[canadmos]

Yep, another one of these "help me choose a bike" threads.

I am on the hunt for a new (used) downhill bike in the price range of $2500-$3500 (can possibly stretch to $4500).

Being 5'7, I can sometimes feel over stretched on certain medium frames and very cramped on small frames. Any suggestions? Getting to test ride downhill bikes around this area is just not going to happen.

So far I've found an assortment of appealing Norco Aurum's, Devinci Wilson's (aluminum version) and one Turner DHR. I am pretty open to suggestions if anyone has good experience with one of those bikes or anything else.

For what its worth, I used to own a medium Transition tr450 and it felt pretty good.

 

[gemini2k]

Get a medium, and play around with shorter stems. It's always better to go a touch bigger than smaller.

 

[Udi]

If you want to attack this analytically, fit on a bike assuming the same component setup is a function primarily of reach and stack figures. Geometrical factors outside of this will affect how the bike feels to ride - for example a slacker head angle will lengthen the wheelbase and require you to be further over the front to maintain front traction, and a longer chainstay length will do the same for the rear. However rider fit on a bike in particular is independent of these, and can be dictated by reach and stack.

What this means is that you can avoid a whole host of subjective analysis and instead just run some numbers. The square root of reach and stack gives an effective measure of distance between hands and feet on a bike (assuming the same build).

I've linked this particular calculation for the M TR450 you mentioned. You can see the output is 704mm. Edit the "581" and "398" values to the potential reach/stack values of bikes you are considering and recalculate, if the number is within ~5mm of that "704" value, you'll have a bike that fits very similarly.

Beyond that, if you can keep the head angle, chainstay length, and BB height similar to the bike you liked as well, you'll have something that both fits and rides similarly. I use "rides" in terms of geometrical qualities here, obviously this doesn't account for suspension related characteristics.

 

[canadmos]

Wow thanks for the info and tips. I've got some colds beers here ready to go. Time to go bike hunting.

 

[ronnyg801]

All those bikes seem appealing to me, at your height stand over would be big for me, and with that the other bikes that comes to mind is a canfield jedi. I would also go for the medium and shorter stem option as mentioned above, and then narrow it down based on feel, from reviews or if you can get actually seat time on any of them.

 

[dytrdr5]

I am exactly 5'7" and I ride a small Turner DHR, I really like the way the bike rides and I prefer smaller bikes. With that said if I was to do it all over again I would go up to a Medium frame.

 

[Beef Supreme]

I am 5'8 so I can relate. Some mediums fit great and I am in between sizes on others with the mediums being too long. I own an Aurum and it is a touch too long unless I go to a stem that is 40mm or shorter. The medium DHR is quite a bit smaller. The V10 runs pretty small as well.

 

[canadmos]

Thanks for the all tips. I had been specifically eyeing a small Aurum and medium DHR's.

I stumbled across this and should be picking it up in Montreal next weekend...

Medium DHR.

STOKED.