Did I buy the wrong sized bike? Please advise. (fairly long)

[MMcG]

I've been riding a 17" Marin Nail Trail since May of this year and I like the bike a lot, I just wonder after each ride if I should have opted for the 15" (next size down) frame vs. the 17er.

Here's how it went, took a 15 inch out for a test ride and it felt kinda cramped in the cockpit (didn't mess around with stem lengths etc.) Then took the 17 inch out and I felt like I had more room in terms of the top tube (but very little standover clearance). Rode the 15" again.....then the 17" again and still prefered the 17er. BUT these were test rides on pavement - not on real live CT Trails.

Do you think the smaller size would give me more control out on the trails? Or do you think the longer top tube is best suited for me (I have a short 30" inseam and a longer torso...I'm around 5'9" 5'10" tall)?

I did swap the stem on my bike to a 110mm with a higher rise (vs. the stock 120mm stem) and that has helped, but I still have that standover clearance issue to deal with.

Perhaps I just need to improve my riding skills. :-)

Any advice would be welcome.

[guitarsark]

Hi there,

I think you got the right sized bike. I have a similar but opposite problem. I'm 5'6 with long legs and got a 15.5" frame. What I have discovered is that it is actually the top tube lenght that is more important than standover. as long as you have a couple of inches of standover you should be fine. it's ,more important that you dont feel cramped. What kind of bike do you have?? is it a sloping top tube? do you have a couple inches of standover?? I think 5'6 is on the tall side for a 15" frame but since i have a shorter torso it fits me better than a 17" frame. I think for you would be the other way around. One thing I did that was helpful was to go to my LBS and have them do a professional fitting. It cleared my mind of wheter or noti bought the right sized bike. I think at 5'9"-5'10" you are probably too big for a 15". That's my opinion, but I'm no expert, just obsessed with riding.
karen

[guitarsark]

hey again,

I just noticed that you replied to my bike size post last week. maybe we should get together and try eachothers bikes out...did you end up getting the sugar??
karen

[MMcG]

Karen,

I'd welcome a ride with you. And I just have the Nail Trail, which in the end I think is the right size for me in this brand of bike (Marin).

But like you I'm totally addicted to this sport, so let's ride!

Cheers,


Mark

[guitarsark]

mark,

I probably wont be able to ride til next weekend. a couple of friends might want to go saturday morning, so that's an option, or possibly sunday morning. I'm in Watertown MA. do you live in CT or MA?

karen

[benb]

I had the same issue with my Giant Iguana that I bought in 2000. I'm 6'1, and I got the large size that the shop recommended to me, and always wondered if I should have gotten the next size down.

My issue was turning the bike around on switchbacks, and pulling wheelies on steep terrain, and also tendonitis in my knee if I did really long rides.

Basically it took me like a year and a half to get the thing figured out. Partly due to just getting more skilled and being able to diagnose what was going on.

I ended up having to move the saddle back to deal with knees, and then tilting the nose down a little has greatly helped with the wheelying and getting the big turned around on switchbacks, but those have also been helped by skill and conditioning. The smaller size does feel cramped to me now.

What threw me is that when adjusting the saddle I forgot to account for the fact that the rear tire compresses quite a bit on the trails when you run low tire pressure. So I'd actually been riding around with the nose tilted up once I got on the bike. Tilting the nose down causes it to be level once I get on the bike, and gets more of my weight on the front tire, which helps a lot with turning the bike around at low speeds.

I would have liked to get a better bike, but finally getting the fit exactly right has made much more of a difference, so I'm keeping it until I destroy it now. (It's been modified plenty by now)

Ben

[gungywump]

In this day and age of sloping toptubes the single most important measurement to sizing a bike properly is the toptube length. Trying to compensate for a bike that is too short by adding a longer stem or a long bike by shortening the stem is not the proper fix. If you ride a bike that has a toptube length too short your weight will be too far forward and by adding a longer stem to compensate you are actually magnifying the problem and placing your weight even further forward. By getting a bike that you feel comfortable on is directly related to the cockpit size. Mark, I think the 17" was the better choice given your described long torso. Being a 17" I assume the toptube is in the 22.5" range. Since you are shopping bikes check out the toptubes on different bikes from different manufacturers. For instance the Ellsworth Specialist is sized only by toptube length. Mark, you and I have also discussed the Kona Dawg. Last years 18" frame had a 23" toptube and the 19" had a 23.5". My ideal toptube is 23.5". Well, the 2003 Dawg now has the 23.5" toptube on the 18" frame. This suits my riding style well. I can get a bike that is easier to throw around on technical stuff, I can lower the seat alot for jumping, drops and hucks, and I can raise the seat high enough for a XC style ride all without sacrificing a comfortable cockpit size.
Forget about all the small, medium, and large junk related to seattube length find a bike with your ideal toptube length that you can comfortably stand over.

[MMcG]

Gungy, the top tube length listed on the Marin web site is 21 and three quarters inches.

Your advice is sound and wise.

Are you still working on Saturdays? I'm going to make it a point to stop down soon. Perhaps if I bring my Nail Trail you can give me some advice on how I should have it set up and at the same time I can have a look at those Konas! :-)

I noticed on the web site that the 15" Dawg has a 22" top tube, that surprised me.

I see messages about effective top tube length etc. etc.....do you think perhaps that my 17" Marin has an longer ''effective top tube" than what is stated in the geometry charts of their web site?

Thanks for the wise advise once again Gungywump!

Cheers,

Mark

[gungywump]

Gungy, the top tube length listed on the Marin web site is 21 and three quarters inches.

I see messages about effective top tube length etc. etc.....do you think perhaps that my 17" Marin has an longer ''effective top tube" than what is stated in the geometry charts of their web site?

Thanks for the wise advise once again Gungywump!

Cheers,

Mark


Mark,

Wow! 21.75" seems short for a 17" frame.

Most all topubes are listed as "effective". Basically it is the measurement from the center of the headtube to the center of the seattube(setpost) parrallel to the ground.

[MMcG]

I'll go double check. Marin sizes their bikes kinda weird to being with it seems.

[MMcG]

The Focking Marin bikes PDF file won't work tonight.....it worked last night, but wasn't easy to read anyway, but I'm pretty sure I got it right.

Are the new Dawgs in the shop Gungy?

[MMcG]

Mark, you and I have also discussed the Kona Dawg. Last years 18" frame had a 23" toptube and the 19" had a 23.5". My ideal toptube is 23.5". Well, the 2003 Dawg now has the 23.5" toptube on the 18" frame.

Gungy,

What would be the top tube length of the 15" and 17" '02 Bear frames?

Thanks.

Mark

[MMcG]

I measured the Effective Top Tube on my Nail Trail tonight. (center of Headset to center of seat tube right in a straight line parallel to the ground right?) and it is actually 22.5" not the 21.75" that Marin claims in their geometry charts.

So I think my ideal top tube length would really be 22."

This is going to help for sure in my Full Suspension search methinks!