[Closed] What size Solaris?

Lots of people have offered advice on the other thread you started:

http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/solaris-vs-soul-help-me-decide-please

I was hoping for more than two people my height to offer their experiences to be honest Bikeneil, and that thread wasn't about sizing (although I did ask).

I doubt someone reading the thread title "Solaris vs Soul - help me decide" would think, "ahh, he needs help deciding on what size frame to go for, I'll offer him my advice...."

Where do you normally ride and what sort of riding? All day XC, short rides 'all about the dh singletrack', lots of tech, fireroads etc...?

What proportions are your body parts? do you have long or short arms?

Do you like to have weight on the front wheel or biased back?

Do you like a bike to feel short or long?

Do you ride round with the seat up all the time or do you stop to lower for tricky stuff?

Plus many more questions only you can really decide based on your own experiences. You could probably get away with a med or large depending on usage

Your body dims above also vary compared to your other thread, so could be why you're getting different answers!

Thanks CP

My normal riding is all day XC but with quite a bit of tight twisty singletrack in there too.

I am 5'11" with a 33 inch inseam (mistake on the previous thread, I said 32" but remeasured last night), I would say I have long-ish arms.

Weight is definitely back wheel biased.

I prefer a longer TT, I had a medium Soul which was perfect with a 90mm stem.

I don't generally lower my seat, but I would if I had a dropper post which is quite likely in the near future.

I have a demo booked for next week but I've seen an nearly new large for sale which will probably be gone by then and it would save me a bit of money.

I'd also consider bar width as typically people have wider 700mm plus bars which will stretch you out more.
I've run a medium Soda with 90mm stem on 685mm bars and now run a 55mm stem on 711mm bars on the Solaris.
I'm the same height as you but 31" inseam so have longer torso and very long arms but as the bars are over 25mm wider and 10mm more top tube found even a 70mm stem on the Solaris was a little too stretched.

Paul may have advised large based on your inseam and amount of seat post extended but IMHO I'd demo a medium if possible, how much longer is TT length on a Large vs Medium?

My other half is the same height as you and rides a large Soul. He started with a large Solaris and never got on with it, just looking at him on it you could tell it was too big.
He changed for a medium and is now really happy on it.

Based on his experience and the fact you have a medium Soul I'd have thought a large would be too big to move about.

Danti - I currently have 711mm Haven bars and an 80mm stem on my bike which has a 602 top tube (fits me perfectly). I had the same bars and a 90mm stem on the Soul.

A medium Solaris has a 604 ETT, a large has a 624 ETT. So it will either be a medium with an 80mm, or a large with a 60mm stem. I'm not sure how much seat post I'll have showing on a large though.

Sok - I think a large Soul is the same size as a medium Solaris so that makes sense, thanks.

I'm also 5'11" and have a medium solaris. Although I really like it if I had to get another i think I'd probably go for a large with a smaller stem. There is alot of seat post showing so a size up would not be too big.

Take the advice from Paul at Cotic. I'm the same height as you and ride a large 2008 Soul with a 130mm fork and 70mm stem. I also have a large Solaris with a 120mm fork and a 50mm stem to keep the steering quick.

Thanks Pete & Scott. I'm going for the 2nd hand large frame, Paul was pretty certain it will fit with a short stem as that's how they were designed.

I'm 6'1" and a bit on a large and needed to fit a 50mm stem and I wouldn't want it any bigger so I'd definitely say look at a medium.

A 50mm stem on a large would be 10mm shorter than my bike now Bregante, to be honest I could go do with 10mm longer if anything.

It seems a lot of people on here ride very short bikes for their size. One dude on the other thread said he was 5'11" on a medium with a 50mm stem. I don't see how he does it, thats only 20mm longer than my Mrs bike overall and shes 5'2".

For someone who is 5"11 - 33" inseam? I emailed Paul from Cotic and he recommended a large with a short stem (60mm) rather than a medium with a longer stem (80mm).

I'm almost exactly the same proportions as you. I have a large in the process of being built up as I type. It'll be a tad longer than the 18.5" (L) Brodie Holeshot it's replacing, which is exactly what I want.

Edit: I'll be running a 50 or 60mm stem, Reverb inline post and 730ish mm bars. Can let you know how I get on in a few days?

That would be brilliant Pimpmaster, thank you.

Modern bikes have changed a lot but people's opinion of TT hasn't IMO.

A few years ago a 69 degree head angle on a hardtail bike was considered slack. Now it's average to steep. Also suspension forks have far more capable damping and are lighter than even 5 years ago. The result of this is you can get away with putting far more weight over the front of your bike and improve the front end grip without so much fear of going over the bars.

