# Feels likes I'm too high up (29er)



## Kshawn (Jul 22, 2012)

I've been riding a 29er hardtail for a while now, thinking I'd get used to the feeling of being higher up. I still haven't, and I'm trying to figure out if I just don't like 29ers or if I got the wrong size. I'm 5'10 on a large Giant XTC 2 29er. Any help or advice would be appreciated.


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## CannondaleF9 (Nov 17, 2012)

If you feel too high up, it is possible to cut down on the seat post so that you sit lower on the bike. That is the only thing you could possibly do for this problem, unless you trade the bike for a medium.


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## chef7734 (May 4, 2011)

I don't think a large to medium would make that much difference between ride height Why did you choose the large? Did you test ride a medium?


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## Kshawn (Jul 22, 2012)

I'll try lowering the seat even more. And other than a parking lot spin, I didn't really get to test either of them. I went with the large because that's what the shop recommended.


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## goog64 (May 24, 2011)

I'm just over 6' on a large 29er XTC. I feel high up also. Bike is definitely the right size. I was on 26" wheels for 25 years. Guess it's gonna take a while.
I LOVE the XTC!


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## DennisF (Nov 4, 2011)

When I first rode a 29" it seems like I was up higher, but I think it is just an illusion or psychological.

I don't see how you would sit much higher on a 29" than a 26". The height of your seat position above the ground is determined by the gottom bracket height (height of crank axle above the ground), which isn't all that different between a 26" & 29". I have heard people claim that 29ers have LESS crankarm clearance.

Giant doesn't list bottom bracket heights,
XTC 29er 2 (2013) - Bikes | Giant Bicycles | United States

But I went to Trek's site, and my Superfly AL is listed at 12.28".

Trek Bicycle

I picked the Trek 4900 disk (26") to check, and it is 11.69".

Trek Bicycle

Ok, so yours may be higher than a 26er, but if it is, I'll bet it isn't much. Does it feel further to the ground than your old bike when yousit on the seat and put your toes on the ground?

If you can't lower the seat enough, then by all means hack off some seatpost. But assuming the seat height is correct for your leg length, getting a smaller frame will affect standover clearance and especially reach, but probably not how high off the ground you are. All frame sizes of the same model of the Trek samples have the same bottom bracket height.

Maybe you are sitting more upright on the 29er for some reason? That would make you look like you higher off the ground


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## goog64 (May 24, 2011)

You are right Dennis. The seat height (from the ground) on my 26er and 29er are almost identical and yet I "feel" higher on teh 29er. Amazing!


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## Kshawn (Jul 22, 2012)

Haha maybe it's all in my head then. I was told that the seat has to be at least level with the bars, so that's where I've had it. And I can't measure my old bike because I sold it to fund this bike :-/ Maybe it's because I use more body English on the 29er. It's driving me crazy, something just doesn't feel right. I love that it can roll over everything and keep momentum well though. Do people ever go back to 26" after riding a 29er for a while?


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## Max24 (Jan 31, 2013)

Kshawn said:


> Do people ever go back to 26" after riding a 29er for a while?


Well, yes. It's 2 different things and some days you just want your 29er and other days you miss your old 26''. That's truth for me at least..


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## DennisF (Nov 4, 2011)

My 5' 0" wife rode a 29" for the first time today. She didn't mention feeling higher off the ground, so I asked her. She said "yes". I asked how much, and she said "a lot". It was a Trek Cali with the same 12.28" bottom bracket height as mine. Her bike is an old 4300, so quite probably close to the 11.69" of today's 4-series.



> I was told that the seat has to be at least level with the bars, so that's where I've had it.


I don't know much about this subject, but I'm pretty sure that's incorrect. You want a more upright position for comfort, and more bent over for climbing. At any rate, you would want to adjust your seat height & fore/aft before adjusting handlebar height -- your stem & all that.

