[E. Guido Soda]

So I test rode both the 21" and 19" Superfly 100 AL this week. I am 6" pretty much on the nose and hover around 200 lbs. Inseam of 31, so they tell me I need a 19" frame. But they only had a 21" demo assembled on Thursday when I needed a bike to ride, so I rode it...and it felt great. My loop is a 23 mile run, a pretty easy loop (Oak Mountain State Park, Bham, AL). No numbness in the hands, no back pains, bike performed pretty damn well. So I exchanged it for the 19" frame, newly assembled, on Saturday morning and rode the loop again. I felt like I was sitting almost directly over the bar, I had numbness in my hands for a lot of the ride, and slight back pain. Where it maybe outperformed the 21" was on speed and power. I felt like I was freaking flying, and I really shot up the only notable climb on the loop, a 2.2 mile climb up a fire road.

Anyway, w/o putting eyes on my set up, do you think this may be a case of setting me up on the 19" bike properly, or should I go with the one that didn't give me any worries, physically speaking? And it's not like the 21" was slow - it rolled like a beast. It's just everyone in the shop says they really don't want to sell me a 21" bike...

-EGS

PS - I am going to purchase the Elite...

 

[Sandwich]

Are there any steep sections where you are? That's where I notice bad frame fit the most. I like a long top tube to stretch out and feel comfortable in most situations, but as soon as a trail turns down, it gets really sketchy. I looked at the angles and there's not a ton of difference between the two sizes, around an inch or so in the top tube, but your nuts may get slammed with a 31" inseam and 21" frame. If it were me, I'd go with the 19" and grab a longer stem or a pair of riser bars to reduce the strain on your back. I'm guessing you had some kind of "roadie fit" going on, where you were in a more aero position and less upright.

It's hard to tell without really seeing you or the bike, but I would practically never consider putting somebody of your height and inseam on a 21" bike, unless there was considerable standover, and it doesn't look like the superfly has that sloping of a top tube. You could theoretically get away with an ultra short stem on the longer bike, but I really wager it's going to be one of those things you regret further down the line. If you never ride technical trails or steep sections, you may be fine forever, but a shorter TT will most certainly give you more control when the going gets hairy.

FWIW, I'm 5'11", 32" inseam, I ride a Fuel EX in 18.5", with a 23.5 eTT, and 90mm stem. My comparison is a cannondale prophet in size L @ 24.5" eTT, with a 120mm stem. I felt fine on that bike until I started going downhill, where it was panic inducing. The trek feels fine everywhere. I feel more pressure on my hands now that I lowered the stem, but I feel very comfortable when it's slightly more upright. The climbing ability I gain is great with lower bars though.

 

[oldfart]

31 inseam is short for your height. I'm a 30.5 at 5'31/2" so I would think the 19 is a better fit in terms of stand over. To certain extent a longer stem might allow you to set up the 19 the same as the 21. But how long is the question and if that long stem has an adverse affect on riding down steep sections perhaps you should size up.

 

[Sandwich]

Maybe you can find an alternative bike that has a very low standover with a longer TT? Your torso must be pretty long if you're an inch taller than I am and an inch shorter in inseam.

 

[E. Guido Soda]

The possibility exists that I was simply beat from the 23 mile loop w/ only one day's rest between. I usually rest a minimum of two. Keep in mind, the 19" felt great to ride, aside from the phantom shifting of the new cables and the thumb-thumb SRAM set up. I am going to trust in everyone I have talked to about this, and go 19".

Now, about the horrible reviews of the RP23.......

 

[-BB-]

I'd go with the 19in... As was stated here, you could always do a slightly longer stem, or if the bike you rode had a no-offset seat post, do an offset one and a slightly longer stem. It is easier to make a smaller bike bigger than a bigger bike smaller.

 

[E. Guido Soda]

I'd go with the 19in... As was stated here, you could always do a slightly longer stem, or if the bike you rode had a no-offset seat post, do an offset one and a slightly longer stem. It is easier to make a smaller bike bigger than a bigger bike smaller.

