MTB Sizing

TGR":2ycnxynl said:
Is the measurement of the seat tube different then from a road bike? I am trying to work out a size for a frame for my mate. He is 5'9'' with inside leg of 30''. What would this equate to in MTB frame size?

Or, will almost any frame do - just with a scaffolding pole for a seat post when required?

Thanks Mr Large Cheese
16/17" inch centre/top with an ETT of around 23" would seem about right to me. That and a 70mm stem probably.
 
In Ye Olden Days, we were taught - inch clearance over top tube for a road bike, and at least 3 inches for a MTB. But obviously road bikes tend to be more sloping TT nowadays, and the same for most MTBs. Comes down to what the others have said in reality, re. inside leg measurement, minus so many inches...

Not sure that helps at all unless you have the bike in front of you :?
 
That is great, it gives me some idea what i am looking at. I hope to get 2 frames for £10 and i thought they might be super small but it seems not.

Thanks for all the advice! I better return to Retro Road before I get stuck in the Darkside!!!!!


Thanks all (yet again),

Richard
 
If you check out my bikes in the links below you'll see how I like to set mine up...

...I'm 6'1 and my frames are all 18" or 19" (with the odd 17" thrown in for good measure!).

I'm the opposite to LGF; I have short legs for my height and long arms. The stem on my cro-mega is 160mm :shock:

I can set my seat height to within a few mm before I even try it; I stand next to the bike and tuck the seat into my hip, and nine times out of ten that's all the adjustment it needs... :cool:
 
Thanks for that. Why do i think i am getting sucked into the Darkside?

Thanks for all the help chaps and chapesses, it is really appreciated.

Richard
 
legrandefromage":25vp5j84 said:
Its very easy to make MTBs fit due to the number of different stems available, add a long seatpost and you have a lightweight chuckable trail machine.
I very rarely see advice from you that I disagree with LGF, but I have to disagree here. Steering characteristics are very sensitive to stem length, so I would suggest that stem length should never be used to make a bike fit. And especially a longer stem should never be used to make a frame that is too small 'fit'. I wouldn't want a bike that 'fits' if the downside was that it had unresponsive steering.

If the OP is looking to advise a friend whose leg length is slightly short in relation to his height, that argues for a larger size frame with a sloping top tube. He must have a long upper body in relation to his legs, so a larger frame would give him a long top tube to suit his long upper body. He could set the seat lower for his shortish legs and a sloping top tube would prevent the standover being too high.
 
We_are_Stevo":2bg8i8fi said:
I can set my seat height to within a few mm before I even try it; I stand next to the bike and tuck the seat into my hip, and nine times out of ten that's all the adjustment it needs... :cool:

I set my bikes up height wise by standing over the top tube and adjusting the saddle until the nose of the saddle is touching the bottom of my coccyx and it is right for me.

I don't mind a frame that is a little too large or small as long as the top tube is the right length for me.
 
Ha ha Tim,

Defo my mate!!!! LOL

'My friend' is much bigger width-wise but shorter - LOL.

Thanks all,

Richard
 
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