KONA Sizing

[TD75]

I'm thinking of getting back into mountain biking again and I was just wondering about frame sizes. I'm 6' 2" 34 inside leg. Should I be on a 20 or 21" frame. I normally ride a 58cm road bike. If I go by top tube length then the 20 should be fine. Will I be too stretched out on a 21? Should the top tube length be similar to my road bike?

Thanks for your help.

 

[velomaniac]

For mtb, top tube lengths the most important. Dependent on make and model you could have 3 different sized bikes all with the same top tube length. Seat tube length is more down to your preferences as per crotch clearance. Many on here will sugest an 18" frame if its got a long enough top tube but I'd reckon your own choice of 20" would be a good starting point.

 

[TD75]

Excellent, thanks for that. I will use my road bike top tube measurement (58cm) as a guide to the frame size.

 

[MikeD]

Bear in mind that road bikes typically have shorter top tubes than mountain bikes for the same sized rider, because the actual bars extend further forward from the steerer. My drop-bar bikes have top tubes in the 575-580mm range, but MTBs are 600mm minimum (and preferably more).

All that said, a 20in Kona sounds about right

 

[TD75]

That's interesting. Looking at a 1992 Kona Cinder Cone 21" frame it has a top tube length of 24" (60cm). Maybe I should go for the larger size with the longer top tube length? I could always fit a short stem if I feel too stretched. Only thing to worry about are the plums.

 

[MikeD]

The other thing is that the sizing's not entirely consistent year to year, but I forget exactly how it changed. I'm talking mainly about modern bikes, too, which tend to have longer top tubes than retros, which are generally designed with longer stems in mind.

FWIW I have a 1995 20in Kona, I'm a tiny bit under 6ft but with slightly disproportionately long legs and it looks like this:



Well, it doesn't right now because I sold the forks, it's currently in bits, but that's what the seat height looks like That's a 100mm stem I think. Might be a 110. I had a late 90s Explosif that was a 19in, that was fine too although I was on the max height line on the seatpost. Longer post would have sorted it

There's a strong element of personal preference, too, of course...

 

[TD75]

So as I normally ride on the hoods a lot on my road bike. Maybe I would be better with the larger size. I'm looking for a retro Kona (steel).

So with a short stem will that make the handling really direct or loose?

 

[Hilts]

if you are looking at an early Kona (88-92) then I would go with a 19". I'm 6'2 and I ride a 60cm road bike, I found the 18" Kona too small with regard the height of the headtube, the 19" sits about an inch higher up front and is a much nicer ride without losing the sharp handling..

You can change the 'fit' with different stems/bars etc but for someone of your height I would go no smaller than a 19".

just my 2p.

 

[FluffyChicken]

This question crops up at least every month
and here is Konas answer.
Ignore what others say... (other than Velo as he has the perfect Kona size accordign to Kona at 20" )
some ride smaller, some ride in the middle, some ride larger

This applies to 1993+ bikes.

1992 and before measure differently but are not far off (the dimensions are in the catalogues for each year in the Archive.
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/wiki/MTB_Frame_Measurement

 

[MikeD]

Times have changed -- not many bikes come in seven different sizes any more...