Your thoughts on my new bike.

frodge said:

I am fairly new to biking and just bought a Trek 4900
series 19.5 inch frame. I have been riding the bike every
day through the trails with no problems so far. I have
always had Wal-Mart bikes and know very little about them.
I have been reading these forums for the past couple days
and think I am in trouble. Although I am highly
comfortable on the bike, I am afraid for my gonads. The
bike is a dream to ride through the trails, but now that I
have been reading it looks like the frame is too big for
me. I am 5'7 and my inseam is
30.5-31 inches approximately. My balls touch the top bar
with my feet flat on the ground. What do I do? I am
using this bike to ride on trails, no stunts or
anything it is a road and light trail bike to get a
sweat going. I bought it two weeks ago and like it. I
did not start getting worried until yesterday when I
found out what standover was and that mine is, well
tight. BTW, there is absolutely no way that this shop
will take this bike back. It is really comfortable to
ride though. 😎

If the bar don't get you, the end of the saddle will. Unless
you stop short before a drop, you'll more than likely endo
or fall to the side, thus sparing the jewels. Look at it
this way, it's a cheap vascectomy.
--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws

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

Quoted message said:

I am fairly new to biking and just bought a Trek 4900
series 19.5 inch

frame. I have been riding the bike every day through the
trails with no problems so far. I have always had Wal-Mart
bikes and know very little about them. I have been reading
these forums for the past couple days and think I am in
trouble. Although I am highly comfortable on the bike, I am
afraid for my gonads. The bike is a dream to ride through
the trails, but now that I have been reading it looks like
the frame is too big for me. I am 5'7 and my inseam is 30.5-
31 inches approximately. My balls touch the top bar with my
feet flat on the ground. What do I do?

Quoted message said:

I am using this bike to ride on trails, no stunts or
anything it is a road

and light trail bike to get a sweat going. I bought it two
weeks ago and like it. I did not start getting worried until
yesterday when I found out what standover was and that mine
is, well tight. BTW, there is absolutely no way that this
shop will take this bike back. It is really comfortable to
ride though. 😎

Quoted message said:

--

Good News / Bad News

Good News: It's better than what you had. You are out on the
bike more and getting in better shape. I hope you did not
spend more than the $570.00 MSRP. You are finally doing a
little research.

Bad News: The bike geometry is probably wrong for you (top
tube too high and long ect) The LBS that you bought it from
sucks and you should never go back to it (selling you a bike
that does not fit). If you ride on techinical trails the
odds of you reproducing are dimished on this bike...

My opinion: Back in 1989 I did the same thing. Did not know
anything about bikes and bought a road bike that was too big
for me from a LBS that sucked. Result was that I did not
ride it that much because it was not that comfortable.
Finally I sold it for $250.00 about a third of what I paid
for it. I learned my lesson, my next and subsequent bikes
fit me! Fit is such an important element for comfort and
enjoyment on a bike not to mention reduces injury... the
injury in your case plus neck, hand, back ect and be injured
from an ill fitted bike.

If you really get into biking and decide to ride more than
bike paths and sidewalks you will want a nicer bike. Next
time do your reasearch and get something that fits!

-p

frodge said:

I am fairly new to biking and just bought a Trek 4900
series 19.5 inch frame.

Take it back to the LBS and [censored] up a storm that some idiot
sold you a bike that is too big for you, and don't leave
until you have another bike. Its their JOB to put you on a
ride that fits.

