Humans come in all shapes and sizes, and the chances of anyone being exactly size medium or large are slim to none. We all live in between the lines, and often have to make compromises when it comes to finding a mountain bike that fits. It’s not a question of what to do if you’re in between sizes; it’s what to do when you’re in between sizes. Which is most of the time.
Too long is much more rideable than too short. Too long of a seat post is completely unworkable.
I prefer a slightly larger bike, especially the reach. More reach gives me more flexibility to shift my center of gravity forward and backward.
“Too big” is a common problem for me because I “fit” right between a medium and large frame bike. If the standover has enough clearance, I’ll go for large. So I suppose that means I’d rather have a larger bike. However, my fat bike is a small frame (it was all that was available when I got it) and with the bigger tires and extended seat post, I hardly notice. So, the real answer is “it depends” on circumstances, where I’m riding and how comfortable the bike feels.
not too big… im actually riding a 29 medium and it feels a little big. how i know is i have been falling more vs the old 26 medium that i used to have… btw… i ride clipless.
Too big. Just because I am 190cm and still haven’t ridden a bike that’s felt to big.
Yup, same height, and same boat. Everything feels too small. Airplane seats or bikes, it doesn’t much matter. The world was designed for midgets hahaha.
Yes! Gotta convince my self to order a xxl g1 but damn it’s expensive.
I find I like a step up in size many times over smaller. But as some bike companies keep pushing longer that’s debatable.
Then there are the types of riding conditions. If the trails are really tight and twisting , especially if made on some old school 26ers these newer rides struggle to rail the twisties like the shorter and smaller wheeled bikes of 10years back .
I have found that smaller bikes are easier to manipulate and larger bikes offer a better sense of control. Both are manageable for me, if it is not too excessive, as long as I know the bike and trail I am dealing with. The biggest issue I have with smaller frames is the extent I can turn the handlebar without contacting my knees and stand over height on the larger frames.
IDK but at a barefoot 5’9″ riding a Medium SantaCruz chameleon I sometimes feel as though a slightly larger size might be nice. Perhaps this is due to the geometry and “perceived size” of the bike. I have also noticed that proper saddle comfort and positioning is very important for this question. For example I just upgraded to a saddle that fits better where I can rest full body weight on the sit bones without soft tissue pressure and I suspect that it may improve the small feeling due to allowing me to support less weight through my hands and sit properly on the saddle. I will head to Santa Cruz headquarters for demo rides for more insight and full suspension bike research. Cheers.
At my height I seem to fall on the cusp of many brands M-L distinction its interesting I would love to try them all its fascinating.
Tough one. For me, it would depend on the trail – mostly smooth, flowy, turns and berms, I’d go slightly smaller for the maneuverability. If its chunky, drops, downhills, I’ll go slightly larger. I suppose if you force me, I’ll go slightly larger (less likely to endo?).
I’ve ridden both (as rentals). Neither is very confidence-inspiring. As they say, “If it doesn’t fit, you must aquit!”
I guess I’m not sure. I’m thinking I’d prefer smaller because smaller would be lighter and easier to handle and maneuver on the trail. That being said, I wouldn’t want to be squished onto a tiny bike either. I think I’ve had more experience in a too big situation as I’ve been too high on the bike and/or new enough that I was less comfortable with my 29er trying to negotiate tight corners, and wondering if I shouldn’t gotten a 27.5 or smaller frame altogether.
Hmm.. it depends! In my case it all depends on the overall geometry of the frame. I like to ride very upright. 62, dodgy right elbow and a back that can get obnoxious. On my Anthem X, XL and it’s super comfy. On the Trek Stache 5, L and it still sort of feels like I’m stretching more than I’d prefer. I also ride with ‘longhorn’ type hi rise bars just to make it all the more entertaining. Which brings me to a bugbear of mine. Steerer tubes cut to lowest limit, grrrrr! Without access to a very understanding LBS I’d be really muttering if I was buying new.
The bigger the better! The longest MTB I’ve owned had a 27.15″ ETT and was wonderful. Sure, it required a 3 point turn on some switchbacks but it was such a comfortable fit!
After !! years of riding a medium Stumpjumper Pro, and. at 5’7″, it has always felt a bit too small., Works fine on tight technicals and rock gardens for me. I do prefer a larger bike on the downhills, though. I can stretch out a bit more and don’t feel as though I am too far over the bars, which sometimes leads to a bit of uncertainty. Next bike will be a large primarily for that reason.
I’m 6’8″, I’ve only ever ridden a bike that is a size too small, since most bike manufacturers only offer a 21″ XL as their largest size. I make do with a longer stem with a higher angle, riser bars and a lot of exposed seat post. It’s not ideal, as I have a lot of weight on my hands, as the bars are still too low, but a smaller bike feels more maneuverable.
too big. I’d rather reach my legs far while pushing on the pedals than have my knees knocking my teeth.
I’m kinda lucky in that most mediums are a good fit for me. For a cross country bike, I would rather it be a bit too large. For a trail bike, I think, I could go either way, but, I’d probably prefer to go with a little small.