I am looking to buy a 29er. I am 6'4" with a 34 inseam and rode a 22 in frame in the past. Should a 29er fit more like a road bike since they share the same wheel size? Meaning a 22in HT frame with a 26in wheel will have less stand over height than a 22in HT frame 29er. Won't it? The 29ers I looked at seemed to be higher with less crotch clearance when straddling the top tube. The fit while riding the bikes felt perfect though. Can anyone educate me on this. Thanks!!
29er sizing question
JBogs
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I am looking to buy a 29er. I am 6'4" with a 34 inseam and rode a 22 in frame in the past. Should a 29er fit more like a road bike since they share the same wheel size? Meaning a 22in HT frame with a 26in wheel will have less stand over height than a 22in HT frame 29er. Won't it? The 29ers I looked at seemed to be higher with less crotch clearance when straddling the top tube. The fit while riding the bikes felt perfect though. Can anyone educate me on this. Thanks!!
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It should fit like your other mountain bikes
Most 29er frames are designed around the larger wheels so that the bottom bracket is about the same height off the ground as a 26er and so that the standover is similar too. If a 29er you try doesn't fit right it is not the wheel size, it is that frame design
Most 29er frames are designed around the larger wheels so that the bottom bracket is about the same height off the ground as a 26er and so that the standover is similar too. If a 29er you try doesn't fit right it is not the wheel size, it is that frame design
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Pedal-Seat-Handlebar fit will be exactly the same as a 26er. Standover height will be compromised a little bit due to the 29in wheels. Remember that 29in and 700c wheels are the same size but tire height is much different and will effect standover.
Rule #1 when sizing a bike is not standover, instead get the seat height correct then check for handlebar reach.
So for you, at 6'4", you'll need an XL frame (21" or more) with a longer stem, jack the seat up pretty high and slide it back.
Rule #1 when sizing a bike is not standover, instead get the seat height correct then check for handlebar reach.
So for you, at 6'4", you'll need an XL frame (21" or more) with a longer stem, jack the seat up pretty high and slide it back.
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I'm 6'5" and i had a little play with a few 29ers ... the Kona Unit 2-9 which comes in 22" inch frame size feels the best. 20" is ok and maybe rideable but the 22" felt right. Try a Kona see if it feels right for you.......you don't have to buy the thing 
I have not bought one yet as frame size is a bit*h when your tall and live on a tiny little island in the pacific ...New Zealand
I have not bought one yet as frame size is a bit*h when your tall and live on a tiny little island in the pacific ...New Zealand 
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I am 6'0" with a 35.4" inseam and long arms (36" sleeves on a dress shirt), and I ride a 21" EMD9. It looks quite large, but fits perfectly. I'd reckon your ETT is probably the most important measurement - I use a very short stem (70mm) on my bike and IMO, it has improved the handling compared to a smaller bike/longer stem. But then, I ride XC mostly. If you are doing heavily technical stuff, your needs may vary.
V.
V.
I have been checking out the Big Kahuna 22" (not ready to give up gears). I think I am going to pull the trigger. It felt awesome while riding I was just surprised by the stand over difference between a 22" Hoss and a 22" Big Kahuna.the old fool said:I'm 6'5" and i had a little play with a few 29ers ... the Kona Unit 2-9 which comes in 22" inch frame size feels the best. 20" is ok and maybe rideable but the 22" felt right. Try a Kona see if it feels right for you.......you don't have to buy the thing
JB
Size smaller
Jaybo
I ride a 19" in a 26er and an 18" in a 29er. The 29ers seem to have longer top tubes for a given size to give your feet room to not bang into the front tires. Besides I want all the standover room I can get on a 29er. I rode a 19" 29er and it was big! But, as always, each manufacture sizes a touch different. I would strongly recommend riding one if you can.JBogs said:
Jaybo
The standover on the Kona 22" is 34.6 inches.....that is more than two inches higher than most of the other 29er XL frames I rode. No wonder it felt so huge.... I really like the feel of the Big Kahuna but I am nervous about the lack of top tube clearance. What are the positives or negatives to the extra height?
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There is less standover.JBogs said:
Which is a problem when you buy a bike with the intention of standing over it.
I find that I spend most of mine sitting on the saddle with my feet clipped into the pedals and as such have not found any negative standover issues.
Fine and good if all you do is ride on bike paths, streets, and fire roads. Not so good when you can't keep traction on that last 10 feet of that rocky, loose climb and have to put your feet down before you fall, only to rack the family jewels.TR said:
:eekster:My last hardtail frame was bigger, (22.5") and I normally would have chosen a 21" but on that bike I was riding on the street 80% of the time. My new bike I chose a 20" frame with a longer seat post. At 6'3", I'm comfortable on it (though now I'm doing a lot more desert and dirt riding than street riding.... I have street slicks for it, but I'm contemplating getting a road bike, maybe a real spendy tandem to get my wife out riding more with me.) I personally think that you need to get out there and demo the bikes your interested in in various sizes and see what fits you best.
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DisagreeGpzGuy said:Fine and good if all you do is ride on bike paths, streets, and fire roads. Not so good when you can't keep traction on that last 10 feet of that rocky, loose climb and have to put your feet down before you fall, only to rack the family jewels.
