Is my new bike too big???

Superdon

So, I picked up an 18 inch Voodoo Bizango yesterday. I couldn't try it before I bought it for various reasons, including the fact they didn't have one in stock at the shop. According to the size guide it should be ok, I am 5 ft 8 and have around 30 inch inside leg without shoes.

Anyway, I carefully got it home and have had a sit on it. I haven't ridden it as I wanted to be sure it was ok and be able to easily return it if it wasn't right.

Anyway. My concern is...I can straddle the bike and have both felt flat on the floor. But, the bar is touching my crotch. It's not uncomfortably touching.

I probably need to actually try riding it, but like I say I want to keep it in perfect nick in case I have to swap it.

The other issue is, they don't do the Bizango any smaller. They do the Bantu(cheaper) or Hoodoo in 16 inch. Either way I have to get the replacement from halfords.

Cheers

rockmonkeysc

Can you put up a photo of you on it with feet on pedals?

The Rookie

It probably is too big an 18" is medium and you are 3" below average height - what size guide did you use? That said standover height isn't a measure of what size bike you need, the right size bike may or may not have clearance to your nether regions.

Giraffoto

The Rookie wrote:

It probably is too big an 18" is medium and you are 3" below average height

Is 5'11" the average then? I had a figure around 5'8" in mind.

The Rookie

Just because you are 5'8" doesn't make it average!

Yes average height now for a male in the UK is over 5'10.5", even if you go back about 10 years to when most bike sizes were 'established' it was over 5'10".

Superdon

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Can you put up a photo of you on it with feet on pedals?

If it will help, I will see what I can do. One leg stretched down and one up?

The Rookie wrote:

It probably is too big an 18" is medium and you are 3" below average height - what size guide did you use? That said standover height isn't a measure of what size bike you need, the right size bike may or may not have clearance to your nether regions.

I used Halfords size guide and looked at quite a few others which suggested 18 would be good. The halfords guide can be seen on http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165499

chrisw333

Just from what you have described my instinct is that you would be better on a small. Post a picture of you sat on it. hands on bars, both feet on pedals (lean against a wall)

rockmonkeysc

That is the worst size guide I have ever seen. You can't have one guide to suit every bike and you can't just go by seat tube length.
According to that my XL Nukeproof Mega is too small for me!
I have had 15", 18.5", 19" & 20" frames. All fitted me properly.

Superdon

RockmonkeySC wrote:

That is the worst size guide I have ever seen. You can't have one guide to suit every bike and you can't just go by seat tube length.
According to that my XL Nukeproof Mega is too small for me!
I have had 15", 18.5", 19" & 20" frames. All fitted me properly.

Yes, it's pretty bad which is why I used other size guides to give me an idea. Most suggested that a 18 would be ok.

Superdon

chrisw333 wrote:

Just from what you have described my instinct is that you would be better on a small. Post a picture of you sat on it. hands on bars, both feet on pedals (lean against a wall)

Took a few pics. Will try and get them posted here ASAP.

I am just trying to work out which bike from Halfords might be a good alternative, if it is too big. I am swaying towards the Bantu as it will save me a wedge of money that can go on the accessories. Although the spec isn't up to the Bizango.

rockmonkeysc

The Boardman HT is also very good.
5'8" does seem to be on the bottom end of a medium frame.
The top tube length is more important than the seat tube measurement. A lot of new large frames now only have an 18" seat tube.

Superdon

Heres a couple of pics, hopefully they help?

I am wearing baggy joggers, which isn't ideal, but I am getting over an operation and need loose fitting clothes!

Saddle is set pretty low. My leg outstretched on the pedals feels good and I have a slight bend in the knee at full stretch.

Ferrals

I actually had this worry after buying my new bike as someone here on another thread told me it was too big for me. I'm 5'8 too and on a medium whyte 901 and have about an inch of goolie clearance somewhere there is another thread and this sort of clearance is common.

The only thing I can say is go for a ride. I got hung up worrying, thinking I'd made a mistake but it feels amazing on the trails. Something that's made a positive difference to the ride for me is switching al the headset spacers to be on top of the stem which drop the bar about 2cm, probably worth doing if you are at the smaller end of the scale. I'm thinking of getting a slightly shorter stem too just to fine tune it but don't really need too.

The other thing you should say is what type of riding you want to do, it seems to me that in the interval since I've been off the bike the trend has been for smaller bikes - I guess if you are keen on jumping that makes sense but for all round riding I'm not so sure. I've been down some red and black graded dh and the only thing holding me back is fear not the bike :oops:

Edit. I think looking at the pics I am a similar fit to you on the bike

rockmonkeysc

Doesn't look too big. Certainly not too long in the top tube. Looks like your saddle needs to come up quite a bit.

russyh

I am 5'9" which is 1" below the 5'10" uk average height. I also have a 30" inside leg.

