Bontrager frame sizing

Just wondered if any of you educated gents could help me out on this one... I've been looking at a couple of Bontys lately (always wanted one, never got one, sort of forgot about it, then wanted one again) but I'm a little unsure on what size would be best for me.

I ride an 18" Kona and have measured standover height/top tube length etc on that so have an idea of what I want, but don't know if a 17" or a 19" would suit me best. On the Kona I could possibly do with a slightly longer top tube (maybe) but I've tried my buddy's 19" Kilauea and there isn't enough standover height for me to feel comfortable offroad. I'm tall sitting down, I just don't get much taller when I stand up...

Thanks for your help...

I've never had a Bontrager, but my impression is that their c-c seat-tube was if anything higher than a Kona for any given top tube length, especially after Kona lengthened their frames in 95 (or was it 96?).

KHS used to make quite long frames relative to c-c, Voodoo also but were maybe more similar to Kona.

Hmm, that was kind of my thought too. Perhaps 17" would be a better bet?

Here you go Bonty retro info:
(originally supplied by Hollister)
http://ridesmarter.com/archives/frames/ ... _specs.htm

Bingo! Thanks Lid...

I'm an 18" Kona kind of guy and I never got on with Bonty's, I think it's because of the short top tubes although on paper a Large should fit me

If your the same as me you may find the Medium too small and the Large feels cumbersome to ride - a 19" Kona feels the same for me. Having tried both I had to admit that Bonty frames are not for me

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Classic-Bontrager ... dZViewItem

If this is a size 17 as stated, the picture implies that Bontrager sizing was c-c, in contrast to Kona c-t(st). So roughly speaking a Bonty size 17 had as high a top tube as a Kona size 20. But Lid's geometry chart shows that a Bonty 17 had a rather shorter top tube than a Kona 20, so Kona sounds like a better bet for a long-torsoed person.

Hmm, according to the specs a medium still has a top tube length of 22.6" which is about the same as my Kona isn't it? Standover is given as 28.9 for medium and 29.8 for a large. Is this measured as literally the top of the top tube to the ground or from some point a certain amount above the top tube? Haven't found accurate geometry details for my Kona, the nearest I've found is for the 2005 Explosif...

I'm 6' and had a 19" XL Bonty Race for a while. Felt a little big so moved ot on.

Now have a 17" L Race which feels spot on. Prefer MTBs on the small size anyhow.

If you find a spare early race lite in L on your travels let me know

shame the heads not on that post anymore