A friend who is a big-deal roadie helped me with mine. Leg should be almost fully extended, but not fully extended, when in the down position. You should not rock on your seat. Front of Knee should be over the pedal spindle when at 3 o'clock position. A good starting point anyway.

I lowered mine about 1.5" at someone's recommendation to give me more room to maneuver my body around when descending and jumping. I wasn't as powerful, but was told I would get used to it. Sure enough, the soreness went away.

Then I talked to a guy who had gone to a professional fitting. The fitter emphasized the importance of seat height for efficiency -- I didn't understand the explanation he gave -- something about muscles counteracting each other if your seat is too low. But I put the seat back up, and wow, it felt like I had motor assist or my bike lost 20 lbs. or something. Now I just extend my ankles when I need seat clearance.

Anyway, play around with it and read up on basic bike fitting.

The top-of-the-line pro bike fitting costs $150 at a LBS in our area -- 2 to 3 hours. I am considering it.

I don't miss my 26" at all, but I've never had a good 26" or ridden anyone else's that was even medium-end with modern geometry. I've always felt more confident on my 29", but that's probably in part because my 26" frame is a bit too small for me. I didn't really get into it until I got my 29", so even though I have been riding a bicycle since childhood and on and off for 45+ years, I basically learned on a 29".


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

There are three things that can contribute to being higher off the ground on a bicycle. You can change two of them, within limits, and there's a third that you're stuck with.

Bottom bracket height, saddle height, and the one nobody's mentioned - handlebar height.

To be honest, I wouldn't change the fit of my bike to try to change that aspect of handling feel. However, if you don't have the bike dialed in the first place, you may find that you lower it when you try to make it a bit better. Here's a link I like.
How to Fit a Bicycle

I actually have paid for a fit myself, and I thought it was worthwhile. But it is expensive, and I think the reward is a bit smaller for something like mountain biking. Try the Peter White article. A lot of people insist on putting their saddles too high for efficiency, which is self defeating put also makes for a higher bike.

Sooner or later, someone's going to tell you to get a dropper post. I don't use one myself, and maybe they really are the Second Coming. But I couldn't say.


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## wyo_biker (Dec 6, 2008)

It is important that you understand that under “normal” riding situations, correct seat height really has nothing to do with its height above the ground or its height above the handle bars……it has everything to do with proper knee/leg geometry when peddling and subsequently the height above the bottom bracket/pedals.


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## bikeabuser (Aug 12, 2012)

Close eye !
Always close eye !


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

wyo_biker said:


> It is important that you understand that under "normal" riding situations, correct seat height really has nothing to do with its height above the ground or its height above the handle bars&#8230;&#8230;it has everything to do with proper knee/leg geometry when peddling and subsequently the height above the bottom bracket/pedals.


I'd just add that there's nothing wrong with playing with handlebar position to try and get the right ride feel. Actually, I think that should be a really big part of setting up the handle bars on a mountain bike.


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## DennisF (Nov 4, 2011)

Great link Andrew, especially the explanation of fore-aft positioning and how it affects torso angle. Thanks. I never understood that before. I bookmarked it and can't wait to try it.

Another thought on being high off the ground. So what? As long as you can stop. It doesn't adversely affect handling like it does with a car. A little farther to fall when you crash maybe 

Dave Moulton's Bike Blog: Bottom Bracket Height


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

You're very welcome. I actually reread it myself recently. I'm setting up a different road bike and it's not quite "there," yet, for reasons I didn't quite understand. (I think something with fore-aft positioning...) White also does a much better job explaining the process than I think I would, and besides, I don't really want to type all that out or even copy-paste it from my "things I read from more experienced cyclists and want to present as my own" folder.


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## GelatiCruiser (Oct 11, 2012)

Weird... Every time I ride a 26" bike now, I feel like I'm going to fall over the front wheel. I feel like I sit higher and more "over" the bars on a 26" bike and lower and more "behind" the bars on my 29er. Guess it's just perspective?


