Sizing question: Should I really be riding XL sized frames?

[patreek]

I've been looking online, I took measurements, and the online fit calculators are telling me I should typically be riding XL frames. I'm currently riding a bike way to small for me, a medium, but it was free and has served its purpose in getting me hooked on MTB'ing.

I'm 6'1.5", 33.5" inseam.. I know the medium isn't right for me, but should I really move all the way up to XL sizes?

Thanks for any feedback.

[Dirt]

Sorry about the title. I really am.

If an XL is perfect for Jabberwocky (http://myroadtrips.peterbeers.net/mbrt/2006_Fruita/03_18road/images/IMG_8753.jpg), then it should be perfect for you!

Sorry about that comment too, though I just love that picture.

What were we talking about? Oh yeah. XL frames.

People get fixated on the seat tube length and their inseams when they talk about bike size. Other than stand-over height, the seat tube length has little or nothing to do with how a bike fits.

Top Tube length is what is most important. Find the correct top tube length for the kind of riding you do and use that to match up with the size of frame that you're riding.

I'm 6'4" with a 34" inseam. I ride a bike with a 25.3" top tube and a 130mm stem (with Jones Clown bars) or 110mm stem with "nErMyL" (read flat) bars. I've owned the bike for over 2 years now and still don't know what the seat tube length is.

That puts me squarely in the XL frame camp.

How do you find the best top tube length for you? There are some fitting systems that work pretty well. I've been measured for fit twice in the last 10 years and both times they were pretty close.

The best way to figure it out is to ride different bikes and see what feels best.

Good luck.

Pete

[patreek]

Dirt~

Thanks for the comment(s). My ex-wife said the said thing about size mattering. She was never quite happy with "it". But there was nothing I could do about it, ya know. I bought her the best engagement ring I could afford at the time. :D

Oh, back to bikes, I added in my height and inseam for a quick comparison. I actually took all my measurements and plugged them into competitvecylclist and thats where it said my effective top tube was in the XL range. I wondered if that would have me stretched out too far. I guess I should get my lazy butt off the computer and try out some bikes.

~patreek