Between Frame Sizes

How much shorter stem to ride the larger size?

If I went with the medium frame I would go with a 110 stem, the large a 90. I wish I could use my current bike as a reference but I know it is too small. The pivot M is 18.25" with a 23.4" TT while the large is a 20" with a 24" TT. I'm 5-11 with longer arms than "normal".

Lrg, 90 mm stem is pretty standard these days , sounds like good fit to me IMHO .

well alot of the sizeing for me depends on the type of riding im doing...

if its AM/DH i want it a bit smaller so i can throw it around easier...

if its XC then i would say you can have it a bit larger to give you that more stretched out racer and climbing position..

the mach 4 is a race oriented XC bike so....

On the same thread, might I ask for some advise also? I'm 5'11" and currently riding an old Jamis XLT 3.0 '07 - size 17. I feel a bit cramped in the cockpit having to move my saddle back & use a long stem. I'm buying a Sta Cruz Heckler & I need your advise whether to get a LARGE frame or a Medium one. What say?

artgonzalez_ph said:

On the same thread, might I ask for some advise also? I'm 5'11" and currently riding an old Jamis XLT 3.0 '07 - size 17. I feel a bit cramped in the cockpit having to move my saddle back & use a long stem. I'm buying a Sta Cruz Heckler & I need your advise whether to get a LARGE frame or a Medium one. What say?

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For both posters- with the info provided, my opinion would be to go with LARGE.

(FWIW, Im 5'.6" with a 30" inseam, avg length torso ( shirt sleeve size is 31") and I
fit nicely on a MED Sta Cruz Blur XCc using a 9 cm stem.

If you are that close to both sizes, let your style and terrain decide. If its fast wide open trails and going as fast as you can go is part of the agenda...the bigger bike for more stability (longer wheelbase), if it is tight or technical trails go with the smaller size, as I have found a smaller sizes is better for more technical stuff.

Large.

Unless you look like a chimp you probably have a long torso, too.

Tnx guys! I'll go with Large & update you. Merry Christmas and more biking pleasure in 2010!

between sizes means you should shop a different brand.

One Pivot said:

between sizes means you should shop a different brand.

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I agree.

I am in a similar predicament at 5'10" and 33" inseam with relatively normal dimension if not a slightly long torso. I am between a Medium and Large Cannondale 29er. I feel my "skills" clearing obstacles suffers a bit with a larger and longer wheelbased bike so it's too bad you can't test ride both. I can ride both because they are both in my garage right now but I have to get rid of one and I am having a hard time doing so. I started a thread about it in the Cannondale forum here.

To answer the OP I think you are probably making the right decision with the large as you are a good inch taller them me and you would likely feel pretty cramped up on Medium with that length top tube.

It really depends on the riding. Where I am, it's tight, technical singletrack, lots of climbing, but lots of steep downhilling as well. I'm a big guy at 6'4", and I ride a 17.5" frame with.........I think a 90mm stem, with risers. The wider bars move my hands out farther, give me a bit more stretch and leverage. Yeah, it's a little cramped on the road, or smooth trails where you can speed right along, but once I get in the woods, the small frame lets me move around alot, almost throw the bike around tight corners. If I still lived in the Midwest, I'd have gone with a larger frame and narrower flat bars. My previous bike was "sized" for me, 21" frame, and it was too big. I tried a 19", and it was still a little too roomy for around here. I took the advice of the long-time experts I rode with and went small, and I'm glad I did.

I'm contemplating on getting a complete bike set, Santa Cruz Heckler. Are the kits included okay? I'm considering going for the R am set, i.e. with Fox Forx. What do you say? They say I should get some saving from it rather than assembling it myself which I can ably do but my concern are the included kits like the wheelset, etc.

They're right, you'll see some savings overall buying rather than building. Figure a full SLX build kit is $450 most places, without the upgraded chain, and the fork hovers around $1000, you're hitting $1500 retail and haven't even touched the frame or wheelset yet. Wheels are about another $175, maybe less if you poke around, brakes are around $120 per wheel. The bike you're looking at is just over $2000 for a 2009 model. Start adding in little stuff, like bars, grips, headset....... AND the frame itself is about $1400 at the cheapest price I can find. Build yourself, and you're nailing $1000 over prebuilt price and you haven't even touched shipping yet.

Yeah, go prebuilt, and replace parts as needed. Just make sure you use a good shop that sets it up properly for you (or save a few bucks, if they charge for that, and do it when you get home).

Tnx Heff! I really appreciate your reply! It's very logical and you even put in approximate prizes that I can work on to decide intelligently. Tnx!

Oh, that's prices i meant!