Check out my Moots & reassure me!

[jckid]

Here's my long awaited Moots Rigormootis! UPS finally found it! They managed to lose the fork after that, but as you see, it finally arrived too. I am amazed by the quality of the frame. The tubes are larger diameter than I expected--larger than most other ti frames I've seen--and I like it. Looks good to have oversized tubing on a mountain bike.

Anyway, here's where the needing reassurance part comes in. I carefully studied the geometry of the frame on the Moots website before I bought it. Normally I would ride a 15" mountain frame. Moots makes this frame in 14" and 16". I was afraid the 14" might be a tad small. I decided the 16" frame with curved top tube would work best, because the top tube length was correct and the standover was right. Also, it listed the seat tube as 15" center to top (even though it's a 16" frame), so it seemed perfect.

When the frame arrived, it looked a little bigger than I expected. I took all the measurements, and everything matched up to the Moots geometry chart except for one thing--the seat tube measurement. Turns out it's actually 15" center to center, not center to top. The center to top measurement is 16". So the seat tube is 1" longer than I expected. That means that I will have 1" less seatpost showing than I planned on.

I set up the frame on blocks last night (not the picture below) to get an idea of the true standover. If my measurements were right, I should have about 2.5" of clearance at the midpoint. The picture below shows the seatpost at the position it will be at (give or take a 1/2cm). So here's where I need reassurance. Does this setup look aesthetically good (i.e. enough seatpost showing)? I attached pictures from two different angles. Thanks in advance for checking out my post.

[justinf]

looks sweet to me.

[gasman]

Build it. Ride the s#it out of it.

Sweet

[Steve Hampsten]

It looks awesome and you should be smacked for scaring yourself so easily. Really, I think you picked the right size and the look will be perfect. But this is a roady forum, so what do we know?

Sweet rig.

Write back and let us know how it rides.

[Matthew]

Very nice frame. I have always lusted after a Moots. Still don't have one though. Anyway, I think the amount of post is just right. On so many mtb's today it looks as if there is too much post sticking out. So much that they would seem more likely to bend/break. Build that baby and forget about it. Matt.

[DfCas]

Perfect

[Louis]

I bet after you build it up and ride it you'll have completely forgotten about this issue.

[ti_boi]

...aesthetically....the MOOTS logo and those delicious tubes are sublime....

nice bike. you're a lovely man and you have nice teeth.

[Lifelover]

How much stem will you end up with?

[Ginger]

Looks like you're in the ball park depending on the stem...standover sounds fine. If you're worried about that - pad the top tube 'cause standover on a mtb really only matters when you get off the bike in an unexpected manner.

Only way to tell is to ride it.

It may ride "bigger" than bikes you've ridden before, but you get used to things like that.

congratulations. I really like moots mtbs.

nice bike!

[jckid]

Originally Posted by Lifelover

How much stem will you end up with?

I planned on a 10CM stem based on the frame's geometry chart, and the actual top tube length is the same as stated in the chart. I am probably going to use a cheap stem to start, that way if I'm wrong, I won't be out too much money. I doubt I will need any longer than 10CM, and definitely no shorter than 9CM. I know a lot of forumites here like longer stems on their road bikes, but a couple of builders recommended that for a mountain bike I should go with a little longer top tube and shorter stem. I hope that was good advice.

When I decided on the frame size, I also thought that one advantage might be that I won't have to use so many spacers to get the bars at the right level. Obviously I won't know exactly how this is going to work until I get it built and ride it, but I'm feeling better since everyone so far thinks that it looks normal with the seatpost in position. Parts will start trickeling in next week, and I am getting anxious to get this built. I am anxious to decide on a wheelset, because if I can some wheels under it, I will have a much better idea of the exact standover.

Thanks for all the comments thus far. I know most of you guys are more into road bikes. I could have posted this on a mountain bike forum, but I trust the opinions of Serotta forumites more. You guys are great!

[Lifelover]

Originally Posted by jckid

I planned on a 10CM stem based on the frame's geometry chart, and the actual top tube length is the same as stated in the chart. I am probably going to use a cheap stem to start, that way if I'm wrong, I won't be out too much money. I doubt I will need any longer than 10CM, and definitely no shorter than 9CM. I know a lot of forumites here like longer stems on their road bikes, but a couple of builders recommended that for a mountain bike I should go with a little longer top tube and shorter stem. I hope that was good advice.

When I decided on the frame size, I also thought that one advantage might be that I won't have to use so many spacers to get the bars at the right level. Obviously I won't know exactly how this is going to work until I get it built and ride it, but I'm feeling better since everyone so far thinks that it looks normal with the seatpost in position. Parts will start trickeling in next week, and I am getting anxious to get this built. I am anxious to decide on a wheelset, because if I can some wheels under it, I will have a much better idea of the exact standover.

Thanks for all the comments thus far. I know most of you guys are more into road bikes. I could have posted this on a mountain bike forum, but I trust the opinions of Serotta forumites more. You guys are great!

If the change doesn't impact how it rides than forget about it. It's a freaking Moots. It will look great no matter what you do.

[Ginger]

If it's within specs, 9 or 10 should be fine.

If you find yourself shorter than 9 that's when you'll probably start seeing some screwy handling issues crop up.

Good luck!

[ti_boi]

I don't want to speak out of turn but I have noticed a range of taste on this forum which tells me that amost everyone on this board loves bikes of all kinds.

We respect companies who build innovative and traditional bikes, like the Moots....

I can tell you that I built my MTB up about two years ago and only recently rode the thing like it was designed to be ridden. It was an epiphany! Totally enjoyable and challenging. I hope to do it again soon.