[dromond]

First off: I already own a TRc. I'm 5' 11.5" and rode my size large all summer. I really like the bike and do lots of rides here in Western WA with 3-5K feet of climbing and fast, sometimes very steep and rooty descents. I have it setup with a 70mm stem, a 780mm DH bar and 40mm of spacers under the stem. (I know this is a lot.) I run the bar a little high so I can move my weight back easily on steeps and small drops. The bike corners very well, climbs well, and is extremely responsive and quick turning even with a Revelation 150 and 2 offset shock bushings on it to slacken it slightly.

Here is what I didn't quite expect: The wheelbase feels a little shorter than I expected in fast and rough terrain and the reach while climbing also feels like it might be slightly short. Despite trying to get stronger over the summer I've had some cramping in my lower back on long and hard climbs. The listed 24" ETT length looked long on paper, but in practice it doesn't feel like it. The Santa Cruz fit sheet puts me dead center on the size large, but I think that it is assuming that you will run the stock 100mm stem.

Am I crazy to think that I could run an XL frame with a 50mm or 60mm stem? I wish that this was an easy thing to try out since swapping frames is so expensive / such a hassle. I may just be crazy, need to have a stronger core and be a better rider. (FWIW I've been riding for 13 years.)

Thanks for enduring my rant...

 

[miles e]

I don't think you're crazy at all, especially if you're already running the extra spacers to get the handlebar up. As long as the longer seattube leaves you enough room to run a dropper post (if you are so inclined,) the XL still has great standover and will allow you to go down a stem size or two while feeling less cramped.

The longer wheelbase is of course the other potential negative, depending on what feel you're after, but it sounds like you would appreciate the extra stability there too.

 

[dromond]

I don't think you're crazy at all, especially if you're already running the extra spacers to get the handlebar up. As long as the longer seattube leaves you enough room to run a dropper post (if you are so inclined,) the XL still has great standover and will allow you to go down a stem size or two while feeling less cramped.

The longer wheelbase is of course the other potential negative, depending on what feel you're after, but it sounds like you would appreciate the extra stability there too.

I have 2" of seatpost exposed on my Reverb so I would have 0.5" exposed on the XL.

This bike has never felt like it steered too slow or was too slack... ever. My previous bike was a 23.5" ETT so I guess I expected this one to perhaps feel slightly long and require a 60mm stem, but the opposite was true. I put on a 60mm stem for one day when I rode the Fromme trails in North Vancouver. The less-OTB feeling was good for the steep, slow techy stuff there but it felt waaaay too short for any other kind of riding and would kill my back on long or technical climbs.

 

[bat on a bike]

Correct me if I'm wrong but Santa Cruz measure there top tubes from the out side edge's of the head stock and seat tube which effectively makes your TRC 23.5 top tube by most manufactures measurements and the xl a 24.5. Which my go some way to you feeling lower back discomfort etc.

 

[dromond]

Correct me if I'm wrong but Santa Cruz measure there top tubes from the out side edge's of the head stock and seat tube which effectively makes your TRC 23.5 top tube by most manufactures measurements and the xl a 24.5. Which my go some way to you feeling lower back discomfort etc.

It could be, but when I measure my large it comes out at an effective length of 24" as listed. TT lengths can be decieving since I think that the reach distance (horizontal from the BB to the head tube) is maybe more important. All I know is that when descending, the reach and wheelbase feel a bit short with a 70mm stem. If I wanted to run an 80mm+ stem it would be a non issue, but that is not going to give the handling I am after for fast and steep descending. Hmmmm....