Great info, worth watching the whole length to fully understand the reasoning.. thank you for sharing your experience! I'm way shorter than you, but in between sizes.. The struggle is real, and I too get crazy with numbers (probably too much). Now I've finally ordered a new bike but I still have the feeling that I haven't done all the necessary calculation and I should have gone one size up instead....... We'll see!! 😂

I love discovering videos like these after spending thousands of dollars🤣

Your honesty and humility is very refreshing. All of us in the "in-between" range on sizing thank you, especially us old dudes who prefer riding in relative comfort.

So glad you made this video. The problem you experienced is not exclusive to tall riders. I'm 5'7" and just had a similar experience with a size M that I ordered online. This was the smallest bike the company offered and it was just too big for me. I could tell as soon as I got on it. And riding if a few times helped sort that out for me. That's when I started looking at bike fit a lot more closely and came across the Lee McCormack RAD sizing method. Then I started looking at geometries a lot more closely and found out that I would probably be a lot happier on a bike with a much shorter reach (should be 430 or so and the M that I had was 471). When I talked to the company about the bike and fit they were certainly understanding that the bike didn't fit great and they didn't want me on a bike that didn't make me happy. However they sort of poo-pooed the RAD sizing methodology and threw out the old trope about RAD not being an industry standard, yada, yada. I think this is going to catch on more and more, with riders, but doubt that bike companies are going to take it too seriously, ever. It would be nice if they did, but like Lee and Alex said in their video (and you repeated) you couldn't ride some bikes in ANY size. That's bad news for bike companies and they definitely don't want to hear that about their bikes. Anyway, thanks for the video and sharing your experience and journey. Good info all the way around.

This video needs more recognition thus preventing people (like me) to feel very queazy thinking about spending thousands of dollars for a bike that doesnt fit. That RAD explanation and triangle calculator was helpful and gave me confidence on the bike that I just bought. Great video!

Thank you for making this video. I have been looking for this info online for a while and didn't find anything so helpful and clear as yours. Its really good. I really appreciated it.

Man, this is an eye opener!! I was looking for a new bike and i was actually comparing the RAD measurement between my bike and other ones, but i didn't think this was actually proven bike fitting science. I just took the measurment you mentioned in the video, no wonder i felt so balanced on my bike, my RAD is 78~cm, and the "bike's RAD" is 80~cm, i still feel a smidge light on the front in fact i wanted to lower the handlebars by 2 cm, which would actually be spot on 78 cm RAD. I'll try that and we'll see how i feel on the trail. Thank you so much, i didn't think i would sit through the whole 42 minutes, this is gold.

This was really helpful -- thanks! I'm 1m80 / 5'11" and so therefore seemingly always between sizes (M & L). This has helped me ignore the sizes and look at the geometry charts instead.

Holy shit thank you so much for this video cause i just preordered a meta am 2021 and I’ve been having a crisis over what size to get. Absolute godsend of a vid thx.

Ironically, the guy who invented RAD, LeeMcCormack, has said on video that 9 out of 10 riders are riding a bike that is too large. It's ironic that RAD actually led you to a bigger bike as that's not the norm, but, then again, you are a very tall person.

It's funny because I think with modern bikes, the RAD method generally shows that bikes that ppl are getting are OVERsized, not undersized

Dude, this is the video I needed to see. Soon about to order my frame, but according to the manufacturer they're specifying size 3 / L.... I was first sceptical about it, but now I'm definently doing some RAD measurement as suggested to see where I fall into with their geo. Thanks for the tutorial.

Very detailed and informative video. There is not a lot of videos that tackle this subject in such detail. Lee likes bikes has a lot of good info as you have pointed out. Thanks so much. I have subscribed to your channel.

I just bought a unicycle. feels good.

So Glad i found THIS, BEFORE pulling the trigger on my next buy!!

I really resonate with your comments about sizing up as you get more confident and gain some skill. I'm coming from a Demo 8 26er with 444mm reach and went up to a 465mm Devinci Troy 27.5. Initially the reach felt too long so I put on a 35mm stem, but just recently went back to the 50mm stem as I got used to the size. The front end traction is way better with the longer stem. It's making me think that I'll eventually get used to this size as well and have to upgrade to more reach. Luckily it looks like Devinci bikes are growing in reach at the same time I'm needing it! Great content! If only mountain bike reach numbers were being discussed more frequently since the beginning, it might have saved many people from going through the same (expensive trials).

