New Guy Question about Bike Sizes....

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Njpaulie

Guest
Hello all Great Site - I am glad I joined!

Ok I bought a cheap Mongose in a dept store to get me rolling. I'm not saying mongooses are cheap but the one I bought is- $199.
My goal is to start conditioning and getting a feel for what I want to do and what I can do. Then I will shell out the cash for the "Real" bike.

My question is I see all these bikes listed in sizes S-M-L. Can someone explain what these sizes are? The bike I bought was a 26" bike.

I am 5'- 7" 160lbs. What size bike should I get when it is time to get a real bike?

Does size matter? Or is it preference?

Thanks
Paul
 
T

tupacamaru

Guest
Hey Paul,
welcome to the site. Im new too( literaly just registered this morning!) Im 5'8" 175lb and ended up being fitted as a small on a specialized stumpjumper FSR. I liked that nible feeling on a small frame. but the best thing to do is to try out bike. You just want to make sure your inseam dosnt hit the top bar of the frame and you have some clearance incase of a wipe out.
 
N

Njpaulie

Guest
Good call with the inseam! :eek: Thanks for insight! and Welcome to the Site!
 

Fogerson

Former Resident Nerd
Smalls are usually 15-16" frames measured from the middle of the bottom bracket to top of the seat tube. Mediums are usually 17-18". Larges are usually 19" or so.

Grown up bikes are sized by frame size, not wheel size.

There is variability with what actual size a manufacturer calls a small, medium, or large, but the numbers above are true for 80+%.

Stand-over is an important measurement, but I think top tube length is more important. I have long arms, so I usually go with a large where my height/inseam usually puts me in the gray area between a medium and large. You're either a small or medium depending on the particular bike and how you fill out your 5' 7" (inseam, torso length, arm length, etc.).

The best thing to do is go to a good bike shop...they'll be able to get you setup on the right size bike.

In the mean time, for sh!t and giggles you can go to http://www.competitivecyclist.com/za/CCM?PAGE=FIT_CALCULATOR_INTRO.

It will give you ballpark sizing information you can compare against geometry (dimension) information provided by bike manufacturers.

Does it matter? Absolutely. Comfort, handling, climbing ability, everything is affected. There is a preferential component to it, especially for folks that are borderline between sizes. Some folks like smaller frames, others like feeling stretched out. For most though, what a good bike shop sizes you for will be the best.
 
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Njpaulie

Guest
Fogerson That is some real solid Information! When the time comes I will do just that. I had no idea there were so many options on bike size. I am used to the wheel size thing. thank you for you info!
 

The Kalmyk

Well-Known Member
Here's a tip...Get the best damn components you can get on a stock bike...If you have the coin to build from the frame up...DO IT!!!
 

Fogerson

Former Resident Nerd
Fogerson That is some real solid Information! When the time comes I will do just that. I had no idea there were so many options on bike size. I am used to the wheel size thing. thank you for you info!

You're welcome.

Believe it or not, there is even more to bike sizing. We've been talking about frame size so far. There is also crank arm length, stem length, handle bar width, amount of handle bar rise, amount of handle bar sweep, stem angle, saddle offset (where the saddle is bolted to the seat post on the rails), and it goes on.

One can go really nuts with all this stuff. You can even have pro-fits done where they measure you and optimize all of these things for you.

IMO, for most recreational riders, as long as you're setup where you're comfortable and none of your joints are hurting after your typical ride, it is good enough. Somebody who really knows what they're doing, like jdog at Halter's, could probably get you to that point by just looking at you.

Sure, you could get a pro-fit done to optimize handling, climbing, power, etc. but why bother unless you're racing or riding *a lot* OR if you're just not comfortable.
 

The Kalmyk

Well-Known Member
Fogerson hit on something...Building from the frame up you become familiar with frame and component measurements
 
N

Njpaulie

Guest
Here's a tip...Get the best damn components you can get on a stock bike...If you have the coin to build from the frame up...DO IT!!!

Exactly - and that would be my goal once its time to get a real bike! Every bike i had as a kid was built by me. And i loved doing it.

Thanks for the input!
 