I used to ride medium bikes but never felt right, my last two road bikes have been small and my orange five is a small 16". I would say you have bought the wrong size

russyh

Having typed that and then having the photos load I would say it doesn't look too wrong to me

Superdon

Thanks. But the bar is definitely touching my crotch when standing over. Not uncomfortably, but there is very little clearance, certainly less than an inch.

kajjal

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Doesn't look too big. Certainly not too long in the top tube. Looks like your saddle needs to come up quite a bit.

I would agree the reach looks good but the saddle seems a bit low relative to the handle bars. You may find this is OK but for me I would want the saddle slightly above the bars. Either way they are very good bikes.

stubs

You have got the forks wrong way round the front brake caliper should be on the left at the rear of fork leg.

cooldad

Halfords awesome PDI strikes again.
Easy enough to sort out - loosen the top cap bolt a little, then the stem bolts, turn the forks anti clockwise, then nip the top cap bolt until there is no play but the steering is still smooth, then tighten up the stem bolts, one at a time, bit by bit (tighten each a little, then the next until they are all tight) and you're good to go.
Size looks OK to me.

Superdon

Ah, to be fair, when I picked up the bike halfords left the handlebars to the side so I could transport easier. I quickly moved them this afternoon cos I wanted to get the pics. So I think I just turned them the wrong way around.

I can t go outside now, but will that have any affect on the standover height?

I also read that I could move the saddle backwards a bit, which would bring the standover height down a little more immediately in front of the saddle?

stubs

Set bike up properly before you decide wether its the wrong size. Move saddle to mid position, flip forks right way round and set bars level then see how it feels small changes make a big difference.

Superdon

Will do. Appreciate the advice. I just wonder if those adjustments will actually give me much more standover room

cooldad

You don't need any really, unless you are planning on walking astride the bike.

stubs

Superdon wrote:

Will do. Appreciate the advice. I just wonder if those adjustments will actually give me much more standover room

Probably give you a little bit more ballroom. I wouldnt stress too much about standover as long as you can straddle the bike without singing soprano. A bike thats too small but with plenty of ballroom is no better than one thats too big. Just wearing proper cycling shorts or undershorts makes a difference tucks the hanging basket out of the way

Superdon

Right. Will try and make some adjustments today and see how I get on. I might also pop to halfords and have a chat with them and try some smaller bikes to see how they feel.

chrisw333

Looks to me like it's going to be fine to me. Don't worry to much about standover. The reach looks no problem, in fact you're pretty upright, a smaller bike and you'd have no cockpit room at all.

Do the adjustments and post again, but think will be ok. Saddle height - you want your leg almost straight wen pedal is at it's lowest point as a starting point for pedalling efficiency. You may want it a touch lower (but not much) when you start riding on rougher stuff.

The Rookie

The TT length looks OK, if anything a little short, standover isn't relevant as stated, but get everything aligned right first (including making the forks safe, as they are they are dangerous) and then take it for a spin on the roads and see.

I'm 5'9.5" with 30" inside leg and ride a 16" as it happens, I did the full Canyon sizing measurements (very exhaustive as they are online seller only) and came up at a 17".

stubs

The Rookie wrote:

I'm 5'9.5" with 30" inside leg and ride a 16" as it happens, I did the full Canyon sizing measurements (very exhaustive as they are online seller only) and came up at a 17".

Which goes to show the whole small, medium, large thing is meaningless. I am 6 foot and currently ride a 17.5 frame with a 70mm stem which replaced a 19inch frame that needed a 90mm stem to feel comfy.

Superdon

Right changed things and some more photos for you....

This one, I have moved forks to right direction and moved saddle backwards...


This one, is as above with me standing over the bike....


This one, is as the above but I also moved the saddle up about an inch.....


This one shows the max that I can lift the front of the bike with me stood over it touching my crotch bone (wheel was about 2 inches above ground)...


It made a small difference to standover height moving the forks and the saddle back, but not masses. The bar still touches my dangling bits, but I can lift the bike so it touches my bone and get the front wheel up a good couple of inches.

When I tried raising the saddle, the pics above show the max I can move it up before I get uncomfortable on the pedals, which was around 1 inch.

With the saddle up an inch and back, it felt ok, but again I still haven't ridden it in case I need to take it back.

On all pics the suspension fork is locked. I am also holding the wall with my left hand which skews things a little.

Hows it looking now?

The Rookie

Superdon wrote:

When I tried raising the saddle, the pics above show the max I can move it up before I get uncomfortable on the pedals, which was around 1 inch.

Err no, the saddle should be at such a height that with the pedal at the bottom your leg is only just not straight (with your foot level with the floor). Anything lower is less efficient and can lead to knee problems.