A smaller mountain bike frame can provide you with many benefits, including better maneuverability, a more comfortable fit and weight reduction. Better maneuverability makes it easier to ride curvy trails and a lighter bike is easier to lift over water. Smaller mountain bike frames are also stiffer, which results in improved performance.
Fit
A smaller mountain bike frame is advantageous to the smaller rider, but also can accommodate any size rider. If you are shorter, a smaller frame provides more space between your crotch and the top tube of the frame. This space is your stand-over height and should be 2 to 4 inches for cross country mountain bikes, and 6 to 8 inches for downhill or free-ride mountain bikes. Having the correct stand-over height makes it easier to step off your bike onto rough terrain. A few inches can be the difference in an easy step off or a nasty fall. If you are taller and choose a smaller frame, make sure your seat tube and handle bars are the correct size. The seat is the proper height if, when you sit on it, your shoulders are square and one leg is hanging freely to the ground. The handlebars should be in the lowest position, with longest reach that is comfortable. You should not feel any stress on your neck, shoulders or back.
Wheelbase
A smaller mountain bike frame has a smaller wheelbase. The wheelbase is the distance from the center of the front wheel to the center of the rear wheel. Smaller wheelbases improve maneuverability. Smaller wheelbases are also good for narrow technical trails where balance is essential to avoid obstacles.
Weight
Frames come in all types of materials, from steel to aluminum to titanium carbon fiber. A small steel frame weighs more than the same size carbon fiber frame. The lighter weight of a smaller frame comes into play when climbing hills or carrying the bike across ravines or riverbeds. A smaller frame also makes it easier to rock hop and to clear small crevasses and small jumps.
References
- Myra Simon: A Beginners Guide to Buying a Mountain Bike
- Mountain Bike Buzz: Mountain Bike Frames: So Many Out There...How do I Choose?
- Mountain Bike World: Mountain Bike Fitting and Mountain Bike Sizing
- Harris Cycle: Revisionist Theory of Bicycle Sizing; Sheldon Brown
- Peter White Cycles: How to Fit a Bicycle
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