To big for a medium?

[orbital]

Hi everyone,

I'm just under six foot two and I've seen a few second hand Boardman MTB, but they are all medium in size. I've just been down to Halfords and tried a medium out and it seemed fine, but I'm not sure it was me just willing myself to think this!

What do you think? Do you think I'll be OK with a medium?

Cheers

Dave

 

[02GF74]

so you are 6 ft 1?

same as me - I ride mtb from 17 in to 19 in. the 17 is a tad on the small size.

so I would agree with you medium generally is 17 in frame, look for a large (19 in) frame.

 

[orbital]

The medium Boardman frame is 18 inches. oh what to do!

 

[Cubist]

I'm six foot and ride an 18 inch bike. My mate is 6'1" and rides an 18 " bike. He had a 20 up until it was stolen and always wished he'd bought a medium. If you plan to do a lot of tech XC on the bike, you'll be glad of the extra control and standover.

If it feels right, and you can do some fine tuning with stems and seatposts, then get it.

 

[orbital]

You know what Cubist I think I will! Cheers mate.

 

[02GF74]

..... bear in mnd that frame sizess on moutain bikes are from the centre of the BB to the top of the seat tube - and the seat tube extends a fair bit past the top tube - in the olden days pretty sure frames were to centre of top tube and if that was not the case, then the seat tube was not so extended.

... what you need to find out is the length of the top tube, measured horizontally from centre of head tube to entre of seat post, if frame has sloping top tube.

e.g.
Seat tube C-CSeat tube diaTop tube C-C
47031.6595450 615450620465 60049035.158034034.961043529.2580

notice how the seat tube varies yet the top tube is around the 600 mm mark, (the last 580 mm is the 17 inch frame, others are 18 and 19 inch as designated by manugacturer).

 

[02GF74]

arse - posted but lost connection so lost all my words.

check the top tube length, measured horizontally - that is the more important measuremnt.

my bikes come it around 600 mm top tube, horiz. but frame seat tube varies from 340 to 490 mm!!!

WTF - my post is there now but wasnl;befoer?!?!?!?!

 

[Steve Austin]

i'm 6'2" and would be too big for a 17" bike. I've ridden plenty of 18" bike sand they are all a bit small, but not uncomfortably so. but they are the wrong size, i am much happier using a 19" bike.
but then again, a lot of modern mtbs have got longer toptubes so you could get away with the boardmans you mentioned. you will need a long seatpost though

 

[02GF74]

i'm 6'2" and would be too big for a 17" bike. I've ridden plenty of 18" bike sand they are all a bit small, but not uncomfortably so. but they are the wrong size, i am much happier using a 19" bike.
but then again, a lot of modern mtbs have got longer toptubes so you could get away with the boardmans you mentioned. you will need a long seatpost though

Couldn't you just stretch the frame, you're bionic after all!

 

[orbital]

Cheers for all your advice everyone.

In the end I went round and tried it out properly and it felt ... wonderful! I'm really impressed with the bike. How Mr Boardman makes these bikes for the money is beyond me. It's now tucked up in my garage safe and sound

Cheers

Dave

 

[02GF74]

eerrr, I hate to be the one to burst your bubble, he doesn't actually make them but has 6 year old chinese orphans working 16 hour days making them.

just out of interest, how long is the top tube, measured horizonatlly, from centre of head tube to centre of seatpost?

 

[andyhunter]

go and get bike fit measured, its the same as getting measured for trainers, this will result in having a bike that fits you perfect as if you dont you will get aches or pains in different parts of the body, how i know because i went threw 2 frames at 1 stage, 4k mistake.