Road to MTB sizing

FastforaSlowGuy · #1 05-18-2013, 01:29 PM

My wife has been riding an loving her custom built Seven road bike, and now realizes that nothing else is a comfortable and fast. She wants her MTB to fit equally well. I confess that while I obsess over road fit, I just ride my MTB and have zero idea how it should fit. Any tips on how and what to carry over from her road to MTB?

rinconryder · #2 05-18-2013, 01:59 PM

No idea but I ride a 55cm virtual top tube and on a mountain bike I am 23.5 inches for the virtual top tube. Maybe there is a ratio you can use from that?

fourflys · #3 05-18-2013, 02:41 PM

Mountain bikes are typically more about the seat tube size as far as I know... form that it's all about bars a stem for the most part... at least on production bikes, no idea on customs...

for me, I ride a 54.5ish tt road bike and am typically on a 17-18" MTB, but it all depends on the design of the bike for a mtn since frame designs can be all over the place depending on the style of bike... and how much room you want to be able to move around the MTB... you don't need much space to move around the road bike, but most want more room for "body english" on the MTB...

at least that's been my experience... YMMV

coylifut · #4 05-18-2013, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FastforaSlowGuy

My wife has been riding an loving her custom built Seven road bike, and now realizes that nothing else is a comfortable and fast. She wants her MTB to fit equally well. I confess that while I obsess over road fit, I just ride my MTB and have zero idea how it should fit. Any tips on how and what to carry over from her road to MTB?

nearly nothing. if she is going to ride a hard-tail, her saddle height and set back will be very similar. as full suspension travel increases, the saddle will move forward and up. as far as sizing, most mtbs will have a guide as far as rider height to mtb size. for every 3 road bike sizing increments, there is one mtb size. remember, on your road bike, you ride at the margin. meaning your bar reach and drop are about as far out and down as you can comfortably take. the current trend on mtbs is bars get wider and stems shorter as the riders agression increases.