[~ScaryFast~]

Hello SC folks, I am planning to order this frame, but I'm not sure if I should go for a small or a medium.

I am just over 5'7", which according to the SC sizing chart, puts me in the medium range. However, I have disproportionately short legs (inseam 30") so I wonder if maybe I should stick with the small?

There is a 1" different in seat tube length, while the difference in top tube length is 1.2". No doubt I have a disproportionately longer torso given the short legs.

What to do?

Unfortunately I can't actually try them out because the only dealer around here doesn't stock the bikes - special order only.

 

[enr1co]

Hello SC folks, I am planning to order this frame, but I'm not sure if I should go for a small or a medium.

I am just over 5'7", which according to the SC sizing chart, puts me in the medium range. However, I have disproportionately short legs (inseam 30") so I wonder if maybe I should stick with the small?

There is a 1" different in seat tube length, while the difference in top tube length is 1.2". No doubt I have a disproportionately longer torso given the short legs.

What to do?

Unfortunately I can't actually try them out because the only dealer around here doesn't stock the bikes - special order only.

FWIW, Im 5'6" with a 30" inseam and fit is like a glove on my medium XC carbon.

My stem is a 9 CM and cranks are 175. The stock stem was a 10 CM but I had the shop where purchased swap it out for the 9 cm

Here are some pics to show saddle height and stem position.

I certain that you can ink the order for a Medium :thumbsup:

 

[Herbert]

Very nice looking machine. Is that an XT crank and front derailleur?

 

[enr1co]

Very nice looking machine. Is that an XT crank and front derailleur and SRAM everything else?

Thanks! Its basically the SPX xc kit (09') with some minor variation

http://santacruzbicycles.com/blurxc_carbon/index.php?kits=1&getkit=1&bike=blurxc_carbon&thekit=0153

REAR DER. Shimano M772 SGS (XT)
FRONT DER. Shimano M770 or M771 (XT)
SHIFTERS Shimano M770 (XT)
CRANKSET Shimano M770 22/32/44 (XT)
BOTTOM BRACKET Included w/ crankset
CASSETTE Shimano M770, 11-34 (XT)
CHAIN Shimano XTR HG-93
BRAKES Avid Juicy 7 w/ 160mm rotors
BRAKE LEVERS Avid Elixir CR
BARS Easton SL Low Riser 31.8mm ( upgraded from stock EA 70)
STEM Easton EA 70 31.8mm ( Swapped out for a 9 cm Shimano Pro)
GRIPS Lizard Skin Charger
HEADSET Crank Bros Directset
SEAT POST Thomson Elite
SADDLE Fizik Aliante XM Delta
WHEELS DT 4.2 rims laced to DT 340 rear hub and DT 340 9mm front hub w/ DT 14/15 spokes, alloy nipples
TIRES Kenda Small Block 8 2.1 folding
TUBES Kenda SuperLite
REAR SHOCK: RockShox Monarch 3.3
FRONT FORK: FOX 32 100 RLC

 

[~ScaryFast~]

FWIW, Im 5'6" with a 30" inseam and fit is like a glove on my medium XC carbon.

My stem is a 9 CM and cranks are 175. The stock stem was a 10 CM but I had the shop where purchased swap it out for the 9 cm

Here are some pics to show saddle height and stem position.

I certain that you can ink the order for a Medium :thumbsup:

Thank you!

I was just going by the seat tube length of 17.7" which seems a little bigger than my current frames (both hardtails). Perhaps with a little sag of the rear suspension, then it effectively becomes a little less than 17.7"?

You are probably right, as SC has on their site, that medium may be the better fit.

 

[weescott]

I just had a conversation with the SC importers in the UK. The Medium to me seemed way too small for me at just under 5'7" with a 29"inseem. I thought the size was wrong especially seeing it next to my Heckler.

Small frame:

Medium frame:

There isn't much to tell the sizes apart. You only notice the size difference going up to the large. My medium measured 17.5" seat tube length. The SC web site measurements are not totally accurate. In fact the US and UK ones are slightly different.

Also, the 70mm stem I bought for the Blur seems too short. I recon at least 90mm would be ok for me. (FWIW I run a 50mm stem on my Heckler with Fox 36's.)

 

[enr1co]

Deleted duplicate post.

 

[enr1co]

Thank you!

I was just going by the seat tube length of 17.7" which seems a little bigger than my current frames (both hardtails). Perhaps with a little sag of the rear suspension, then it effectively becomes a little less than 17.7"?

You are probably right, as SC has on their site, that medium may be the better fit.

Glad to be of help! The sag could possibly be a factor- I actually have my seat height with consideration to the rear shock locked out.