--
-BB- To reply to me, drop the attitude (from my e-mail
address, at least)

frodge said:

I am fairly new to biking and just bought a Trek 4900
series 19.5 inch frame. I have been riding the bike every
day through the trails with no problems so far. I have
always had Wal-Mart bikes and know very little about them.
I have been reading these forums for the past couple days
and think I am in trouble. Although I am highly
comfortable on the bike, I am afraid for my gonads. The
bike is a dream to ride through the trails, but now that I
have been reading it looks like the frame is too big for
me. I am 5'7 and my inseam is 30.5-31 inches
approximately. My balls touch the top bar with my feet
flat on the ground. What do I do? I am using this bike to
ride on trails, no stunts or anything it is a road and
light trail bike to get a sweat going. I bought it two
weeks ago and like it. I did not start getting worried
until yesterday when I found out what standover was and
that mine is, well tight. BTW, there is absolutely no way
that this shop will take this bike back. It is really
comfortable to ride though. 😎

Oh dear, a 19.5" is far too big. At your size I'd be looking
for something around 16". I'd suggest you take it back to
the bike shop you bought it from and have a go at them for
selling you the wrong size. If, as you say, there is no
chance to take it back, then I suggest you sell it and buy
yourself something that fits.

--
a.m-b FAQ: j-harris.netambfaq.htmOpen ↗

b.bmx FAQ: t-online.debmx faq.htmOpen ↗

frodge said:

I am fairly new to biking and just bought a Trek 4900
series 19.5 inch frame. I have been riding the bike every
day through the trails with no problems so far. I have
always had Wal-Mart bikes and know very little about them.
I have been reading these forums for the past couple days
and think I am in trouble. Although I am highly
comfortable on the bike, I am afraid for my gonads. The
bike is a dream to ride through the trails, but now that I
have been reading it looks like the frame is too big for
me. I am 5'7 and my inseam is
30.5-31 inches approximately. My balls touch the top bar
with my feet flat on the ground. What do I do? I am
using this bike to ride on trails, no stunts or
anything it is a road and light trail bike to get a
sweat going. I bought it two weeks ago and like it. I
did not start getting worried until yesterday when I
found out what standover was and that mine is, well
tight. BTW, there is absolutely no way that this shop
will take this bike back. It is really comfortable to
ride though. 😎

Wow. My eyesight must be going. I completely missed the part
about 19.5"! You're in trouble. I'm just two inches shorter
than you and even a 16" causes falsettos.

What approach do I take when I call the bicycle shop today? The Bike has no marks in it or anything. My brother bought a 4900 earlier in the week that I had. So I told the guy to build me one, knowing nothing about fit. So know I know after the fact. 🙁 Is there any way that a shop will do right by this? It was an honest stupid mistake. Do you think at the least will take all of the componenst off of my bike and put them on another frame?😕

"Ride-A-Lot" <mitchell@[nospam]schnauzers.ws> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

frodge said:

I am fairly new to biking and just bought a Trek 4900
series 19.5 inch frame. I have been riding the bike
every day through the trails with no problems so far. I
have always had Wal-Mart bikes and know very little
about them. I have been reading these forums for the
past couple days and think I am in trouble. Although I
am highly comfortable on the bike, I am afraid for my
gonads. The bike is a dream to ride through the trails,
but now that I have been reading it looks like the frame
is too big for me. I am 5'7 and my inseam is
30.5-31 inches approximately. My balls touch the top bar
with my feet flat on the ground. What do I do? I am
using this bike to ride on trails, no stunts or
anything it is a road and light trail bike to get a
sweat going. I bought it two weeks ago and like it. I
did not start getting worried until yesterday when I
found out what standover was and that mine is, well
tight. BTW, there is absolutely no way that this shop
will take this bike back. It is really comfortable to
ride though. 😎

If the bar don't get you, the end of the saddle will.
Unless you stop

short

Quoted message said:

before a drop, you'll more than likely endo or fall to the
side, thus sparing the jewels. Look at it this way, it's a
cheap vascectomy.
--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o www.schnauzers.ws

If you bought the bike legitimately you should demand
customer satisfaction and get the bike swapped for one that
fits you. I wound up with a bike too small for me from a
shop that went out of business a month later and it
definitely sucks to try and compensate for an ill fit. After
a year on that bike I searched for a good LBS and now have a
bike that fits me. Luckily I was able to sell the first bike
for a minimal loss.

If you decide that you want to get into more technical
riding you going to wish you got the right size bike.

Extreme pain is only one pedal stroke away.

