Need help with bike situation

LJ2618

Hello all, I am new here to the bike radar forum. I have some issues and was wondering if someone can give me some advice. I'm 5 feet 11 inches tall with the arm span of 76 in. I've been mountain biking for about a year and I've had several different bikes. I currently have a 2017 Niner rip 9 RDO but it's an XL and comfort wise it fits, height wise it don't. It is the higher-end with the fox suspension and the Eagle One by 12. I'm having trouble with the bike and I have an option of getting the new 2018 Scott genius 920 and trade. Would this be considered a downgrade considering my Niner is top-of-the-line everything or is the 2018 suspension somewhat decent. Of course the Scott will be in a large frame. Is there anything I can do with having way too long arms for my height make me more comfortable on the large, or am I just screwed. Any advice would be helpful.

steve_sordy

You could always fit wider bars. This will not only take advantage of your longer arms, but improve your centre of balance, and increase the leverage you can put on the steering. This latter will be especially useful in rocky descents or rooty and twisty trails as it will help you resist the wheel from being deflected from where you want to go.

The only downside of wider bars is fitting through those narrow gaps you can find in trail centre tree sections. You might have to learn "the shimmy". in other words, you deflect the steering briefly to allow one grip to get through and then instantly twist the bars back again to restore direction and get the other grip past the tree.

To be honest I have no idea whether the manoeuvre is actually called the shimmy or not, but it was born of desperation and it felt like a shimmy to me.

02gf74

I too have longer arms than average going by how my shirt sleeves are too short.

At 6ft 1 just measured my span as 80 in.
I ride large /19 in frame and it suits me, I'm on cusp of XL frame but having had two, that is too big.

You should be on large frame. Look at frame geometry and the virtual horizontal top tube length and select longest.

You can fit a slightly longer stem, +10mm and a seatpost with an offset, up to 30mm.

Also stem can have negative rise to lower the bars or use spacers to raise it, assuming the fork steerer is long enough.

I don't believe your Mr tickle like arms prevent you from getting a good fit.


... And you haven't explained why you are not comfortable on your bike.... There is lot you can tweak prior to buying a new bike.

JBA

I am 6’ with a 31” inside leg and unknown arm span, although my arms are a little short as as my long sleeve shirt cuffs come past my wrists.
My full susser is a medium and my hard tail is a large. There is no way I could ride an XL and be able to control it properly.

You need to try a few bikes as the geometry differences between manufacturers mean that you can automatically assume you need a L. Go to a decent bike shop that can give you proper advice regarding bike fit.

LJ2618

Ok thanks for the replys. The reason the large feels wierd and the XL feels comfortable is I feel like in falling forward on the large like im riding on the handlebars. The XL makes it a bit more comfortable feeling like im a bit far back where I should be. But on rocky decents I get caught on the seat with my shorts and fall most of the time. The seat is all the way down and im on my tippy toes if that gives an example of how tall the bike is

jamski

That bike just seems far too big. Trading it in for anything remotely similar in the correct size will be an upgrade, because it fits you.

joebristol

Sounds need you need one of the newer style bikes with long reach but smaller seat tube heights. It would allow you to size up for length without having a massively tall seat tube and a frame like a gate!

I’m not sure if the Scott falls into this category but a lot lot of manufacturers are now jumping on the bandwagon.

Bird bikes fall into this category as do Mondrager, Pole, Geometron etc. I think maybe Whyte too with certain bikes.