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## eb1888 (Jan 27, 2012)

When you look at the fitment article closely you see it is for road bikes. It also mentions tradional XC bikes but the true emphasis is road-like surfaces where efficiency is easy to make your primary goal. fitment. The article says zero about trail riding fitment.
My goal is confidence in my bike control in the most difficult condition I encounter. I need balance and freedom of movement. In those mostly fast bumpy, rocky downhill conditions I am not thinking efficiency. Saddle height is lower than my road bike and a dropper post takes it out altogether if the conditions are tough enough. Without one you have to get behind your saddle, so it has to be lower-- and on steeper climbs I move to the front of the saddle to keep the balance correct and the tire on the trail.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

I actually think that both efficiency and good bike handling come from the same place - setting up my bike so that I'm pretty well in the middle of my ranges of motion, well balanced over my pedals, and with the right curvature in my back. FWIW, I've never had trouble with the saddle, and while I forget whether I ran into roughing it in by positioning it so I can just reach the pedal with my heel with my leg at full extension, I've been using that technique for a while.

I have to admit that I didn't run into Peter White's article until I'd already set up my bikes. But I like that he offers a coherent approach from start to finish. I think it should come out nicely, and I use it as a reference from time to time. I also think that riders should take ownership over the fits on their bikes. I think the article gives a good starting point that strikes a good balance between an ordered approach and getting into plumb bobs and lasers and things. I think a lot of mountain bikers would be pleasantly surprised at how low their saddles end up, using his approach, and how much movement they get within their cockpits. Maybe one of these days, I'll run into an article I like that's specific to mountain bike setup.

On my own bikes, the saddles and bottom brackets have very similar relationships on each. The handlebars are in different positions depending on what the bikes are for, though. Ultimately, they're pretty much placed right where I think Peter White's article would ultimately have landed them.


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## Tan&Green (Feb 25, 2013)

Kshawn said:


> I'll try lowering the seat even more. And other than a parking lot spin, I didn't really get to test either of them. I went with the large because that's what the shop recommended.


I am curious, did the shop you went to have that GURU bike fitting contraption??? My LBS has one and I refuse to walk in the place now because they want to charge everyone to get fitted for a bike.


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## Kshawn (Jul 22, 2012)

Tan&Green said:


> I am curious, did the shop you went to have that GURU bike fitting contraption??? My LBS has one and I refuse to walk in the place now because they want to charge everyone to get fitted for a bike.


Nope, quite the opposite in fact. He just eyeballed it.


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## Slash5 (Nov 27, 2011)

I really disagree with his dismissal of the "knee over pedal" setting.
I built up a new bike over the summer and set everything up just like my other bikes. However, I forgot that I had bought a straight seatpost and everything else had setback seatposts.
First ride, I had knee pain. Couple rides later, I had knee trouble and had to wear a knee brace for a few weeks till the pain went away.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

Is this turning into the "Andrew defends Peter White's article from several years ago" thread? Well, I did post the link.

Sorry about your knee. While White dismisses KOPS as being useful, he doesn't dismiss the importance of saddle fore/aft position. The KOPS thing refuses to die over on RBR, and there are some interesting threads there with some discussion of study of the issue. I think the studies have found that the average position is actually a little different. Regardless, when I bought my track bike about a year ago, I used Park Tool's positioning chart to copy the setup from my cyclocross bike. They have one for mountain bikes too.
Park Tool Co. » ParkTool Blog » MTB Positioning Chart

Makes it easy not to miss things.


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## Kshawn (Jul 22, 2012)

Went for a short ride thus morning and what do you know, dropping my saddle made a big difference (now that the "not below the bar" restriction is gone). I had to lower it quite a bit actually, but it felt better. I still feel a little stretched too but I think a shorter stem would fix that.


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## bikeabuser (Aug 12, 2012)

Slash5 said:


> I really disagree with his dismissal of the "knee over pedal" setting.
> I built up a new bike over the summer and set everything up just like my other bikes. However, I forgot that I had bought a straight seatpost and everything else had setback seatposts.
> First ride, I had knee pain. Couple rides later, I had knee trouble and had to wear a knee brace for a few weeks till the pain went away.