THANK YOU! This video should be required viewing for first time mountain bike buyers.

Best explanation so far, great job.

Excellent. Since I lived in Soquel, you caught my attention with the trails. Lots of trails around there , and then over in Nisene Marks State Park.

Appreciate this very much. Thank you! What a rabbit hole and I love it.

Great vid!! Thank you for putting this together. It was very informative!

Great video, really learnt something Thanks👍🏻

This video has just blown my mind, I had convinced myself I needed a Medium 2021 Commencal Meta TR 2021, after watching this, doing the calculations (Prob got them slightly wrong) I think I now need a large, thanks :)

Great video, thanks for popping it together. Question, how did you approach your seating position with RAD, I am looking at a new frame, the RAD looks good but the seat post is steeper.... It seems that RAD is all about standing out of the saddle, what about being seated?

Amazing video dude, so helpfull for any riders in between sizes, you solved all the issues and wondering that i had the past few weeks trying to choose between an L or XL meta TR. Fun fact, I also come from a strive that I enventually found too small for me (XL for 6,3). Thanks again !

Clear thinking, man. Well done. This video and thought process is more about philosophy, and I feel this is the right move.

Great video. I recently rented Meta TR size L at the bikepark. I am 6'1" (with long limbs) and while the bike felt a bit large (compared to what I have my own) the (default) seat didn't come as high as I needed! So that is also something to consider sigh ... I never thought buying a new bike would be this difficult LOL.

Thanks for sharing! Good info

Hindsight is a wonderful thing.some great info there,thank you so much!! I'm 6 ,4 Riding 482mm reach on am 27.5 meta for five years and stoked with that as most reaches were way smaller before that.onwards and upward👍

Great video!!! Is there a way to calculate what a rider's stack ideal range is? Funny things is I am shorter 5'5" male and now many of the reach numbers in the x-small and small are now too big for me. I have a 2017 Specialized SJ and I think I might be keeping it for a while longer.

thx for the video, im 6'2 , just bought a yt tues XXL and was worried it was too big for me but after seing youre video i see its a smaller frame than other brands with a stack of 626 and a reach of 495, giving me a rad of 798. cant wait to try it out

Really helpful video! Thank you :D

Great information thank you so much I'm loving the geometry involved in it because I'm kind of a formula and big picture guy , thanks for sharing this ....

Great job putting this together and helping people to get a better understanding of what kind of a ride the industry takes us on. Lots of factors to consider and you covered all of them, however there is another factor that I’m not sure how to quantify but would like to try to explain … Living in Maine, we are so jealous of the kind of trails that the industry promotes in their sales videos and of course in the high speed flowy northwest Midwest regions. After all, no one wants to see our messy twisty accelerate just to brake to slow roll for a nearly 180 switchback, most of our trails would make for boring video for sure. When it comes to sizing, we definitely need smaller and more nimble than the BS size charts give us as average 5’8” males can’t sail these massive boats through the switchback jungle. Everything you taught us in your video is spot on but the type of trail certainly plays a part in whether someone may want to go RAD PLUS (speed) or perhaps RAD MINUS (medium speed maneuverability). Trail factor?

best video seen. i,m 190cm people say:take meta TR Large but i ordered a meta TR XL. hope it will get me a lot of fun.

Holly knowledge. God knows how much people can save by just watching this vid. Good stuff man.

I'm 185cm (6ft) I built my META 29 last year in size large. I didn't even think about bike sizing, never heard of "RAD" or anything. I just went by body height and gut feel and so far I guess I got lucky, because it feels great and got all the grip I'd ever want. However, all this information I'm now receiving makes me think, maybe overthink. And I think that's another lesson here: If you have a bike that feels great, "don't fix what isn't broken".

Well done video, thanks

Solid. Now I do not feel nearly as bad for being so particular about a bike build. It matters.

Love it..I guess I need to watch it a few times...thx

Great video, thanks. I always struggle with sizing. At 6'1" I find myself between sizes all the time. What is the ideal stack to reach Ratio?

