Frame size ?

[Rob W]

I`m thinking of getting a old MTB from ebay and don`t know about frame sizes on them.I`am 5.9ft so what is the right size for me?

[sonic909]

20" or Large.

[Dombo]

18 maximum or Medium. I am 5'8" and have 18 kona and Trek. Both fit perfectly. Mtb frames are best erred on the small side but at 5'9" you'll be fine on the same size as mine

[Jon C C on a Bianchi]

what's your inside leg measurement?

[Jon C C on a Bianchi]

I'm 5'9 and three quarters. My MTB is 19". I ride with the seat height a little lower than compared with my road bike. probably too high for a purist. Different manufactures measure their frames differently. You really are best off trying a few out at Evans or somewhere first. I'm not helping much am I?

[Jon C C on a Bianchi]

Mountain Bikes: Standing flat footed on the ground, you should have a minimum of 3" clearance between yourself and the top tube of the frame.

A simple calculation can be used to estimate your required frame size if you are not able to sit astride a bike to measure:

Measure your inside leg measurement to the floor, subtract 3" (for mountain bikes, or 1" for road bikes) then subtract 10" (the average distance from the bottom bracket to the ground). This will give you the maximum frame size that you will need.

[Roy Green]

[quote="Dombo"] Mtb frames are best erred on the small side

[Dombo]

Seat height for an mtb is often higher than for road bikes as they have a higher bb ground clearance. However the cranks tend to be longer at 175 vs eg 172.5 on my road bike. The important things are crotch clearance, reach and that when the pedals are at six o'clock your knee is just bent. Any lower and you're legs'll get tired. When seated on my mtb only the tips of my toes just reach the ground.
Re eBay the best bargains tend to be rigid or hardtails. Fully rigid are excellent fun and can cope with anything.

[Rob W]

Thanks for the info.

[huw williams]

Can you get a subscription to Cycling Weekly as well so the bike doesn't get nicked when you go down the news agents to buy one!

[Rob W]

[quote="huw williams"]Can you get a subscription to Cycling Weekly as well so the bike doesn't get nicked when you go down the news agents to buy one!