wodin

I had a disaster buying a new bike. I bought one off the internet and when I got it 1. I hated the style 2. The frame was to big. I had prolems with returning it and ended up wating £250.

I bought a Gary Fisher Napa 16.5inch frame. Due to a disability I need a bike were when Im on the seat both my feet are flat on the ground.

Also I want a bike that looks good. The Napa just wasnt what I expected it was huge and I though it would be a slightly bigger version of a Slalom frame.

Anyway Im looking at buying a Saracen Mantra. I can get one on offer but its a 17inch frame (Im 5ft 9inch). This being a different style to the Gary Fisher comfort bike I dont know whether it would actually big as big. Will this size be OK? Or do I need to buy a 15inch frame? Or how about a Saracen X cell? Howver I dont want a tiny bike and I think this will be far to small.

Any help welcome.

seely

Ummm go to a bikeshop and actually test a bike instead of playing internet roulette with your money?

wodin

I know, I know I was stupid. The last time I rode a bike it was in about 1983, the bike being my trusty old Grifter!

It was just niavity with regards to bike sizes,style and buying a new bike in general. The problem with the Gary Fisher was that no one sold them in Liverpool so I couldnt actually see one in the flesh so to speak.

Also the mantra Ive seen is reduced from 300 to 179 pounds. After wasting £250 pounds on my last bike this saving will make up for some of the money. Im going to a shop today to have a look at bikes with a 17inch frame.

wodin

Ive been to a bike shop and they didnt have the mantra. However I sat on a Claud Butler Stone River 20 inch a Claud Butler Havannah (I think) 20 inch and a full suspension 18 inch frame.

With the seat lowered on th 20inch frames My feet were just about flat on the ground. So if anyone can help me does this mean a 17 inch Mantra will be OK?

Revtor

bike fit has to do with...

1- correct leg extension when the pedal is at the bottom of its stroke.
2- cockpit length. From seat (your butt) to handlebars (yor hands) This is governed by stem and top tube length.

for your needs of feet flat on the ground, #1 will pretty much be out of the question. Ask for a bike with a loww bottom bracket to compensate a bit. regarding cockpit length, I'm 5'9" and ride a 17". dead medium. with the seat so low though, you may have another issue with the height of the bars, etc.... ask the best guy at your shop and work with them to get things fitting right. you may have to swap stems. .

good luck

~Steve

wodin

Do you have any experience with the Saracen Mantra? I've really fallen for this bike. I just cant find anywhere in my town which sells this model.

Below is a link for youto check the Mantra out.

Also the bike is on offer two 17 inch bikes one for £179.00 and one for £200.00 and one 15inch bike for 200.00 from two different places on the net. As the bike should be £300 this is a huge saving I dont wont to miss out on. Especially having wasted £250 on the NAPA (long story about a ripped up box and returning it in its box, in the end I was so stressed I kept the thing).

https://www.saracen.co.uk/mantra.html

thanks for the help.

seely

Why would you want a bike with 24" wheels?

wodin

Im just going to use it for exercise and going form A to B.

Not bothered about the wheel size. I just like the look of the bike.

seely

A small dirtjumping bike with small tires is going to be the most inefficient way of getting from A to be possible though.

wodin

Its not a Jump bike. Its part of Saracens hardtail range. The jump bikes are under their dual hardtail section and are a fair bit smaller I believe than their hardcore hardtail bikes even though the Mantra is a 15 inch frame and the slalom/jump bikes are 14 inch.

The Mantra comes in 15inch 17inch and 19inch frame sizes. The standover for these sizes are as follows 29.5, 30.5 and 31.5.

That was my worry that the 15 inch bike would be just a bit bigger than a Jump bike. However after seeing what was the biggest bike (Napa comfort) Ive seen even though it was only a 16.5 inch frame Im totally confused. I had both feet flat sitting on a claud butler stone river 20 inch. I was barely holding on to the 16.5 inch Napa.

wodin

Revtor

Is your seat on the 17 inch very low? Or do you have it a bit above the frame?

Maelstrom 

24" wheels on a none djing bike are ridiculous. If you are just 'getting' around look for 26". The reason the 24" wheels are inthere is to allow for bigger tires...which you ALSO don't want for a 'getting' around bike.

seely

Thank you! I knew I wasn't crazy Well not 100% at least.

Phatman

https://www.electrabike.com/04/bikes/...wnie_home.html

wodin

Can you please explain why bigger tyres arent very good for riding around on. I really like the look of this bike and with 100 pounds of the price surely its not going to be that bad for riding? Most lads around here ride round on full suspension bikes no problem. Im sure there not the bet to ride around on either.

Maelstrom 

Big tires add tonnes of rolling resistance. For xc and road riding anything over 21 to 2.3 is overkill. The point to the smaller tires is to allow 2.7 to 3in tires. Big tires really slow you down.

also small wheels roll much slower than bigger tires. Your bike will accelerate fine but coasting speed (which is a lot of normal trail riding and commuting style riding) is going to be SLOW.

In the end it is obviously your choice, but for a 'getting around' bike this is only one step better than a bmx...

Maelstrom 

In short...riding this bike will feel very sluggish compared to a commuter or an adult sized mountain bike.

wodin

The standover size for the 17inch is 30.5 inch's and for the 19inch its 31.5 inch. So this bike surely must be about the size of a normal adult MTB.

Below is a link to Saracen standover sizes.

Also what do the number mean? 7005 frame and 6061 frame

https://www.discount-bikes.co.uk/standoverheights.html

Maelstrom 

I am not talking size of frame but size of wheels. 24" wheels are exceptionally strong but also small..making for a bad ride.

I have no idea what this question is referencing? I am not refering to the frame at all. The frame is irrelevant in this case because it might fit you but the wheels are the issue.

wodin

Shame I really liked this bike. Wouldnt the 21 gears make it quicker?

The frame question was regards to the numbers which describe a frame i.e. 7005 or 6061. This was a separate question.

Money is really,really tight but I might add £50 and buy the dirttrax.

https://www.saracen.co.uk/dirttrax.html

I can get it for 250

Maelstrom 

Much better choice. Looks like 26" wheels. Small too (1.9) will roll well and feel better

The numbers you are asking about are refer to how the aluminum is made and in what quatities. Beyond that I am not a metal guy so I don't know much

wodin

Its the paint job I love on the Mantra. I think it "looks" a superb. Such a shame.

wodin

I just bought the Dirttrax for £250 reduced from 400.

See I listened

Ive spent over 500 pounds now but as I see it buying the Dirttrax at the reduced price means Ive only lost out on 100 instead of 250.

Anyone want a Gary Fisher 03 NAPA? Biggest thing Ive seen full stop!