Sizing

[Tommy27]

First off if there's a thread going for this, if someone wants to direct me to it I'm more than happy to close this!

So I've put off getting back into MTBs for a while due to lack of storage. But this place is a bad influence and we're just about to move to a place with a garage.

Already got to accommodate our Jack Taylor Super Tourist Tandem, my Roberts, My Merican Track Bike, Missus Simoncini, her De Ver Track Bike, her Pace Rc100, her Beater Condor Track Bike and our son's 2 bikes... so will only be adding the one bike.... however I've wanted to get something nice for the South Downs for a while.

Ordinarily I'd prefer a 53cm seat tube, 55cm top tube with 90 or 95 stem. I've a long torso and short limbs 5'8, but a 28.5 leg.

My dad still has his Specialized Rockhopper from 2005 and thats a 17"? He's shorter but with longer limbs though.

I'm looking to get something with a flatish top tube, but budget might mean I've got to go more for a sloping top tube? I'd be looking at late 80s to early 90s, probably meaning a quill stem so that means I won't be able to easily swap out stems either, so that's another factor. Oh and would be rigid. Never been crazy about suspension.

So yeah any advice would be really good, though I know it might also vary for different companies too?!

 

[Tootyred]

Early 90s Kona. Long top tube for height. Sloping top tube.

Late 80s or early 90s marin. Long top tube for size. More horizontal top tube.

Plus these have longer head tubes than most to get you head up and you won't be cranked over so much....better for shorter arms....

You can always put ahead forks in any 1 1/8" steerer frame or fit an adaper to threaded forks.

 

[Tootyred]

53cm (21") seat tube is huge....im 6'4" and i ride that. On the road your probably right size, but off road you need far more clearance to top tube for bail outs etc.

I would hazzard tops 48cm (19")....possibly 17.5"! Depending on how touring / radical your riding will be!

 

[Tommy27]

Thanks @Tootyred

Both posts are really useful.

Already been thinking Kona, since when I was a kid I used to collect their catalogues. But had a GT Backwoods, before getting a club roost full sus... which probably weighed more than our tandem does. Then went into Road and Track riding. Only lately wanted to get back into fat tyres!

I think it's most likely gonna be 17" seattube for me, 18" at most. Won't be riding much worse bridleways on it, just want something that can hack longish days on the trail and possibly off road touring. Will probably make do with couple of Carradice bags, but obviously rack mounts would be good.

Like the idea of something with Ritchey Logic tubing (since can't afford a Ritchey right now), would also be happy with True Temper or decent Tange. But not ruling out Reynolds either. Just since my other bikes are all Reynolds would be nice to have a different steel. Guess I'll have to see what's out there when I've got the extra space?

 

[Tootyred]

If its off road touring, then go a touch bigger. As the comfort for longer rides will come with a slightly bigger frame.

 

[Spankyfart]

I might have a frame if you are into old British MTB frames. 49cm 56.5cm

 

[Tommy27]

Think that'd be a little big @Spankyfart ?

Definitely been going down some wormholes looking at stuff I'd never even considered before though.

I've did full sus/ massive drop offs/ huge sweeping berms... in the late 90s. To be honest it all got a little too extreme for me by early 2000s. And unless I'm going full pelt on rough single-track I don't even like suspension. These days I'm probably not gonna be doing anything more extreme than Not The South Downs way.