One very popular topic that’s always asked about online is mountain bike sizing. But here’s the funny part – you need to get off the internet and spend some quality time with some real mountain bikes to learn about sizing them!

But since it is so important to get it right (your comfort and safety depend on it,) I’m going to give you some tips to point you in the right direction. So let’s get started right now!

 

Mountain Bike vs Road Bike Sizing

(Feel free to skip this section if you have no interest in road bikes.)

In case you are used to sizing road bikes, I must warn you – sizing a mountain bike is different.

With road bikes, you get technical and take very precise measurements to dial in the correct frame size and riding position. With mountain bikes, the process is a lot more laid back. That’s because of the nature of mountain biking – you encounter so many different scenarios and move around on the bike so much, it would actually be counterproductive to have such a precisely fitted bike!

Here, it’s not about the perfect fit. It’s about a good fit and accommodating the special needs of mountain biking that you don’t have to deal with on the road.

The point is, don’t fret if a bike shop employee takes a laid back approach to sizing your mountain bike.

 

How Mountain Bikes are Sized

When looking at mountain bike sizes, you will first be presented with the frame sizes. The frame size is so important that bikes are labeled just by this size.

Frame size is based on the frame’s seat tube length. It is generally measured from the center of the bottom bracket shell to the center of the top tube, where the top tube bisects the seat tube. The measurement is stated in inches, so you’ll find frames sized 15″, 17″, 18″, 19″, etc.

There are two ways companies state bike sizes, though. The first is in inches, as mentioned above, but what is becoming quite common today is labeling bikes Small, Medium, and Large, etc.

What are we forgetting? Top tube length!

Equally as important to the seat tube length is the top tube length. This will vary based on the seat tube length, manufacturer, and style of bike.

Generally, the XC race-oriented bikes have longer top tubes than recreational or all-mountain bikes, but all brands of bikes will vary in this regard. You might try a size medium Giant and a medium Specialized, and guess what? Their positions will feel different!

Does any of that matter? Not really!

Seriously, don’t get bogged down with any specific numbers. I’m not going to give you any sort of chart that plots your correct bike size based on your height or inseam because they just don’t work. (I already went on a rant about choosing a frame size, so I don’t need to do it again.)

There’s not a lot you can do here except test ride the bike and see how it works!

Then test ride another one and see if it is better or worse!

 

Do Your Height and Inseam Length Matter?

There’s a lot of garbage information online about bike sizing, and that leads people to believe they can purchase a bicycle based on their height and/or inseam length.

Sorry, it’s not that simple!

You have to take into account your height, inseam, arm length, torso length, flexibility, riding style, and a myriad of other factors when choosing a mountain bike. So if I told you that you need size X bike since you are Y height, I would be doing you a grave disservice!

So yeah, your height and inseam do play a role, but you have to take your individual body into account. Everyone has different proportions (short but with a long inseam, for example,) and this means everyone will have slightly different requirements for sizing.

I’ll say it again – you need to fit the bike in real life to be sure it fits. Don’t just rely on a chart. And – test ride before purchase!

 

Sizing The Bike for You

I don’t want you to blindly go bike shopping, since some shops aren’t the smartest at proper sizing, so I’ll give you some tips to make sure a bike is the correct size for you.

This is still generalized advice for when you sit on a bike, though, so take it with a grain of salt.

Standover clearance

When standing over the bike, straddling the top tube, you’ll want at least 3-4″ of clearance at your groin. This should be self explanatory for any guys!

Seat height

To get a quick, rough estimate of your proper seat height, sit on the bike and place your heel on the pedal (with the pedal at the 6 o’clock position.) Raise the seat to where your leg is straight in this position.

This should put you in a position where your knee is slightly bent at the bottom of the pedal stroke (assuming proper foot placement) and your hips don’t rock side to side when you pedal.

Keep in mind, you also want the saddle low enough you can get your butt way back behind the seat for steep downhills. So this isn’t a conclusive test for your exact seat height. It’s just to see if the bike is potentially going to fit you.

