Standover heights?!?

[Cari]

I've been wanting a full-suspension mountain bike for quite some time now. I've had my eye on a few models, and thought that as soon as I felt I could spring for it, I'd start doing test rides and such. I'm looking for 4" of rear travel and a 4" fork.

Now I find that I'm too short to fit on most of these bikes! So far I've tried the Ellsworth Truth, Ventana Saltamontes and Titus Racer-X, all in size Small... and they're all too high for me! So far, the only remote possibility I've found is a Titus Racer-X in XS, but I'd have to use an 80mm fork instead of the 100mm I wanted. What's up with this, guys? Are all female mountain bikers tall?

I'm 5'4" and my inseam is 74cm/29". My current mtb is a Gary Fisher Tassajara, a hardtail in size 15.5", which fits pretty well. I guess I like long bikes because even though the stem is only 90mm, the seat is pushed all the way back. I've been told that 2-3" of clearance is ideal, but that I should be OK with 1-2". Do any of you petite women have suggestions for full-suspension bikes that fit you?

Thanks in advance,

~Cari

[Kathi]

Cari,

I'm 5'1/2 and I have a Titus Racer X in an XS. I chose Titus because of the steeper seat tube angle that most mtn bikes don't have.

Could you get a custom frame that would have the travel that you want?

[yellow]

Why can't they put a 100mm fork on the XS? I too have a Titus Racer X XS, but I chose an 80mm fork. I'm pretty sure I could have had a 100mm fork if I wanted.

SadieKate has a Racer X XS too...she may have a 100mm fork on it.

[SadieKate]

Nope, I have a 80mm also. It has to do with the geometry and suspension design so that when the suspension sags under your weight the steering is at the right angle.

Cari, have you looked at a Marin Mt Vision? I'm a smidge shorter than you and have one with a 100 mm fork on it. It has a longer wheelbase than the Racer X. I haven't a clue what my inseam is. I set all my saddles at 70cm from the ctr of the crank to the top of the saddle.

What type of trails are you riding?

[SadieKate]

What about Yeti and Intense?

[snowtulip]

Hi Cari,
Personally can't help (I'm 4'11' with a 25 inseam, I ride a Titus Locomoto XS), but I have a friend with very same inseam and height as you (not sure about torso) that loves her Santa Cruz Superlight small with a 100mm. Not sure if the Santa Cruz Juliana would also provide what you're looking for.

[rocknrollgirl]

I do not want to hijack your thread, but how do you ladies like your Racer X???

I am currently bike shopping.

Ruth

[Cari]

I'm 5'1/2 and I have a Titus Racer X in an XS. I chose Titus because of the steeper seat tube angle that most mtn bikes don't have.

Could you get a custom frame that would have the travel that you want?

Kathi: Sorry if this is a dumb question, but... What's a steeper seat tube angle? Does that mean that the seat is set further back than the bottom bracket, or the opposite of that?

The only custom bikes I'm truly familiar with are Independent Fabrication, since I have one of their Crown Jewels (a steel road bike). Their fullie is called the Tungsten Electrode (http://www.ifbikes.com/frames2/tungsten-electrode.shtml). My mechanic and riding buddy advised me against it -- said that it was overpriced and that the rear shock wasn't very good. It certainly is expensive, but I don't know anything about suspensions, so I don't really have an opinion. I can call them and see if they can make me something that will fit.



Why can't they put a 100mm fork on the XS? I too have a Titus Racer X XS, but I chose an 80mm fork.

Yellow: In the Racer-X geometry tables (http://www.titusti.com/racerx_ti.html) they have separate lists for sizes designed for an 80mm and a 100mm fork. There's XXS - S for 80mm and S-XL for 100mm. I guess I might be able to fit on an XS if I use a seatpost with setback and a long-ish stem. What made you decide to go with the 80mm fork?



Cari, have you looked at a Marin Mt Vision? I'm a smidge shorter than you and have one with a 100 mm fork on it. It has a longer wheelbase than the Racer X.

