Smaller frame

graffthieffy
graffthieffy Posts: 31
edited May 2009 in MTB buying advice
Can anybody please tell me what disadvantages there are with buying a small frame, surely it would be lighter and more nible in the turn.?
Please lay out the pros and cons to a goon like me
:lol:

Comments

  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    Main disadvantage is that it may not fit. If it does fit, its the right one to get.

    Riding a frame that is too small will mean you don't get a comfy position, your seat may not go high enough (safely), your weight will be too far forward, you will find your knees and elbows interact, maybe all sorts of other geometry and handling issues.

    If you are between sizes then it can be fine tuned with different reach and height stems, and stack height, and to a much lesser extent, position of seat on the rails. If genuinely between two sizes I can't see an advantage of going bigger.
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    Depends on your riding.

    Alfa, would you ride the same style frame (let us say steel hardtails as you could conceivably use the same geo frame with different kit on) for xc and light freeride? No

    Smaller frames will feel nimbler and be lighter, however the biggest trade off is the lack of room. You'll be more cramped up and you will find that you struggle to breathe etc as alfa has pointed out above.
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    Well it is all relative, of course. If something is smaller than the optimum, it is of course sub-optimum. Whatever your chosen riding style there must be an optimum, though it will differ depending on intended use, with such an open question it is impossible to give a meaningful response. An xc frame would probably have a different geometry so that whilst longer than the freeride frame it may still be the same size (in terms of manufacturers measurement based on seat tube...or virtual seat tube...)...I think :?

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