Seat tube size is a joke ?

Stretch40

Active member
Jun 26, 2019
326
133
Durham
Hi all I've just watched robs video on the Marin great bike but wtf is a 430mm seat tube doing on a XL I'm been sized out if mountain biking I'm 6ft 6 and long legs so yes I'm tall and my legs are long but I'm sorry if u ride an XL frame your over 6ft normally and tbh if u r 5ft 10 or something and want an XL why why do u need a 505mm reach when your that short ffs and how low do u want the seat fgs I think a seat tube of 490 plus is perfectly acceptable on an XL if the brand has done there sizing correctly ? I'd need a 250mm dropper post to ride that Marin it's a joke and while I'm ranting I also think most people on here are miles over biked unless u live a bpw or innerleithen we don't need huge 180mm enduro bikes with massive reach and wheelbase tbh I think most of us would be faster on slightly less aggressive bikes most the time and have more fun ? What do you think ?
 

Stretch40

Active member
Jun 26, 2019
326
133
Durham
I get the standover thing I do but 480 or something would be fine I think surely most 6ft plus people can manage that anybody with a longish leg is Gona need loads of seatpost sticking out ?
 

The Hodge

Mystic Meg
Subscriber
Sep 9, 2020
3,851
8,089
North West Northumberland
Well Stretch ..Im probably having the most fun I've ever had on any bike right now ..don't know if I'm "over -biked " or not ..but that Fox 38 is the most capable fork I've had on any bike ..I don't really do huge jumps but do clatter down some fairly gnarly rocky descents and I would rather have that amount of travel than not ...
 

Stretch40

Active member
Jun 26, 2019
326
133
Durham
Well I've worked out that if u fit a 210mm dropper with that seat tube and 165mm cranks that would be about a 31" inside leg so if u have a 34" inside leg which is perfectly normal on people over 6ft u would have 75-80 mm of post sticking out surely even if they had gone 460-480 that would have covered more people ?
 

Stretch40

Active member
Jun 26, 2019
326
133
Durham
Hi Hodge I get that and what works for one doesn't for others that's people's choice tbh it's just comes from riding locally seeing loads of people on 10k e enduro bike full body armour Fullface helmets the whole kit and literally bimbling down the trail I do mean really slow to the point of been dangerous to others and think I know it's there money free country and all but why when u r using like 10% of the bikes ability ? Don't get me wrong I'm an average trail rider and 42 so no world champ lol my bike is capable of way faster than me but it's all sorter relative also I'm having a rant cos I fell off 10 weeks ago and can't ride yet lol it was just me thinking out loud ?
 

Stretch40

Active member
Jun 26, 2019
326
133
Durham
I run a 210 post but I recon I'd still be right on the limit I'm 37" inside leg so I think even on 210mm I'd be on Min insertion ? I know I'm tall but I think it's just a bit extreme ? By the way Rob really enjoying your vlogs alot more honest than some well known reviewers lol ?
 

Rob Rides EMTB

Administrator
Staff member
Subscriber
Jan 14, 2018
6,221
13,519
Surrey, UK
I run a 210 post but I recon I'd still be right on the limit I'm 37" inside leg so I think even on 210mm I'd be on Min insertion ? I know I'm tall but I think it's just a bit extreme ? By the way Rob really enjoying your vlogs alot more honest than some well known reviewers lol ?
Cheers!

I just happen to have a 210mm dropper from One Up. Minimum seat insertion is where my thumb is.


and measured that will give you 400mm of post at full height.

DDFAD236-124C-45F9-9A9D-7F7187F7C6E2.jpeg


image.jpg
 

Stretch40

Active member
Jun 26, 2019
326
133
Durham
Ha that's mine fab post works great ? it's Gona look a bit silly with all that sticking out though lol by the way most reliable post I've had never failed yet !
 

Gary

Old Tartan Bollocks
Author
Subscriber
Mar 29, 2018
10,496
10,699
the internet
Well I've worked out that if u fit a 210mm dropper with that seat tube and 165mm cranks that would be about a 31" inside leg so if u have a 34" inside leg which is perfectly normal on people over 6ft u would have 75-80 mm of post sticking out surely even if they had gone 460-480 that would have covered more people ?
3/10 for your arithmetic skills. You completely forgot to add in saddle, seat post seal head and saddle clamp height but even if you had added up correctly quite the opposite is true of a shorter seat tube. Ie.
It'll fit MOAR people. Not less
 
Last edited:

Stretch40

Active member
Jun 26, 2019
326
133
Durham
Arithmetic was never my thing lol my giant has a 507mm seat tube when I ran 170mm post I had 90mm sticking out then 170 post plus saddle and 170mm cranks but the 210 is 40mm less which looks better I just think 430 is very short ?
 

