Mountain Biking - 5'9"...should I be looking at 18" or 19" frames?

Looking to buy a hard-tail frame off e-bay. Currently I ride a hybrid, 19" "compact geometry" frame with a ton of seatpost showing. As many of you may or may not know, I wanna buy a frame and do a build-up. Type of riding: 85% road; 15% hard-packed trails. No fancy stuff, i.e. jumping, REAL off-roading, single track (whatever that is ;) ), etc.

Oh, by the way, my inseam measures a tad over 31". I have rather long legs for my size.

Thanks.

Jim

If you don't know, don't buy off of ebay. Go visit your LBS first and find out for sure.

I'm 6'0" with about your same inseam (short legs/long torsoe), and I ride an 18" frame on one of my bikes, and a 17" from on another. However, I use to race BMX, so I prefer a slightly smaller bike.

Looking to buy a hard-tail frame off e-bay. Currently I ride a hybrid, 19" "compact geometry" frame with a ton of seatpost showing. As many of you may or may not know, I wanna buy a frame and do a build-up. Type of riding: 85% road; 15% hard-packed trails. No fancy stuff, i.e. jumping, REAL off-roading, single track (whatever that is ;) ), etc.

Oh, by the way, my inseam measures a tad over 31". I have rather long legs for my size.

Thanks.

JimJim, you might want to check out these older Ti (Russian made) frames that Montrose Bike has; they're relatively cheap, nicely built, and have a 1-1/8" head tube. I like mine so much, I bought two from 'em... BTW- I'm also 5'8", with a 1/2" shorter inseam, and these frames are 17-1/4" ctt of top tube, and 18-1/4" to top of seat tube... I have about 2" of stand-over.

I would go for an 18" frame, but then again it depends on whats comfortable for you!

Adam

I have found out personally, that a frame a little on the smaller side is MUCH better than a frame that's too big for you.... Trust me.

I'd opt for either a 17 or 18, but NO larger.... Period.

BTW: I'm 5'9" also.

i would go 18". I am 6' and have a 19inch i am happy with now

damn. I'm 5'9" with a 30" inseam. My bike is MUCH smaller at 16.5" I should say that this bike is real whippy and I love throwing it around the trails. I gotta agree with Killer B...go smaller!