Frame size

welshkite

I'm 5'2"(woman) and riding a mens medium frame full susp Giant and i love this bike to bits.I've had the susp lowered to my weight but I know its too big for me cos i'm a bit weary about doin the downhill bits incase i bang my bits ouch!! i know it brings tears to you guys out there lol! I'm thinkin if i had the forks lowered to bring the front of bike down would this help... or could i transfer all the gear onto a smaller frame

supersonic

Yep, it hurts!

Lower front end (bike that is) will not give you want you want. Lower the front, lowers you too so relatively is the same (or very similar). Only so much you can do, it seems to me that you need to try a few suitable machines for size.

simply100

best option is to look at other size/shape bikes which are a bit more 'woman' friendly as in angle of top tube and actual size of frame. Then you could get the same frame or similar to put all your existing bits on and possably sell your old frame on to pay for the new one.

Banned!

I would advise against one of those awful looking bikes with the top tube at a 35* angle to the headtube. theyre for old ladies to pootle to the shops and back.

there were some women specific frames made a few years back that looked pretty good, I think Giant made them. they had a pronounced dip in the top tube but it still joined the seat tube at the normal point. if you can find one of these youre looking good.

welshkite

Thats all very good advice...definatly try and seek out the women specific frame...cheers

blister pus

Some of the women's 09 stuff looks pretty good: http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-GB/bikes/women/

Have a scout around for 07 / 08 models (might be a bit late now though) or go second hand. I picked up a new decent spec'd entry level mechanical disc brake giant boulder trail for 195 quid. Good job I went for a 21" frame (I'm 6') because riding the 19" would have been like riding a kids bike to me. I was later told that the geometry of the standard boulder's was different again and the 21" frame would have been possibly too big. Point being, try before you buy and frame sizing is completely arbitrary.

welshkite

Point taken....i only paid £300 for bike...you know what us women are like for a bargain...like squeezin into a size 10 dress, when you're a 16 if it goin cheap lol! (not that i am a size 16 by the way)

denzil023

I thought I might take the advice of this forum and not start a new thread but continue an existing one

I am in a similar situation however I am 6' 3" and currently ride a 22" MTB which I bought very cheap a couple of years ago. I have decided to do a bit more MTB racing this year as road racing doesn't really interest me and therefore feel that it would probably be a good idea to sort out a new frame as the current one feels like a bit of a monster. Then I can just put the bits off the old frame on to the new one and away I will go (or at least that is the plan).

I have looked at the options but I need some advice on what sort of frame size I should be looking at as I normally ride on the road and therefore have don't really understand what I should be looking for.

I reckon 18"-20" but my question is which one? I rode a mates 18" Stumpjumper a couple of years ago at a race and felt a little bit as if I was perched on it but I now understand that he was running 80mm forks and flat bars which can make the front feel very low. I then looked at 20" but I am worried that it will be too long in the top tube as I want to get away from being so stretched out. I guess 19" would be right but I just don't know. Trouble is I have really long legs (34 inch inside leg) and a fairly short body.

Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers.

OwenB

denzil023 wrote:

I thought I might take the advice of this forum and not start a new thread but continue an existing one

I am in a similar situation however I am 6' 3" and currently ride a 22" MTB which I bought very cheap a couple of years ago. I have decided to do a bit more MTB racing this year as road racing doesn't really interest me and therefore feel that it would probably be a good idea to sort out a new frame as the current one feels like a bit of a monster. Then I can just put the bits off the old frame on to the new one and away I will go (or at least that is the plan).

I have looked at the options but I need some advice on what sort of frame size I should be looking at as I normally ride on the road and therefore have don't really understand what I should be looking for.

I reckon 18"-20" but my question is which one? I rode a mates 18" Stumpjumper a couple of years ago at a race and felt a little bit as if I was perched on it but I now understand that he was running 80mm forks and flat bars which can make the front feel very low. I then looked at 20" but I am worried that it will be too long in the top tube as I want to get away from being so stretched out. I guess 19" would be right but I just don't know. Trouble is I have really long legs (34 inch inside leg) and a fairly short body.

Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers.

I think the best thing to do is sit on a few. I'm the same height as you but with opposite problems, I've only got 30" legs but a long back so found it hard to get a good fit.
In the end I went for a 20" GT Avalanche, it's a bit of a compromise for me in the standover height, but I'm not cramped up on the top of it.

Next time I buy though I've promised myself I'll take a bit more time and find something more suited because my jewels don't half take a pounding when I have to put my feet down quick!

Banned!

buy the smallest frame you can manage with the seatpost as long as is safe.

if you can get away with a 19" frame with a long seatpost then do that. top tube length varies and nothing in this stupid ass sport is standardized, but if you feel the 20" has too long a reach then try the 19"

I wouldnt go any smaller than that tho.

denzil023

Many thanks for this. Better start trying some bikes out

llamafarmer

denzil - you have the easier problem than owen. You can go for a smaller frame to get the shorter top tube and then crank the seat post right up to fit your longer legs.

I'm like owen I think and have shorter legs, which means a frame that fits me well might not give me any standover.