probably a good size for "trail" biking whereas the 21''
would have been better for "road/racing" biking.

Greetings Treck

Seriously, if you need the 21, or more than 120mm stem on
the 19, to get the reach right, you should be looking
elsewhere, because whatever you're looking at obviously
has too short a top tube. Bear in mind that I'm 2" taller
than you, and my singlespeed frame is just 14". With a
420mm seatpost and a 120mm 5 degree stem, this makes a
good fast XC ride.

Kinky Cowboy*

*Batteries not included May contain traces of nuts Your
milage may vary

"Kinky Cowboy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Michael T. said:

Hi and thank you all for your useful answers.

"Zog The Undeniable" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Top tube length is more important. Do you feel
stretched or squashed?

I feel nicely stretched on the 21'' and little squashed
on the 19'' :o)

Quoted message said:

Most modern MTBs will have huge nad-to-top tube
clearance.

This is unfortunatly not the case with the MTB I have in
sight. This is

also

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

the main reason I am considering the smaller frame size.
My feeling is

I'll

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

take the smaller frame size (19''😉 and adjust the stem
and seatpost a little. As Russel indicated in the posting
above, the 19'' is probably a good size for "trail"
biking whereas the 21'' would have been better for
"road/racing" biking.

Greetings Treck

Seriously, if you need the 21, or more than 120mm stem on
the 19, to get the reach right, you should be looking
elsewhere, because whatever you're looking at obviously
has too short a top tube. Bear in mind that I'm 2" taller
than you, and my singlespeed frame is just 14". With a
420mm seatpost and a 120mm 5 degree stem, this makes a
good fast XC ride.

You're 6'1" and you ride a bike that's only 1/2" taller than
my penis size? With a 5 degree stem? With only a 420mm
seatpost? That sounds painful.

Greg

On Sun, 02 May 2004 18:45:59 GMT, "G.T." <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

You're 6'1" and you ride a bike that's only 1/2" taller
than my penis size? With a 5 degree stem? With only a 420mm
seatpost? That sounds painful.

Greg

No, I said 14(fourteen) inches, not 1.4(one point four)

Kinky Cowboy*

*Batteries not included May contain traces of nuts Your
milage may vary

Kinky Cowboy said:

G.T. said:

You're 6'1" and you ride a bike that's only 1/2" taller
than my penis size? With a 5 degree stem? With only a
420mm seatpost? That sounds painful.

Greg

No, I said 14(fourteen) inches, not 1.4(one point four)

I know what you said. And it still sounds painful.

Greg

On Sun, 02 May 2004 18:45:59 GMT, "G.T." <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

You're 6'1" and you ride a bike that's only 1/2" taller
than my penis size? With a 5 degree stem? With only a 420mm
seatpost? That sounds painful.

Greg

No, I said 14(fourteen) inches, not 1.4(one point four)

14" frame with 420mm USE seatpost gives me 730mm BB to top
of saddle and 550mm from saddle nose to bar clamp. My XC
race bike is a Large size Specialized Enduro, 760mm BB to
top of saddle and 550mm saddle nose to bar clamp with a 50mm
stem. My TT bike is 780mm BB to top of saddle. Sitting 2"
lower on my off road play bike than I do on my TT bike seems
about right, and a very long way from painful in either
direction.

Kinky Cowboy*

*Batteries not included May contain traces of nuts Your
milage may vary