Kate: I'll check out the Marin Mt. Vision. I've heard that Marin bikes are heavy but very plush. Is that true? I was hoping for something light (unlike my mule-ish Tassajara). Then again, the same mechanic who advised me about IF's Tungsten Electrode told me that he'd buy a Marin Mt. Vision Pro.

Another dumb question: Is there a particular benefit to having a longer wheelbase?


I haven't a clue what my inseam is. I set all my saddles at 70cm from the ctr of the crank to the top of the saddle.

I checked that same measurement as a comparison: on my road bike it's 67cm, and 65.5cm on the mtb. Maybe you have sexy long legs? :D What size road bike do you use? (Mine's a 50.)


What type of trails are you riding?

Until now I've limited myself to riding in open spaces -- bumpy, with some climbs and such, but hardly anything technical. I figured I'd hone my skills and get into better shape and then move on the real stuff. The only real trail I've ridden so far was last Sunday! Some friends went to practice because their next race is there and they brought me along so I could try their bikes. There were slippery rocky areas, steep muddy climbs, some parts with lots of roots to ride over, switchbacks, and some scary bits where you have a short, steep descent followed by a sharp turn (miss the turn and you hit a tree.) I did OK, I think -- fell only 3 times in about 1.5 hours -- but I was on the Ventana Saltamontes with the 125mm fork on the first lap, and then the Racer-X with 100mm on the second lap. I don't think I could have done all that on my current bike.

What I have on my hardtail right now is an 80mm Fox fork. Do you think that maybe I don't need the 100mm?


What about Yeti and Intense?

I don't know anything about them (don't know about many brands, period) but I'm very open to suggestions so I'll check their websites.

[Cari]

Hi Cari,
Personally can't help (I'm 4'11' with a 25 inseam, I ride a Titus Locomoto XS), but I have a friend with very same inseam and height as you (not sure about torso) that loves her Santa Cruz Superlight small with a 100mm. Not sure if the Santa Cruz Juliana would also provide what you're looking for.

Hey, thanks for the tip. I'll look into Santa Cruz as well. By the way, what is a Locomoto? Is it an all-mountain bike?

I'm actually thinking about the Titus MotoLite. For some reason, the standover height is lower in that model. Judging from the standover and the top tube length, I think I'd be right between an XS and a S. They give dimensions for both a 100mm and 130mm fork but I'd go with a 100. It seems like the MotoLite might be more bike than I need, but if it fits...

Do any of you have it, or know of someone who does? Is it heavy, does it bob a lot on climbs, etc?

[SadieKate]

Cari, you need to go do some research on XC bikes vs all mountain. In general, an XC bike has a shorter wheelbase, steeper angles and handles faster. All mtn is a bit more all purpose and is more stable on steeper, more technical descents.

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=7536

I have a 2001 Marin Mt Vision which has been significantly upgraded. It is not heavy and yes, it is very plush. The longer wheelbase and angles means it is more stable on loose, technical and rocky descents than a Racer-X. However, the Racer X excels the Marin on really narrow singletrack. You need to determine what terrain you will be riding and then look for a bike that works for that terrain.

I've ridden road bikes anywhere from a 49 to a 52 cm. I have long legs, a short torso and long arms. I probably don't fit bikes the same way you do. I think you need to look for a mtn bike with a long top tube and in very small size. Fishers are known for their long top tubes.

[yellow]

Yellow: What made you decide to go with the 80mm fork?
Cost (I had the entire bike built, and the math required me to cut in a couple of places...the front shock was one of them). I have a RockShox SID on it. I was riding a POC before, so to me it feels very nice!

My hubby has the MotoLite. He loves it as he can change the rear travel from 4 to 5 inches. Of course his is an XL, I think, so his big person's fondness for the bike may not apply to your situation. :confused: It's not heavy at all. I think his weighs in at about 27-28 pounds (and remember, it's an XL!).