Longer top tube bikes allow you to get more weight forwards, something that wasn't desirable on bikes designed for technical handling until the advances made above.

I am 5ft 8 and I ride a small sized Soul with a 70mm stem and 740mm bars. I can make it work very well for me but it is short. If I bought again then I would buy and medium Soul and probably have a 60 or 70mm stem because my original worries about going over the bars are nowhere near as much of an issue as I thought they were.

All the modern aggressive riding bikes are going for short stays, long top tubes and slack head angles. It gives you a more roomy stable ride, it's just a lot of people (myself included) still haven't had the chance/ budget to experiment and enjoy the benefits.

5'11" here too, on a 29er Niner Air 9C in large (ETT=626mm), in line post, 90mm stem & 700mm EC70 carbon flat bar.
I'd test ride both medium & large.

if anyone knows of a large blue frame being sold let me know 🙂

new one on ebay.

One on here the other day....

watching ebay, one on here gone

My twopeneth!
Just bought a green one and went for a large with a 70mm stem and 711mm bars (mainly cos I already had them)
Am 6 foot with a 32" inside leg and fairly evenly proportioned.
Also have a large Rocket and a Large Soul both with 70 mm stems and 720mm bars.
Not ridden the Solaris properly yet so may change stem length and bar width.
Good luck with finding one second hand they're pretty rare. I watched on here and eBay for 4-6 weeks and the one I saw was only a ton under new price.
Cheers
Steve

I have new price cash, problem is im not to fussed on the green, prefer the blue & really dont like the Duck Egg...

Last week when I ordered mine there was a large blue in stock on the website
Haven't looked recently so may have gone
Cheers
Steve
Edit: yep still showing as available

I'd like a medium Simple 29 - but none left and I don't think they are doing any more 🙁

5 FT 10 inches and 34 inch inseam here, i rode a medium with a 70mm stem on, it felt about right, i might have gone 60mm with super wide bars, its in bits at the mo, the frame will be going up for sale at some point if you fancy a blue one.

I'm still undecided on size 😆

I have an inline post on my current bike so am thinking I could get away with a medium with a set back post and still be able to run a shorter stem.

What condition is it in Sean and how much do you want for it?

fatgit, I bought it, Cy rang me up & said it wasnt actually a XL in a L box, one of those things.

How tall are you Timc?

It's got a few good scratches so not expecting loads of money for it, not sure what to ask, any ideas for a fair price price for a well used solaris frame complete with hope seat qr and headset singletrackworld?

Ahh not sure mate, stick it on ebay and I'm sure you'll get a decent price for it though. I'm really after a nearly new one.

No worries mate, happy hunting.

6'1 Thedon, also after a nearly new one! 🙂

Thanks Sean.

Have you ridden one Timc or are you just going for it?

Just going for it, but I do already have a large 29er

Did you win the eBay frame Timc?

Yes I did 🙂

Nice one, put some photos up when you get it built.

I'm going for a medium, just need to a few bits sold.

@TheDon - rode my L yesterday.

It's long (as predicted), but comfortable. Running a 50mm stem and seat needs to come forward on the rails a little, but otherwise was good. Main issue I had was the standover - it's noticeably higher than the Brodie it's replacing. I feel I'm at the bottom end of the size spectrum for this frame.

Could I run a medium? Yes, but I'd be running a longer stem. I think I'd be clouting my knees on the shifters while out of the saddle.

I'll upload some shots when I get them off my camera.

For the record, I wear 32/32 jeans and am a gnat's whisker under 6ft.

It's great fun fun though. Very pleasantly surprised. 😀

Thanks Pimpmaster.

I still haven't demoed one yet but I decided on a medium after having a quick go on an 18" Boardman Pro 29er today. It had a 610mm ETT (6mm more than the medium Solaris) with a 70mm stem and 700mm flat bars. The length was spot on (could probably run a shorter stem and be comfortable too) but at max pedal height I had roughly 5 inches of seatpost showing, so a 19" would be out of the question.

Gratuitous fuzzy iPhone bike shot of L Solaris:

[url= http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5520/10686977775_4823e014fd_z.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5520/10686977775_4823e014fd_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/pimpmasterjazz/10686977775/ ]The Solaris after its first ride.[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/pimpmasterjazz/ ]NeilCain[/url], on Flickr

As requested thedon! 🙂

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[url= http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3798/10885342113_78cd5668ea_c.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3798/10885342113_78cd5668ea_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url]