[MarkDH]

Hey,

I know there are a number of threads about the weird sizing of the Glory, but I can't find what I'm looking for in the archives. I'm starting to look at new DH frames, possibly in time for next season, and currently ride a medium Giant DH Team (I'm around 5'10"). The Glory was one on my list to check out, but after sitting on a medium which I found too cramped in the top tube, I unfortunately felt I had to write it off as an option. This was also due to the massive jump in TT length to the large that I had seen on their website.

However, yesterday I got the chance to sit on a large 09 Glory and it felt quite nice, albeit just around the car park. The top tube felt only marginally longer than my DH Team's and I didn't feel massively stretched out on it. That said, I didn't get the chance to ride it on a trail. I'm concerned that on steep stuff, if I try and get my weight back I'm going to be hanging on by my fingertips (exaggeration, but you know what I mean).
I'm just wondering if anyone around my height who would usually ride a medium bike rides a large Glory? I'm also wondering about potential benefits and drawbacks, stability versus ability to flick it around for example.

Also, does anyone know off the top of their head if all model years of the Glory had the same sizing throughout the range, but particularly in the large size?

Cheers in advance for any help.

 

[scottishmark]

Mark,

Giant never changed the sizing, they just changed the way it was listed. It used to go S, M (short), M (long), L - then they changed it to XS, S, M, L. And none of the measurements seem to make any sense unless you can decifer the davinci code!

Get a go on big Stu's. Gary's report on it was "stable, barge-like"

P.S. mines a small, just in case you thought it was a medium

 

[DirtyMike]

Id go medium

This may help

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-US/bikes/mountain/2271/32155/

 

[Bigdroptoflat]

I will have a 2009 large glory frame for sale in excellent shape in a few weeks, let me know if you are interested. I will probably let it go for around 1000 dollars.

 

[MarkDH]

Mark,

Giant never changed the sizing, they just changed the way it was listed. It used to go S, M (short), M (long), L - then they changed it to XS, S, M, L. And none of the measurements seem to make any sense unless you can decifer the davinci code!

Get a go on big Stu's. Gary's report on it was "stable, barge-like"

P.S. mines a small, just in case you thought it was a medium

Not sure who big Stu is, but I wouldn't mind a sit on another one if I could! I had a ride about on some guys medium at Dunkeld and I felt like I was going to bash my knees on the bars. He was saying it was ace for Innerleithen cos it was easy to flick round, but mince for the rough stuff 'cos it just falls into all the holes. I can sort of see where he was coming from. He was a bit shorter than me as well.

The guy whos bike I tried yesterday was taller than me, about 6'1" maybe, but his large looked quite small on him and I actually thought it was a medium before he told me otherwise. There was a lot of room in the cockpit, but I didn't feel it was miles bigger than a medium Sunday despite the figures on the website.

 

[scottishmark]

you met Stu up at Dunkeld before the race, he was up with Gary, Mike n co. He was at the race too but no bike.

He's always up for riding so you should be able to get a go no problem.

Not fancy a Sunday? There's a nice one for sale in Alpine Bikes

 

[Chaingangster]

The 2010 Med is longer than the '09 and previous. I think they used to be 22.3" effective TT, and the new one is around 23.8". I rode one of the new mediums a couple weeks ago w/ a Fox 40(tall stanchions) and I didn't hit my knees once (I'm @5'11"). Seemed like a nice compromise between stability & agility.

 

[MarkDH]

you met Stu up at Dunkeld before the race, he was up with Gary, Mike n co. He was at the race too but no bike.

He's always up for riding so you should be able to get a go no problem.

Not fancy a Sunday? There's a nice one for sale in Alpine Bikes

Vaugely remember a guy on a Glory, that would be good to get another shot. Sunday is also on the short list, but the Glorys can be had for a fair bit cheaper and given the length of time the DH Team has been running, I'm sure the Glory could survive a small bomb blast. Certainly ain't light anyway...

 

[MarkDH]

The 2010 Med is longer than the '09 and previous. I think they used to be 22.3" effective TT, and the new one is around 23.8". I rode one of the new mediums a couple weeks ago w/ a Fox 40(tall stanchions) and I didn't hit my knees once (I'm @5'11"). Seemed like a nice compromise between stability & agility.

Sorry, I should have said, I'll be going for a second hand frame so only the older style models for me I'm afraid. Cheers anyway though.