Thx. I would also like to say I like the "In An Intensive Care Unit" quote in your sig line. Yep, that's the original title of the song, as it was, apparently, for all four or five of the slower, reggae-style version.

-EGS

 

[jonKranked]

i'm your size, 6'1", 200lbs, and ride a 19" (yeti ARC hardtail).

RP23's are actually pretty good shocks. I haven't had issues with mine. A lot of what I've read/heard about them negatively resulted from improper setup of lack of maintenance.

 

[-BB-]

Thx. I would also like to say I like the "In An Intensive Care Unit" quote in your sig line. Yep, that's the original title of the song, as it was, apparently, for all four or five of the slower, reggae-style version.

-EGS

Hmm... I had to go look that one up.
http://phish.net/song/nicu/history

I was actually at the Clifford Ball show they mentioned in there.

 

[Sandwich]

i'm your size, 6'1", 200lbs, and ride a 19" (yeti ARC hardtail).

RP23's are actually pretty good shocks. I haven't had issues with mine. A lot of what I've read/heard about them negatively resulted from improper setup of lack of maintenance.

you know the bike he's talking about appears to be a 29er, right? Don't you curl up into a ball and go all rainman when people talk about niners?

 

[sanjuro]

Traditionally, a 6' rider will ride a 19", and 6'2" will be on a 21".

With that said, you could just get the 19" with a 2cm longer stem. That will resolve the feeling that you are over the bars.

 

[jonKranked]

you know the bike he's talking about appears to be a 29er, right? Don't you curl up into a ball and go all rainman when people talk about niners?

nah man i roll out the US HTS and tell a lot of people they've been had.

 

[golgiaparatus]

I've tested fishers and I'm the same height as you. I did several loops on SF 100 Large and it was a pretty good fit... needed saddle a bit further back and a maybe 5 mm more on the stem. I rode a immediately after... was an XL... was too large for sure. Felt stable and all, but I felt stretched, slow and less able to move around over the bike.

It may be that you are riding too large of a bike now and are just accustom to it... but at 6' the Large is probably what you need, unless you have crazy measurements/proportions.

 

[golgiaparatus]

Guido is good... NICU. Most people don't know that. 3 Phishheads in 1 thread...


Control for smilers can't be bought.

 

[E. Guido Soda]

Guido is good... NICU. Most people don't know that. 3 Phishheads in 1 thread...

Yep - first show 3/8/91 Tuscaloosa...which may explain why I need two or more days of rest between rides.

Also debuted at the same show as "In An Intensive Care Unit" was "Knife"! Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!

 

[golgiaparatus]

Mine was the St Louis show that was brought to you by the letter M and the number 420... 1995.

 

[E. Guido Soda]

Mine was the St Louis show that was brought to you by the letter M and the number 420... 1995.

'95 was a good year. Are you down with the Google Phish spreadsheet? Gets me through my rides quite nicely...

 

[golgiaparatus]

Yeah, 95 was good. As was 97... which is the year I saw the most shows. No, I don't use the Phish spreadsheet... what is that?

 

[E. Guido Soda]

Traditionally, a 6' rider will ride a 19", and 6'2" will be on a 21".

With that said, you could just get the 19" with a 2cm longer stem. That will resolve the feeling that you are over the bars.

How long is the stock (Bontrager) Race Lite stem? Can't seem to find particular piece of info on that stem...

 

[E. Guido Soda]

Yeah, 95 was good. As was 97... which is the year I saw the most shows. No, I don't use the Phish spreadsheet... what is that?

I trailed off after '95 / '96. '97 was too trance-y for me. Saw them probably 75 - 80 times from '91 to '95, a couple of times in '96, and sporadically after that. I saw them this past June in Atlanta, and they were pretty tight. Good to see them happy and hungry again.

Spreadsheet:

https://spreadsheets.google.com/a/alwte.com/pub?key=p8WKkpP-TKpO1VnQgcff6EQ&gid=7

Thank me later. Or not at all - not sure if you're interested...but it's a nice resource for MP3's.