Thanks for your video. I’m 191cm or 6.3 ft. My RAD is 88cm My bike 2021 Specialized Enduro in S5 size RAD is 89cm so I’m almost spot on. I bought my bike first and then after some time I came across your video.

Great video, thanks. FYI - Pivot bikes generally come pretty big! Ed Masters is 6,3” and he rides a medium Firebird! I’m certain the the XL would suit your reach figures.

Thanks! Got an XL giant mountain bike and I'm 6'2 feel better with my choice now

Great video and I can see where you are coming from with all the different size charts out there but I feel you should of touched more on the kind of trails you ride ?! I've been riding for over 20yrs from back when bike reach numbers weren't even an issue it was all on the seat tube length. My point is though I recently went from a 440mm reach to a 495mm commencal meta, I'm 6ft 2in and pretty much the same as you and a large is bang on for the riding I do if anything the the 440mm was faster on certain trails because how playful it was. Everyone is hooked on the longer lower slacker bikes at the moment but not everyone needs a flat out fast bike in a straight line. Look at Richie Rude he rides a medium because it suits him. The sizes are just a guideline. Commencal recommended a size large for a more playful agile bike and an xl basically for stability and speed so I feel it depends alot on the trails you ride daily. If people are struggling I suggest getting some lessons before splashing out on a new bike because they feel it's too small and make sure you technique is correct first.

What a brilliant helpful video 👏 I have only just watched this a few weeks after getting a second hand Specialized Status in their S5 size that feels just about perfect size wise but has much longer reach than my previous XL trail bike! I'm also about 6'2 and also have a slightly longer wingspan so your explanations make even more sense to me personally 👍 ⚠️Warning ⚠️ one possible thing for others to be wary of is that Specialized only give and the online bike geometry sites therefore only use the low flip chip values for stack height and reach so these aren't accurate if riding this bike in high setting which most people seem to do if it's not going to live in a bike park 99% of the time. Given this I can't actually get close to matching Specialized's own numbers when measuring the values myself in the high setting but thankfully it does still fit well but I did have to swap the included spacers around on the bars.

Great video bro. Im wondering if the arm length should be considered for the stack height.. for short leg/long torso people, you see, when you have short legs, it is likely that you have short arms too.

I’m 16 min in right now. This is greatly helpful. I’m currently looking for my first bike. I’m very unsure about frame size and wheel size.

It is funny that you use lee's method and tool (riprow) who actually suggests going to a smaller size because modern bikes are way to big, and I agree to that. I have a nukeproof scout Medium that is considered a bike with a very short reach by today's standards and i feel that is huge.

Dude, excellent piece of information. I’m 6’2 as well and always trying to figure it out which size I should go. My previous bike was a Trek XC “L”, I felt it way too small, then I replaced it for a Giant Reign XL, which gave me the first impression of being too large (different categories as well, increasing even more this impression). Now, I feel the Reign perfect ballanced, I’m running it in a 35mm stem and 38mm rise bar.

Hey mate! Loved the video. I’m about to order my Commencal meta am 29 after my current bike being way too long in the wheelbase for my racing. My RAD is 815, the medium meta is 792 RAD and the Large is 810 what would you recommend?!

How did you figure out your stack/reach ratio? That seems like a good place to go after the RAD because it is directly correlated to your fore/aft balance of grip. Basically when you are in a good riding position you want your weight to be evenly distributed between both tires, and that ratio would tell you where your weight would be in a neutral riding position, correct?

Great video man, thank you for laying it all out there! Definitely a lot to take in. I was wondering if I could get some input? I’m 6’1 1/2” with long legs and long arms. APE is about +3. Currently on a hard tail with a rad measured at 34” and it feels great, but I’m still a beginner. I’m looking at the Ibis Ripmo AF. I tested the L and XL for about an hour each yesterday and truly feel between sizes. I felt like I might be a little too far forward on the L while standing, my chin was about the middle of the stem. But I felt too far back on the XL. When riding the XL, my lats were starting to hurt from being stretched out while standing, and my arms were nearly straight while seated. I would definitely need a 35mm stem instead of the 50mm. But the guys there said it’s easier to make a smaller bike feel bigger than vice versa. I measured the rad on the L and it matches perfectly to my current L giant talon. The reach is only 25mm different between the two, and wheelbase is 25mm between the two. Makes me think I can’t really go wrong with either, but would lean towards the large. I doubt less than 1” of wheelbase will make much difference for stability, but also 1” more might not make a difference on maneuverability. I feel like I ride like I’m smaller than I am, but I would HATE to spend this money on a brand new bike that I don’t feel perfect about.

