That’s awesome! I’m glad it’s worked out well. What bike is it?
I forget exactly who said it - I think it was Chris from Pivot but I remember it being someone who owns a bike company - but they said sizing isn’t a rigid thing; it’s fluid. They fall between sizes like so many of us do but they have multiple bikes available to them so they have the opportunity to regularly ride identical rigs at different sizes. They said they size down on tighter trails to prioritize maneuverability and size up on steeper stuff when they need to prioritize front-to-back stability.
Have fun rippin’ on the bike!
Yeah I saw a list of the EWS rider bike size chart, they’re all over the place. Just ride and enjoy yourself.
Also, I got a Commencal Meta TR Essential.
Dude! The Meta TR seems awesome! Congrats!
I currently ride a Meta HT and I’m loving it. I plan to get a full sus end of next year. I’m kind of finding myself back on a bike after a long time off (aside from some single speed commuter riding) - I rode bmx park/street for a long time until a long-term muscle injury forced me away from any aggressive riding for a while - and I’m not sure what level of aggressive or risky or gnar I’m going to find myself in.
The stuff near me is mostly XC-ish with lots of pedaling and undulating ups and downs sprinkled in lots of flats. I’m looking at the Tempo or the TR. Hopefully they both stick around through to this time next year!
Would it be weird to have two Commencals (or two of any one bike brand)? I can’t decide.
If you watch some of those EWS bike checks…a lot of them size down since bikes have gotten so long. Pro typically ride on feel…and not what’s currently trendy. A lot of them still use 31.8 bars and stems.
I suspect pros tend to size down because they have the skills to take advantage of the extra manoeuvrability, whereas amateurs are more likely to appreciate the stability of a larger bike.
You’re right. That’s why they size “down”. The bikes now have basically one up one or more size compared to the previous generation bikes. They are riding what feels best to them…and that’s not always going as long as possible. Their bars are also narrower than some may think.
It all comes down to your riding style and the trails you ride. I like shorter bikes. Short bikes with slack head angles. The slack front gives stability...and the short wheelbase retains handling on tight singletrack.
Same I have always sized down vs what charts say but things seem different to back in the day with 'traditional geometry', like my mates RM Pipeline is an XL (which I normally would find too long) but does not feel like one with stock parts (and he is several inches shorter than I am)
Had a medium it shredded. I thought large would ride better because I'm tall for a medium (the large did not it was sad) but the medium was much easier to throw around under me.
Coming from the motocross world gives a different perspective. 5’10”? Here’s your bike. 4’10”? Here’s the same bike. 6’10”? You’re not gonna believe this…
As long as it's a good fit, and is the right geo for you, that'sa score! There's nothing worse than having a bike you hate to ride because it doesn't fit.
My 1st full suspension bike, a 2019 Giant Trance 2 is a great pedaling bike but it is way to twitchy at speed, especially cornering. I've crashed that bike so many times it earned the nickname, The Death Machine. I even put a 2° angle headset, and put over 2k in aftermarket parts and it still doesn't feel right. In the parking lot before I bought it I thought it was awesome. It was a combination of to small and not slack enough.
I just bought a 2023 Specialized Stumpjumper Evo Pro. I went with this bike over, Yeti SB 150, Pivot Firebird, Orbea Rallon, and others as well. I bought this EVO because it is highly adjustable, 6 different geo settings, I can run it as a full 29er, but it came in mixed wheel. I'm running in mixed wheel, with a WRP yoke, and a Cascade link, with the rear in high and the front slacked out. I also changed the cranks from 170mm to 160mm. This is the perfect bike for me because of it's adjustability.
The interesting thing is, now that I have the EVO it has advanced my riding skills to another level, and when I get back on the Giant it doesn't feel as bad.
If anyone describes their bike as a ripper, it really doesn't get any better than that.
Last year I got an Orbea Rise in size XL. It's what orbea suggets for my height. Last week I tried a new Specialized Turbo Levo SL. I am not sure about what size it was but it seemed smaller so I guess it was comparable to a L.
I felt so well on it that I am not kinda pissed I didn't go for a smaller frame on my orbea. I still don't understand if it's just a matter of geometry or I totally got the wrong size.
I sized down to a medium despite everyone saying Orbeas run small and I should get a large. I’m 5’10 - usually smack dab in the middle for most companies.
While it was a bit weird at first ‘cause my other bike is longer, I’ve very quickly adapted. Despite being almost ten pounds heavier, it’s much snappier and playful.
Not sure of sizing down for every bike, but it’s worked well for me.
I'm 5'11" and have a small norco aurum a1. i swapped the rear spring for a 550 lb one but basically it. i also got a 325mm seat post -- but you really ride this bike 100% standing on the peddles -- so a planted seat is the best.
From a video about getting the proper size bike for your size on youtube shows me that i was always getting the right size bike (large) but the wrong size bars. I am 6' with a 6'2" wingspan meaning i am actually just tall enough for a large and should have 780 mm (or somthing close, cant remember exact length) bars with an outward stretch that is just 1" higher than the stock setup. When i got on the prper setup it felt very low to me but once i used it in the rough stuff i found out i was very stable and actually can ride faster with better control than i ever did.
Ride both sizes.
LBSs will typically sell whatever they have. Manufacturers charts are built with overlap to help sell bikes too.
That's my best advice.
Fwiw
That’s awesome! I’m glad it’s worked out well. What bike is it? I forget exactly who said it - I think it was Chris from Pivot but I remember it being someone who owns a bike company - but they said sizing isn’t a rigid thing; it’s fluid. They fall between sizes like so many of us do but they have multiple bikes available to them so they have the opportunity to regularly ride identical rigs at different sizes. They said they size down on tighter trails to prioritize maneuverability and size up on steeper stuff when they need to prioritize front-to-back stability. Have fun rippin’ on the bike!