 

[Gary]

Mark, I'm 5'11 and as you probably already know I like all my bikes on the short side (my Sunday is a small) what the guy said about the shorter bike not being as stable is true, but an inch shorter doesn't magically make it fall into all the holes, what it does do though is put your centre of weight further forward so you do have to ride a smaller bike more "off the back" or it can feel like every hole you hit the bike is trying to buck you over the bars. you just need to re-adjust your riding style to compensate for this which can take far more concentration to get though rough stuff fast than on a longer bike.
On Glorys there seems to be quite a jump from a Medium to a Large in front end length.
As Mark said, when I rode Stu's large it felt mega stable, don't know how big a part the extra inch of travel and it being set-up for a slightly lighter rider played in this but it just begged you to plow through dips and holes and forget about lines or doubling up anything on the shot bit of track at inners I rode on and although it felt ok it was def too stretched for me when it came to changing lines quickly and popping over stuff.
Mark's Small measures up very similarly to my Small Sunday but when riding it it's somehow even shorter in the front end, actually too short for me.
I'd definitely be going for a Medium.

 

[FlipFantasia]

I'm 5'10" and ride a medium '08....I really like the fit, tend to have a long inseam, avg length arms....

 

[yuroshek]

im 5'10ish and in 08 i rode a large, and i managed to ride it but it seemed to big for me. so i switched to an 09 medium and its perfect FOR ME. i will most likely be getting the 2010 in a medium as well, ill have to check the geo charts first tho.

hate to ask but, are you an older guy? if your older i could see why you would want a large frame.

 

[Lelandjt]

You'll love the large at high speeds and on steeps due to stability and having the front wheel out in front of you (if you're worried about reach use a 40mm stem). It won't carve tight corners as well as a medium. A long wheelbase requires a more concerted effort (weight shift forward) to make the front end stick and the rear rotate. Understand that I'm talking about TIGHT, switchback type turns and that Greg Minaar and Steve Peat use longer than stock large frames and manage to corner fast.

I'm not telling you which size to buy cuz I'm 4" taller and never rode a Glory, just giving you an idea of what traits to expect.

 

[MarkDH]

Cheers for the replies guys.

Gary - Yeah I know what you mean about having to ride off the back, I think that's what the guy was trying to say, getting bucked over the front type feeling. Having to make an effort to change my riding style is something I don't want to do though. I like the medium Sunday cos I find the longer top tube means you can get your weight low and your back flat without feeling like your going to get pitched over the front. Definitely want my next frame to have as least a long a top tube as my DH Team.

Yuroshek - Interesting that you changed sizes, what ride aspects do you feel were poorer on the large than the medium? I'm 24, I'll let you decide if that makes me an older guy or not!

 

[Natedog]

Cheers for the replies guys.

Gary - Yeah I know what you mean about having to ride off the back, I think that's what the guy was trying to say, getting bucked over the front type feeling. Having to make an effort to change my riding style is something I don't want to do though. I like the medium Sunday cos I find the longer top tube means you can get your weight low and your back flat without feeling like your going to get pitched over the front. Definitely want my next frame to have as least a long a top tube as my DH Team.

Yuroshek - Interesting that you changed sizes, what ride aspects do you feel were poorer on the large than the medium? I'm 24, I'll let you decide if that makes me an older guy or not!

I know someone who just got their hands on a new medium Glory. So I'll let you know what he thinks about the medium size ;-).

But all kidding aside, I am 5'11" and I would ride a medium. Especially with the new longer TT I am certain that a medium will be just about the right size for you. The larges are, well large. Like any bike sizing issue it's all about preference. My recommendation however would be a medium...

 

[yuroshek]

well its hard to say because i have changed riding styles a bit since last year. i raced sport last year and now im taken podiums in the expert class, so ive went thru a pretty big "change". but with that said the large was very stable but i at the time could not corner well with it at all. it took alot of me to get that thing to turn, but than again i was still very new at the riding game. the medium is a blast tho, im on the east coast so not to much fast wide open stuff besides mount snow. so not much need for a highspeed stable rig, so the medium is more nimble and easier to ride in the rocks and trees here in the east.

no your not old, im not too far behind you. im 22... the reason why i was asking if you were older is because they usually want more room to move around and not "hunch" over as much, know what i mean?

personally i would go with the medium. i ride my teammates large glorys in the parkin lot and i feel like its a limo its so big and couldnt believe i use to ride a large last year.

 

[MarkDH]

Thanks again for the replies. I think I will need to get another shot on both sizes of Glory and make my own mind up. The Large felt good around the car park but that doesn't mean a lot I suppose. I think if the Large really is too big, I'm going to have to write off the Glory again, the Med just felt too cramped. Second hand Sunday it'll be in that case...

 

[scottishmark]

there's one on ebay for £1k right now - ends in 20 hours