# I could use some advice on sizing



## krel (May 9, 2017)

Hi all - I am getting involved in mountain biking (desert trails, really, as I'm in the Phoenix area) again for the first time in many many years. I'm trying to do something about my weight and fitness - eating better for the first part, and bike riding for the second part. I bought a "bicycle shaped object" from walmart (29" no-name brand, already starting to come apart) and have been riding that for a few months while deciding what to do about making a bigger investment.

After much reading and thinking I've decided to get a Specialized Fuse Comp 6Fattie. That seems to be a good sweet spot, and I can afford it - I'm not in a position to spend several grand on a mountain bike right now, maybe after my kids are all out of the house.  

So - the reason for my post, aside from doing the basic introduction thing, is that I could really use some advice on frame sizes. I'm 46, 6'1", about 290 lbs. I have long arms and short legs for my height - my armspan is 6'5" and my crotch-to-floor in bare feet is 31.5". According to my height, the Specialized sizing I'm finding puts me right between large and XL for frames.

5'10"-6'2" - large
6'1"-6'4" - XL

Between my short legs and long arms, which way should I go?


----------



## DickyT (Mar 30, 2017)

With short legs I'd go for the large frame, you can always put a longer stem on if you feel you need to be stretched out more. Stems are cheap compared to frames. Ive always found it much easier to make a frame that was on the small size fit me right with subtle changes rather than trying to adapt me to a bike that was too big.

Congrats on taking charge of your health, I am recently on that same path myself. Keep at it and enjoy your riding!


----------



## Namlehse (May 8, 2013)

I have the long arms and torso with shorter legs. I tend to ride XL. With that said I'm 6'3-6'4. Each bike is different, the best thing you can do is go and sit on them. It's really hard with the larger bikes to find someone with them built. I rode Large frames to get the idea in a few places (Including the Giant Trance Advanced I wound up ordering).

Something to consider, most of the higher end bikes now come with dropper posts. These are great, unless they put larger ones on the larger frames. My trance came with a 125, and I only have it raised a few inches.

Good Luck!


----------



## krel (May 9, 2017)

The bike I'm looking at actually comes with a dropper post, I've never used one but I like the concept. That's a good point about the fact that I can always raise the seat more but there's only so much you can do about making it smaller – how much difference is there as far as the length of the frame goes? When you change sizes does the frame get bigger overall or just vertically? I guess my question is, does the geometry stay the same? How about front fork travel? I think on some bikes you get less travel with a smaller frame, but is that true when you're at large and up?


----------



## Namlehse (May 8, 2013)

I wouldn't say smaller have less travel (Aside from Droppers). In some cases smaller frames have shorter dropper posts.

As for overall travel, my wife's small Hail has 160 front and back, it's a tank. Even weighs more than my XL Trance Advanced lol

I can't speak for how much the frames grow, it doesn't seem like a whole lot up, more forward. My bike is really long for instance.


----------



## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

With a longer torso, and shorter legs you'll need a bike with a long reach, and a shorter seat tube so a decent dropper will fit. Slapping on a longer stem is a poor solution from a handling standpoint.


----------



## Rmplstlskn (Sep 18, 2015)

Ideally, sitting on both sizes is ideal, but if a no go, besides the comments above, be aware of bike "stand over height," as you don't want to smash the boys when you hop off for a bail out...

I personally was advised by some knowledgeable folks in my area to get a frame slightly larger so that I could have a longer reach (top tube length). But on my bike, the Stache 7, the taller frame also had a different top tube and seat post triangulation that actually reduced the stand over height, so it worked well for me. But I do not see that frame change on the Specialized, so be aware of your stand over for your legs.

I also agree that a change in stem changes the handling and rider position, so make those changes cautiously, fully understanding what those changes will do.

Have fun!

Rmpl


----------



## TooTallUK (Jul 5, 2005)

Since you have to buy Specialized bikes from Specialized dealers, go and talk to them and see if they have a bike to try. You're paying for the dealer to give you a service, so don't try to answer every question before you walk in the door.


----------



## schnee (Oct 15, 2005)

Yeah, putting someone with long arms and torso on too-small of a frame is bad. I totally disagree with that suggestion as well, from personal experience.

I'm right between sizes for L and XL bikes - right at 6'-2", and a 3" ape index - and I'm always way too 'long' for the L bikes.

Since your legs are short, you'll be sitting a bit more forward than the frame anticipates, and then with long arms you'll be scrunched in with a really short reach. Your handling on steep terrain will be compromised with the long stem.

Large bikes also tend to have shorter head tubes so you'll be scrunched up *and* hunched down and forward. Tall risers and long stems are all you can do and those suck - as in, 'hey, the 90's called, they want their fit back'.

With modern bikes, it's much better to get a larger frame and throw on a 30mm stem than a smaller one and need to stretch it out to 80mm.


----------



## krel (May 9, 2017)

Ok. So it sounds like the #1 thing here (which of course makes total sense) is that I really need to see if I can find both an L and an XL fuse locally to sit on and try for myself. That leads to a related question - do they need to be the exact model I'm interested in? That is, the models below the comp are A1, the comp and expert are both M4, and above that are carbon. Are the frames all the same size/design regardless of the material, or do I really need to try a comp or expert only, and are there any differences between those two that would affect fit?

Thanks for all the advice, it really helps.


----------



## Rmplstlskn (Sep 18, 2015)

Krel, this is where you have to do some research and look at the factory measurements on their web sites... The numbers are all there and do not lie. The differences between frames and bikes may be insignificant, or significant.

Rmpl


----------



## krel (May 9, 2017)

Found the geometry info. The stand-over for a large frame is 806mm/31.7" and for an XL frame it's 830mm/32.7". I guess it comes down to, with a measured nuts to floor of 31.5" (plus shoes) am I likely to rack myself on the XL frame? Maybe I need some different boots


----------



## TooTallUK (Jul 5, 2005)

Wider bars are a good solution for longer arms and shorter legs.


----------



## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

181cm w/ 195cm wingspan...

I too, should be on L bikes going by height.

But, XL reach or L bikes with longer reach feel better.

Go and sit on both back to back.

Demo both if possible.

IMHO, XL FTW ;-)

Sent from my kltedv using Tapatalk


----------



## krel (May 9, 2017)

Got the opportunity to try two experts today back to back, L and XL. The XL is the right size, so now I know. 

Now, just gotta wait until they come back in stock again... sigh. August/September.


----------



## krel (May 9, 2017)

...


----------



## Tjaard (Aug 17, 2007)

Standover measurement on a geometry chart is fairly useless. You don't know if they measured it in the spot where you will actually end up. Stand over needs to be checked by actually standing over the bike in riding shoes.


----------