[mellic]

Hi Cari. I'm exactly the same height as you and know how frustrating it can be to find a bike as it seems we are between sizes for a lot of brands. The ideal bike size for our height is 15.5", but you should be quite comfortable on something 'slightly' smaller.

If you are not a very heavy person you will get away with 80mm of travel as long as the fork is sturdy. I ride with an 80mm reba fork and I am quite an agressive rider and have never bottomed it out.

Have you had a look at any Specialized bikes? Most of their bikes come in 15.5" (small). The top tube angle is a lot lower in comparison to other bikes giving you more clearance as well. I would have a look at an epic or stumpjumper fsr.

[tattiefritter]

Hi Cari,

I'm the same height as you with a similar inseam and I have an XS Titus Moto-Lite (the replacement for the LocoMoto). I run 5" travel on the rear and have a 90 - 130mm TALAS on the front, but the Moto-Lite can be adjusted to suit 4" on the rear as has already been said above. The Moto-Lite is an "all mountain" bike, whatever that means. It's awesome, in most things. Its not particularly heavy, I have never weighed mine, although I do know it is heavier than the hardtail it replaced (though that was fairly light). I did spend quite a bit of money puting a lightish build on it, but not stupidly light. It climbs pretty well,only slightly worse than my hardtail, I don't think it bobs too much at all. I have a Fox RP3 shock on it and there is a definite difference in the three settings. It descends like an absolute demon and I think it is a very stable bike.

My Avatar has me riding it though I don't think you'll see much !

I had similar problems last year when looking for a small suss and the Titus was the only one that I demoed and liked. A friend of mine is looking at the moment and her shortlist is Santa Cruz Juliana/Blur XC, Yeti ASR (not the 575 as the standover on that is really high even on the smaller sizes), and a Moto-Lite. There is also the Ventana X5 which goes down to really small frame sizes.

[Pebble]

Not one you looked at, but I'm 5'5" and have a 30" inseam, I've found the Giant Trance 16" (mens model) has plenty of standover but I've had to put a 60mm stem and a riser for it to feel just right reach wise. I understand in the UK they have brought out a Trance Womens, could be worth considering (reckon one should be coming out in the US & Australia for 2007). 4" both ends!
If you need more than 4" consider the Giant Reign.

Good value for money, and the Maestro Suspension system works really well.

[bcipam]

Cari:

I'm joining this conversation late but two bikes that might work well for you are the SC Superlight previously mentioned and the Specialized Stumpjumper FSR - both have similar geometry. The Superlight is a XC bike with 4" of travel. The Spec. FSR is a XC bike with 4" and the Stumpjumper FSR is an all-mountain bike with 5". Both SC and Spec. sale women specific bikes for each model (the Superlight is the Juliana for SC). Both the SC and the Spec. have alot of clearance. I'm 5'8" and ride a medium on both bikes although I can almost do a large in the Superlight. I own the Spec Stumpjumper FSR and love the bike. Almost bought the Superlight but with the fit kit I wanted it was alittle out of my price range.

The Blur tends to be a "tall" bike, not alot of clearance. Most of my friends ride SC, and prefer the Superlight over the Blur.

[Nanci]

What about the Ventana X-5? My S Locomoto had its original frame recalled, and has that X-5 frame, (which is different than the Moto Lite- and the old Loco frame used to be like that Yeti frame that had that curved top tube, which was what I particularly liked about it...) Loco's rear shock connects into the V straight ahead, not downward to the downtube like the X-5, but I don't really know what difference that makes. Anyway, I have a 28" inseam, and have plenty of room on that frame. Ventana's site says the standover is 27.1 on the 15".

http://www.ventanausa.com/frame_x5.html

Scroll down to see a picture of my Loco frame, like the Ventana frame.

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=7057

[Cari]

Cari, you need to go do some research on XC bikes vs all mountain.

