common man

please view this 44 second youtube clip of me test riding the 19" paragon 29er g2 geometry. i'm 5'9.3" tall & 32.3" cycling inseam. i tried the 17.5" too and lbs said that was too small and the 19" was clearly the better fit. so i placed the deposit for a trek cobia 2011 size 19" which comes in august.


1) is my saddle too high or or is there too little seat post showing? i felt OK but it was only a parking lot ride.
2) does the 19" seem like a good fit or should i reconsider the 17.5"?
3) only thing more i want is for the 19" to have a tad more stand over clearance.

here's a still shot of my seat post just before i mount on the saddle.







your input is greatly appreciated! thanks.

chaadster

Cockpit looks too cramped to me; you're practically bolt upright. Maybe a longer stem would give you a bit more stretch. Are you sure that's a 19"?

common man

thanks for the reply. 100% positive that's a 19" gary fisher paragon 29er. my lbs took out the 19" first and then a 17.5" for me to try. i wonder if i'm upright on the 19" because the bike is too small or because i need to continue to improve my fitness and flexibility. i definitely did not feel stretched out on the 19" and the 17.5" was even more upright. i'm 5'9".

chaadster

I guess that I'll have to say, then, that 19" is too small if you plan to do any trail riding. I can see your shoulders/upper back rolling forward here, and you don't have any way to shift your weight except by rolling them more, which I think would prove to be uncomfy down the road. I'd really try a larger one; post a couple of pics if you can.

Looking at how much seatpost you've got and at how short the stem is, I think the next size up will be much better. I know the numbers seem crazy; GFisher has been making wacky (IMO) frame geometry for some time. Obviously they work for some folks, but I bet they're riding frame sizes larger than than expected to get proper fit.

I've had two friends buy GF at the LBS that they've found uncomfortable and short once they started booking some miles. One is dealing with this right now.

In sum, I'd suggest trying larger and not being afraid to move away from the GF altogether; it may be the wrong geometry for your body type.

Let us know what happens.

common man

i wonder if this is so because i'm not flexing my lower back enough. for a short parking lot ride it's tough to do that but if i was on the trail i could probably adopt a more steep angle from torso to leg. of course, i also intend on improving my flexibility by losing the gut as i climb big hills during the summer. or is it in fact that the bike is on the smaller side? fit is so complicated to figure out for me because there are a lot of factors.

serra

I would try a size larger, just to see how it feels. That's what it all comes down to, what feels the best.

10 Wheels

Looks good to me.
Have fun on it.

common man

thank you! can't wait till the pre-order arrives until august

chaadster

Out of curiosity, what was the purpose of this thread if you've already set your mind to the 19" bike?

common man

i have not set my mind to a 19". i have 2-4 weeks to continue to go to other shops for test ride and get info & comments from others like you (thanks). lbs put down 19" for the pre-order because he recommended that but all this is tentative. lbs will allow me to change my mind about the size or even purchase even after the order arrives.

i've learned that #s don't always translate to reality. but i am concerned that the 19" barely left me enough stand over clearance that was acceptable. spec sheets indicate that the 2011s will have 2 cm less SO clearance. i'm not one to overrate SO but it's nice to have a little bit so i can hop off the saddle onto the TT when stopping for a water break.

i started this thread because though i realize ultimately only i can decide what i'm comfortable with...i don't have much confidence in my knowledge of proper posture, factors etc.
someone pointed out that not enough stanchions are showing and that the fork needs to get pumped. i'll have to re-visit lbs. sometimes we need others to give differing views & considerations before deciding. i was afraid that i may have had misleading test set up because of improper posture.

my biggest fear for a 21" would be reduced SO clearance (this is a mtn bike!) and that i'm moving 2 sizes up from what a lot of people my height who ride gary fishers. i have a feeling that i may have to opt for your advice and avoid the gary fisher geometry all together.

i take serious consideration of the feedback. thanks.

common man

ahh, now i realize why i caused the confusion. yes, i was replying positively to the other post partly because...even though i'm not 100% that i'll go with the g2 geometry...of course i'm excited and hoping that it does work out...although if the bike is not a goo match for me then it's imperative i not get it...it would be somewhat disappointing to wait that long and come back empty handed. at the least when the cobia does arrive, i should give it a chance with a test ride. i really want a 29er. i've had very good experience with trek and very bad experience the one time i went against trek for another bike (because salesman was dishonest, tried to sell me a $400 trek for $550, so i opted for a different brand). gary fisher has been doing 29ers for a very long time so he is tried and tested. other companies like specialized have only entered the game as of recent. plus, i'm even getting a super duper $150 off pre-order sale price. obviously all these things mean nothing if it doesn't fit...i only meant to respond positively (and bump the thread too)...but it wasn't a definitive statement.