Sizing Mountain Bikes

Sizing Mountain bikes

Alison Addy

This article speaks about the different parts of the bicycle and the way to have them setup to make you feel more comfortable and enjoy your ride.

Apart from providing an expert advice and better selection, personnel of bike shop also help you in getting bike of right size fitted. You might not enjoy much if the size of your bike is either too small or too big. Considering few points would aid you in having mountain bike of perfect size and fit.

Standover height or the inseam clearance would be the first things to be checked when you plan to check the fitting for yourself. You might require enough space between the top tube and yourself when you halt the bike. The sufficient clearance would be nearby four to six inches from the inseam top to the top of the top tube.

You have an effective formula to determine the position of leg while riding a mountain bike. The terrain or the path is not consistent and hence while you ride your mountain bike, it might constantly raise you off the seat or slightly move or sometimes completely off the seat.

Hence, you might require to set your seat little lower than you would do on other kinds of bike. When you consider the frame size, ensure to take into effect a little lower seat height position.

Compartment layout for the rider should be your next point of check which is the handle bars and the seat distance. Once you determine the correct leg positions make sure to have the handler bar to below the saddle height by one or two inches. Handle bars should never be higher than the saddle, unless you have an upper body problem.

Having the suspensions on both the ends, you might want to have your weight to be more in the middle part of the bike that would distribute evenly the weight between the rear and front suspension units. Thus, this allows the rear and front suspension to work as one unit.

This can be easily achieved with the help of either a shorter or higher stem for raising the hand height which in turn would move the weight to the rear and the upper body moves up. This increase in the height should be less than 3 inches, later there should not be more than two inches decrease in reach.

After having all the points considered, take a test drive of the bike. Do wear a helmet though you are going for a test ride for a short span of time. Check your tires for the right pressure and also if the shop has made the bike to fit you properly.

Have an employee of the shop notice your body position and height of the ride when you ride further determining any adjustments that need to be made. Ride the bike for a while for a hands-on the new equipment and its handling. Start slowly initially and give some time of the bike to show its personality.

You might feel that the bike isn't normal or something is working incorrectly. If you feel uncomfortable, get back to the shop to have the problem sorted out before you decide to rule out the bike. Nowadays, ( http://www.bikecyclingreviews.com/Frame_Geometry.html ) Bike frame size chart are fitted to it which makes it easier in handling tough situations.

More rides you have on the bikes, the more easier it would be to identify the difference in the type of rides. Remember that it might take few months or years to praise the bike handling way. Talk to people who ride and inquire if they ride those bikes that they sell. This would help you understand more about the mountain bikes that you love the most!

Alison Addy is the author of more resources published at http://www.bikecyclingreviews.com .More ( http://www.bikecyclingreviews.com/Frame_Geometry.html ) articles on bike frame size chart and cycling at his web.