Interesting, I'm 178cm (5'10") and bought a Nukeproof Reactor in large, which has a reach of 475. The medium has only 445, which seems like it's quite a big step compared to other manufacturers, and is even shorter than my XC bike. I was exactly between sizes according to Nukeproof. After some research on other manufacturers websites I concluded that most brands recommend a bike with a reach that's closer to 475 than 445 (except for Canyon, who as you pointed out, seem to undersize), so I bought a large. After some additional research I was worried I might have gone too large, especially with the current trend among enduro riders to size down rather than up. Initially I had a 35mm stem and felt like there was no front end grip, so I went up to 50mm to shift my balance forward, and it felt much better. Now after watching your video, I measured my RAD, which is 86cm. Measured my bike, and surprise, it's 86cm bang on. That could explain why the bike suddenly felt so much better with the 50mm stem. And now I'm less worried about having bought the wrong size.

I'm 5'6" but have 33" inseam. I'm a short-torsoed-armed gnome with long legs. My Salsa Timberjack is M and I still have room to reach with legs, but the handlebar reach is too much. Many sizes go by inseam and neglect reach. I'm gonna get the Salsa bend bar with 23° backsweep and see if that and shorter bars help.

Im abit confused with the RAD, where does the 890 number come from when talking about the triangle angles? later on when you mention measuring it, it came out to 35 inches for you (knuckle height) How do i take my knuckle height and find my ideal rad so I know if the bike is good for me? I understand calculating it on the bike using stack and reach to determine the bikes rad out of box, but how would I know what MY IDEAL # would be to see if the numbers are similar? EDIT: I have since, taken my height (6'1.5" or 73.5" or 186.4 CM) and multiplied by 4.47 which gives me 833.3 is this correct?

Wish I saw this video years ago. I've been on a similar path as you between M and L sizing. Time to start crunching numbers

I never heard of the measurement you're referring to, RAD, so I'll not be commenting on that, but I will say that stack and reach are the essential components for finding the correct fit for your body type. I'm 6'0 with legs a bit shorter than torso. My wingspan I haven't measured as of yet, but I find sizing charts to be off, too. They might have been spot on if I had longer legs than torso. I've found myself uncomfortable on several different brands when going by the charts. With my road bike it was fairly good, but when buying a new bike just 3 weeks ago I sized up. Prior to buying I physically tested the different sizes, both by chart and 1 up. I couldn't decide which one I wanted, was a close tie, so I did the test on both an XC bike and a trail bike. In both cases my position and feel was A LOT better on the XL than the chart specific L.. I went with the trailbike as it ticket off all of the boxes. So I guess my best tip buying a new bike is physically testing the bike you want, if possible. Go by the feel rather than the chart. The chart is only a general guidance.

Hey man, thx for the video. Wich stem/ bar combo gives you only 50mm to add to the frame reach? My bike is 25mm longer than this method gives, and I wouldn’t mind to try it. Cheers

Some interesting topics!

Thank you for video. Great info. I am just at the same point. Bought a bike size large, but I am only 5’10”. 2008 GT sanction 1.0. Shorten the stem to 50mm and widen handle bars to 760mm. now the front has not allot of grip. Not sure what to do. My rad is 32.5 and the bike RAD is 32.75. Amazingly close. The bike reach is 406mm. Not sure about stack. Have to figure out how to measure that still. Any help will be appreciated. I am a little confused about what the reach number helps us?? Do we only look at RAD ?

Great video. I just bought a Whyte 629 V3 Hardtail. I'm 6ft 6inches tall and thsts at the maximum of there height chart.. I'll need to ride it a few months and experiment with different bar heights and stem heights. All part of the fun

Nice and thorough video. So with a Bike with the perfect R.A.D the Bike was not perfect ? Because you had trouble to put pressure on the front end? I watched you and dozens of other videos over and ovrand I was testriding at canyon. But if you are new to riding. like me, with no previous bike to compare it is rather hard to find the right size. Im 189 cm tall with a 88 cm inseam. I tried te spectral in L and XL and I found the XL a bit sluggish. Just a tad. But when after watching your video again Im scared that in size L i will go over the bars.

