Mountain bike size question - wrong advice?

galaxycycle120 said:

I just bought a 16" Raleigh mountain bike and when i'm standing over the bar there is about an inch of clearance. After I bought it somebody told me I'm supposed to have 4-5" of clearance when standing over the bar. I've never been mountain biking (I'm used to a road bike) and am not an expert on any kind of biking but that seemed like it would be an awfully small bike - is this guy's advice wrong? I've only ridden the bike on pavement a little to test it and it seemed fine, but I could still exchange it if needed.

If the seat height and the distance to the handlebar is comfortable than I think you would be good to go. I think I only have an inch or two standing over my bike's top bar.

I also have only about an inch or so of standover clearance. According to the book by Ned Overend it's supposed to be (inseam) - 14" = frame size, so I'm supposed to own a 16" bike (I'm currently riding a 19.5" and honestly I feel fine when mounting by stradalling the top tube). He said that the extra clearance helps with mounting on a downhill start. But my previous bike was a 16.5" and it feels awfully small and cramped.

On a seemingly related note, I've read somewhere on the web (forgot where) that a bike with a longer top tube and a shorter stem is much more stable then a bike with a shorter top tube and a longer stem.

Road bikes don't need so much standover clearance because falling off of them is relatively rare event. They also want to make the frame as stiff as possible for maximum efficiency. I think the issue with MTBs is that a little extra standover room helps keep you from busting your nutz on the top tube when you go down.

On an MTB, if you're riding off-road, you WILL go down...

TD

tyler_derden said:

Road bikes don't need so much standover clearance because falling off of them is relatively rare event. They also want to make the frame as stiff as possible for maximum efficiency. I think the issue with MTBs is that a little extra standover room helps keep you from busting your nutz on the top tube when you go down.

On an MTB, if you're riding off-road, you WILL go down...

TD

height on a road bike means nothingl, a road bikesa sizing is all about the length, height means nothing

stiff frame isnt nessecerily a good thing, some flex is bad but other flex is good you dont ewant a completely solid bike but if it flexes in some ways it can be bad because oit will absorb the power your putting in but some flex in the forks and seat/chainstays will help in absorbing road shocks

you should have a minimum of 1" clearance, are you still growing at all ? if so then its ideal to have that sortof size frame then you can grow into it for a while. if your not going to grow anymore and are uncomfortable with the height, well then exchange it.. do you know if raleigh measures crank centre to top tube centre or right to the top ?

Thanks for all your replies, you were all very helpful. I'm just going to keep this one because the next size down just seemed awfully small. Also the inseam - 14" calculation one of you wrote gives me a 16" bike so I think this one will be just great. 🙂

galaxycycle120 said:

Thanks for all your replies, you were all very helpful. I'm just going to keep this one because the next size down just seemed awfully small. Also the inseam - 14" calculation one of you wrote gives me a 16" bike so I think this one will be just great. 🙂

I have about an 1" of cleareance with my MB (similar to my RoadBike) I feel comfortable but the bicycle seems a little big, it is a 18.5" and I'm 5'10", the smaller one was 17". Those 4" have been recomended to me jsut in case you fall, as said above protecting your nutz 😄 the truth is I've fallen quite some times but my nutz are intact, my clavicle was broken 🙁

There is no calculation for mtb sizing that is accurate and if anyone tells you there is then they are a [censored] merchant.

Everybody is built differently and we all come in different sizes.

MountainPro said:

There is no calculation for mtb sizing that is accurate and if anyone tells you there is then they are a [censored] merchant.

Everybody is built differently and we all come in different sizes.

That is so true! I guy I ride with is 5'10" but has a 36" inseam, very long leggs and hardly any torso. A bike tall enough to fit the "distance from crotch to top tube" theory is so long that he has trouble reaching the handlebars. And the guy at the local bike shop is just the opposite, very long torso with short leggs. I myself came from Motocross racing years ago so I like a bigger bike under me than I need, I just like having something more substantial under me.
Also the kind of riding you do and the type terrain you ride can play a role in what you may and may not consider rideable

for jumps and street and stuff its good to have alot of clearance but for xc i think your good to go

for xc that much is fine. i ride dirtjumps and street and i prefer alot of clearance just so i dont nut myself

You only need the extra clearance when you leave the bike on the down hill slope.

What mountain bike size. Is good for person 5`7" and 32" inseam

the bike is ok for cross country i think.

I remember when I was younger I fixed up an older and taller siblings mountain bike. One of my first bikes I fixed up on my own and I was very proud of it. I had no idea at the time, but the bike was WAY to big for me. Had about half an inch of the clearance your talking about. Now that I am more experience I like to have about 3" of clearance for the trails.

What it really comes down to is personal preference. I think I read a poster above say the same thing, no one and no formula can tell you 100% what size ride to rock. However you being new to MTB I personally would adjust the size downward a little bit. Your best bet is to ride it a bit, try some stuff on it see how it feels. Then try a bigger bike, a smaller bike anything that you bike shop will let you. That;s the only true way to determine the perfect bike size for you.

I have always preferred a 1 to 3 inch clearance on any bike. Any more and I felt the frame was to small for me. I never looked up recommendations. I just went with what felt right.

Do not listen to what anybody else says. It is all about what is more comfortable for you. There is no set way to mountain biking, it is all personal preference. Good luck!