[jsvwx]

I just picked up a Medium Mach 5 today and plan on dropping it off at the LBS tommorrow. I currently ride a Yeti 575 and plan on doing a frame swap.

I bought the Mach 5 blindly - on reviews only, but heard the front end sits kinda low.

I'm 5'10" and have the 575 set up with 3-10mm spacers under the stem, a 90mm 10 deg stem, and 40mm riser bars.

I was planning on keeping this setup and maybe going with either 3 or 4-10mm spacers and either a 90mm or 100mm 10 deg stem? I like to sit upright on the bars, but don't want it to climb like a pig either.

From experience, can anyone give me their opinions on what setup works best for all-around XC riding?

Thanks!

 

[scoutcat]

everyone is built different. for me the mach 5 feels like i am more upright and i dont feel like the front sits low. you shouldnt worry about this at all. just add and remove spacers as needed but at 5'10 id go for the 100mm stem. i'm 5'7" and use a 65mm stem.

 

[skim500]

Scoutcat, you're 5'7" and riding a medium? So am I, but went to a Pivot demo day and the rep told me small would be a better fit. Your thoughts (pseudo hijack?) ?

 

[DLd]

If you're having the bars that high then short is good. In general you want long and low, or short and high, or y'know maybe medium and medium, but not long and high, or short and low.

 

[bauhaus]

Scoutcat, you're 5'7" and riding a medium? So am I, but went to a Pivot demo day and the rep told me small would be a better fit. Your thoughts (pseudo hijack?) ?

Pivot states that their medium bikes are based around a 5' 11" rider.

 

[jsvwx]

If you're having the bars that high then short is good. In general you want long and low, or short and high, or y'know maybe medium and medium, but not long and high, or short and low.

So if I'm understanding you correctly - if I like the feel of sitting upright, then I should stick with the 90mm stem?

Not sure how much of a difference it makes, but I have longer legs and shorter torso. Does that show that I should go with the shorter stem?

 

[AZ Mikey]

Scoutcat, you're 5'7" and riding a medium? So am I, but went to a Pivot demo day and the rep told me small would be a better fit. Your thoughts (pseudo hijack?) ?

I'm 5'7" and the small 5.7 with a 90mm stem fits me perfectly.

 

[Senor StrongBad]

Your stem size also will depend on your handlebar length. I ride a 90mm stem with a 27" wide handlebar and a 110mm stem with a 26" wide handlebar.

 

[scoutcat]

Scoutcat, you're 5'7" and riding a medium? So am I, but went to a Pivot demo day and the rep told me small would be a better fit. Your thoughts (pseudo hijack?) ?

ive always thought the bike was a hair too big. honestly tho, i dont really think its made much of a difference. i ended up with a shorter stem but ive got 3K + miles on the bike with no fit issues or complaints. its a great bike.

 

[DLd]

So if I'm understanding you correctly - if I like the feel of sitting upright, then I should stick with the 90mm stem?

Not sure how much of a difference it makes, but I have longer legs and shorter torso. Does that show that I should go with the shorter stem?

Tough to say without seeing you on the bike, it is. But you have the 90mm already. Ride it around and see if you think it would be more comfortable being even shorter, or better longer. My initial inclination is that with the stem that high you might even consider a 70 or 80mm stem. How did your position feel on the 575? Were you more comfortable on the climbs or the downhills? I'm assuming you were on a medium 575 which is pretty long for a medium. My Large Preston also has a 23.8" EFT (same as medium 575), and I run a 70mm stem on that for XC/AM. I swap it out to a 50mm with a wider/higher bar for lift served DH/FR. But I've even left that on for some XC rides without noticing any ill effects. Conversely, when I raced XC my bike had a 24.6" EFT and 100mm stem, long and low. I'm just over 6' for reference.

Long/low and short/high are both on the same arc if you imagined your body bending at the waist (where it does bend) so they're in the same natural line of fit. Long and high is out ahead of that arc, short and low is scrunched inside that arc. As Brian Lopes says "Long and high makes it look like your reaching for help, short and low makes it look like you're digging for worms. Not good." or something like that.

 

[jsvwx]

thanks for the advise. My yeti was actually a small. I found out after I bought it - hence reason for the new bike.

I had it set up with both 90 and 100mm x 10 deg. stems and 680mm wide x 40mm rise. The bike felt good on the climbs and the decents. I don't feel comfortable in a low racing cockpit. Also, to be honest I really can't say that I felt a huge difference between the 90 and 100mm stems. I did have a setback seatpost on there as well.

I'll keep the 90mm on there first and try it out. I guess as long as I don't feel a problem climbing, then the 90mm should be okay - correct?

Thanks again.

 

[onegymrat]

I'm 5'9" without shoes with a 32" inseam. My medium Mach 5 is set up with 4 (5mm) spacers under the Thomson stem which is 100mm with no rise. I like a more cross-country feel. My handlebar is an Easton Monkeylite XC low riser (685mm)...remember that a wider bar will lower your torso too.

I also have a Fox Talas fork and find myself having it in the 120mm travel most of the time, instead of the max 140mm.

 

[yogreg]

5 foot 10
large m5
70 stem no spacers
29 inch bar