Reach

If the bike passes the standover and seat height tests, now it’s time to make sure you have a comfortable reach to the handlebar.

For this, just sit on the bike and hold the handlebars, and see if you’re comfortable. The bike shop employees will see if you’re too crunched up or too stretched out.

Toe overlap

Common on some road and cyclocross racing bikes, toe overlap is something you do not want on a mountain bike! So just do a quick check where you twist the handlebar side to side and make sure the front wheel does not hit your front toe when you’re in the riding position.

 

In Between Sizes?

What if you’re in between sizes? Or maybe two different size bikes can be made to fit you?

This happens all the time with mountain bikes. Especially with the variety of seatpost and stem lengths. The general school of thought is that you should get the smallest frame that still allows a proper fit.

The smaller frame means three things:

1. The frame is lighter (so a lighter bike overall.)
2. The frame is stiffer for better performance.
3. More standover clearance for safety of the family jewels.

Assuming the smaller bike fits you just fine, and feels just as comfortable and responsive as the larger bike, go for it.

 

Choosing a Wheel Size

Choosing a wheel size used to be a no-brainer – almost exclusively (some kids bikes came with 24″ wheels,) you’d get 26″ wheels on a mountain bike.

Nowadays, there’s a legitimate case for 26″ or 29″ wheels, or even 650b (which is right in between the other two sizes at 27.5″.) There are even “69er” style bikes with a 29″ wheel up front and a 26″ in the rear!

Why go bigger than 26?

The bigger the wheel, the easier it rolls over obstacles. This makes 29ers very fast on rough terrain and gives them a bit of a full-suspension feel, without needing rear suspension.

However, the bigger wheels can take longer to accelerate and be harder to maneuver, so they aren’t well-suited to tight, twisty courses with lots of speed changes. So for this sizing question, you are mainly considering the type of riding you plan to do.

[Usually, 29ers start in a Medium frame size, so if you're on the shorter side, you might not be a candidate for 29" wheels anyway.]

 

Miscellaneous

Sizing your bike is what matters, but there are a few parts sizing guidelines I want to mention in this little miscellaneous section.

Crank arm length

The standard crank arm length for mountain biking is 175mm.

170mm cranks are common on road bikes, but when mountain biking, riders usually prefer the extra leverage gained from a slightly longer crank arm.

Stem length

Stem lengths typically range from 90-120mm, with shorter stems like 90-100mm being the most common.

Changing the stem on a stock bike setup is common and very helpful, since it’s a quick way to change the “reach” to the handlebar.

Handlebar width

Handlebar width typically matches shoulder width, although it is personal preference more than anything.

Keep in mind a wider handlebar can offer better control, but is harder to squeeze between trees on tight singletrack.

 

Custom Built Frames

This is not common, but if you are NBA player tall, or your body has some very odd proportions, it can be hard to set up a normal bike to fit you well.

If this is the case, you might need to order a custom built frame from a small builder or a company such as IF.

If you go this route, you’ll fill out some forms with all your body measurements and be interviewed about your riding style and goals. It will take quite a bit of effort, and it won’t be cheap, but there is always a way to get the right size of bike!

 

Mountain Bike Sizing Summary

Getting the correct size bike is very important. The frame is the most expensive and hardest to replace part of your bicycle. so get the sizing right the first time!

Take your time and do it right. That means talking to shop employees for advice, asking “why” they recommend something, and above all, test riding multiple bikes before making a final decision.

Good luck!

Today’s question, a very common one, is about getting started in road biking and looking for a new bike…

I was wondering if you could direct me toward a new bike. I am a runner and have started biking as cross-training. I am currently using my father’s old Raleigh road bike from the 80′s. It is very heavy and I would like something lighter for longer rides. Any help you could give me would be great. Thank you

The whole “what road bike should I buy?” situation is way too common. Every spring when the weather gets nice, I get all sorts of variations on this question.