I really think it's about proper setup (relationship) to the bikes geometry.

Someone on a recumbent won't have a "knee over pedal" scenario, but they will still have adjustments available that make their pedaling effort more efficient, and in doing so, they will be adjusting the relationship of hip/knee/ankle joint to pedal/crank center.

FWIW,
I've got some minor knee issues, and if I drop my seat to low, while sitting and pedaling, I have almost instant pain ... I feel for you.


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## zebrahum (Jun 29, 2005)

Kshawn said:


> Went for a short ride thus morning and what do you know, dropping my saddle made a big difference (now that the "not below the bar" restriction is gone). I had to lower it quite a bit actually, but it felt better. I still feel a little stretched too but I think a shorter stem would fix that.


Well, I'm afraid I have to burst your bubble a little bit. Your saddle height should be set for proper leg extension while pedaling, not for a feeling of mental comfort while riding.

How long have you been riding mountain bikes and how long have you been riding your 29'er? Is this your first mountain bike? It is very common to put the saddle down for technical sections of trail or for sections of trail where you don't feel entirely comfortable, however you should be returning the saddle to the upper position for pedaling purposes. Placing the saddle at a lower than optimal position can result in leg and knee pain. This is why dropper seatposts are such a great accessory, you can get the saddle low for terrain when you feel uncomfortable, put it back up for climbs, and (depending on the post) any position in between. They're expensive, but they are an amazing tool for any rider especially a beginner.

Would you be able to take a picture of yourself on the bike from the side? One foot to the bottom of the pedal stroke, seated position, and hands on the handlebars would be ideal. There are more things than your saddle height which you can play with to feel more comfortable on a bike; stem, saddle, handlebars, seatpost...


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## JoePAz (May 7, 2012)

Kshawn said:


> I've been riding a 29er hardtail for a while now, thinking I'd get used to the feeling of being higher up. I still haven't, and I'm trying to figure out if I just don't like 29ers or if I got the wrong size. I'm 5'10 on a large Giant XTC 2 29er. Any help or advice would be appreciated.


What is too high? Your rear or bars? This weekend I jumped on a friend's Titus Racer X 26er. I hated the fit as the seat was too low, the bars too high and the length felt way short. I don't think it was the bike so much how we have out bikes set-up as we are both the same height. I ride a 17" 26" hardtail (medium) and I am 5'7".

As for 29ers the biggest issue I see is on smaller people they have to slam or invert the stem to keep the front end down. The length of 29er fork is long and can bring the bars up. Most of the time the bottom bracket height is comparable to 26" bikes and seat post length is just your leg length.


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## eb1888 (Jan 27, 2012)

Not your bike, but the fit is an example.
Your intended use and skill level determines setup.


Kshawn said:


> Went for a short ride thus morning and what do you know, dropping my saddle made a big difference (now that the "not below the bar" restriction is gone). I had to lower it quite a bit actually, but it felt better. I still feel a little stretched too but I think a shorter stem would fix that.


Shorter stem is often an easy test with some different sizes out of the parts box at your LBS. Width, rise and sweep of your bars presents more fit adjustment options.


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## JoePAz (May 7, 2012)

Kshawn said:


> ... I was told that the seat has to be at least level with the bars, so that's where I've had it....
> Do people ever go back to 26" after riding a 29er for a while?


That is a load crap. The relationship between seat height and bar height should not be level. It should be comfortable. This means you get good leg extension when pedaling and then you set the bar height to a comfortable position relative to that. Some guys like higher bars and others like lower bars. So at most you adjust the bar to seat never the seat to the bars.

