Anyone riding a small/16" frame that's 5'7/5'8

CBiscuit

Alright guys. I've been over the size charts and tried a few bikes but just curious to find out! It seems a very inbetween frame sizes hight to be which is very annoying! My last bike was an 18" bike (I think) with 26" wheels but seems like all these new bikes I try with the bigger 650b and 29 wheels seem obviously quite bigger. The standover high is like an inch at best and can't get my arse on the seat and one foots toes on the ground without the seat quite low!

Point being im in the process of buying a new bike either a 901 hardtail or boardman pro fs and don't know wether I should be aiming for a 16 (or small in the whyte I guess) or 16/18 on the pro! I know folk will say to try them out (which I have on similar bikes) but its hard on those specifically without having to order them into stock etc... and just curious to find out what folk similar hight to me ride!

Cheers

rockmonkeysc

Wheel size has absolutely nothing to do with bike sizing. The rest of the bike won't be any higher from the ground.
On a correctly sized mountain bike with the saddle at the correct height for efficient pedalling you shouldn't be able to get your feet on the ground while seated.
Sizing varies a lot between brands and even between different models from the same brand. I'm 6'1" and I've had bikes which have fitted perfectly ranging from 17" to 21".

CBiscuit

It probably stems from the guy in the bike shop telling me a 18" looked a big too big for me and that he said 29" wheels would make a difference :shock:

Obviously been out this bike game far too long

poah

I have a 16 dartmoor hornet and a small transition suppressor. I bought them based on the reach measurement (400/406mm) this was a bit longer than my previous bike at 390mm. difference was the last bike was quite big in stand over hight and the seat post wasn't that long (100mm reverb). The newer geometry of bikes has allowed me to get a bike that actally fits me. I could have gone for a medium suppressor for a bit more reach but felt the medium was not playful enough.

I tried a few bikes to see what reach suited me before I bought them. I can't have my feet on the ground with the seat post up, only when the reverb is down.

wmorgs

My full susser is a Zesty with 27.5 wheels in medium which is fine on trials.
My boardman pro 29r is medium too, but if i had bought the Boardman new i would have chosen small/16.
I'am 5.7.

The Rookie

Proportions are important in determining the correct size, height of itself is meaningless, I'm 5'9" but with short legs as such I ride a medium to get a frame that is long enough, ideally I'd probably get a large but the height of the top tube on many frames (especially older ones) inhibits my ability to move the bike under me (top tube hitting legs) so I settle on a medium.

Standover space would be a luxury!

CBiscuit

Well I've tried an 18 and why I have next to no standover clearance (maybe an inch?) and they said it looked OK. Because I'm not that clue up I don't know how much I should be leaning over(as in reach etc) but guess I'll only know once I get out on the thing... By which point it'll be too used to take back Sod's law. They showed me a 16" frame on a similar bike and to be honest it actually looked like a kids bike! Think I'll probably have to stick with the 18

Shooting mike

If it's any help I was having the same dilemma when considering a boardman fs team.
I'm 5'8" and the chart suggested a 16 inch but when I sat one at the weekend it was far too cramped. They didn't have the same bike in an 18 so I sat on a boardman hard tail in an 18 and that seemed spot on. I have had a 16 inch frame before and whilst I could throw the bike around all over, the cockpit was a bit cramped and I always felt a bit like a circus clown riding one of those tiny bikes!

CBiscuit

I think you are spot on mate. The chuckability of the smaller frame is what appeals and feels more normal as I've done more bmx in my time than mtb and not really at home on It yet. The 18" does feel OK (boardman pro fs). Pedalling wise is fine buts it's hard to tell without getting it out and riding properly. You see some riders with the seat post almost max high and I'd have it like half way up.. if that! Plus it looks like their standover is loads. All the guide say if you are 5'7/8 a medium is what you should go for so maybe I'm just looking too much into it .

rockmonkeysc

Smaller bikes being more checkable is just rubbish. Your weight will be in completely the wrong place, you'll be too far forwards, you will find the bike feels more nervous and twitchy and you'll struggle to keep the front wheel down on steep climbs.
Forget about standover height, it just doesn't matter.

Jonesinamilion

I don't know a massive amount about bikes I'll be honest!

I took a gamble on a btwin rafal 740 (XC bike) late last year, it was a touch over £500 with very good spec (in my opinion) reduced from a bit under £1k. I have a thread on it somewhere if it's of any interest.

I took a gamble...
I'm just under 5"8', the bike was advertised as a "small" (only size left at this price) which transpires to be a 16 inch frame on 26 inch rims.

The seat height is almost at max (would love a dropper!), I've inverted the stem, maxed the bar / spacer height and I've put the seat back too; I find it very comfortable and efficient for the type of riding that I do (paths, roads, canals).... I think the gamble paid off!

In summary, I' think I've set the bike up to suit me, just about within the limits of the frame size for the type of riding I normally do.

Would I swap for a medium if available? Probably not, it feels nice!

Edit - on the rare occasion I'm doing more twisty / off-road riding, it does feel a little cramped in the cockpit but I think a lot of this is due to having a very high seat in the way!

xyra123

I'm 5'7 on a small camber evo. Previously I was on a medium Cannondale F600. The F600 was always a bit to long and gave me back ache. The top bar was always a bit high as well.
The Camber however feels very slightly cramped in the cockpit (although the Cannondale was an old school XC bike so was used to that stretched out feeling), but a slightly (15mm longer) stem has pretty much resolved that (the medium version comes with a longer stem anyway). Overall to me the small feels a lot better, but somewhere in-between (but closer to the small) might fit even better.

When I measured roughly, I think with the medium I wouldn't have had enough protruding seat post to fit a dropper.