I would like to be able to answer this question for everyone, but it’s simply impossible. A lot of thought needs to go into getting the right bike for your specific needs, and sending me a little information over the internet isn’t enough.

All I can say is, “it depends.” Because really, any road bike today will fit the description of “a road bike lighter than an 80′s Raleigh.”

But, I can also give you this 5-step formula for choosing a good road bike to buy. It should help you out!

5 Steps to Picking Out Your First Road Bike

Just follow these steps in order and you’re bound to get a good road bike.

1. Determine your budget.

Determining your budget is the first step because it’s going to be a specific number that won’t change. It also narrows your search quite a bit, saving you time over the research process.

Generally you can get a decent road bike for under $1000, but you probably won’t find anything under $700. If your budget is under $700, you’ll probably want to look for a used bike.

I’d say $800 will get you a road bike that is fine and dandy for recreational riding, but if you can afford around $1300, that would get you a really nice bike that will serve you well for years, even if you start racing.

You absolutely don’t need to spend $3000 on your first road bike!

2. Think about the type of riding you want to do.

Now it’s time to think. You need to think about what type of riding you want to do, because the buying decision will be based on this information.

You might want to ride really fast on the road. You might want to race. You might want to do really long rides, maybe even bike tours where you camp out each night. You might want to ride on dirt paths and rail trails sometimes.

Once you have it figured out, memorize it, or even better, write it down.

3. Tell this to someone at a bike shop.

Once you are informed, head to a local bike shop, and tell a salesman what type of riding you want to do. Any good salesman will absorb this information and ask any relevant questions. Then, combining their knowledge of bikes and the local area, they will show you a few bikes that fit your needs and your budget.

They should also be able to tell you why a certain bike fits your needs and why a different bike would not be right for you.

4. Test ride.

Test ride all the bikes you are considering. Even though the bikes may look similar, they can feel a lot different from each other.

5. Buy the bike.

By now, you should have found a bike that looks and feels right.

If the bike is right and the bike shop is nice, trustworthy, and knowledgeable, get the bike. Otherwise, go back to step 3, try a different shop, and repeat.

 

This formula is simple but usually works wonders. When you have more experience and can ask or answer more detailed questions, then it’s time to do lots of research and ask people online for help. But for your first real bike, you won’t have that many options anyway, so use the 5-step formula.

Today’s question is about using a hybrid for road riding and if it will be sufficient…

Hi Coach Levi, I did a charity ride 3 months ago. I had a mountain bike that was over 20 years old, somewhat rusty and not in very good condition. I decided to buy a new bike to do the ride because I didn’t know if the old mountain bike was going to withstand it.

The area where I live is not a biking community so I went for a hybrid, Scott Sportster P6 to be exact. Two months after my dad told us we are going to move closer to my brother and he lives in a biking community. I am now going to do road rides with him; if I knew before hand that we were moving I would’ve gotten a road bike. My ? to you is, do u think I should sell/trade in this bike for a road bike since I’ll be doing road rides?

Thanks,
Hybrid Henry

Hi Henry,

What I would do is start out doing your road rides on the hybrid and see how it works out. The Scott Sportster P6 looks to have road wheels with fairly slick tires so you might be alright on it, at least to start out.

The downfalls I see are these:

1. If you’re a powerful rider and like to go fast, the 48×14 high gear is going to be too low for road use. And you’ll definitely spin out on downhills.

2. If you do long rides, the lack of available hand positions offered by a flat bar will have you wishing for the drop bar of a real road bike.

3. It’s heavy. 27lb is rather heavy for something being ridden on the road.

So if you know you are going to be doing a lot of road rides and get pretty serious about it, I’d get a road bike sooner rather than later. But if you’re not positive, I’d stick with what you have. At the very least, the hybrid is going to be much faster and more comfortable than a 20 year old mountain bike!!

