Mountain bike size question - wrong advice?

galaxycycle120

I just bought a 16" Raleigh mountain bike and when i'm standing over the bar there is about an inch of clearance. After I bought it somebody told me I'm supposed to have 4-5" of clearance when standing over the bar. I've never been mountain biking (I'm used to a road bike) and am not an expert on any kind of biking but that seemed like it would be an awfully small bike - is this guy's advice wrong? I've only ridden the bike on pavement a little to test it and it seemed fine, but I could still exchange it if needed.

Fendercrazy

If the seat height and the distance to the handlebar is comfortable than I think you would be good to go. I think I only have an inch or two standing over my bike's top bar.

krayzie

I also have only about an inch or so of standover clearance. According to the book by Ned Overend it's supposed to be (inseam) - 14" = frame size, so I'm supposed to own a 16" bike (I'm currently riding a 19.5" and honestly I feel fine when mounting by stradalling the top tube). He said that the extra clearance helps with mounting on a downhill start. But my previous bike was a 16.5" and it feels awfully small and cramped.

On a seemingly related note, I've read somewhere on the web (forgot where) that a bike with a longer top tube and a shorter stem is much more stable then a bike with a shorter top tube and a longer stem.

tyler_derden

Road bikes don't need so much standover clearance because falling off of them is relatively rare event. They also want to make the frame as stiff as possible for maximum efficiency. I think the issue with MTBs is that a little extra standover room helps keep you from busting your nutz on the top tube when you go down.

On an MTB, if you're riding off-road, you WILL go down...

TD

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moparchris

height on a road bike means nothingl, a road bikesa sizing is all about the length, height means nothing

stiff frame isnt nessecerily a good thing, some flex is bad but other flex is good you dont ewant a completely solid bike but if it flexes in some ways it can be bad because oit will absorb the power your putting in but some flex in the forks and seat/chainstays will help in absorbing road shocks

you should have a minimum of 1" clearance, are you still growing at all ? if so then its ideal to have that sortof size frame then you can grow into it for a while. if your not going to grow anymore and are uncomfortable with the height, well then exchange it.. do you know if raleigh measures crank centre to top tube centre or right to the top ?

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galaxycycle120

Thanks for all your replies, you were all very helpful. I'm just going to keep this one because the next size down just seemed awfully small. Also the inseam - 14" calculation one of you wrote gives me a 16" bike so I think this one will be just great.

Solanog

I have about an 1" of cleareance with my MB (similar to my RoadBike) I feel comfortable but the bicycle seems a little big, it is a 18.5" and I'm 5'10", the smaller one was 17". Those 4" have been recomended to me jsut in case you fall, as said above protecting your nutz the truth is I've fallen quite some times but my nutz are intact, my clavicle was broken

MountainPro

There is no calculation for mtb sizing that is accurate and if anyone tells you there is then they are a bullshit merchant.

Everybody is built differently and we all come in different sizes.

Born2bahick

That is so true! I guy I ride with is 5'10" but has a 36" inseam, very long leggs and hardly any torso. A bike tall enough to fit the "distance from crotch to top tube" theory is so long that he has trouble reaching the handlebars. And the guy at the local bike shop is just the opposite, very long torso with short leggs. I myself came from Motocross racing years ago so I like a bigger bike under me than I need, I just like having something more substantial under me.
Also the kind of riding you do and the type terrain you ride can play a role in what you may and may not consider rideable

freeride_er

for jumps and street and stuff its good to have alot of clearance but for xc i think your good to go

freeride_er

for xc that much is fine. i ride dirtjumps and street and i prefer alot of clearance just so i dont nut myself