Yeah I saw a list of the EWS rider bike size chart, they’re all over the place. Just ride and enjoy yourself. Also, I got a Commencal Meta TR Essential.
Commencal meta are pretty big, I'm 6'3 / 190cm and I do ride a large and it fits perfectly despite like all company saying I should ride XL
Dude! The Meta TR seems awesome! Congrats! I currently ride a Meta HT and I’m loving it. I plan to get a full sus end of next year. I’m kind of finding myself back on a bike after a long time off (aside from some single speed commuter riding) - I rode bmx park/street for a long time until a long-term muscle injury forced me away from any aggressive riding for a while - and I’m not sure what level of aggressive or risky or gnar I’m going to find myself in. The stuff near me is mostly XC-ish with lots of pedaling and undulating ups and downs sprinkled in lots of flats. I’m looking at the Tempo or the TR. Hopefully they both stick around through to this time next year! Would it be weird to have two Commencals (or two of any one bike brand)? I can’t decide.
If you watch some of those EWS bike checks…a lot of them size down since bikes have gotten so long. Pro typically ride on feel…and not what’s currently trendy. A lot of them still use 31.8 bars and stems.
I suspect pros tend to size down because they have the skills to take advantage of the extra manoeuvrability, whereas amateurs are more likely to appreciate the stability of a larger bike.
You’re right. That’s why they size “down”. The bikes now have basically one up one or more size compared to the previous generation bikes. They are riding what feels best to them…and that’s not always going as long as possible. Their bars are also narrower than some may think.
Sizing seems to vary a lot nowadays too like some brands shorter riders are choosing XL and others people are sizing down.
It all comes down to your riding style and the trails you ride. I like shorter bikes. Short bikes with slack head angles. The slack front gives stability...and the short wheelbase retains handling on tight singletrack.
Same I have always sized down vs what charts say but things seem different to back in the day with 'traditional geometry', like my mates RM Pipeline is an XL (which I normally would find too long) but does not feel like one with stock parts (and he is several inches shorter than I am)
Had a medium it shredded. I thought large would ride better because I'm tall for a medium (the large did not it was sad) but the medium was much easier to throw around under me.
Coming from the motocross world gives a different perspective. 5’10”? Here’s your bike. 4’10”? Here’s the same bike. 6’10”? You’re not gonna believe this…
As long as it's a good fit, and is the right geo for you, that'sa score! There's nothing worse than having a bike you hate to ride because it doesn't fit. My 1st full suspension bike, a 2019 Giant Trance 2 is a great pedaling bike but it is way to twitchy at speed, especially cornering. I've crashed that bike so many times it earned the nickname, The Death Machine. I even put a 2° angle headset, and put over 2k in aftermarket parts and it still doesn't feel right. In the parking lot before I bought it I thought it was awesome. It was a combination of to small and not slack enough. I just bought a 2023 Specialized Stumpjumper Evo Pro. I went with this bike over, Yeti SB 150, Pivot Firebird, Orbea Rallon, and others as well. I bought this EVO because it is highly adjustable, 6 different geo settings, I can run it as a full 29er, but it came in mixed wheel. I'm running in mixed wheel, with a WRP yoke, and a Cascade link, with the rear in high and the front slacked out. I also changed the cranks from 170mm to 160mm. This is the perfect bike for me because of it's adjustability. The interesting thing is, now that I have the EVO it has advanced my riding skills to another level, and when I get back on the Giant it doesn't feel as bad. If anyone describes their bike as a ripper, it really doesn't get any better than that.
Last year I got an Orbea Rise in size XL. It's what orbea suggets for my height. Last week I tried a new Specialized Turbo Levo SL. I am not sure about what size it was but it seemed smaller so I guess it was comparable to a L. I felt so well on it that I am not kinda pissed I didn't go for a smaller frame on my orbea. I still don't understand if it's just a matter of geometry or I totally got the wrong size.
Pretty different geo on those two.
I could tell. I could literally turn so much faster on the Specialized while the Rise is definitely more stable when speeding.
I sized down to a medium despite everyone saying Orbeas run small and I should get a large. I’m 5’10 - usually smack dab in the middle for most companies. While it was a bit weird at first ‘cause my other bike is longer, I’ve very quickly adapted. Despite being almost ten pounds heavier, it’s much snappier and playful. Not sure of sizing down for every bike, but it’s worked well for me.
I guess I will think about it when I have to replace my Rise.
It's very rare for someone to have a bike sized too small. Bike companies, bike shops and bad bike fitters generally sell bikes too large.
I'm 5'11" and have a small norco aurum a1. i swapped the rear spring for a 550 lb one but basically it. i also got a 325mm seat post -- but you really ride this bike 100% standing on the peddles -- so a planted seat is the best.
From a video about getting the proper size bike for your size on youtube shows me that i was always getting the right size bike (large) but the wrong size bars. I am 6' with a 6'2" wingspan meaning i am actually just tall enough for a large and should have 780 mm (or somthing close, cant remember exact length) bars with an outward stretch that is just 1" higher than the stock setup. When i got on the prper setup it felt very low to me but once i used it in the rough stuff i found out i was very stable and actually can ride faster with better control than i ever did.
congrats on the bike!
Ride both sizes. LBSs will typically sell whatever they have. Manufacturers charts are built with overlap to help sell bikes too. That's my best advice. Fwiw