Another thing to consider is money. If you sell or trade in a nearly new bike, you’ll probably still lose quite a bit of money on it. And then you need to buy the road bike, and they are typically more expensive than hybrids, even for the lower-end models. (While it’s easy to find a $400 hybrid, it’s hard to get a new road bike for under $800.)

Whatever you do, just try to enjoy the ride!

Today’s question is about getting a new road bike to ride for getting in shape and getting into racing…

Hi, I was just hoping you could help me decide on a bike. I am deciding between a Giant TCR A1 and a Gary Fisher ARC Super. Both are about the same price. I’m looking for something to get in shape on and race with. Please send me some advice, I am really new to biking.

Thanks,
New Neil

Hi Neil,

Welcome to biking – I hope you like it! (I know I do!)

As for the bikes – both the Giant and Gary Fisher look good for general riding and are more than capable of doing some racing. I can’t see anything wrong with either one.

For general fitness riding, all you need is a bike that fits comfortably. For getting into racing, you just need fitness and a bike that isn’t broken. So I think either bike would fit your needs.

When the decision comes down to two similar bikes like this, the deciding factor should be the test ride. Have the shop give you a quick fitting on each bike and then take a few short test rides. Chances are, one of the bikes will just feel like a better choice for you. That’s the one to get!

In the odd chance that you like both bikes equally, even after test riding both, there are two ways left to decide. You could either buy the cheaper one, or pick the one in the color you like better.

If you’re still uneasy about the decision, you can do what I do, and that is to use your imagination. Pick a bike and pretend that you bought it. Envision it sitting in your garage, and envision riding it each day. If you still like that bike, get it. If you get an uneasy feeling (like buyer’s remorse,) get the other bike.

In the end, you can always be happy just by the fact that you have a bike to ride!

With gas prices on the rise and everyone wanting to get in shape and lose weight, bicycling has seen a rise in popularity. With that, I’ve been getting more questions relating to “buying my first bicycle.”

Here are a couple questions relating to getting a woman’s bicycle…

I’m 5’4 height & want to buy a new bike. I don’t know much about bike – so I’m asking what is a good starter bike, what size 16″, 17″, 19″, etc.. also, I’m looking for a cheaper bike $200-$400 range. Any advice appreciated, thanks. Woman’s mountain bike

What type of cycle would you recommend for an out of shape, overweight woman who wants to cycle a few blocks during her lunch break to at least begin (slowly) to do some type of exercise?

Hi gals,

Thanks for writing in. I commend you on your desire to start riding and get in shape!

Both of these questions will get a very similar answer, so continue reading for my advice…

For any bicycle purchase, I highly recommend finding a bike shop in your area and asking for their expertise. They should be able to match you with a bike that suits your needs and fits your budget. Then you can test ride multiple bikes to see which you like best, and the shop employees can make sure the bike is setup properly.

The first thing to look for is a shop that actually cares about you and seems to put an effort into making sure you get the right bike. If you don’t like the people or they don’t let you test ride bikes, find a new shop.

The second thing is the bike itself. But if you find a good shop, getting a good bike is the easy part. Just be sure, whatever bikes you look at, make sure to get the right size and get a proper bike fitting! If the bike doesn’t fit, you won’t enjoy it, and that means you won’t ride it.

(Some shops don’t offer good fitting services, and some will actually try to sell you the wrong size just because it’s something left over from last year and they need to to make way for new models!)

That said, here are a couple mountain bikes you might like, from popular brands:

• Trek 820 WSD
• Giant Boulder SE W
• Specialized Myka HT

That’s if you need a mountain bike and plan to do most of your riding on dirt roads and rough terrain.

If you are cruising through town on a lunch break, you’d be better off with some sort of “hybrid” bicycle – sort of like a mountain bike with smooth, skinny tires.

Here are some examples of these bikes:

• Trek 7.1 FX
• Trek 7000 WSD
• Giant Cypress
• Giant Sedona
• Specialized Crossroads Sport Women’s
• Specialized Globe Women’s

I’m sure there are more out there though, so just get the one you like best!

Photo credit: pedrosimoes7