I guess I also thought XC was the obvious choice because I want something relatively light. I never even considered an all-mountain... I thought that was for downhillers and for people who rode at places like Moab. I admired a few of them at the LBS, but the owner (a downwhiller) said they were "too much bike" for me -- too heavy and with more travel than I need. He knows that I don't ride big nasty trails... but that's in large part because I'm afraid to do so on my hard-tailed Tassajara. I recently upgraded the fork to an 80mm Fox and that has made a fair bit of difference, but the kind of riding I do regularly is nowhere near what I tried last weekend or what I'd like to do again in the near future. If all goes well, I want to try XC racing next year. :)

I will do some research, as you suggested. I really don't know enough at the moment to make an educated decision. All I have to go on are the three bikes I tried. Then again... the market might make the decision for me, if I don't find something short soon. :P

[bcipam]

Cari:

I had to make the same decision but ended up going with the 5" travel bike. Now I have t say for most normal terrain I ride a hardtail - just lighter, quicker but if there are any downhills of consequence I take the fully and have to say I love what the 5" gives me over my old fully which was 4", but the bike is alittler heavy and I struggle with climbing. All in all not all that much difference between 4 and 5". If you are racing, go with the xc bike.

Now 5" is not much of a downhill bike. My fork is 100 - 120mm. Downhill bikes go to 300mm!!!! Big difference! My bike is barely "all mountain" and diffinitely not downhill!

[Kathi]

Cari,

Here's an explanation of seat tube angle.

http://www.billbostoncycles.com/seat_tube_angle.htm

Because I have a short femur I need to have a steeper st angle to be positioned over the bike properly and a zero degree seat post. My road bike angle is 75 degrees, the RacerX is 74.5 degrees. My new custom frame is also 74.5 degrees. The person who fitted my road bike said I could go to a 76 degree st angle.

And my saddle is also forward instead of centered.

Mountain bikes typically have a seat tube angle of 72-73 degrees.

[adventurechick]

I am a small rider (5'1" and inseam of 27"). I was thinking of getting a racer-x but I also wanted 4" of travel in front and rear. So I got a Titus moto-lite. Haven't received it yet, it is on order. I did demo it and it had about 2" clearance. The only other bike I found that fit well and was not too big was the Santa Cruz Juliana, although the top tube length is a little shorter than the Titus. Good luck!

[Cari]

Did you get the X-Small Moto Lite? So far, that and the Juliana are the only ones I've found that might fit. But I've heard that the Titus shocks have a better reputation than those that come with Santa Cruz bikes. So if I had to decide on a bike today, I'd probably get the Moto Lite, too. (Mu second choice would be a Racer-X with an 80mm fork).

Do you know how the Moto Lite compares, weightwise, with the Racer-X? I would think that manufacturers would post this info on their sites, but I can't seem to find it anywhere.

Congrats on your purchase. Please let me know how it rides once you've set it up! I'd love to hear more feedback on that model.

Thanks,

~Cari

[tattiefritter]

Do you know how the Moto Lite compares, weightwise, with the Racer-X? I would think that manufacturers would post this info on their sites, but I can't seem to find it anywhere.


~Cari

Cari it may be worth having a look through the www.MTBR.com Titus forum to find out the weight of the respective frames. From memory when I bought the Moto-Lite a medium frame was listed as about six pounds in weight. The Racer X was definitely lighter but as I wasn't interested in it I never really paid attention. The XS will be also be lighter than the medium due to size and the fact that the downtube is lighter as well. I didn't bother weighing my frame when I got it as it was never going to be as light as my hardtail.

[Cari]

Nanci: You're a lucky girl... And I would seriously consider that Ventana if I could actually ride one. But I don't think those are very common here...

bcipam: So, you have a Moto Lite, right? Any info you want to share on that would be appreciated. :)

You probably have the best of both worlds, and if I had a better hardtail, I might go the same route. I'd *love* to have a nice HT, and if I did, I might consider looking at 5" travel frames as well. But since I already have my Tassajara, I feel like my next bike should be a dualie. Oh and regarding my comment on downhill bikes... I've seen some of them and they look like dirtbikes! I guess since only a year and a half ago my mtb was an old-school Trek with a rigid fork, and I've never had a full suspension bike, to me, anything with 6" of travel looks like it's fit for the Grand Canyon. :D

Kathi: Thanks for the link for info on seat tube angles. I have the specs for my road bike around here somewhere, so I'll check and see what was prescribed for me. Assuming equal rider measurements, is there a difference in seat tube angle between road bikes and mountain bikes?