The past year I have played out with seat and bar position. I actually raised my seat 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch to get better power and lowered by bars down. I have a 120 mm stem which is quite long these days, but it seems to be perfect for my narrow 585 mm wide bars. Old school fit to be sure, but it works for me as I can really get my weight forward for climbing up steep technical stuff and I can get my weight back enough for the technical descents. No seat adjustments or dropper post for me. I have been slightly moving the seat forward in fact to again get better technical climbing. I am not sure how I would feel on a 29er due to the longer front ended needed to clear the bigger wheel.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

zebrahum said:


> Your saddle height should be set for proper leg extension while pedaling, not for a feeling of mental comfort while riding.


I agree, the right leg extension makes a big difference for me in terms of power output and joint comfort. I like my mountain bike seat set a little lower than what I consider optimal height on a road bike, but not much.

I think a lower center of gravity on a mtb (and road) is better which is why I prefer a frame with a low BB height. I'll take a pedal strike now and then in exchange for the lower ride.


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## Kshawn (Jul 22, 2012)

zebrahum said:


> Well, I'm afraid I have to burst your bubble a little bit. Your saddle height should be set for proper leg extension while pedaling, *not for a feeling of mental comfort while riding*.
> 
> How long have you been riding mountain bikes and how long have you been riding your 29'er? Is this your first mountain bike? I


*Pop*

From what I've gathered so far, it's in my head then.  Sorry to bother you guys. I'll just put it back up where it was and suck it up. I've only been riding for 8mo, but got the 29er towards the end of September. Orginally I was on a 26" GT.

I'll try to take a picture by the end of the day.

Edit: Didn't mean to make that sound bitter, just a little disappointed it's a mental thing.


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## zebrahum (Jun 29, 2005)

Kshawn said:


> *Pop*
> 
> From what I've gathered so far, it's in my head then.  Sorry to bother you guys. I'll just put it back up where it was and suck it up. I've only been riding for 6mo, but got the 29er towards the end of September. Orginally I was on a 26" GT.
> 
> I'll try to take a picture by the end of the day.


Don't even worry about it, how would you know what is the best practice if you don't ask? I asked how long you had been riding because it seemed to me that your putting the saddle lower is due to the learning curve instead of a poor fit. Rest assured that as you get more experience you'll be more comfortable with your saddle higher.

To get close to your optimal saddle height sit on the saddle and put your heel (in riding shoes) on the pedal. Adjust the saddle height so that you have a slight bend in the knee. You can adjust the position from here, like J.B. most people will ride with their mountain saddles a touch lower than in that "optimal" position so don't take anything as a rigid rule.

Keep your saddle low as long as you need, just keep it in the back of your mind that ideally you will want to be up a bit higher. If your budget doesn't allow a dropper seatpost then figure out your ideal seat height, mark it, and put the saddle back down where you're comfortable. Then every few rides put your saddle a centimeter or two higher toward your ideal mark. Eventually you should be able to work up to a full height for most of your ride but never be afraid to drop the saddle down for a section that makes you uncomfortable.


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## JoePAz (May 7, 2012)

Kshawn said:


> *Pop*
> 
> From what I've gathered so far, it's in my head then.  Sorry to bother you guys. I'll just put it back up where it was and suck it up. I've only been riding for 8mo, but got the 29er towards the end of September. ....


The point is your seat should be position based on the length of you leg. It should almost the same height off the ground as you 26" GT. Any difference should be in bottom bracket height.

Now if you still feel off like this it is due the handle bar placement. That you should adjust until you are both physically and mentally comfortable. Adjusting the seat is wrong way to get the mental comfort you want.


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## Bluechip (Feb 17, 2006)

J.B. Weld said:


> I agree, the right leg extension makes a big difference for me in terms of power output and joint comfort.


I agree but I have to say that the correct right and left leg extension are both equally important to proper fit.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

Bluechip said:


> I agree but I have to say that the correct right and left leg extension are both equally important to proper fit.


Well I don't like to show off too much so I usually just use the right one, I've tried the left only but it creates a harmonic imbalance in the drivetrain.


