on the boarder line of a frame size- what to do!?!

MTB Jackasss
MTB Jackasss Posts: 14
edited October 2012 in MTB beginners
hello,

i have recently bought a new frame for my bike- a nuke proof mega in size small
but recently i have noticed that maybe a size small bike is too small for me and i should be going for a medium instead

im 5' 7'' or 170cm which pretty much falls smack bang on the borderline between small and medium. whats more is that im soon to be 16 which means i still have potentially more to grow in the near years.

so my question is, do i go for a small or medium? i hear its fine to have the bike small on you slightly as its more playful but do you think its worth in the long run to go for a bigger bike?

thanks in advance

Comments

  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    what are the Geometry differences between the two sizes?
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
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  • MTB Jackasss
    MTB Jackasss Posts: 14
    nicklouse wrote:
    what are the Geometry differences between the two sizes?
    didnt manage to copy and paste but there all here near the bottom
    http://www.nukeproof.com/en/frames/mega-frame
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    If you fall between sizes on an MTB it's usually best to get the smaller.....

    At 5'7" the 16 (well 15.6") looks about right, I'm 5'10" and ride a 16" HT with a top tube length only slightly longer than that (22.0").
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • RyanCTJ
    RyanCTJ Posts: 16
    Current thinking (fashion?) would say go for the larger frame as current trend is for short stems and wide bars.
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    Oh dear god no......

    Wider bars pull you forward, so the shorter stem puts you back, also wider bars slow the steering and the shorter stem helps correct this back, plus as 'current fashion' is more gravity orientated the shorter stem pushes your weight back a little, so then reversing this with a longer top tube makes absolutely no sense whatsoever at all and you clearly didn't think about it!
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • warpcow
    warpcow Posts: 1,448
    The benefits of a wider bar go beyond just pulling your weight forward.

    The old 'rule of thumb' used to be that a longer frame would be more comfortable on longer rides, while a shorter one would be more demanding, but perhaps more fun. Of course, this is a bit more complicated than just comparing height to top tube lengths. Really it could just be down to personal taste; you might prefer shorter frames, or longer, no matter how far you're riding.

    Umm... so... yeah, a small might be good, or a medium.
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  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    Who said there was a benefit from pulling weight forward?
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.

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