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Hi all ! Bought a Cotic flare max frame but went for a small rather than a medium for my 5ft 8 height . I know longer is better for steep gnar terrain but for tight twisty trails in the south I prefer it ! Anyone else sized down for a more playful feel ? Noting wrong with a slightly longer stem ( 50mm ) Thought I might share my experience with you , as you were 🙂
The 1990s called and want their sizing meme back.
Yeah I'm going back to a shorter frame with slightly steeper angles. I found my last bike felt like a chore and took the fun out of anything that wasn't steep gnar, which I suspect most of us don't ride all that regularly. To be fair that could have been the 160mm travel both ends and a heavy ish build as well, but it did feel very long. Wasn't a huge fan.
The 1990s called and want their sizing meme back.
"Chuckability"
Thanks . Glad it wasn’t me thinking it . I don’t think I’ll bother with mullet since the wheel base is slightly shorter in a small
I'm the same height as you and Cotic sizing didn't seem great - good to hear you're liking it.
S/C1 439 reach, 595 top tube, 448 chainstay. Short reach that's also shorter than the chainstay. Can you do wheel lifts?
M/C2 458 reach, 617 top tube, same chainstay. That's a long TT for someone our height IMO due to the seat tube angle.
The difference between the C1 & C2 sizes is what, about an inch? But you consider one too short, and the other too long? Shift your seat a few mm, get a stem 5mm shorter or longer, and you’ll pretty much meet in the middle. If that mid point is right for you, then both sizes could fit… decide if you want the longer or shorter wheelbase, and that’s where the “sizing down” option comes in. I’d go for the longer size… but everyone rides different trails in different ways.
I'm 175cm and on a medium FlareMax. I spent a long time thinking it was too long. It was way too cumbersome to get round sharp corners. I've turned it into mullet now and it's loads better. But I think next time I would definitely try the smaller frame.
Went back to a medium Hightower from a large Jeffsy and prefer it in every way, I'm around 5'8 so in between sizes with most brands these days. The Hightower is more fun on steep/twisty/techy trails, possibly a bit slower when going flat out in a straight line but no regrets
Question for those who are down sizing modern geometry frames - how do you find the effective top tube length?
I know the trendy metric is reach, and I get that it's important when stood up descending, but what happens for the other 90% of the ride when you're going up or along? Does the steeper seat tube angle then make the cockpit feel cramped?
Question for those sizing down: How often do you go OTB?
I’m 175cm and on a medium FlareMax. I spent a long time thinking it was too long. It was way too cumbersome to get round sharp corners. I’ve turned it into mullet now and it’s loads better. But I think next time I would definitely try the smaller frame.
Conversely I'm the same height as you and find the medium FlareMax near perfect for me. I suspect I'd feel a little cramped on the small-sized frame, then again I haven't ridden one. If anything I could cope with a slightly longer cockpit.
All comes down to personal preference and proportions plus your frame of reference based on what else you've ridden I think. I once spent a day riding a loaned, large-sized Trek Full Stache and a large Rocket and when I swapped back to my medium Sonder Transmitter, it felt like a BMX, but neither of the larger-sized bikes had felt ridiculously big to me. A few rides later and the Sonder felt quite normal again. I can imagine that swapping to a FlareMax say, from an older 26-incher would make the Cotic feel 'big' regardless of frame size, maybe.
Question for those sizing down: How often do you go OTB?
Last time I went otb was on my longer reach FS. Nothing to do with the bike though and more to do with the big hole I managed to steer myself into 🙂 don't think I had any issues with otbs on my tiny Scott Voltage either, the reach on those is absolutely tiny compared to modern standards.
Considering sizing down on a new pace 529. Currently on an XL signal ti and the effective top tube is too long which makes my neck ache on longer rides.
The new pace would be a medium which seems wrong but looking at the geo numbers it should be spot on. Longer wheelbase, higher stack, slightly shorter reach, and shorter top tube.
Also have a large flaremax which I find fits me perfectly at 6'1.
Just an update ! I went for a club ride around local trails which consist of fun mini DH trails and tight twisty trails that are more flow than gnar ! I can’t believe how much fun the flare max is . I’m happy with my size and like kelvin said I put a 50mm stem on and slid the saddle back abit . I also love the low slung top tube in a small which feels great to me . I was also surprised how it seemed to cover ground quite quick too . I’m happy and sizing down works for me but if you have steep terrain then maybe a larger size and a 35 mm would work great too 🙂
Not so much sizing down but I ignoored the trend to size up. Im 164cm which put me in the top third of the small size range on my last mtb. The amount of shops that kept pushing a medium was an eye opener. (Maybe thats all they had in stock). The small fits perfectly. The medium would have been 30mm more in reach and with a slacker seat tube. So about 45mm longer from saddle to bars.
Bikes that have the saddle pushed all the way forward with an already steep seat angle just look odd to me. Maybe too long for the rider.