HUGE sizing mistake - Help is needed

NETTA17

NETTA17

Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2020
Messages
40
Reaction score
9
Location
Israel
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.

RAIL VS SMUGGLER.jpg
 
⚡ EMTB Pro Go Pro — Living Intelligence Reports, exclusive discounts & ad-free Up to 25% off Peaty's, PEMBREE, Magicshine & more · Ad-free browsing · Pro badge See the deals →
Weird. I’m 1m77 too and I wouldn’t want it any bigger. What’s your ape index?
 
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.
 
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.
 
Ape index means nothing useful at all when sizing a bike.
 
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,

Trek RAIL numbers.jpg
 
NETTA17 said:
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
Click to expand...
L (19.5) rail in high setting = 615mm
 
NETTA17 said:
Mine is 580mm to the centers of the seat tube/steer - while the table was showing 613! it is NOT a minor!
Click to expand...
Are you measuring along the TT or horizontal like the drawing shows?
 
Yes 😇
It is called "Effective Top tube" ...
That ETT data on Trek site is peculiar.
 
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.
 
NETTA17 said:
I measured the correct way.
Horizontal. From the centers.
Click to expand...
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?
 
I'll measure my M rail tonight.
 
EFT is of course variable depending on dropper post insertion length and dropper extended length!
 
NETTA17 said:
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?
Click to expand...

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 🤟
 
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.
 
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...
 
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.
 
Thanks,
Can you show exactly where you measured it ? me running HIGH as well... and it is still ~15mm longer than what I got
:oops:
I start to suspect I'm having a SMALL frame (!??)
Can't really figure it out from the bike's S/N
 
Last edited:
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.
 
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.
 
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,
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Keep reading
    Browse all

    Similar Threads

    Community Stats

    Since 2018
    676K
    Messages
    42,064
    Members
    Join 30,000+ Riders, it's free!
    Back
    Top