R120

Moderator
Subscriber
Apr 13, 2018
7,819
9,190
Surrey
Stand over relates to the top tube, not where you saddle sits - just becuase a bike has a low height seat tube is doesn’t mean that you have to have the saddle set to the lowest possible - in fact you probably don’t want to do that. Really what you want is for the saddle when dropped to be below your knee, any lower just isn’t really necessary unless you are hot shot on the dirt jumps.

Also I think the Marin in question is really and aggressive trail bike rather than a full in Enduro bike by today’s standards, and to me at least that’s part of the appeal, burly components on an average travel bike
 

Stretch40

Active member
Jun 26, 2019
326
133
Durham
I kind of agree tbh I was looking around for something like a canyon neuron 130/140 trail bike 29er and lightish like 22kgs or less to make it feel more trail bike my giant is 24kgs and it feels it see I suppose standover has never been an issue for me so maybe I don't think like that even now with a 210 post I catch my bum occasionally trying to squash jumps or on knarlier stuff ? Because of my size I have to ride in a different way to most ?
 

Gary

Old Tartan Bollocks
Author
Subscriber
Mar 29, 2018
10,496
10,699
the internet
Agree with R120..
But just want to add that your saddle dropped to above the knee allows you to use it with your inner thigh as the 4th contact point.
The only time I ever want it lower is when manualling and that's only because I never drag my brake so need a little more pelvis clearance.
A 170mm dropper is pretty much perfect for descending and jumping. Whereas for mannies 250mm drop is perfect.

I have a 33" inseam and have a couple of bikes with 400mm seat tubes. And have run 250m droppers on the past. The important part for fitting the longest dropper posts is that the seat tube is straight all the way to the BB and uninterrupted. Which few Emtbs are.
It doesn't really matter if a dropper is not inserted fully. Infact as long as 100mm is inserted it'll be just fine. Droppers are stronger than normal posts. Especially when dropped. Which is when an impact is most likely.
 
Last edited:

Stretch40

Active member
Jun 26, 2019
326
133
Durham
Hi where did u get a 250mm drop nobody makes one yet apart from 9,8 which is the special post fitted as part of the frame vecnum have just released a 212mm but that's the largest available ?
 

Gary

Old Tartan Bollocks
Author
Subscriber
Mar 29, 2018
10,496
10,699
the internet
Hi where did u get a 250mm drop nobody makes one yet
*sigh* Yes they do. I was running 250mm drop KS posts over 3 years ago. They were a special order product.

250mm drop is far too much for descending on an FS mtb. That much drop is only really beneficial for manuals or trials moves. If you find yourself wanting more than 170mm for standard DH or Enduro style trails your technique needs work. Even more so if you ride clipped in
 

Stretch40

Active member
Jun 26, 2019
326
133
Durham
I've looked for the last 6months emails every company including KS and none would do a 250mm drop ? And I don't ride DH it probably what u would call trail/enduro I'm 6ft6 with very long legs so a 210mm is fine tbh I just meant I don't think a 210mm post would be enough to get the seat height on the Marin with its tiny 430mm seat tube my inside leg is 37"/ 940mm by my rough calc I'd need about 350mm sticking out which it would do but that's a shit load of post sticking out ?
 

Gary

Old Tartan Bollocks
Author
Subscriber
Mar 29, 2018
10,496
10,699
the internet
Another Arithmeticaly challenged Emtb rider?.
Someone really should run evening classes

:sneaky:
 

Gary

Old Tartan Bollocks
Author
Subscriber
Mar 29, 2018
10,496
10,699
the internet
FWIW for decades I'd also been using 450mm standard (non dropper) seatposts in 400mm seat tube dirt jump frames (to ride XC) with 350mm sticking out and a RQ collar allowing me to slam the saddle completely for da jumps n stunts and climb with it at full extension.
I'm 5'11" with a 33" inseam.

the seat post/tube is rarely under high stress when at full extension (climbing or twisty undulating singletrack). and when a dropper is slammed it is tons stronger than a standard alu seatpost.
 

Stretch40

Active member
Jun 26, 2019
326
133
Durham
Yeah I get that I've got a Marin hardtail with 560mm seat tube I run a 450mm carbon post but for jumps and steep descents I sometimes hit my arse so I'd like to get it lower ? on my giant e bike ?
 

Stretch40

Active member
Jun 26, 2019
326
133
Durham
Tbh it's a Chinese special I was very dubious as I normally run Thompson posts but after 2yrs it's fine it's only for running up and down the cycle track to cafe and stuff no major off-road lol I still think it looks rediculous but it was the biggest frame XXL I could find and it was pennies in the sales ?

DSC_0058.JPG
 

EMTB Forums

Since 2018

The World's largest electric mountain bike community.

544K
Messages
27,409
Members
Join Our Community

Latest articles


Top