Hi All,
Thinking about sizing down on my next bike (Likely an Epic 9). Currently ride an Epic Evo 2022 - Medium. It rides good but frequently I feel I stand too tall. Testing a size Small in my area is tough. I ride a 51cm road bike and a 52cm gravel bike and can’t be happier about my fit. I wonder about your experiences and insights regarding this.
Height = 172cm ~ 5’8”
Inseam = 81cm ~ 32 inches
Knee to Angle = 41cm ~ 16 inches
Thanks a lot.
I am 179cm tall, and I rode a size medium Epic 8.
I’d say that someone your height who’s riding 52cm bikes should probably go for a small..
What length stem do you have on your Evo?
What do you mean by “stand too tall”? That seems more like a stack issue. BTW I’m 165cm and ride a medium Epic 8. The reach difference between S and M is significant (30 mm).
What stem do you use? I’m around 177 cm tall and ride a medium Epic 8 and feel I’m definitely about maxed. I ride with a 90mm/-6 degree stem. I love the fit and handling of the bike and it’s phenomenal on flats and climbing, but sometimes does feel a bit aggressive on more technical descents. Granted, that’s what the dropper post is for, plus my skills could use some polishing for sure.
Yeah, I was in a similar position, but that’s how I liked to ride the bike. I could have ridden a large with a shorter stem..
I was riding 80 - 90 mm stems on it.
I’m now riding a medium/large Trek Top Fuel with a 70mm stem, so my reach with the stem is 535 – right between the 80 and 90mm on the Epic (530 and 540mm).
Get ready for all the “you shouldn’t be riding anything longer than a 50mm stem” comments
I’m in the same boat you are. The last bike I owned that felt like it fit great was a 2020 Mach4SL. I ran it with a 70mm stem and that thing could handle on rails and punch well above its weight.
If I compare it’s geo to the new bikes, most all smalls fit within the wheelbase and reach of that medium Mach4SL, even the new Mach4SL in small is closer.
good luck
60mm. But I wish I had a bit more
Yesss, LOL. As someone with long legs/short torso and have ran anywhere from a 30mm stem to an 80mm stem on the same Diverge it’s all about ignoring the static and meeting the rider where they are at. That being said, I prefer a smaller bike and to tweak fit adjustments via cockpit. OP, my take is that some adjustments you will actually not notice as much as people will make you think, if the fit is dialed. Right now my mountain bike has a 70mm stem on it and it’s not any “sketchier” or slower via testing than the shorter, stock config.
I heard somewhere that Keegan Swanson and @Jonathan are running a size down on the Epic 9….maybe I’m onto something.
Boichi (sp) is also running a size down and longer stem. Bjorn Riley runs a size down as well.
Reading the responses and thinking about my own riding, sometimes I want longer and lower and others times, not so much. I wondered if there was something like a dropper for stems. Turns out there was ~10 years ago. Didn’t catch on, apparently. https://www.bikeradar.com/news/the-adjustable-mountain-bike-stem-is-here-and-were-not-sure-we-need-it
Then you could likely size down.
The Evo 7 has a slightly shorter reach than the same-size Epic 9, so you aren’t getting a full size-down difference in reach. I think that would work well for you.
