I hope you checked out Joy of Bikes video with Mike Lee. I agree, once you understand how the system (Bike and Rider) were intended to operate, it makes a world of difference. The problem with these super long (and usually stable) bikes is that it allows us to think we are better than we are. As soon as we exceed the bikes natural abilities, we crash and it can be horrifical given what it takes to overwhelm a modern trail bike. Now I feel more confident that I am a rider and not a passenger!

This is me taking the Joy of Bike video and putting it to practice. I will have to try the math. I am 188CM on a bike with a reach of 489.

I think that’s pure coincidence. For example, in my case: h=189, 189*2.5=472, 472*2=944. But my RAD comes in at about 870. And this is a good example of why reach is a very gross estimate of proper bike size - people’s relative arm length, torso length, leg length, and height are all over the place. The measured reach gets you in the balllpark. Other parameters can be fine tuned to get your desired RAD, mostly sweep, stem length, and stem height. What you really want is effective reach which takes those things into account. My current bike has a published reach of 500 mm, a fair bit longer than the 2.5 value suggested by Lee McCormack. I haven’t tweaked the original handlebar setup too much and the effective reach comes in at 477. Darn close to the 2.5 thing. And the calculated (and measured) RAD of that setup is just about perfect: 873. Note that the 2.5 calculation also is a gross estimate due to anatomical variation. In my case it happened to be pretty close. BTW, if you know the geometry of a bike, you can plug it into the geometry calculator found on this website madscientistmtb.com to get the calculated RAD and effective reach. You can also play around with the parameters to find your desired RAD.

@@richardradcliffe6047 Why everybody talks only about the reach. Also the frame stack comes into account to the RAD of the bike. Why no one talks about the stack?

Is your bike a FS or HT? big factor. HTs get longer and FS shorter when saged

​@@jivkostoianov3607stack is easier to adjust then reach.

Good call out.

That series is awesome for the new rider.

I hope you check out Joy of Bike - They do a much better job than I did if you going to size your next ride. They also have a video about bar width that's cool.

I discovered this technique when I shortened my stem. I went from a 50MM -> 35MM and my first hill climb had me way back and my front wheel lifting. So I sort of kept my legs straight with my arms right over them and my wrist cocked way back to keep me over the front wheel. Thanks for the comment.

Thanks for the feedback!

I have been practicing sliding into the nose of the seat on steeper climbs. This keeps the front when down, and I don't feel like I am sliding off as I am in control of where I am on the seat itself.

Going with Fezzari is not something I regret. Best bike for the money period.

@@OldAZMountainBikerInMA sweet! That’s music to my ears

@@menemismix Going to acquire a Fezzari Solitude?

@@yengsabio5315 i just got my delano peak last week

@@yengsabio5315 also btw, I did the same test, and its spot on

Thank You! I am enjoying making the videos, so I really appreciate the feedback.

Glad you enjoyed it

@@OldAZMountainBikerInMA 🙌

I am sorry to hear that. A few things I did was shorten the stem, and you could consider shortening the crank length (But I am not sure what that would do to peddling efficiency). If you roll the bars towards you, that will also shorten the RAD a little.

Let me start by saying, I have been riding like 6 Months. With that said, I currently live in Phoenix and we have some nice downhill runs, and a lot of technical trails on and around South Mountain. So I appreciate the extra control. When I first started riding and I did strictly XC stuff, I was more comfortable stretched out a little. The channel is moving to Western MA this summer, and I am looking forward to seeing the different riding terrain.

I think knowing your RAD is important regardless. A properly fitted bike gives you options. It just handles better all around. If you are not a jumper or someone who manuals/wheelies etc you can go slightly RAD plus. If you're someone who likes jumps and quicker handling you can go RAD minus. Too many people buying bikes (especially on line from YT and other direct to consumer retailers) buy the wrong size. RAD just gives you a concrete starting point. I've been riding over 35 years and I ride in New England. My new bike fits my RAD number spot on. It handles the the punchy climbs and twisty, rocky, rooty NE terrain very well. Best fitting bike I've ever had.

Yes, it is the Silverado. The seat is the next thing I will upgrade on the bike. Thanks for the suggestion.

You bet

Right on

Well, he was contrasting cm virus inches not mm vs 1/32". That said, My 25', Made in USA, 25', Power Lock II, tape measure is marked in 1/16" increments. Each increment is 1.73 mm. Therefore, that particular tape measure, which I suspect is quite common in the US, would be less precise (by a factor of 42% or 73% depending on which way you define it) than a typical 1 mm increment metric tape measure. FWIW, I agree that the 'precision' (AKA 'measurement variability' or 'quantization noise') is the correct terminology to use in this discussion. 'Accuracy' has to do with calibration (or 'bias'), ie: does the tape measure indicate 86.0 cm when the object is exactly 86.0 cm long ? I would be more concerned with the amount of stretch of the string, which will likely far exceed 1/32 mm over a distance of 86 cm. However, such nit pickingentirelybecausebecause

@@kshred3043 that is interestig. My power lock 16' measure I use at work is marked in 1/32nds. Maybe odd part number variations

My Pleasure - Be sure to check out Joy of Bike to see their advice too.

That's true, but the goal is to impact the feel when you're not in the seat. The reach is more about climbing vs. DH as I understand it. That was why I mentioned with the RAD set, I felt like I would slide of the back of the seat. I can now set that and still keep my pedal to handlebar distance.

Accurate as in smaller increments, but fundamentally you are correct.

Actually, I've learned to slide my weight to the nose of the seat. I also just shortened my stem and increased the Rise on my bars. We will see how she climbs this weekend.

@@OldAZMountainBikerInMA Let me know! I was constantly looping out so I lowered the spacers on the stem. I thought higher rise would increase looping out. Let me know, this is only my 2nd season on singletrack and I am just figuring things out.

@@devinbyrnes8058 I currently live in AZ, so we don't have seasons, we ride year round. I've been riding a little over 9 months. So when climbing steep inclines, what I did first was slide my weight to the nose as I mentioned. That almost immediately stopped the looping out. I also felt like I was more over my pedals. The shortening of the stem and increasing the rise is strictly because my back is old and sore these days.

Thanks for the feedback. Keep Shredding!

Interesting, I didn't know seats had that.

Newer ones do cause some of the climbs we can make are so steep!

Too long. Consider a shorter stem, or low rise bars.

I agree. I found that this technique didn't tell me I was or wasn't on the right bike, but more so how I could make it fit me better. Shorten the stem, more sweep on the bars, maybe longer/shorter cranks.

How tall are you? What's your knuckle height? Did you measure from your pedals to the center of your handlebars?

175 cm - but I'm sure if fits me, was an unnecessary question :)

Gonna have to do some math. I just did it for myself. You need to add bottom tube length + stem length + bar rise. Bottom tube length = square root of (stack × stack) + (reach × reach). This will get you within a couple centimeters. You can geek out even further and factor in stem angle and bar sweep, but this are usually pretty small angles, and don't change much. That's why it gets you within a couple centimeters. That can be adjusted for sfter purchase by swapping out stems, or adjusting bars slightly.

XL - I am 6'2"

Shoes on, and preferably the shoes you wear.

6'2" and an XL

Lol, it is.

@@OldAZMountainBikerInMA I thought I could see one, so not to state the obvious but you couldn’t see in the video, you did measure right to the floor and not just the step with the fridge on? Lol

@@pauldunn9994 I did measure from the floor and not the step.

XL