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## djren12 (Mar 1, 2008)

29"s are purdy but im eyeng a nice 26 Orbea


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## Kshawn (Jul 22, 2012)

Thanks for the advice guys. And Zebrahum, I did what you said and measured out what the right length for me would be (had a friend help) and then marked it on the seat post. I'll make riding it at that height my goal.


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## DennisF (Nov 4, 2011)

Just got this in the mail...


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## Krunk_Kracker (Dec 31, 2012)

DennisF said:


> Just got this in the mail...


An example of a perfect fit.


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## DennisF (Nov 4, 2011)

Ok, I got a chance to play with my seat position. I felt like I want to be more upright and kept pushing back on the handlebars. Based on the White article Andrew linked to, I figured moving my ass further back would make me want to tilt my torso further forward. Sure enough, it felt better. 

I have the seat all the way back now and feel like it would be good if it went back more. So how do I know if I need an offset seatpost or shorter stem?


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

Glad the article is helping you.

Parts changes like that are pretty much guess-and-check.

Unless the two seat posts in question have really big clamps, there's some overlap in where you can put your saddle. So you won't lose your current saddle position going to an offset seat post. Give it a shot. If you don't want to buy an expensive one, the basic Kalloy posts that most bike shops have for about $15 work fine. If you're comfortable spending a bit more, I do like the two-bolt designs.

With a stem, it's pretty similar. If you feel more comfortable and in more control with a shorter stem, well, you needed it. I have a used bike shop near me that has parts bins, so I try to buy my experiment components there. Otherwise, ask your shop if they have any takeoffs in the size you want. Failing that, nashbar.com or performancebike.com usually has a house-branded stem for pretty cheap. I'd be hesitant to buy an expensive stem as an experiment - I haven't found a better way to figure out size than trying them. Make small changes. I've typically just tried +/- 10 mm at a time.


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## DennisF (Nov 4, 2011)

The current fit isn't terrible, so I just want to determine the proper size for optimum components, then I can eventually buy good parts.

I checked my old bike and it has an offset seatpost that will fit. My wife's stem may fit too, so I have more resources on hand than I realized. I don't have any other spare parts, but can ask the shop I got the bike at for loaners.

I see there are stems with adjustable angle. Do they make anything that has adjustable length as well? If so, it might be worth buying one just to determine fit. Besides eliminating the need to have acess to a lot of stems, it would save time.

Thanks again!


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## Hogdog (Aug 12, 2012)

The best way to find out is to play about with it. Have you tried flipping the stem so it points downwards? I see alot of 29ers with ridiculously high handlebars, I think that people forget when they switch to a 29er, that given the same headtube length, shock travel, stem rise, spacers etc, a 29er's bars will sit 3" higher than a 26er's. A friend of mine who switched to a 29er found that he was getting alot of arm pump when riding out of the saddle, he flipped the stem and problem solved.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

With some trig and rearrangement of spacers, an adjustable-angle stem is also an adjustable-length stem. I think Salsa makes one that's explicitly telescoping, but I think they also say not to take it off-road, and it's not cheap. There are some stem calculators that can do the math for you - just Google it. (I think phred.org or something

At risk of being "that guy,"



AndrwSwitch said:


> Parts changes like that are pretty much guess-and-check.


You can't really pre-determine optimal sizing. Using an adjustable stem is another approach to guess-and-check, however. If your saddle is slammed all the way to the back of your non-setback post, you already know that's not optimal and can guess fairly intelligently that the clamp would be more centered with a setback post. Whether it's different enough to matter is still guess-and-check, however. If you have an expensive saddle, you may not want to wait to check if the rails get bent. 

I guess if you have to have an expensive stem, since a lot of adjustable stems are relatively inexpensive, it's kind of a wash as to whether you buy an adjustable stem or just cheap fixed-angle trial stems. I never have, but another poster here likes them. I also usually just keep riding the cheap stem.


