Mountain Bike Sizing Explained
Mountain biking can be a wonderful way to stay in shape and enjoy nature. The size of your bike, and whether it properly fits, can make all the difference between a comfortable ride that you enjoy... and one that makes you miserable. How does the size of a bike impact you?
If a mountain bike is too large for you, it can be extremely difficult to handle. Going up hills, making sharp turns, virtually every aspect of mountain biking will be significantly more challenging than with a properly sized bike. The more unwieldy the bike is, in turn, the more likely you are to fall and sustain injuries. This makes proper mountain bike sizing an extremely important aspect when you are selecting a bike.
How can you be sure to have a correctly sized mountain bike? While not exhaustive, the following tips should help you get started. For best results, be sure to consult with your local bike shop.
The first, and arguably most important, factor to consider is the frame height. If the frame of a bike is too high, it can be very difficult to mount or dismount the bike, not to mention the risk of injury should you slip off of the seat and land on the top bar.
One very common method of ensuring that the frame is the correct size, is to stand straddling the bicycle. Be sure that there is at least two inches clearance above the top bar of the bike and you. This will help ensure that you can properly handle the bike, and reduce the risk of injury.
A second factor to consider is the height of the seat. Generally speaking, you should have a slight bend in your leg when the pedal is in the bottom position, and your leg is fully extended. If your leg is completely straight when fully extended, this can be very uncomfortable, as your hips will have to tilt back and forth while pedaling. As a rough rule of thumb, when your leg is fully extended downward, your knee and ball of the foot should be in a straight line. This is roughly the appropriate degree of bend that your leg should have.
A third factor, that is commonly overlooked, is the comfort of the seat itself. Many bikes come with seats that, by default, are not very comfortable. This can cause some people to tilt the seat forward to alleviate the discomfort, which then results in the hips having an undesirable tilt. For the highest degree of comfort, a person's hips should be perfectly level. To ensure this, the seat needs to be comfortable enough to use at the proper angle.
A fourth factor is the handlebars. Although handlebars that are tilted forward will result in greater control at high speeds, over a long ride they will be far more uncomfortable than handlebars that are more upright. Therefore, you will need to adjust the handlebars according to your preference and style of riding.
The above tips explain why mountain bike sizing is so important and will help you to properly size a mountain bike to suit your needs. For more assistance, be sure to enlist the help of your local bike shop.
If you are looking for in-depth reviews of the best mountain bikes just visit our Best Mountain Bike Reviews website. We also show you where you can purchase Mountain Bikes for up to 50% off...
If a mountain bike is too large for you, it can be extremely difficult to handle. Going up hills, making sharp turns, virtually every aspect of mountain biking will be significantly more challenging than with a properly sized bike. The more unwieldy the bike is, in turn, the more likely you are to fall and sustain injuries. This makes proper mountain bike sizing an extremely important aspect when you are selecting a bike.
How can you be sure to have a correctly sized mountain bike? While not exhaustive, the following tips should help you get started. For best results, be sure to consult with your local bike shop.
The first, and arguably most important, factor to consider is the frame height. If the frame of a bike is too high, it can be very difficult to mount or dismount the bike, not to mention the risk of injury should you slip off of the seat and land on the top bar.
One very common method of ensuring that the frame is the correct size, is to stand straddling the bicycle. Be sure that there is at least two inches clearance above the top bar of the bike and you. This will help ensure that you can properly handle the bike, and reduce the risk of injury.
A second factor to consider is the height of the seat. Generally speaking, you should have a slight bend in your leg when the pedal is in the bottom position, and your leg is fully extended. If your leg is completely straight when fully extended, this can be very uncomfortable, as your hips will have to tilt back and forth while pedaling. As a rough rule of thumb, when your leg is fully extended downward, your knee and ball of the foot should be in a straight line. This is roughly the appropriate degree of bend that your leg should have.
A third factor, that is commonly overlooked, is the comfort of the seat itself. Many bikes come with seats that, by default, are not very comfortable. This can cause some people to tilt the seat forward to alleviate the discomfort, which then results in the hips having an undesirable tilt. For the highest degree of comfort, a person's hips should be perfectly level. To ensure this, the seat needs to be comfortable enough to use at the proper angle.
A fourth factor is the handlebars. Although handlebars that are tilted forward will result in greater control at high speeds, over a long ride they will be far more uncomfortable than handlebars that are more upright. Therefore, you will need to adjust the handlebars according to your preference and style of riding.
The above tips explain why mountain bike sizing is so important and will help you to properly size a mountain bike to suit your needs. For more assistance, be sure to enlist the help of your local bike shop.
If you are looking for in-depth reviews of the best mountain bikes just visit our Best Mountain Bike Reviews website. We also show you where you can purchase Mountain Bikes for up to 50% off...
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