![]() Then again, there will also be more progressively minded folk who think that we’re being conservative with the reach numbers here and would recommend even longer reach numbers for each rider height.īroadly speaking we’d recommend getting the largest frame size that still affords you an acceptable amount of standover.Įven if you’ve “always ridden a Large”, don’t be surprised if you find yourself ending up looking at XL or even XXL size bikes. The above recommendations may startle some people who are used to traditional advice. Here’s our recommendations based on rider height and recommended reach number…ĥft 2in to 5ft 6in (157cm to 167cm) = 410mm to 450mm reachĥft 6in to 5ft 10in (167cm to 178cm) = 430mm to 470mm reachĥft 10in to 6ft 2in (178cm to 188cm) = 450mm to 490mm reachĦft 2in or above (182cm+) = 470mm to 510mm reach ![]() ![]() ![]() And saddles slid far back on their rails won’t mean thing when you’re stood up out of the saddle, and when you are seated slid-back saddles will result in inefficient pedal power and a wandery, lift-prone front end.īig bike for a big man Recommended reach numbers for rider heights Changing stem length will impair how the bike steers and handles. A bike with too short a reach will always be too small.ĭon’t think you can adjust incorrect reach by changing to a different stem length or by sliding your saddle on its rails backwards. You can adjust your saddle height up or down to accommodate seat tube length. It governs if a bike is too cramped or too stretched out for you.Īnd, unlike seat tube length, reach cannot be adjusted for. Why is reach the vital thing? Because it dictates how the bike actually fits you. Thankfully any bike brand worth its salt includes a reach measurement on the geometry charts of its bikes. This is a very difficult thing to measure on a bike in the flesh, unless you’re happy to take plumb lines and tape measures into your local bike shop. Reach is the distance between the bottom bracket axle and centre of (the top of) the head tube. Reach measurement Why is reach the most important measurement? If the bike has enough standover, you’re on to a winner. Standover is how high the top tube is at the point where you’re astride your bike and straddling it. The thing to bare in mind when going up a frame size his to make sure there is sufficient standover clearance. Trying to make a small bike fit by putting a longer stem on it and/or sliding the saddle backward on its rails will end up impairing the bike’s handling. It’s easier to make a large bike fit without impairing how it handles fitting a shorter stem and/or sliding the saddle forward on its rails arguably actually improves bike handling in fact. We’d strongly advise going for the larger of the two options. What to do if you’re ‘in between’ mountain bike frame size It is not a good idea to select just one frame size and filter the results by that select the frame size the brand recommends and also the size above.īut with all that said, to give you at least a head-start on what frame sizes to shortlist, whether you’re looking to upgrade or are trying to choose the best beginner mountain bike, here is our mountain bike size guide: Mountain bike frame size guide This means shopping for a bike is not simple, particularly if browsing online beforehand. Not one that tallies with what bike brands say, nor one that is consistent from bike to bike. ![]() Ultimately you do not have a foolproof frame size. What’s more, a lot of bike manufacturers’ – and even bike shops’ – sizing advice is often wrong too. One brand’s Medium/17in bike is another brand’s Large/19in. Bad news: mountain bike frame size is all over the place. ![]()
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