N

Njpaulie

Guest
You're welcome.

Believe it or not, there is even more to bike sizing. We've been talking about frame size so far. There is also crank arm length, stem length, handle bar width, amount of handle bar rise, amount of handle bar sweep, stem angle, saddle offset (where the saddle is bolted to the seat post on the rails), and it goes on.

One can go really nuts with all this stuff. You can even have pro-fits done where they measure you and optimize all of these things for you.

IMO, for most recreational riders, as long as you're setup where you're comfortable and none of your joints are hurting after your typical ride, it is good enough. Somebody who really knows what they're doing, like jdog at Halter's, could probably get you to that point by just looking at you.

Sure, you could get a pro-fit done to optimize handling, climbing, power, etc. but why bother unless you're racing or riding *a lot* OR if you're just not comfortable.

Man MTB'ing is like a religion it gets deep!

I haven't started ridding yet and you guys got me all Pumped Now! I am Stoked!

Pass me the cool aid - I'm Drinking it!
 

ellbiddy

Active Member
Amen to that...took me forever to piece together my road bike because I was tweaking with all sorts of measurements....it didn't help it was a TT geometry which was like a monkey wrench in the whole problem :p
 
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Njpaulie

Guest
Do you guys think it's better to Add better parts to my store bought bike and then transfer the better parts to a good frame and forks once I get them?

Then I can take it a little at a time.

Or will the frame and fork Determine the parts I should be buying?
 

Fogerson

Former Resident Nerd
Do you guys think it's better to Add better parts to my store bought bike and then transfer the better parts to a good frame and forks once I get them?

Then I can take it a little at a time.

Or will the frame and fork Determine the parts I should be buying?

I'd start with a complete bike and not buy parts for your current bike. Spence has a good point, but I think a complete bike is a better place for you to start. Once you have the disease, learned some stuff, and go for a even higher-end bike, then consider spec'ing it out/upgrading yourself. It is easier to know what you really want after riding a decent bike for awhile.

Also, it is very possible that a part that you buy for your current bike could be the wrong size for your future bike. Necessary stem length might be different, derailleur clamp size could be different, seat post diameter could be different, you may want disk brakes on your future bike but have rim brakes on now (not worth upgrading your current bike to disks), you may want a Maxle front axle versus a quick release, ...and it goes on...

Since you have your dept store bike, use it to build a base. Decide on your budget for a more "serious" bike, find a LBS (local bike shop) you like, and go from there...

Oh, and feel free to ask questions here along the way....there are folks on this board who've ridden just about everything...
 
don't forget to check the classifieds on this site. You can find some amazing deals sometimes, and you can trust these guys.

good luck!
 
N

Njpaulie

Guest
I'd start with a complete bike and not buy parts for your current bike. Spence has a good point, but I think a complete bike is a better place for you to start. Once you have the disease, learned some stuff, and go for a even higher-end bike, then consider spec'ing it out/upgrading yourself. It is easier to know what you really want after riding a decent bike for awhile.

Also, it is very possible that a part that you buy for your current bike could be the wrong size for your future bike. Necessary stem length might be different, derailleur clamp size could be different, seat post diameter could be different, you may want disk brakes on your future bike but have rim brakes on now (not worth upgrading your current bike to disks), you may want a Maxle front axle versus a quick release, ...and it goes on...

Since you have your dept store bike, use it to build a base. Decide on your budget for a more "serious" bike, find a LBS (local bike shop) you like, and go from there...

Oh, and feel free to ask questions here along the way....there are folks on this board who've ridden just about everything...

Yeah that makes Perfect scene to me. I'll work it for a bit then buy a complete bike and take it from there.
I did some road work tonight and now I realize how badly I need to work on that. You just use muscles differently then in any other movement. I need a lot of work.

I'll get there!

Thanks for all the great insight - I have learned quite a bit in first 24 hours of joining this Forum.

You guys are real cool.
 
N

Njpaulie

Guest
don't forget to check the classifieds on this site. You can find some amazing deals sometimes, and you can trust these guys.

good luck!

I'm going to go check that out right now. A little window shopping never hurt!

Thanks!
 
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