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am i geting the right size bike?

989 Views 3 Replies 4 Participants Last post by  856er
I have an oppertunity to get a great deal on a 2001 trek 8500. its a 19.5" frame. I am 6' 2.5" and have an inseam of about 34 inches. from what ive read so far, it seems that is about the smallest frame i would want to get.

so basically im wondering if this is too small or on the edge or good or what. ive ridden it breifly on the trail and it felt ok but im obviously not an expert on bike sizing and i know that doesnt mean much compared to a full day of riding.

any input would be greatly appreciated.

peace.
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That should be the correct size for you, check the standover you should have about 2 + inches of gap. :)
I'm 6'2" with a 34" inseam. Two of my bikes are 19.5" and one is 20". That's the right size if you don't want to run a monster long seatpost. What is more important is the top tube length and stem combination (what amounts to your "reach"). I have a 24.5" effective top tube on one bike and use a 90mm stem. On another bike, I have a shorter top tube and run a 110mm stem.

In short, the frame is the right size, but you should worry about the stem length. Also, you will probably need a little rise, which can be done with a slightly raised stem or riser bars or a combination.
I would checkout the frames TT, EHTT and standover rather than relying on the manufactures claimed size,
I have an inseam of 34" and ended up with a 17.5" (medium) frame,my XC bikes had a TT of around 23+" when I got my current bike which is aimed at more AM riding I tested a large with again a TT of around 23+" plus a 110mm stem and it felt right,however once I got the bike and started using it I began to realise that a smaller TT would be far better,I didn't what to go shorter on the stem as the steering is quick enough as it is,luckly they agreed a frame swap and I now have a TT of just over 22" with a 110mm stem, much more suited for what I'm using it for and very happy,yes I run a long seat post doesn't bother me plus I have loads of standover clearance,
so I recommend testing both sizes on the type of riding you intend to do with it.
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