Bicycle Frame Sizes Mountain Bike

To find the right mountain bike frame size, you must know two things: your height and inseam length. The inseam length is the interior length of your leg. The distance is from the floor to your crotch.

Frame and Height Guide

People who are 6’4″ and up with 35″ and greater inseam lengths have to use at least a 23 inch frame or greater. If your height is between 6’2″ – 6’4″ with an inseam of 33″ – 35″, 21 to 23 inch frames will be appropriate. 5’11” – 6’2″ riders with 31″ – 33″ inseams can choose from 19 to 21 inch frames. Frames between 17 to 19 inches are meant for 5’7″ – 5’11” with 29″ – 31″ inseams. If your height is 5’3″ – 5’7” with 27″ – 29″ inseams, the frames have to be 15 to 17 inches.

Considerations

Once you have found out the right mountain bike frame size, you can focus on other aspects. The first is the budget. Even though they are of the same size, the prices will vary greatly. Next you have to consider the materials. Among the most common are chrome molybdenum (a steel alloy), aluminum and carbon fiber. But there are bikes with bamboo and titanium parts.

The most durable is aluminum and is also the cheapest. A basic aluminum bike will retail for about $700. The most expensive are those made of carbon fiber. The price tag will run into the thousands of dollars.

Bike Type

You also have to think of the variant. The main choices are full suspension or hard tail models. Full suspension bikes are ideal if you intend to ride single track trails. You also want to use these types of bikes when the terrain has many obstacles like rocks, tree roots, and log covers. If you are looking for versatility, the hard tail variants are more suitable. They can be used for trail cycling. You can even use them on the road if you install slick tires.

You also have to think of the brand. No matter what the mountain bike frame size is, you cannot ignore this fact. Well known manufacturers may charge more but you can be certain of their quality.

The easiest way to go about this is to visit the brand’s website. You can find information on each bike there. Once you are done researching, go to a store and try the bike out.