Tattiefritter: I've looked up stuff on mtbr.com before but I didn't know they published frame weights. Thanks for the tip, I'll check out the Titus forum!

And finally...

I test rode an 2005 XS (14") Ellsworth Truth on Thursday and loved it. The bike shop owners were super nice -- one of them brought me his wife's bike to test. I never thought I could fit properly on such a small bike, and to be honest, I still feel weird about it. But other than needing to raise the seat and push the saddle back a bit, the fit feels good. The Truth's virtual top tube measurement is 21.3" -- almost the same as my GF Tass, which is 22". My Tass has a 70mm stem, so I could make up the difference by putting a 90 on the Ellsworth. I'm also concerned about bobbing, but the bike I rode is set up for a 130lb. rider, and I'm... not 130 lbs. I want to read more about the rear shock system on the Ellsworth site, but my mechanic says that it's just a matter of setting it for my weight.

I originally thought that even the 14" Truth wouldn't work, because the standover heights published by Ellsworth are the same for all frames -- 28". But the LBS owner said that in 2005 (but not in 2006), they made the top tube differently just on the XS in order to give it a lower standover height. The frame they offered is a 2005, so they're willing to knock a few hundred dollars off the price.

It's still a big purchase, so I'm thinking about it... But I think that if I manage to test ride an XS Titus Racer-X and a Trek Fuel EX 9 WSD in order to rule them out as possibilities, I might just convince myself to buy the Truth. :)

Now I'm off to bed to dream of groups & kits...

~Cari

[Kathi]

Kathi: Thanks for the link for info on seat tube angles. I have the specs for my road bike around here somewhere, so I'll check and see what was prescribed for me. Assuming equal rider measurements, is there a difference in seat tube angle between road bikes and mountain bikes?



Cari, no there is not a difference. The length of the femur determines your seat tube angle. MY road and mtn bikes are 74.5 - 75 degrees. I have one mtn bike, my Voodoo which has a 72 degree st angle. I really notice the difference when I ride it, I'm to far away from the center of the bike to get good power on it. With a zero degree seatpost and my saddle as far forward as it will go, I can't get a good kops measurement, my femur is that short.

I specifically went for the Titus because of the st angle. There weren't many companies making a mtn bike with the steeper st angle which I need.

[gcat]

And finally...

I test rode an 2005 XS (14") Ellsworth Truth on Thursday and loved it. The bike shop owners were super nice -- one of them brought me his wife's bike to test. I never thought I could fit properly on such a small bike, and to be honest, I still feel weird about it. But other than needing to raise the seat and push the saddle back a bit, the fit feels good. The Truth's virtual top tube measurement is 21.3" -- almost the same as my GF Tass, which is 22". My Tass has a 70mm stem, so I could make up the difference by putting a 90 on the Ellsworth. I'm also concerned about bobbing, but the bike I rode is set up for a 130lb. rider, and I'm... not 130 lbs. I want to read more about the rear shock system on the Ellsworth site, but my mechanic says that it's just a matter of setting it for my weight.

I originally thought that even the 14" Truth wouldn't work, because the standover heights published by Ellsworth are the same for all frames -- 28". But the LBS owner said that in 2005 (but not in 2006), they made the top tube differently just on the XS in order to give it a lower standover height. The frame they offered is a 2005, so they're willing to knock a few hundred dollars off the price.

~Cari

It's important to note that the 14" Truth isn't a 14" frame at all -- it's a 16" frame with a bent top tube. (Note, Ellsworth no longer calls it the 14" -- it's now designated an "xs frame"). As a result, the frame is a bit of a quirky fit -- doesn't fit many who would normally ride a 14", but a good compromise frame for others, which may explain why it works well for you.

