New bike for a new(...
 

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[Closed] New bike for a new(ish) rider

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 brwr
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Hi all

New to the forum and looking to get into mountain biking again after not really riding in the last 15 years!

I need to buy a new bike and spotted a Vitus Sentier VRS+ nicely discounted that seems to have everything I want to get into the sport.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/vitus-sentier-vrs-hardtail-bike-slx-1x11-2018/rp-prod159772

I'm basically ready to buy it but I'm struggling with sizing. I'm 5'11" and seem to sit right between an M or L. My concern is that I'll be too tall for the M and perhaps too short for the L.

Is there some unwritten rule about sizing up or down for us folks on the cusp of 2 sizes?

Cheers all!

Mike


 
Posted : 15/03/2018 6:30 pm
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Welcome 🙂

Can't help with the sizing, but if you join British Cycling (£22 a year if i remember correctly) you will get a code for an extra 10% off once a month with CRC for any spend over £99.

Good luck with it.


 
Posted : 15/03/2018 8:10 pm
 brwr
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Wow thanks! That's 100 off, Can afford to get a few other bits now!

Thinking a multi tool of some sort and perhaps a hydration pack.

Thinking of going for the large and hoping for the best...


 
Posted : 15/03/2018 8:40 pm
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I'm 6ft and I had a go on a friend's medium sentier the other day and it felt too small for me.  I ride a large vitus escarpe and I think they're fairly short compared to other bikes.  I'm not a geometry guru however.

If I were 5'11" I'd have a Large.  CRC will probably swap it over if necessary, you'll prob just have to cover postage.  I actually think you'd be fine on either.

I think the VRS looks like an awesome bike and for 900 quid I'm very tempted myself.


 
Posted : 15/03/2018 9:48 pm
 brwr
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Good point on just swapping if it's the obviously wrong size when it arrives. Do you by any chance know if your friends Sentier was a 2018? Looking at geometry charts it seems like they've added a fair bit of length over the last couple of years.

I've gone for the medium and will exchange it if it feels wrong.

Also ordered a helmet, pedals and a hydration pack.

Wish me luck!


 
Posted : 15/03/2018 11:03 pm
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It was the grey 2017 vrs.  I hadn't realised they'd got longer this year.

I had a medium specialized hardtail years ago, loved it.  Never knew any different.

You're going to have a ball on that.


 
Posted : 15/03/2018 11:46 pm
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That bike looks great fun! I think you'd be fine with either size, the length of the seat tube isn't really all that important as they've been getting shorter and shorter on most bikes. Just fit a longer seat post if you need extra height and you'll be laughing.


 
Posted : 15/03/2018 11:54 pm
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If you haven't been riding for 15 years, you'll probably find that new bikes are longer than what you were used to, but stems are shorter. Personally, I find it much easier to adjust to a bike that's one size too small than one size too big. I'm 5'11" and generally ride medium sized frames.


 
Posted : 16/03/2018 12:09 am
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Large, nice bike btw..


 
Posted : 16/03/2018 7:14 am
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5' 11.5" ..but have arms like an Orangutan ..I would have gone large ..

I used to be 6' ..but think that I'm starting to shrink !


 
Posted : 16/03/2018 11:52 am
 brwr
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Happy new bike day to me!

So it arrived earlier on today and I've just attached the handlebars and some new pedals that arrived a couple of days ago. Love it already and all I've done is take it around the block!

I went for a medium in the end, it feels great to me but i guess i won't know for sure until after a few proper rides. If i do find it a touch short i can always change the 45mm stem to something a touch longer.

I also bought a helmet and hydration pack at the same time so hopefully this weekend i can take it out for a few hours for a proper test. Any recommendations for locations in Bristol?


 
Posted : 21/03/2018 7:31 pm
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Not a Bristol local but Ashton Court is probably a good start. Do as many laps as you feel like and easy to knock it on ohe head when you feel tired.


 
Posted : 21/03/2018 7:36 pm
 brwr
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Sounds like a good place to start. Seriously lacking fitness at the moment though so it won't take long to get tired!


 
Posted : 21/03/2018 7:41 pm
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Errrrrrrr aren't we supposed to be commenting on your interior / exterior of a pic of said bike?


 
Posted : 21/03/2018 7:46 pm
 brwr
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Photo on the way in that case!


 
Posted : 21/03/2018 10:34 pm
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Where's this pic?  I'd quite like to see the frame colour.   The CRC website has a habit of making colours look very different from the in-the-flesh colour.


 
Posted : 03/04/2018 12:51 pm

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