I initially thought I would fit a Small also- There wasnt one available for test drive but there was a Superlight with fairly similar geometry and to fit it, the seat post was almost out to max and my knees were coming close to the bars when pedaling. Jumped on a Med Superlight and Med Blure XCc and the fit was much better with regards to all guidelines.

So... when will it arrive?

 

[~ScaryFast~]

They won't be delivering here (Ontario, Canada) until Feb. I guess they need to send the dogsled teams down to California and back so it takes time

I run a 120mm stem on my hardtail right now, so I suppose the added top tube length of the medium may be a safer bet.

weescott: can you explain what your photos are showing? I don't see what you are trying to measure to....the top linkage? Is it a standard distance from BB to top linkage across all sizes?

 

[weescott]

It's the distance from the top tube to the seatstay. It's one of the main differences in size between the small and medium frame that the SC website doesn't show (probably becaue it doesn't effect geometry).

The BB to seat clamp, one measurement I have seen is from the center of the BB to the bottom of the seat collar, the other from the top of the BB to the bottom of the seat collar. It made it difficult to gauge what the real seat tube length was. The Virtual top tube length is dificult to measure too, certainly confused the heck out of me.

 

[BPSarge]

I believe the frames run a little small, I went with a XL and I'm 6'1" and it fits me perfect with a 70mm stem.

better to be a little on the larger size.

Hard to re-sell a small if it doesn't work!

 

[Red PeeKay]

I believe the frames run a little small, I went with a XL and I'm 6'1" and it fits me perfect with a 70mm stem.

better to be a little on the larger size.

Hard to re-sell a small if it doesn't work!

I found that with my Nomad..... comparing my L nomad to my L GT hardtail, the Nomad is tighter in the cockpit, but that does make it more nimble, I can throw it around more! Sounds like SC models across the board may run smaller. FWIW

 

[Menso]

Unless stand over is truly an issue, having disproportionately short legs should put on larger frame than you think, not a smaller one. Since your legs aren't as long, most of your height is in your upper body. Sizing based on inseam may lead you to purchase a bike with too short a top tube.
for example: I'm 6'5"/37" inseam and pretty comfortable (though just barely) fit on an XL Blur XCc or Superlight. My father is 6'1.5, which puts him in the L/XL range, but an XL of either fits him perfectly. The reason for this is that he is 6"1.5 with a 32" inseam, so even though I'm substantially taller than him our upper body length and cockpit reach requirements are quite similar. I just use ridiculously long seatposts. If it weren't for 410mm setback Thomsons, bike fitting would be very difficult for me.

 

[xrayeddy]

I purchased a medium SC Blur based on the websites dimensions, but I find the TT rather short. I"m 5'6" with a 29" inseam and have always catered bikes that were technically too big for me. The Felt Virtue 2 I had was a medium and the cockpit felt right, but was rather slow uphill. The Blur seems a little more tight in the cockpit, but I feel like I can tackle hills and corners with more speed and confidence.


Actual top tube on my bike is 22 in.

 

[weescott]

I thought it was just me. My medium Blur has about a 22" top tube as well. The small on the SC web site says 21.8" top tube. :madman:

 

[enr1co]

I purchased a medium SC Blur based on the websites dimensions, but I find the TT rather short. I"m 5'6" with a 29" inseam and have always catered bikes that were technically too big for me. The Felt Virtue 2 I had was a medium and the cockpit felt right, but was rather slow uphill. The Blur seems a little more tight in the cockpit, but I feel like I can tackle hills and corners with more speed and confidence.

Actual top tube on my bike is 22 in.

The "actual" sloped top tube measurement on a Medium is 22".

The 23" measurement published on the Santa Cruz site is for the "virtual top tube" measurement- center to center (horizontal or parallel plane to the ground)

http://www.santacruzbicycles.com/blurxc_carbon/index.php?geometry=1

 

[xrayeddy]

As short as I am, I still feel like the medium is too small. Maybe I should look into getting fitted for a frame just to see what an expert would say.

I mean, there's got to be a point where a bike is too small or too big.

 

[fsrxc]

I thought it was just me. My medium Blur has about a 22" top tube as well. The small on the SC web site says 21.8" top tube. :madman:

Are you measuring it the same way? (horizontally)

 

[weescott]

Yes horizontally. Even taking the 120mm fork up front into consideration there is no way I can get it to measure anywhere close to 23". Same tyres front and rear so nothing funky going on there.

 

[enr1co]

Yes horizontally. Even taking the 120mm fork up front into consideration there is no way I can get it to measure anywhere close to 23". Same tyres front and rear so nothing funky going on there.

My Medium top tube measurement is spot on 23" as shown on their website.
All other measurements also match:

http://www.santacruzbicycles.com/blurxc_carbon/index.php?geometry=1