Dave Haley

frodge said:

What approach do I take when I call the bicycle shop
today? The Bike has no marks in it or anything. My brother
bought a 4900 earlier in the week that I had. So I told
the guy to build me one, knowing nothing about fit. So
know I know after the fact. 🙁 Is there any way that a
shop will do right by this? It was an honest stupid
mistake. Do you think at the least will take all of the
componenst off of my bike and put them on another
frame?😕

It all depends on the shop. Legally, you have no recorse
since the contract has been fullfilled. The bike is still
used by their standards so it's going to be tough for them
to do anything with it. Go in with the approach that you
want to be a long-term customer. Tell them you are new and
were hoping that they would have fit you better on the bike.
If all else fails, ask them if they would try and sell it on
consignment for a few bucks less than what you paid and
you'll make up the difference towards the right bike.

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

Frodge, I'm not so sure you should listen to everybody
else. You said:

"I am highly comfortable on the bike" "The bike is a dream
to ride through the trails" and "It is really comfortable to
ride though. 😎"

Further, you started to doubt your own well-reasoned opinion
after "reading

highly personal - when something is comfortable it's
comfortable. There is no direct porportion between height
and fit, but inseam can play a huge factor. You listed a 31
inch inseam - that's real long for 5' 7" and, because of
that, I can see you on a 19.5" Trek. That's a Large, and I
ride a large in every frame with my 31" inseam. I have about
three more inches in height than you, so I might make better
use of the longer toptube of a 19.5 than you, but you can
always remedy that by getting a stem 20mm or so shorter if
you decide you ride a bit stretched out. Standover height is
not the be-all end-all of bike fitting.

There is a trend in biking right now to ride the smallest
frame one can, and have about a foot of seatpost sticking
out. It's, by and large, stupid. People claim smaller frames
make a lighter bike: well, how much comfort is an ouce worth
to you? People also claim smaller frames are stiffer: if
that's even measurable or noticable, ar you going to be in a
position where this microscopic difference in frame
deflection will make-or-break your afternoon? Of course not.
It's just as easy to have fit problems on a too-small bike
than on a too-large one.

Quoted message said:

I am fairly new to biking

Well, over time, you will learn these forums aren't tomes of
wisdom all the time. Trends, biased opinions, and pure [censored]
are as present here as information and honesty. Think of how
many "torch the shop that sold you that bike" people clearly
disagree with everything I've already said.

Quoted message said:

I have been riding the bike every day

Hell yeah.

Quoted message said:

through the trails with no problems so far.

Then I would doubt you have a real fit issue.

Quoted message said:

I am afraid for my gonads. What do I do?

Ride that bike a bit more. If you decide you are going to
switch from mountain-bike-owner to mountain-biker (a shift,
usually, in philosophy, zen, fitness...okay that's [censored].
It just means you spend a LOT of money on bikes and drink
really good beer) than I would recommend selling the 4900.
Put it on a Ebay, where anything Trek brings in more money
than it's worth. Chalk your $$ losses up to experience and
practice. Take your cash and put it towards a new ride with
a sloping or figured top tube - same size bike, more room
for the boys. Check out these bikes:

Intense 5.5 : bikemag.comdayone top3Open ↗
Intense Spider:
wrenchscience.comGalleryOpen ↗ and the
unmitigated king of package protection, the Surly Instigator
with the JunkSaver top tube:
surlybikes.cominstigator.htmlOpen ↗

Not that those specific bikes are the ones you should buy
(though they all kick ass for their intended purposes), they
just show you what can be done with a top tube besides
drawing a straight line form the top of the headtube to the
top of the seatpost.

Bottom line: you've ridden the bike a lot and are
comfortable and happy. That means it fits. 5' 7" is short
for a Large frame, but 31" inseams are right on. A current
trend away from "higher top-tubes/not a lot of seatpost
showing" to "6' 2" guy on a medium frame with a foot of post
up his ass" does not make it the right way to go for
everyone, it makes it a fad. Ride your bike. Enjoy it. If
you stick with it - and the only consensus you will find on
a-mb is that you SHOULD stick with it - than you can get a
different frame design when you upgrade (because you will
want to upgrade. Part of our disease).