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## masterofnone (Jun 21, 2009)

I wonder if a medium wouldn't have been a better fit for you. I'm 5'9", an inch shorter than you and have always ridden mediums, or 17.5 to 18" bikes. I set my normal seat height so my knee has a slight bend when the pedal is at the 6 o'clock position (you don't want your knee locked) and your foot and pedal are level. I don't care if the look is "supposed" to be an inch or higher than the bars. The guy who sold you the bike is either clueless or a stiff roadie type, in either case he has no business fitting bikes to new riders. For typical trail riding a new bike should feel relatively comfortable off the bat, if it doesn't feel right somethin' ain't right. The wrong size bike and or poorly fitted components can cause a number of aches and pains, some can evolve into serious medical ailments, not to mention a poorly fit bike handles awkwardly and can be dangerous.


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## zephxiii (Aug 12, 2011)

I'm 5'9 and ride medium which feels like it fits perfectly.

yes pedal position is critical in cycling so don't lower your saddle so that you don't feel high. 

Yes those 29" hoops are bigger which is gonna set you up a little higher. Maybe you just haven't gotten the hang of it yet. I feel fine higher up, i kinda like it because it feels i can monster over things easier.


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## DennisF (Nov 4, 2011)

> The best way to find out is to play about with it. Have you tried flipping the stem so it points downwards?


No, I haven't tried flipping the stem over. It is pointed upwards now, and I feel like I want it closer not further away. Might be a worthwhile learning experience tho. Thanks for the suggestion.



> I think that people forget when they switch to a 29er, that given the same headtube length, shock travel, stem rise, spacers etc, a 29er's bars will sit 3" higher than a 26er's.


I think that would be 1 1/2" higher actually -- off the ground, and I'm not sure if that would be relevant or not. But I will try flipping it and see.



> If your saddle is slammed all the way to the back of your non-setback post, you already know that's not optimal and can guess fairly intelligently that the clamp would be more centered with a setback post.


I'm not sure that I don't really need a shorter stem tho.



> With some trig and rearrangement of spacers, an adjustable-angle stem is also an adjustable-length stem.


Good point -- that fact escaped me. I know how or can at least figure out to do the trig. I have a collection of carbon spacer rings I got off eBay that lets me move up and down in 5mm increments. Find a setting that works, then transfer the setting to the closest fixed stem I can find.

I determined that my wife's stem which is shorter and angled more will NOT fit -- the handlebar diameter is a lot smaller. I'll see what the LBS has to loan and possibly pick up a cheap adjustable stem.

Heck, if it isn't going to ever warm up I'll just forget the whole thing and take up roller skating again.

Bike Stem Calculator - Brightspoke


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## DennisF (Nov 4, 2011)

Hogdog, you're right about the 3". I was thinking axle height, but you got to clear the top of the tire. Duh. 

Sorry.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

I would observe that increasing the wheel size 3" doesn't just move the top of the bike upward while changing nothing else.

It's a different frame, so different manufacturer's attitudes about where to put the bottom bracket and how long to make the head tube will have at least as much effect on the size spacer stack needed to get the same fit.

I don't like deterministic formulas with regard to bikes because they rely on the idea that other things aren't changing; usually they are, or they oversimplify things like where to put the contact points on a bike. (Competitive Cyclist, I'm looking at you!)


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## powerbio (Feb 4, 2013)

..ive just bought a 29er...tbh..im already used to it....just keep riding and adapt your style if need be.


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## Hogdog (Aug 12, 2012)

DennisF said:


> No, I haven't tried flipping the stem over. It is pointed upwards now, and I feel like I want it closer not further away. Might be a worthwhile learning experience tho. Thanks for the suggestion.


No worries. Flipping the stem makes relatively little difference to how stretched out you are and ultimately, it's about finding a good compromise so you might find that you prefer a shorter stem with a drop. I'd flip it and if that's not perfect then try a shorter stem (both ways around if necessary), that'll give you a better idea of what works for you.


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