I have a 2017 fuji auric 3.7 its 29er. Im 5"7 and have a medium size 17inches. Although i love riding it when sitting on saddle it just feels to tall for me. For example when going slow on technical/rocky areas i almost immediately lose balance. Im thinking of switching to 27.5 wheels hopefully this helps

Nice vid bro. I'm 6'2.5" and recently bought a Trek Fuel EX 8 in XL and it feels fine but I was wondering if I should have gotten a large. I was thinking a smaller bike would be a little more nimble and playful.

I’m 6’2” as well. Currently ride XL, Trek Fuel EX and I like the way that feels. Next bike will be L, Slash 2021 and I want to see how that works for me. Yes, flow trail is awesome!!!

6 foot 5 here or 198cm, thinking about getting a XL Trek Marlin 5 since their XXL (recommended to me by the Trek staff) doesnt reach Peruvian soil.Their size chart says that the XL can fit as far as a 6'5.2" person, however, the chart says that in CM it will go as far as 196cm. 196cm equals to 6´4.3" according to google and my calculator. Meaning I should be able to fit inside the XL category, but it goes against Trek´s staff recommendation. I´m kinda scared about the fact that I might spend money on a bike that doesnt fit online but im hoping for the best (I´m shopping online). Very cool video, really helps with my research

wow, amazing. 5'8 here, with a Rad of 810mm without shoes. the triangle calculator showed 759mm on the BB to head tube and I added a 35mm from my stem. adds up to 794mm. That is excluding my 20mm rise bars. After adding the 20mm, it adds up to 814mm. with my shoes on, that is pretty much a perfect size.

Big believer in RAD now I know mine, I know exactly which bikes fits me

I'm thinking about getting a 2022 Polygon Siskiu D7, size Large. I am 5'11" and my rad is about 830mm. According to that, the large should be the right size, but according to a formula from another video from joy of bike (height x 2.5), the medium is spot on right for me. What should I do? Thanks in advance.

Very interesting.

This is the first MTB content video makes me laugh like 😂😂. Sorry for the wallet, and thank you for sharing, very fun to learn this! Next time we need to go deeper in the geo spec. The stack/ reach/ chain stay….. I make an Excel template to compare all size specs across different models and brands now.

This is a great video! Luckily for me, I don’t have to think about this most of the time, because I’m 6’5, so biggest bike for me all the way.

I find it interesting that your "fit journey" progressed continuously towards larger sizes when the big takeaway from Lee's videos on Joy of Bike seemed to be that most people need to size down. In any case, much like you I've gone from shorter reach/higher stack bikes (before the terms existed) to longer/lower bikes. Interestingly, my last bike (SB130) had a reach of 460 yet according to RAD measurement and using the triangle calculator I'd be more suited to a 475 reach. Serendipitously, I've been looking at a WeAreOne Arrival which has 475 reach on the large size. At any rate, great video, especially where you highlighted your mistakes and lessons learned.

Great information. Didn’t even notice that Commencal changed their sizing chart. Wonder why, as they’ve been recommending everyone at a certain height to get a XL, to only now say, it won’t fit you “technically”. I actually used the 99spokes site to help with my sizing. I took bikes I knew that fit me well for my riding style and compared them against the Commencal. One thing I noticed was the XL Santa Cruz bronson was similar to the Large Commencal. The XL Commencal was much longer, and bigger than the XL Bronson. Plus the Bronson has 27.5 wheels and the Meta 29. I bought the book Dialed too once I heard about it in this video and am going to measure my own RAD. I still must wait until March for the Meta to arrive. I’ll use the measurements thought to see how my current Large hard tail measures up. Thanks for all the great information.

