Suppose you’re going through the market, looking to buy a new mountain bike. In that case, you must have a basic knowledge of the primary measures that characterize your bike frame to ensure that you obtain a machine that matches your requirements and works for the riding you want to perform.
And, if you’re looking to rent a mountain bike, knowing your bike’s frame specifications can help you ensure that your bike is pleasant to ride and can be modified to fit your needs. Since not all bike manufacturers measure bikes the same way, then you must look at a few basic measures to verify that you’re comparing different bike sizes with each other.
Continue reading to learn how to measure a mountain bike frame. Check out our article and mountain bike size tables, which explain how these sizes impact performance; even if you’re a cyclist, knowing How to measure a mountain bike frame?
We also have tips on how to pick the correct size frames for road and mountain bikes and tips on what tools to use to measure your bike’s frame!
Things You Need to Measure a Mountain Bikes Frame:
Most regular or mountain bikes are measured in metric measurements, although some companies continue to measure mountain bike frames in inches.
To keep things constant, we strongly advise you to use units of measure. If you must, divide centimeters by 2.54 to convert them into inches. Every bike manufacturing website has a size chart for all versions of a present bike frameset. If your bike is still new, duplicate this chart because it will likely come in helpful in the future. The things needed to measure your bike’s frame are:
Parts You Need to Measure in A Bike!
To assist you with measuring, every company provides its size chart; the following are the bike parts that need measurement:
Tube Lengths
When looking at a bike’s size chart, the top-tube length is usually mentioned in the size chart. It is the distance measured between the tube’s center line and the center line of the seat. Use a spirit level or the clinometer to confirm that your measurement is accurate to get accurate measurements.
Many manufacture scale road bikes based on the length of the top tube. That is not the case with mountain bikes, and they are usually labeled with frame sizes S, M, L, and so on. That’s a strategy that many mountain bike manufacturers utilize.
Seat Length
Seat tube length is the linear distance from the center of the base and the top of the seat tube. Plus, a mountain bike’s seat is frequently curved, so measuring the tube’s path will be longer and more difficult for you.
If you are uncertain about the correct track, straighten the seat’s base and the top of the seat and measure along that line.
Wheelbase
The wheelbase of your bike is the length between the front and back wheels. It’s an essential factor of a bike driving experience, and it varies with a bike’s frame size
It’s straightforward to measure. However, it would help if you pointed the tape straight forward at all costs. If you measure the wheelbase from both ends of the bike, you’ll get more accurate results.
Size Chart for measuring a Mountain Bike
Mountain bikes feature specific size frames allowing the users to move about more on the bike to aid them in handling the rugged terrain. The height of a mountain bike is often significantly lower than a regular bike. Therefore, measuring the inner side of the bike is not as important. The table below solves your query of How to measure a mountain bike frame Uk:
Rider height (ft/in) | Rider height (cm) | Suggested frame size (in) |
4’10” – 5’0″ | 147 – 152 | 13″ |
5’0″ – 5’2″ | 152 – 158 | 14″ |
5’2″ – 5’4″ | 158 – 163 | 15″ |
5’4″ – 5’6″ | 163 – 168 | 16″ |
5’6″ – 5’8″ | 168 – 173 | 17″ |
5’8″ – 5’10” | 173 – 178 | 17″- 18″ |
5’10” – 6’0″ | 178 – 183 | 18″ – 19″ |
6’0″ – 6’2″ | 183 – 188 | 19″ – 20″ |
6’2″ – 6’4″ | 188 – 193 | 21″ – 22″ |
Conclusion
Mountain bikes are often measured in inches or using an S/M/L sizing scheme. Traditionally, the frame size of a mountain bike is calculated by determining the length of the seat from the center of the chainring to the top part of the seat. Once you have all the dimensions you wanted to upsize your bike, save them someplace secure since you don’t want to go through the query of how to measure a mountain bike frame again.
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