[bcipam]

The bike I ride right now is the Specialized Stumpjumper FSR. It's the 5" inch travel bike. I also had a Superlight (Santa Cruz) which I loved but it got "old" and tired. I kindof wished I got another Superlight but for me it was a price issue plus I thought I wanted the 5" travel bike. I find I'm riding my Specialized Stumpjumper M4 HT more and more - it's just so quick and light.

[Cari]

It's important to note that the 14" Truth isn't a 14" frame at all -- it's a 16" frame with a bent top tube. (Note, Ellsworth no longer calls it the 14" -- it's now designated an "xs frame"). As a result, the frame is a bit of a quirky fit -- doesn't fit many who would normally ride a 14", but a good compromise frame for others, which may explain why it works well for you.

Are you referring to Truth frames in general, or to the 2006 model?

Actually, I was at the LBS yesterday to be fitted on that 2005 14"/XS frame and it turned out to be too short. They asked me to bring in my current bike (a GF hardtail), took measurements, adjusted the height and fore/aft position of the seat on the Ellsworth, etc., and had me take it out on the road for a bit. The top tube is too short, so when I pedal somewhat aggressively while standing or go uphill, my knees and lower inner thighs can bang against the steering tube. My Tassajara's virtual top tube measurement is about 23". The 14" Truth was just over 21".

I'm going to call Ellsworth anyway... maybe they've changed the dimensions on the 2006 model? Even just one extra inch of length in the cockpit could make it work for me.

But I'm *so* bummed out...

[gcat]

Are you referring to Truth frames in general, or to the 2006 model?


2005 model, but I have been told that the 2006 is a 16" frame as well. (They have corrected the spec by renaming the bike the XS).

[tattiefritter]

Hi Cari,

I've had a quick search on our web hosted photos and found a few of me on the ML, most of them are from the front though. There is a panning one from the side which although slightly blurred does show how I fit on the bike. I do like a small frame and I have also moved my saddle quite a bit further back since that photo was taken (on an inline post) as for reasons that escape me now it was quite far forward on the rails. There have been problems with directly linking to Fotopic pictures directly but you should be ok with going into the gallery (fingers crossed). The photo to look for is "Julie-pan" in the bottom left hand corner.


http://gallery127676.fotopic.net/c966863.html

There are other pictures of me on the ML (and some of my other bike - but its green so obvious) in the various galleries accessible from the Index.

Anything labelled Julie...

[Lara]

I just bought an XS Ellsworth Truth that has 4" travel in the rear and up to 105 mm in the front. It has a slightly shorter wheelbase than the S, but I felt that the cockpit fit me perfectly, whereas I was a bit too long in the torso for the SC Juliana. I am 5'4" with a 30.5 inseam but have shortish arms...

One thing about Ellsworth is that they are handcrafted in the US and the bike tracks like a dream over technical stuff. Also, the styling is better than anything else on the market though the bent top tube does compromise the look (yet provides a nice clearance when you have to bail.)
The "Ellsworth Mafia" makes it hard to get a hold of the XS (you may have to wait a few months), but they should fly one out to your local dealer if you would like to try one.

Cost of bike with a SRAM X7 gruppo...4500. Having the coolest bike in town...priceless.

[alimey]

I have just bought an XXS Racer-X - I even flew over from the Uk to get it (just don't tell the taxman). I bought it specifically because it had a low standover height - I am 5' and obsessed with finding bikes that fit me.

I was a bit surprised when I stood over the bike in the shop to find the standover was not as low as I had expected - but the bike was lovely anyway (anodised black, cream SID world cup forks & chris king hubs etc. . . ) AND I love the ride.

