I'm nearly 5'10" and have a friend/former bike shop owner who says I'm too short to ride a 29er. I've heard it's more like if you're under 5'6". Generally speaking, what's the real conventional wisdom on this?

Thanks.

Toe overlap.

Smaller frames will cause your toes to run into the front tire when you pedal while you're turning.

I know several guys shorter than 5'10" quite happy on their 9ers without any overlap issues, but maybe if you've got clown feet? I'm just about that tall but went 650B instead of the 29er route recently, figured it was a bit more proprotion appropriate...

I think what he meant was larger guys, 6-1 and up on the smaller frames when he mentioned overlap. Correct me if I wrong.

I explained the "toe overlap" myth/theory/fact that his shop was referring to. I don't say it's right or wrong. Granted if you're riding a short frame and have a size 12 shoe...you're gonna have issues.

I spent some time looking into this, I can really only speak for Fishers because that what the shop I work at carries. I was debating between a new 26 inch rider and a 29/ I am just over 5' 10" and normally ride a 17 1/2 inch frame, and was paranoid that a 29 would have too much standover height. Pulled one out of the rack rode it around the store, and the around the yard and the parking lot bike felt fine. Went back into the shop and strted crunching the numbers and found that the stand over height on a 26" fisher and a 29 inch fisher was a little less then a 1/2 inc different. Moral of the story.....ordering a Paragon.

Oh yea no overlap

Which 650B set-up did you go with? That Haro Beasley looks pretty cool.

I'm 5'7" and ride a small Niner Sir 9. The founder of Niner Bikes is 5'6". So height-challenged guys have to step down one frame size to ride a 29er. I ride a medium in the 26" and 650B size.


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I'm 5' 6" and I ride an SIR 9 as well. I love that bike, no toe overlap issues. I think the cranks are 170mm too.

5'10"; Monocog Flight; no issues.

Made my Heckler a Beckler, built my wheels with Sun EQ27 rims (King hubs, Sapim db spokes), tires are 2.3 Pacenti NeoMotos