HUGE sizing mistake - Help is needed

[NETTA17]

Hello,
400KM on my Rail 9 Medium size.
Bought M size based on comparison to my "Transition Smuggler" 2017 Medium frame.
ALL the important size parameters are bigger for the RAIL, but "real-life" measurements show the opposite!
While riding the new bike, it feels short, even with saddle max back - I'm 177cm.
Besides increasing the stem size - which makes the steering sluggish. Any other ideas?

Cheers.

 

[Doomanic]

Weird. I’m 1m77 too and I wouldn’t want it any bigger. What’s your ape index?

 

[dixie600mhz]

I'm 178cm on a large. It fits perfect. 5' 10" is usually right in between sizes. I find large is always best for me.

 

[NETTA17]

Weird. I’m 1m77 too and I wouldn’t want it any bigger. What’s your ape index?

My ape index is 1.02 …

 

[BrentD]

Mino (flip) chip set to the steeper setting will increase reach fractionally (~5mm) and steepen head tube angle and seat tube angle at the expense of increasing bottom bracket height.

Having said that, I'm 178cm on a large rail and find the fit great.

 

[Gary]

Ape index means nothing useful at all when sizing a bike.

 

[NETTA17]

Attached Geo numbers of the RAIL.
I'm only referring to the "Effective top tube" because it is the easiest to measure for my purpose...
Could you please measure it in your's RAIL? .
Mine is 580mm to the centers of the seat tube/steer - while the table was showing 613! it is NOT a minor!

Cheers,

 

[j3ayy]

I’m 5’9” & my Rail9 Large is pert

 

[BrentD]

Attached Geo numbers of the RAIL.
I'm only referring to the "Effective top tube" because it is the easiest to measure for my purpose...
Could you please measure it in your's RAIL? .
Mine is 580mm to the centers of the seat tube/steer - while the table was showing 613! it is NOT a minor!

Cheers,

View attachment 74059

L (19.5) rail in high setting = 615mm

 

[Doomanic]

Mine is 580mm to the centers of the seat tube/steer - while the table was showing 613! it is NOT a minor!

Are you measuring along the TT or horizontal like the drawing shows?

 

[NETTA17]

Yes
It is called "Effective Top tube" ...
That ETT data on Trek site is peculiar.

 

[Doomanic]

Are you measuring along the TT or horizontal like the drawing shows?

Yes

So which is it?

 

[NETTA17]

So which is it?

I measured the correct way.
Horizontal. From the centers.

 

[Mikerb]

You could try wider bars with less sweep and removing a spacer below the stem. If the existing stem has a rise you could change it for a zero rise....or invert the one you have.

 

[Doomanic]

I measured the correct way.
Horizontal. From the centers.

From the centre of the head tube to the centre of the seatpost (like the Trek drawing) or from the centre of the head tube to the centre of the seat tube?

 

[NETTA17]

Seat post. As the Draw showing

 

[Doomanic]

I'll measure my M rail tonight.

 

[Mikerb]

EFT is of course variable depending on dropper post insertion length and dropper extended length!

 

[DJ57UMP]

Hello,
400KM on my Rail 9 Medium size.
Bought M size based on comparison to my "Transition Smuggler" 2017 Medium frame.
ALL the important size parameters are bigger for the RAIL, but "real-life" measurements show the opposite!
While riding the new bike, it feels short, even with saddle max back - I'm 177cm.
Besides increasing the stem size - which makes the steering sluggish. Any other ideas?

At 5'8" I'd have said a M would probably be OK for you - and looking on the Trek website it also suggests a M is right for you.

That being said clearly you aren't comfortable and that's not cool!

If you don't have the option to swap it in for a Large (and I'd ask your supplier/Trek about that). Then I'd think about stem/bar.

Stem: Looking at the spec it says it's got a 45mm on it. If I were you I'd see if I could try a 50/55/60mm stem to see if you are more comfortable. Even 5mm extra on the stem will help and a 50mm stem is still plenty aggressive!

Bars: It's saying it's got 780mm bars - you could go to 800's and try to keep the rise or go with a 800 flat bar and see if you can add a spacer under the stem to rise it up.

Not sure if that helps - hope it does and hope you get the bike dialled

 

[Flyfisha]

I don’t ride a rail but do have a suggestion based on what I experienced today.

I had always felt my bike was a bit short. Now this is strange but simply raising the nose of the saddle up today has made a huge difference in the feel of the bike.

 

[NETTA17]

I'll measure my M rail tonight.

Hey, did you manage to measure the bike?

 

[Doomanic]

Sorry, no. The traffic was a bitch last night and by the time I'd got the back back from the LBS and driven 40 miles through rush hour traffic I wasn't in the mood to do much other than drink...

 

[NETTA17]

Which is important!

 

[Doomanic]

Not the easiest thing to measure accurately, but it's looking like 590-595mm. 29er wheels and chip in High. So not the 611 Trek are claiming.

 

[NETTA17]

Thanks,
Can you show exactly where you measured it ? me running HIGH as well... and it is still ~15mm longer than what I got

I start to suspect I'm having a SMALL frame (!??)
Can't really figure it out from the bike's S/N

 

[Doomanic]

I used a builder's ruler with a spirit level and eyed it up from the centre of the seat post to the centre of the top headset bearing.

 

[NETTA17]

I used a builder's ruler with a spirit level and eyed it up from the centre of the seat post to the centre of the top headset bearing.

Same as I actually

 

[Gary]

The reason you're both getting a lesser measurement for ETT is that manufacturers draw a virtual seattube from BB to a specified saddle height and ETT measurement is from the centre of that rather than the actual seat post.
Seat tube angle is also taken from that line rather than the actual seat post.

 

[Gary]

At 1m77 the medium definitely isn't too small a bike for you.
I'd stop measuring it and ride it.

 

[NETTA17]

Hmmm...
400k in 8 weeks is a good score for a "weekend warier".
But unfortunately, in the current bike industry, even buying a new one is not a good option.
I asked my LBS (TREK dealer) to sniff around for someone who is looking to swap from Large to Medium.
Until then, I'll live with it...

Thank you all for supporting
I'll update if something new will be raised.

Cheers,