What size mountain bike frame do I need if I ride a 56cm bike?

[mtechnica]

I’m not really sure how I’ll get an opportunity to test ride a variety of mountain bikes to my satisfaction so my plan so far is to try to get a good estimation of what I think I need and ride it for a while, then re-evaluate after I actually learn how to ride a mountain bike and see where my preferences lie.

At this point I’m debating between building up a frame or trying to buy a complete, but there are so many different options I’m at a bit of a loss except that I know I want a relatively light 29er with at least a front shock and modern geometry. I’m not sure if I want or need a full suspension but it could be nice to have.

I’ve been riding my cyclocross bike with 45c tires on some of the popular mountain bike routes in the area and it’s not ideal hahaha.

One thing I can say for sure is that I’m not going to do jumps or bomb down hills.

[jtakeda]

There’s no shops that rent bikes?

No friends that can let you borrow a bike?

Maybe come to Santa Cruz and demo an ibis and a Santa Cruz and you’ll get an idea of your fit

[93KgBike]

The used mtb market is pretty inviting right about now. Good deals on several generations of Santa Cruz's. I'd say med or large depending on build. GL

[mtechnica]

Originally Posted by 93KgBike

The used mtb market is pretty inviting right about now. Good deals on several generations of Santa Cruz's. I'd say med or large depending on build. GL

Any thoughts on things to look for? I’d prefer Shimano and will probably have a budget of ~ 1500 when I’m ready to buy.

[Jaybee]

Originally Posted by mtechnica

I’m not really sure how I’ll get an opportunity to test ride a variety of mountain bikes to my satisfaction so my plan so far is to try to get a good estimation of what I think I need and ride it for a while, then re-evaluate after I actually learn how to ride a mountain bike and see where my preferences lie.

At this point I’m debating between building up a frame or trying to buy a complete, but there are so many different options I’m at a bit of a loss except that I know I want a relatively light 29er with at least a front shock and modern geometry. I’m not sure if I want or need a full suspension but it could be nice to have.

I’ve been riding my cyclocross bike with 45c tires on some of the popular mountain bike routes in the area and it’s not ideal hahaha.

One thing I can say for sure is that I’m not going to do jumps or bomb down hills.

If you are this new and willing to do this as an iterative process, then I think you could do way worse than the following:

1) Get some parking lot rides in on whatever major brands are carried close to you (either at an LBS or on Craigslist or whatever) in size M or L. You can get some sense of what bikes fit and which are complete no-go's just by riding around the neighborhood.

2) Everyone has a HT 29er, the specific differences between say, a Specialized Epic or Chisel, Trek Procaliber, Salsa Timberjack, Santa Cruz or Kona whatever aren't super important. Pick whichever spec/color you like. There aren't very many bad MTB out there, especially HTs, so pick with confidence.

3) Ride this for a few months. Evaluate where you are with riding skills, what tires and drivetrain bits you like. Fiddle with your fork knobs and pressures. Maybe try a dropper, maybe don't. Develop personal experience.

4) You now know enough to be a better informed shopper about what works for you. Go back to your LBS and tell them what you like and don't like about your current bike. Maybe you just need a bigger fork, maybe some fatter tires or less knobby tires. Maybe you are ready for a whole new bike. But at least you have your own experience to tell you this.

Enjoy, MTB is fun. Way more fun than road, IMO.

How to Buy a MTB

[John H.]

Size will be specific to the bike, terrain, and riding style.
But I would call 785mm saddle height a large any day of the week.
My saddle height is closer to 730mm, I am a medium- But I could go large on some bikes.

[93KgBike]

The Tall Boy, the Blur, even the older Superlight (vpp) or the original single pivot climb exceedingly well. There are many others, and a strong rider can enjoy any good bike, but I've never enjoyed xc climbing more than on one of these.

I just checked the bay, and really need to look away. Good selection at the low$ end. Right at your $point for example (no affiliation):

[eippo1]

All really good recommendations from above. I'd also second what most are saying re: second hand or buying new and then fiddling with the spec. It's relatively easy to build up with a road bike, but buying piece by piece in the mtb world for everything will cost way more $$ than it's usually worth.

[BikeNY]

What kind of trails are you planning to ride? Are they really rocky and technical with lots of rock gardens and logs and such? Or smoother with only the occasional technical feature? That should give you some direction on bike type. HT vs FS.

There must be shops around your area that will at the very least let you ride a couple of bikes around the parking lot to get a feel for the right size.

In your situation, I think a hardtail 29er with the biggest tires that fit makes the most sense. Ride that for a season so you have some idea what kind of trails you like, what you like about the bike and what you don't. No point in spending even more money on a bike that may not fit right, may not be the style of bike you end up liking, etc. You may end up not even liking mountain biking!

[mtechnica]

Most of the riding I do is on relatively smooth trails, like I’ve said I’ve been managing on a cross bike although downhill can be really slow going without risking going over the bars - lol. Lots of climbing though, and I would say comfort is a big priority since I like the smooth feel of road riding and don’t enjoy getting bumped around all day, which is why I’d consider FS.

[Hilltopperny]

I have a nice Trek procaliber 9.8 sl in 18.5 which is basically a medium large and would probably be the perfect bike for your size and needs. I am also looking to clear it out for $1,800 shipped if you are interested.

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[danesgod]

Originally Posted by BikeNY

What kind of trails are you planning to ride? Are they really rocky and technical with lots of rock gardens and logs and such? Or smoother with only the occasional technical feature? That should give you some direction on bike type. HT vs FS.

There must be shops around your area that will at the very least let you ride a couple of bikes around the parking lot to get a feel for the right size.

In your situation, I think a hardtail 29er with the biggest tires that fit makes the most sense. Ride that for a season so you have some idea what kind of trails you like, what you like about the bike and what you don't. No point in spending even more money on a bike that may not fit right, may not be the style of bike you end up liking, etc. You may end up not even liking mountain biking!

I agree with considering what kind of riding you're doing, and being realistic about it . I came from a BMX background so a small-ish, squirrel-y bike was a good first choice for me, I got a ~2008 santa cruz chameleon. It jumped super well coming from BMX, but was harsh going into similar "level" rock gardens. I've since moved up to a longer, slacker, trail/jump-y oriented bike with a plush shock, making "hard" rock gardens more straightforward than the older hardtail.

Point being, if you're jumping or came from BMX, go medium (fit will probably small-ish on you). If you want a boat with stability for plowing through chunder, go bigger. If you're riding XC, 29er hardtail is probably a good bet at a good price.

TL;DR - a hardtail, older generation bike around the ~$500-1000 will serve you well, and could be resold with minimal loss of value if you hate it or want something fancier in a year.

[Jaybee]

Originally Posted by Hilltopperny

I have a nice Trek procaliber 9.8 sl in 18.5 which is basically a medium large and would probably be the perfect bike for your size and needs. I am also looking to clear it out for $1,800 shipped if you are interested.

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Ive seen this in the classifieds. It's a really nice bike that I would be all over if I didn't know that I'm definitely a 19.5 in this particular model.

[jtakeda]

Originally Posted by John H.

Size will be specific to the bike, terrain, and riding style.
But I would call 785mm saddle height a large any day of the week.
My saddle height is closer to 730mm, I am a medium- But I could go large on some bikes.

+1 here.

I’m a 745mm saddle height and consider myself a medium but I’m riding a large no problem.

[zambenini]

I feel compelled to add: it's a different sport with a dropper. You want one for fun's sake. Whatever kind of bike you get. You won't regret it.

While I'm generally a retrogrouch about bike tech, modern MTBs rule compared with the rim brake 26er I started on. Droppers are a good development.