6'2ish myself (189cm) with a (very) positive ape index as well (198cm) although mostly because my shoulders (claviculae) are wide. My RAD measurement is exactly 890 as well. Current bike measures 840 with a longer (60mm) stem and pretty tall stack height. I found your video because I felt like my weight on my current bike is forced too far back or I have to literally lean OVER the front end to avoid understeer without using brakes (unless on steep downhills ofcourse). Ironically I also ride a 2018 canyon which I got based on their 'PPS' haha. 'RAD' is an interesting measurement although I do wonder: - what does steepness of the terrain we ride do to the ratio of stack/reach we should attempt to obtain the RAD sum with? - what does the chainstay length / frontcenter length ratio do to the stack/reach ratio we should be aiming for (given the same RAD sum)? Also, I think getting the correct size bike is not about not having to shift your weight, it's about having a neutral weight bias/balance. Slight nuance. Edit: and btw, thanks for sharing your experience and lessons learned!

Very informative video, thanks for sharing your thoughts. I'm almost in the same shoes that you were in. I'm 6.3 tall (190) but with a fairly negative ape index (184 wingspan). Planning to buy a Meta also, so measured my RAD which is 930. Based on my RAD I should pick the largest reach bike available, but I think that's not the way I must follow in my case?

I am your same height and i am on a large geometron (520mm) and swapped from a xl santacruz and at first I thought it was to big but my next bike will be a 535-550mm reach. at the end of the day its all preference I know someone 1'' shorter riding a bike with a 458mm reach and they like it and don't like mine. Your next improvement should be a bike with longer chainstays ;). its funny because Chris porter has had sizing down sense 2017

I think it all depends on not just your height but as important if not more important is where your riding and style your riding. I am between 5'9"-5'10". I have 3 different bikes and all different sizes, road riding I ride a 58cm road frame, very tall for me but on the road I am very comfy on it, gravel and beaten paths rides I ride a medium frame mountain bike, also very comfy for me, if I am going off the beaten path or into some tight technical trails I ride a small 16" frame 26" wheels mountain bike, also very comfy, 3 sizes for 3 different reasons, if I ride my medium frame 29er through tight technical trails it gets the job done but not as comfy as my small 26" small frame bike, and vice versa, taking my small frame 26" bike down the gravel roads or beaten path trails it's more work, slower timing but again gets the job done. Before looking at sizes I say look at where you ride and the style you ride.

One question: So you know your RAD and you go to a manufacturers website. How do you determine what stack and reach you need. Sure you can put it into a triangle calculator, but that will only give you a ballpark number. Is there a better way to measure/ calculate?

Very informative video. Thanks for posting. I'm 183 cm / 6 ft with an 86 cm / 33.8 in inseam (while wearing my Five Tens). My local bike shop where I ordered a new bike from recommended that I get an XL version of the bike I wanted. It has a 500 mm reach and a stack of 646 mm and a standover of 776 mm. I think I should be ok, but I watched another video recently that said people are buying bikes that are way too big for them. They suggested taking your height in cm, multiplying by 2.5 and using that to determine what reach your bike should have. If I do that, I get 183 x 2.5 = 457.5 mm reach. But that's much shorter than the 500 mm of the XL bike I've ordered. It's all very confusing and makes me worry constantly that I've ordered the wrong bike size. I ordered it in October last year and it won't come until July this year. And I never had a chance to sit on one because of how scarce bikes are and it's a brand new model (Orbea Rise M10). What do you think about what these guys say about sizing? Does it match up with your experience? kzfaq.info/get/bejne/ft-go72A1a7Tk4E.html

I'm looking at a Ripmo V2 in both Large and Med. Isn't it possible to get the Correct RAD for both bike sizes by adjusting the stem and handlebars? I have no idea but it sounds feasible.

Hi, I'm 5'7 which is 1.74 cm so should I go with Medium or Large on trek rail 9? I usually ride in the city to commute. I don't do off road.

excellent video tall riders get no love in the mountain bike industry lol. i was in the same situation as yourself after riding bikes that were way too small for me thinking smaller = lighter and more nimble... i crunched the numbers determined the reach and stack figures that would fit me (i'm 6.1) and i actually looked at the commencal but wanted something with a longer rear end after testing an xl norco sight with 445 mm ish chain stays that give you an even more centered riding position less fiddling required with the stem lenght since the longer back end naturally shifts your weight a bit more over the front.

Going through same thing. Sitting right at where switch Medium to Large. Trying to figure out how to order since there are none in any shops local.

