On One Free Ranger Help

Apologies for the half answer… my wife is your height and has a medium space chicken which seems perfect.

Paint on the Space Chicken is good, but the neon pink parts have faded greatly. Bike always stored indoors, etc.

We think it’s a great bike.

Have you ridden a drop  bar bike? You need some basic information as a starting point, like the reach and stack of a bike you’ve ridden

If it end up too long then yes you can put that bars on it. But then you’ll not be using the brifters which are an expensive component.

I’d be looking to work with a bike shop or mate to see what bars you want aced west might fit before spending any money.

i was lucky enough to buy my Arkose when Evans were still doing test rides. But in glad I’ve got an aluminium frame I knew would fit rather than a carbon one that might not

Tyres I run Vittoria Terrano dry in the summer and Teravail Rutland in the winter

I'm 5'9" and had a medium so I would say a small is too small for you.
I had 40c wtb nanos which were great. Not sure if you'd get any bigger but I run 42c wtb resolutes on another bike and they are great.

I've still got a medium free ranger frame if you're interested in a cheap build?

Thanks for reply and info - I'm struggling on the size tbh - I've been in touch with planet X and they are pretty sure I should go with a small - real shame they dont have anywhere to try - good info about paint and tyres - cheers.

I'm commuting on a genesis day one atm in medium - will look at the sizing on that with reach etc.

https://bikeinsights.com/compare?geometries=5e99b97379c06e00176d589f,61bc1c5b2f0abf001c7f5bdb,

The above is (hopefully) a link to a visual bike geometry comparison site comparing the Day 1 with the Free Ranger in medium.

I have Teravail Cannonball 700c 47mm tyres on my Free Ranger.

The Planet-X size guide set large for my 185cm height, but I preferred the stack height of the XL and extra foot overlap clearance (I have size 12 feet) so I went for a XL and put a 10 mm shorter stem on it - which brought the frame + stem reach in to match the L which has a 10 mm shorter stack. Very happy with the steering feel with 90mm stem and 47 mm tyres.

I got mine as a frame only. Paint quality is excellent. Threads on bottle cage mounts are slight poor quality. The rear through axle needs a shove to get it to align right with threads. I got it in there clearance sale prior to the new colours, so happy with the quality for the 'price'

If you want a flat bar bike better to buy one with flat bars, too much change that the sizing is wrong if you try and swop, and you will need to change brake/gear leavers which makes no economic sense - plus not straightforward getting one that will be compatible.

I'm 5'8" (and a bit) ... my small Pickenflick fits me perfectly. However, I had a small Escapade for a while, which was really too small, likewise, my wife's Boardman CX (small) is a hit too small. I'd probably go medium, but with a shorter stem / shallow/low reach bars, and play around with the position of the saddle.

Great stuff - Markie, thanks for the link - great site and info - was thinking of small and could put a larger stem if needed and only because the guy at planet X was 100% sure I would be a small - they have a 15% deal atm only until Monday so makes it more interesting 🙂 - thanks again

5'10
Medium Free Ranger

It fits nicely enough BUT (as someone with a long body and not massively flexible and so not into arse up, head down riding positions) I think I could have been comfy on a large with the increased head tube length at expense of stand over. I'm running the stem flipped up with max spacers but it really needs a smidge more height/length on longer back road/light tracks use, although conversely it's about right for shorter rides on more challenging terrain.

In short I think I'm saying - head down, arse up style you may well want or need the small as I suspect that's how they're sized. Stretched out and head up you might well want the medium or a longer stem than spec'd on the small and to flip it.

I think for undercarriage clearance with my short legs I'm on the right size fwiw.

Edit: and then I saw footflaps post who is 5'9 and on a large, which might confirm my suspicion I could also have fitted on a large and had more height to the front 🙂

@nibby

If you go for the small I wonder if it's worth asking them to leave you a bit of extra steerer (not sure if they are pre cut from the frame and fork factory).

That would have been ideal for me to get mine spot on.

1. I like the look of the bigger tyres , looks like planetx only come with 38″ – anyone recommend any decent do it all tyres in a larger size that would fit?

I'm running 45mm Schwalbe G-ones. Room for wider tyres too.

3. Sizing – I’m normally a Medium 5ft 8 – planet x are advising a small – they dont offer the chance to swing a leg over for sizing etc so I’m a bit worried I buy it and it’s the wrong size – is a Small for someone 5ft 8 about right?

I'm 5'9" and am riding a large, which fits me fine.

I don't really understand bike size recommendations - they all seem to suggest tiny frames, whereas I normally end up sticking longer stems on larger frames...

I'm running 45mm Pirelli tyres at the moment but on 650b Wheels I can get 2.1" Nobby Nic's in there so it can take some monster tyres.

5ft 11 and riding a large, i'd definitely size up, i was unsure but after reading a few comments on here and other sites i went with popular opinion and they were right.

It's a great bike even with the stocks Jack Brown gravel tyres which i'd never heard of before. I think they were 38s but in an ideal world i'd get a 650B wheelset and have the option to run monster wheels too.

The paint was good form what i could see but i didn't like the creme egg so had it resprayed on day 1 anyway.

Thanks for the help everyone - all good stuff - I've had to put it on the back burner for the moment as just found they dont accept the discount as part of the c2w scheme so will revisit at some point - need to keep it around the 1500 mark so hopefully they will have a sale at some point although it's a good price especially with the 15% discount.

all the best.

need to keep it around the 1500 mark

I bought the Force equipped one for £1500 only a couple of months back, in one of their many sales...

Oh meant to add. I'm 6'4 and using a 58cm one

@footflaps

thanks thats good to know - hoping they will do the same at some point atm it's via a discount code. i'll sit tight 🙁