Under 6ft on an XL.

PLUGGA

Likes Dirt
Morning, been a while! Hope everyone is well. What are people's thoughts on riding an XL framed bike, but being under 6ft? Would banging on a short stem and pushing the saddle forward a little cut it? Or just too big? Cheers!
 

The Reverend

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Depends on which brands XL it is. If it's a Santa Cruz, Ibis or Pivot from the last 3 yrs or so it should be fine. Anything more recent and you might find the effective TT / Reach too long.

The measurements, rather than the frame size name is what counts...
 

creaky

XMAS Plumper
As above, what bike ?

What do you ride at the moment and how does it’s size feel to you ?

Do you have average proportions of leg/torso/arms etc ?
 

PLUGGA

Likes Dirt
I'm doing the dreaded "looking for a bike for a mate." There's a nice as XL Evil Insurgent for sale here on RB. I'm pretty much the same height (5ft 10" ish) and I'm on a L carbon sight. Perhaps I could get him on mine and if he's comfortable, then compare reach measurements and see if a short stem would pick up the difference?
 
Z

Zaf

Guest
Check your leg length and seat tube length. That'll be your main limiting factor, unless it's a really new bike where they've cut that length down to fit longer droppers. Pretty sure the Insurgents still have a longer tube there.
 

Dozer

Heavy machinery.
Staff member
I'm 6 foot 4" and I find some XL's too stretched. It'd be hard to get a feel of it unless you could actually throw a leg over it.
 

the drizzle

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I am 6'1 and just changed from a large frame to an xl. The xl is a much better fit for me, although even the xl seems short in reach compared to a mates large process. It varies so much between manufacturers


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creaky

XMAS Plumper
The geo chart suggests that it's not a short XL. The evil size guide says 6'4" for the XL ... probably not ideal for someone 5'10".
 

The Reverend

Likes Bikes and Dirt
If it's the slimball yellow XL insurgent I'm pretty sure the owner is over 6'. If your mate is 5'10" he's going to feel like he's nicked his dad's bike.

Probably too many compromises to make it fit properly.
 

Tubbsy

Packin' a small bird
Staff member
I'm 192cm (so 6'3") without shoes on and have only ever owned XL bikes.

Most large frames feel too cramped to me, and a long stem and setback post seem like undesirable compromises.

I would thing that sizing up would be easier though; with a short stem you may be ok - a bit more of an 'in the bike' rather than 'on the bike' feeling.

Then again it may feel like steering a boat. I think you'd need to test-ride a big with similar numbers before dropping the cash.
 

droenn

Fat Man's XC President
I'm 5'11 and mostly fit well on M frames.
My Process is a L and its got a short stem, fits well but no way would I go bigger.
 

slowmick

38-39"
i am 6' 3' and i have an XL hardtail that is too long even with a very short stem. Unless you mate has very long arms for his height you should probably keep looking.
 

Oddjob

Merry fucking Xmas to you assholes
I'm 193 cms (6'3") and everything I have is XL. I tend to run 70-100mm stems on most things but that suggests only 2-5cm of wiggle room in top tube length.

There's heaps of good stuff on fb thats a L.

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flamin'trek

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I'm about 6ft. Ride medium or large. The XL frame I tried wasn't too big to ride, but stand-over was a problem. I do ride XL in road bikes comfortably though.
 
Z

Zaf

Guest
I'm about 6ft. Ride medium or large. The XL frame I tried wasn't too big to ride, but stand-over was a problem. I do ride XL in road bikes comfortably though.
5'9" rounding error detected.

But @OP should measure your full dimensions, if you're a daddy long legs, you'll get away with it on some bikes that you wont on others. The take away is that nothing rides as well as a bike that fits properly, whatever that fitment may mean to you.
 

ozzybmx

taking a shit with my boobs out
The take away is that nothing rides as well as a bike that fits properly
^^^This, no matter how much a good deal it is, it'll eat you up everytime you ride the bike, it will be a short lived ownership.
 
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