Chris

"Ride-A-Lot" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

frodge said:

What approach do I take when I call the bicycle shop
today? The Bike has no marks in it or anything. My
brother bought a 4900 earlier in the week that I had. So
I told the guy to build me one, knowing nothing about
fit. So know I know after the fact. 🙁 Is there any way
that a shop will do right by this? It was an honest
stupid mistake. Do you think at the least will take all
of the componenst off of my bike and put them on another
frame?😕

It all depends on the shop. Legally, you have no recorse
since the

contract

Quoted message said:

has been fullfilled. The bike is still used by their
standards so it's going to be tough for them to do
anything with it. Go in with the

approach

Quoted message said:

that you want to be a long-term customer. Tell them you
are new and were hoping that they would have fit you
better on the bike. If all else

fails,

Quoted message said:

ask them if they would try and sell it on consignment for
a few bucks less than what you paid and you'll make up the
difference towards the right

bike.

Sounds like it was his own fault in this case - from what he
said, it appears he just asked them to build another same as
his brother's bike.

Shaun aRe

Yeah it was my fault. But my brother talked to the guy for quite some time when he bought his, trying different bikes out and stuff. My brother is exactly the same size as me and the guy never said the bike did not fit. So I figured, we are the same size, I liked his bike and that was that. I called the guy. He said it is not that big of a problem, I could put smaller diameter tires on. 😠 He also said that for what I am using it for, I don't need a really small frame. Bottom line is that he really didn't have much desire to help me out. I am not rich, so will probably have to use this bike for a while. I use it for riding on trails, no jumps and stuff. Fall to the side, fall to the side, fall to the side. 😎
I am starting to think that the guy that said it is a fad to have a super small frame may be kind of correct. If you slip off your pedals on a 17" at my height and inseam, you could still smash your nads. I am a newbie, so I don't know.

Chris said:

There is a trend in biking right now to ride the
smallest frame one can, and have about a foot of
seatpost sticking out.

Bollocks. Despite your exaggeration, the 'trend' to which
you refer has been around since the late 80's when mountain
bikes ceased to be road bikes with fat tyres.

Quoted message said:

People claim smaller frames make a lighter bike: well, how
much comfort is an ouce worth to you?

The idea is that you can make a lighter bike with the same
geometry, thus not affecting comfort or fit.

Quoted message said:

People also claim smaller frames are stiffer: if
that's even measurable or noticable, ar you going to
be in a position where this microscopic difference in
frame deflection will make-or-break your afternoon? Of
course not.

However, nailing yourself on the top tube, struggling to
haul round a large gate with wheels, or crashing because you
can not handle the bike properly *is* likely to break your
afternoon.

Quoted message said:

Bottom line: you've ridden the bike a lot and are
comfortable and happy. That means it fits.

Bollocks. I could have sworn the racing bike I got when I
was 11 fit me perfectly. It was massive. I just didn't know
any better.

Quoted message said:

5' 7" is short for a Large frame, but 31" inseams are
right on.

Bollocks. Please find a site that recommends a large / 20"
frame to someone with a 31" inseam.

--
a.m-b FAQ: j-harris.netambfaq.htmOpen ↗

b.bmx FAQ: t-online.debmx faq.htmOpen ↗

Thanks Chris. I will ride the bike until I want a new one. I guess there are more ways to hurt yourself than simply falling over the top tube. I am new as it is, so I will not be attacking any crazy drops or anything for a while. Thanks.

frodge said:

What approach do I take when I call the bicycle shop
today?

Don't call them - show up with the bike. Ask them how much
standover clearance you should have, and when they say 2-3
inches, then ask them why they sold you a bike with zero
standover clearance.

Shops vary greatly on their return policies; where I bought
my bike, they had a policy that you could return the bike
any time within 30 days. Whatever their policy is, unless
they recommended you a particular size and you told them you
wanted bigger, they should make it right.