One day at home I was curious as to whether the bike actually was an XXS and measured it - sure enough, most of the measurements were about right. EXCEPT the standover height. It was about 3.5 to 4" TALLER than the Titus website suggests. I have had a few email exchanges with them & basically the measurement for the standover of the XXS (can't comment on other sizes) is completely wrong. Titus send me the technical drawing for the bike & I can't for the life of me see how they can quote the standover as under 25" - it's more than that where the top tube meets the seat tube. Anyway - needless to say, I didn't get anywhere with this. I do love the bike - but if I had known about the standover height I would have bought a cheaper bike with a lower standover - & one I could have got in the UK.

By the way - for those obsessed with standover heights the XS Blur has a lower standover than the Juliana . . .

[Puffin]

Cari, I'm about 5"3 and ride the smallest GF Cake, with the saddle quite far back. It's my first full susser and I feel invincible on it. It is very forgiving of poor riding and slippery surfaces. :p

The key is to test ride in conditions you normally ride in so you have a good comparison. I did find that since I'd never ridden full suss before, all the bikes I tried seemed pretty good. In the end I got the Cake because the price was right (the bogey green colour certianly wasn't! :eek: ) and I felt safe on it going down hill - the set up is pretty laid back. It's a bit heavy to pull up hills but I've got lock down forks that help with that, as well as some lightweight components.

Good luck!

[fatbottomedgurl]

So Cari did you ever get a bike?

I'm 5'2". For those interested the Giant Trance has an EXTREMELY low standover. I ride the 14" frame. It is not a racing bike but a great trail bike. The Trek Fuel also has a low standover. On it I fit a 15" (unisex) frame whereas the Gary Fisher Cake gives me no clearance on the same size bike. The 13" Cake fits my inseam but feels a little short in the cockpit, as does the small WSD Fuel. These bikes all come in lower pricepoints than the Santa Cruzes and Titus.

[emily_in_nc]

One day at home I was curious as to whether the bike actually was an XXS and measured it - sure enough, most of the measurements were about right. EXCEPT the standover height. It was about 3.5 to 4" TALLER than the Titus website suggests.

That's interesting. I bought a 2000 Racer X off ebay this summer, size XS (15.5"). All the measurements matched the Titus site for me. If I measure the height of the top tube where it intersects the seat tube, it is 25.5", and about 6" farther forward, where I would actually stand, it's 27". My inseam is around 28.5", so it's adequate standover, but I kinda wish I had even more. That said, the top tube length of the XS is perfect for me. The head tube is a little high, though. Even without any spacers under the stem, I can't get the bars lower than even with the saddle. They're actually a tad higher since they're riser bars. So....I maybe should have gotten the XXS, but I couldn't have gotten the price I did, and the XS suits me fine since I am a pretty casual rider, just out for fitness and fun. How different are the standover measurements on your XXS (assuming it really is one -- I sure hope so since you came all the way over from the UK to get it!) from my XS?

Emily

[alimey]

Hi Emily

delighted to hear you have a Racer-X as well. Interesting about your measurements - not as dramatic as mine - but assuming you have an 80mm fork, your standover is still showing nearly an inch taller than shown in the geometry tables of the Titus website.

Re. your handlebar problem - one thing people often do is to take an upward sloping stem & put it on the other way up, so it slopes downward. In fact, the manufacturers often put the logo on both ways so it doesn't look ugly whichever way up you have it. Also if I were you I would be tempted to ditch the riser bar - I think it's a combination of fashion & people wanting to achieve different positions. As you want a lower position, a flat bar might well work better.

Hope this helps

alimey

[emily_in_nc]

Hey, those are great ideas alimey, thanks! I don't know if my stem can be swapped for upside-down, but I should check that. I could easily replace it if not, and for not a huge amount of $$.

The bars I'm not quite ready to change as they are nice carbon Monkey-Lites, and I have already put a lot of $$ into this bike, but that's something I could do someday if I get more serious about mountain biking. Right now it's a very casual thing for me, and I suck at it since I don't get to do it often enough to improve much. I am hoping that next spring/summer when I can ride more I'll make better progress.

Thanks again!
Emily