# proper mountain bike size



## d19rye (Jul 4, 2006)

i am new to mountain biking. I am going to buy a 2006 GT Aggressor, becuase its a great price and a pretty good bike. I have to buy the bike over the phone because i dont live near any dealers. What size should i get. I am 5'11" 190 lbs. Normal athletic build. Also my wife is going to get the same bike but the female version she is 5'2" 125 lbs. What size should she get? The sizes are like extra small small medium large extra large


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## Soupboy (Jan 13, 2004)

Height and weight are only a small part of the equation. Since you're new to MTBing you should get all your particular measurements to a dealer - online seems to be your only option - who can guide you.

There is zero consistentcy in the sizing of S/M/L/XL from mfr to mfr and often even from frame to frame with the same mfr.

Definitely worth the effort on the front end versus dropping coin on bikes that may fit poorly and be no fun to ride.


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## d19rye (Jul 4, 2006)

so what are my options then. Where can i go to order a bike online more specificly the 2006 GT Agressor online.


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## DiRt DeViL (Dec 24, 2003)

Go to wrenchscience.com and do their fit guide, that should give you a good idea on your "correct" size.

I would say that your size would be L and your wife S but that's just a guess based on your info.


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## d19rye (Jul 4, 2006)

the website helped alot thank you 
but they gave measurements for:
handelbar width 
overall reach
frame size 
saddle height

but on the gt website they give specs for 
Chainstay Length
Stand Over
BB Height
Top Tube Length
so what does all that mean and what can i do with the measurements i got


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## Sideknob (Jul 14, 2005)

I am 5' 7" and have a medium 2005 Avalanche. I have about 8 inches of seatpost sticking out. One of my buddies had a medium Avalanche as well, he's about 5' 10", his seatpost was out about ten inches - near maximum.

If I were you I'd be looking at a large for yourself, and a small for your wife.

Basically, as far as fit is concerned, you just need to worry about top tube length (this is how long the frame is - affects whether or not you can get stretched out enough on the bike. You have a little leeway here, by playing with longer or shorter headstems, depending on if you want a racey feel or a cruisy feel)

Standover is just that - how high the top tube is off the gound, just ahead of the front of the seat. In other words, if you dismount over the frame, how much "gonad room" there is for you. It can be very important if you are riding in rugged terrain.

Obviously, the frame needs also to have a long enough seat tube so you can get the seat high enough to get proper leg extension, with most bikes coming with a 350mm seatpost, which has about 10 inches of usable up / down adjustment.


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## Sixty Fiver (Apr 10, 2006)

There are many factors that determine what consitutes a good fit and your own particular geometry and riding style will determine what bike is going to be the best fit for you. 

In my case... I'm five foot ten with a long torso and good reach so am drawn to bikes that match my own personal geometry and offer a little more cockpit room that the average 5'10 guy might want. 

If you and your wife are going to be dropping a good amount of money on a pair of new bikes, it would really be of benefit if you could get to a shop that will let you test drive them to ensure they are what you want.

The Agressor might be the ideal bike for you but you won't know that until you saddle one up... the reviews here give it a decent amount of chilis as to it's bang for the buck and performance for light XC use and I bet there are good deals to be had since the model is discontinued.

I do like GT frames as they are well designed and extremely solid... this makes them worthy of future upgrades.


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

check the standover height.

Tha is from the floor to the top tube.

This should be less than your inseam. or crotch to floor.

The GT aggressor may have a bent to tube but if it is straight this is a quick way of checking the size.

But you should really do a test ride on some bike before you buy??


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