--
-BB- To reply to me, drop the attitude (from my e-mail
address, at least)

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

Quoted message said:

<snip>

Quoted message said:

Bottom line: you've ridden the bike a lot and are
comfortable and happy. That means it fits. <snip> Enjoy
it. If you stick with it - and the only

consensus you

Quoted message said:

will find on a-mb is that you SHOULD stick with it - than
you can get a different frame design when you upgrade
(because you will want to upgrade. Part of our disease).

Good Advice.

I would add that your post, "Your thoughts on my new
bike", is the cyber equivalent of a "Kick me" sign. It is
an invitation to a worldwide buffet of reasons to have
buyer's remorse.

TM said:

I would add that your post, "Your thoughts on my new
bike", is the cyber equivalent of a "Kick me" sign. It is
an invitation to a worldwide buffet of reasons to have
buyer's remorse.

Hehe, so true!

--
-BB- To reply to me, drop the attitude (from my e-mail
address, at least)

frodge <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>... <snip
major text-wrap issues about a POS>

Asking for post-purchase approval is not acceptable in this
newsgroup. Your bike is a total piece of [censored].

JD

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

Quoted message said:

Chris said:

There is a trend in biking right now to ride the
smallest frame one can,

and

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

have about a foot of seatpost sticking out.

Bollocks. Despite your exaggeration, the 'trend' to which
you refer has been around since the late 80's when
mountain bikes ceased to be road bikes with fat tyres.

I don't think 12 inches of seatpost is really an
exaggeration. I see some ridiculous rides.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

People claim smaller frames make a lighter bike: well,
how much comfort

is

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

an ounce worth to you?

Quoted message said:

The idea is that you can make a lighter bike with the same
geometry, thus not affecting comfort or fit.

Trek 4900s aren't aggressive racer bikes. They're not built
with the kind of geometry that would benefit from scaling
down. It comes with a mostly Alivio drivetrain and a Pilot
fork - this bike is not for racers. Geometry is more about
comfort than speed on this thing - in which case I revert
back to my opinion that the Large is the right size.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> Bottom line: you've ridden the bike a lot and are
> comfortable and

happy.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

That means it fits.

Bollocks. I could have sworn the racing bike I got when I
was 11 fit me perfectly. It was massive. I just didn't
know any better.

Quoted message said:

5' 7" is short for a Large frame, but 31" inseams are
right on.

Bollocks. Please find a site that recommends a large / 20"
frame to someone with a 31" inseam.

Here are Rivendell's words:

"In the case above, that would have that 5-foot 9 1/2 inch
rider on a 60cm frame.

If that same rider got sized in 10 different bike shops,
probably 5 of them would suggest a 54 to 55. One would
say a 53, two would say a 56, and one would say a 57. The
more expensive the bike, the more likely the size is to
be small."

That quote, from
rivbike.combikes framesize.htmlOpen ↗, addresses
the sizing and the trend issue. Modern sites like Colorado
Cyclist and LeMond use the rule that you buy a frame size
.67 times your inseam length - that would put the OP at 54
cm, just over 21 inches. Scale that roadie-specific advice
down 2" for mtbs, and you're at 19".

Even by old school "two inches above the top tube" rules he
almost fits as his balls "just barely touch."

There's no reason to turn this into a huge issue a la one of
Volker's boastful posts, but I maintain it's possible for
the OP to fit that bike. Hell, I have his same inseam and
ride a 19.5 Sugar. Also, I just bought a 56cm CrossCheck and
have caught myself wondering if I shoulda gone 58.

You were/are a BMX racer, right? Don't most BMX tend to
prefer smaller frames when mtb riding as a carry over from
instincts developed when BMXing?

Regardless, we can agree there are no solid rules, just
personal experience. Above all, he said three times he was
very comfortable on the bike. That's what matters most.

Chris

Chris, if you have my inseam, I would think you do not have much standover, right?