Great info. I’m stuck wanting a fat bike looking at a KHS 3000 it’s got 4.6 tires it’s a frame size 19” the bike is 6hrs drive away from me. It’s a great deal but Think it’s a large frame and might not fit me. Im only 5’8” what are you guys thought?

How do cross country bike sizes correlate to gravity bikes? I use S size on my CC bike, what sizes should I consider for enduro bike?

When you get measured for you hight for a bike i would probably recommend keeping your shoes on as you'll always been this hight on the bike, im 5.11 but with my trainers on it raises me up to 6ft 6,1 ish you don't want to be hanging over that rear wheel all the time this has been a good interesting video, for me anyway with being out the game a few years all sizes have changed dramatically from when i done enduro and DH on the Atx 2 for example canyon i just wouldn't trust their size chart as they are the longest bikes you can get compared to others the sizing has always been off with hitting the bars with knees and changing gear and now some taller people are hitting the dropper post lever very dangerous!

I'm confused. At 22:40 you say long stem makes handling erratic, but it's the other way around - the longer the leverage (stem) the less degrees distance moved on handlebars is produced. Long stem should make it more stable, not more erratic. That's why xc stems are long - it's to compensate the twitchy head angle. Even googling "Short vs long stem handling" it says outright "short stem gives quicker handling". Could you elaborate on this point?

Do you make any corrections for your positive APE index? Just wondering because I have something like a plus 5 or 6 inch APE index.

using your example in the triangle calculator, 90 degree angle A=480, B=620, C=784, how can I factor in the stem, bar rise, and spacers the rest of the way when trying to match up my RAD??? Say my ideal rad was 890, trying to dial it in from the 784. Thanks for this awesome video, and I am trying to piece it all together as I look at bikes for 2021.

What’s your inseam? I’m 6.2” and 36.5” and I feel completely opposite to you. I feel like every XL is too big and I have no confidence turning.

Is chin vertically over stem a good way to size a bike?

ChatGPT is pretty good at sizing you if you give it the bikes geo and all your measurements lol. Still try it out in person, but it was pretty spot on lol

I'm sort following your mistakes, I'm a bit shorter than 6 2" (187cm) and I bought pivot mach 5.5 large and I think its too small for me,can't wait to get home and measure my rad and bikes. Cheers.

Gonna watch this entire video later on tonight. Im dying to order a bike but just don't know what size to get. Im between 5.7ft - 5.8ft and according to all the sellers of modern mountain bikes in 2022 that puts me at the top end of medium and the bottom end of large. I have no clue which size bike i should get. Guessing the medium would be the better option. I'll probably find out after i watch this video, hopefully.

Nice video, I'm 5.7 and I got an xl Sworks stumpjumper it was a great deal i couldn't let it pass i did some adjustments like stem size and seat post size, luckily the crank was 175 good enough for me and to be honest I feel good on the bicycle, I even cut a few minutes on the trail which is a huge improvement, I'm really happy with my bicycle. I believe is 80% cyclists 20% bicycle

I've always been surprised ape index is not talked about more. In the middle of your video you mentioned being a plus two. That alone for the most part would have me thinking you should begin looking at bikes size for people 6'4" not your actual height. I'm not the least bit surprised you feel better on an xl because the exact opposite happens with people with a negative ape. That rad machine was also really cool. Has me and wanted to try one. Like you I also went through five different frames before I found the exact fit that I like.

Hello! I'm 5'6 and in the middle sizes on most brands in either small or medium. When I tried your calculations, both sizes could work with a short or long stems. So in my case, which route should I go? Small with longer stem to reach my RAD or medium with shorter stem to reach my RAD. Small has around 70mm difference without the stem length and bar height, and medium in around 50mm difference without stem length and bar height. Thank you!

Great content! I wish a came across your video before buying a MTB. I’m 182cm tall, 86cm inseam with 86cm RAD. I got a Large Kona Mahuna: 620mm stack, 465mm reach, the triangle calc results in 775mm. Reducing 50-70mm from my RAD would put me in a range between 790mm-810mm. I also measured the rad of the bike which results in 86cm. Does this mean that the large is the right size? How would I tweak the bike to find the sweet spot? 🙏