[slimshady]

i will note that most XC racers are tiny.

... and I will note that most skate (Burnquist, Hawk) and slopestyle (Semenuk, Söderström) champions are giants. Which given the inertias involved, seems contradictory at first sight. One would think smaller riders would spin/change directions much more easily than Clydesdales..

Average height is affected by the whole population. Enduro racers in the USA are almost all of European descent. That leaves out the taller Americans of African descent but also leaves out the shorter Americans of Asian and Hispanic descent. My bet is the average American male enduro racer is taller than the average American male. I love statistics.
I'm a hair under 6'2" and have moved from 445 to 470 reach. Every 490 reach bike I've tried felt too long.

As noted before, skills are IMHO determinating to some extent. Considering myself a low skilled, 6ft tall rider, and riding actually a 467mm reach enderpo bike, I feel like 475 would be my Goldylocks reach. I can relate that to the top Endureans choosing shorter reachs given the speed and type of terrain they are riding. And if we look at the WC DH field, we will find shorter and shorter reachs across it.

 

[Bikael Molton]

FTFY

i will note that most XC failed road racers are tiny.

 

[sethimus]

FTFY

now do van der poel

 

[ianjenn]

@Lelandjt I am 6' and 490 is about spot on for me.

 

[ianjenn]

I think another thing to consider is that taller athletic people are more likely to be successful and drawn to other sports where height makes a bigger difference. So being shorter might not make you a good bike rider, but it will reduce your chance bat being successful in football, basketball etc. Biking is far from the first choice for athletic Americans.

Lebron James or Rob Gronkowski could have been great DH riders, but that clearly wouldn't have been the best choice for them.

Wait you wouldn't want to make $200K a year sometimes risking your life versus say $50 Million and another $10 million on sponsorships above that? That is a good point.....

 

[Lelandjt]

@Lelandjt I am 6' and 490 is about spot on for me.

You like how it manuals? I can't manual a 490 bike. I had to adjust a little going from 445 to 470 but I don't think I could ride a 490 bike the same way.

 

[jstuhlman]

i'm a hair over 6', with a long torso/short inseam. i've always landed on larges, and tried to also find bikes with low standover. i've also always found myself scooting back on my saddle, something i still do now with a 460mm reach on my nomad. i'd be interested to try something in the 470/480mm range for my next bike. idgaf about manualing - i think it's just not in my dna and i'm not going to waste any more time trying to improve.

 

[Westy]

i'm a hair over 6', with a long torso/short inseam. i've always landed on larges, and tried to also find bikes with low standover. i've also always found myself scooting back on my saddle, something i still do now with a 460mm reach on my nomad. i'd be interested to try something in the 470/480mm range for my next bike. idgaf about manualing - i think it's just not in my dna and i'm not going to waste any more time trying to improve.

I am a bit over 5'10" with a little more torso than average and the 473 reach on my hardtail feels great. I too have given up on manuals, but that is maintaining one. No problems getting my front wheel up and all my weight on the rear. The short 415 stays may have a lot to do with that

 

[Rhubarb]

How you “like” to ride and what terrain you actually ride are fundamental points IMO. And so is stem length when you are comparing approx. 10mm of difference in Reach . I got my first taste of long Reach when I picked up a Process 153. Even though it was my first 27.5 bike I felt instantly comfortable. Granted it had a 40mm stem and short stays (a prerequisite for me). I am now on a L Bronson with just under 470mm Reach and a 50mm stem, and it still feels great but I would say 475-485 Reach with a 40mm stem would be ideal. I picked up a Cotic BFe which has 490mm Reach if I recall and even with a 40mm stem it was like pulling up a boat anchor when trying to manual on flat ground. Changed it out for a Staton Switchback with 470mm Reach and 40mm stem and it’s the fun hardtail I was looking for. Longer Reach feels great in open sweeping corners, but shorter Reach is more fun, easier to manual and jump, and quicker in the tight stuff. I don’t ride wide open and fast DH stuff but could see the benefits of longer Reach and Wheelbase, but 29ers start making more sense for this type of stuff.

Oh and I am a tad under 6’2” for ref.

 

[ianjenn]

You like how it manuals? I can't manual a 490 bike. I had to adjust a little going from 445 to 470 but I don't think I could ride a 490 bike the same way.

Well, I can get the front wheel up fine just takes a bit more pull at the start.....

 

[HardtailHack]

... and I will note that most skate (Burnquist, Hawk) and slopestyle (Semenuk, Söderström) champions are giants. Which given the inertias involved, seems contradictory at first sight. One would think smaller riders would spin/change directions much more easily than Clydesdales..

As noted before, skills are IMHO determinating to some extent. Considering myself a low skilled, 6ft tall rider, and riding actually a 467mm reach enderpo bike, I feel like 475 would be my Goldylocks reach. I can relate that to the top Endureans choosing shorter reachs given the speed and type of terrain they are riding. And if we look at the WC DH field, we will find shorter and shorter reachs across it.

I used to envy short people before bike geo got rad, little people could use slopestyle bikes as XC/AM bikes and they'd have have something with decent geo, tall people got flexy pieces of shit with 70deg HA's and slack STA's.

 

[Gary]

I used to envy short people before bike geo got rad, little people could use slopestyle bikes as XC/AM bikes and they'd have have something with decent geo, tall people got flexy pieces of shit with 70deg HA's and slack STA's.

I still do. And I'm not even short.
5'11" tall and riding a 420mm reach non flexy bike today.

 

[HardtailHack]

I still do. And I'm not even short.
5'11" tall and riding a 420mm reach non flexy bike today.

What is it?

 

[Gary]

Medium OG Capra.
My Dartmoor 4X is also 420

DH bikes are even shorter