My last hardtail frame was bigger, (22.5") and I normally would have chosen a 21" but on that bike I was riding on the street 80% of the time. My new bike I chose a 20" frame with a longer seat post. At 6'3", I'm comfortable on it (though now I'm doing a lot more desert and dirt riding than street riding.... I have street slicks for it, but I'm contemplating getting a road bike, maybe a real spendy tandem to get my wife out riding more with me.) I personally think that you need to get out there and demo the bikes your interested in in various sizes and see what fits you best.
I have NEVER,EVER looked at standover as a consideration when buying an MTB or road frame.
I am far more concerned about TT length.
I ride XC and some more technical trails.
Only time I have ever hit the family jewels on anything was on the saddle last week when I misjudged a drop off a rock and smacked them on the saddle.
If you have the mad skills to get both feet down flat on a rocky, loose climb then yes you might smack your nuts on the TT, but then again if you have those sorts of skills you probably would clean the climb anyway.
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Right, is that 34" inseam his pants inseam, or his crotch inseam?TR said:
Here's how to measure the correct inseam:
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=430108
Either way, fitting a mountain bike is much more subjective than fitting a road bike in terms of numbers, formulas and plugging it all into some fit system. Typical road fitting is to take the inseam measurement and multiply by .667 (2/3) to get your frame size (center to top measurement). But mountain bike fitting gets subjective with center to top measurement frames not being the best guide. Other issues come into play. For instance taking a 19" frame size from several different manufacturers resulting in many different top tube lengths, standover measurements and one may fit, while another is too small or too big and so on and so forth. Hence, the advice above of test riding starts to become important.
Like the OP, I'm in the 6'3" - 6'4" range and depending on the manufacturer, could fit a size L or a size XL. That's a typical height that falls right between the cracks of most size L's and size XL's.
In fact, nearly all my test rides usually end up with me choosing the XL. I think of all the bikes I have tested to date in 29"ers, only a Specialized FSR size XL was too big for me. Now that's a frame with the 21" seat tube length (center to top) that I use as a starting point for all mountain bike frames, yet the top tube was too long and the bike felt too big. The XL JET 9 is a centimeter shorter in top tube length than the Specialized FSR, but has a 22" seat tube length (center to top) and fits just right. My Dos has an even longer seat tube length (because of the Relish shock design), but even a shorter top tube length resulting in me using a stem that is a centimeter longer for my fit.
Bottom line is that you are probably "in the crack" and - depending on which brand and their specific top tube measurement - make L's and XL's work based on your preferences, riding style, terrain, etc... . If you can get a chance to demo different sizes from the same company it would be best. For instance, take a size L and a size XL out in a Gary Fisher model (or insert brand here: ____________ ). Or hit some guys up at the trail or a race to test out their bikes.
I'm like TR - I never even look at standover. I know the JET 9 doesn't have the most standover clearance of the bikes I've ridden, but with my cycling shoes on I can stick 4 fingers between my cycling shorts and the top tube when standing over the bike. That's plenty of room for my boys.
We baritones have to sing as high as tenors sometimes, so a good smack down there every now and then keeps the high notes in shape.:thumbsup:BB
My 'cycling inseam is ~38 inches. I'm 6'5" My new ride, luckily, is Salsa's '07 model El Mar. in XL. I got the new frame last fall from a guy who never built it up. Stupid Salsa stopped with that design for the '08, '09 models. The XL's are 22" seat tube. MY '07 is 23.75". I'm so leggy that I've found it very very hard to find the correct frame size. The El Mar. is the first bike I've owned that truly fit me well.TR said:
Drew
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Buy based on effective top tube length
not the seat tube length and amount of standover.
not the seat tube length and amount of standover.
That's not always true. Why would someone my height (or the OP) not take both TT and ST dimensions into account? I really prefer not having to buy 400+mm posts to get enough seat extension. The bike industry generally does a poor job on fit for those on the extreme ends of the scale.
Drew
Drew
After five attempts with a book up my ass.....My cycling inseam appears to be between 36 and 37"........and you are right I don't intend to just stand over the bike...I plan on sitting in the saddle and riding the **** out of it... I appreciate the candid response and will continue to concentrate on the ETT length. So far the 25' ETT length feels great to me...TR said:
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That's the nature of stock frame sizes: you have to split differences and try and make it work for many different body types. A nearly level top tube so a long legged person doesn't need a long seatpost might mean that a person with a long torso and arms but short legs would be intimate with the top tube and then they've lost a sale.dru said:
I can't disagree that very tall people are at a disadvantage with the bikes out there though
What skills???TR said:
ut: I freaking lost traction on some loose crap and bumped on a rock. Trying to catch myself from falling I got my foot out of the cage and tried to put my feet down to keep from tumbling back down the hill, and racked my ghoulies in the process.... something I wouldn't wish on anybody, and not something I'll ever repeat... once was enough. That was on a 22.5" Diamondback Ascent EX frame, circa 1990 with a straight top tube parallel to the ground... It was sized a bit on the large size because I was mostly riding it on the road..... today I'm a big fan of long seatposts and stems with smaller frames.But everybody is different. Best advice is to demo the bike out for yourself before you decide.
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