2021 Meta Power SX sizing and model

[Stiggy_rider]

So I am looking to order an 2021 Meta Power SX but I am hung up on size. I am 5'10.5" with a 32" inseam which is right on the edge of Medium and Large. From those who have the bike how to they feel should I up size or stick with the Medium. Commencal has told me stick with the Medium and add a stem, but general logic I have heard over the years is to size up.

On the second part I was about to pull the trigger on the Signature version but yesterday they increased their prices in the US by $200. So now I am on the fence of which model to get, I like the wheel set and color of the Ride version and can easily sell off the fork and shock to replace it with Fox. Or do I bite the bullet and get the Signature. Or get the Race version live with it for a season and see if I like the copenents (already know I will need wheels as I have destroyed these e13's before and Sam at Sams rides has mentioned they dent easy).

Any advice on the above would be greatly appreciated. I am partial to Fox as their repair facility is 45min away and I can normally get turnarounds in a day or less; and they have been great over the years to work with.

 

[azzwethinkweiz]

I am almost the exact measurements as you... Obviously don't know your arm length but for me medium is perfect. Actually, any larger and I feel like I would need a shorter stem or more swept back bars. But a lot of it comes down to preference. A lot of guys like to size up if they're in-between or on the edge. I am the opposite.

I am envious of your fox situation btw. Fox has had my shock for my acoustic bike since mid November. Still no word on ETA... Supposedly waiting on parts. Id be pissed if I didn't have the meta power sx in the mean time.

 

[Santa_cruzer]

I’m about the same height too but with monkey arms and legs and have always ridden large frames. Same here, a medium would feel too cramped to me, even though on paper a medium looked more on par with my Nomad. Fortunately I am not too far from the US headquarters and was able to go and sit on a few different sizes.
I’d go with the size frame you have always ridden.

As for the model, price was my limiting factor so I went with the “cheapest” one.
Now it just needs to stop snowing so I can ride it.

 

[Shjay]

I am slightly taller & shorter legs but would defo ride a large I could even ride an XL with 170mm dropper my Vitus is a Large & have an XL Ripley V4 500mm reach & 470mm seat tube with 170mm dropper

 

[Stiggy_rider]

I am almost the exact measurements as you... Obviously don't know your arm length but for me medium is perfect. Actually, any larger and I feel like I would need a shorter stem or more swept back bars. But a lot of it comes down to preference. A lot of guys like to size up if they're in-between or on the edge. I am the opposite.

I am envious of your fox situation btw. Fox has had my shock for my acoustic bike since mid November. Still no word on ETA... Supposedly waiting on parts. Id be pissed if I didn't have the meta power sx in the mean time.

Just measured my arm span and finger tip to fingertip I am 71" so not sure how that compares. BTW it was your bikes photos that made me start thinking about the ride version.
It has been a few years since I have had to go to them for service as I do it all myself now. But back in around 2014-2015 I had one of their new forks where the crown started to separate. Instead of taking it to work on they just gave me a whole new fork and at the same time serviced my rear shock. They were stand up ppl hopefully they still are and you issue is just related to COVID backlogs.

 

[Stiggy_rider]

I’m about the same height too but with monkey arms and legs and have always ridden large frames. Same here, a medium would feel too cramped to me, even though on paper a medium looked more on par with my Nomad. Fortunately I am not too far from the US headquarters and was able to go and sit on a few different sizes.
I’d go with the size frame you have always ridden.

As for the model, price was my limiting factor so I went with the “cheapest” one.
Now it just needs to stop snowing so I can ride it.

Uhg just when I thought I knew the size I needed. I have a Large Intense Tracer 275 from 2014, which geo depending on the year of your Nomad might be very similar to mine.
That said I have had fit issues with that bike from day one, changed everything to try and get more weight on the front to prevent the wheel from lifting. When I compare Reach, Stack, and Top tube to the SX my Large is more like the Medium. The large SX is way longer in reach which might give me issues. As said above my arm length is 71" so not sure if I am considered monkey arms even though most of my life ppl tell me I have them.

 

[Stiggy_rider]

So given the price increase of the Signature, and the $1200 delta between the Ride and Race. I am leaning to the ride, I can easily upgrade the fork internals to make it the same as a Race for ~$330. I wanted a different rear shock anyway probably an X2 but I can wait on that and the fork upgrade or sell them both and move to fox. The wheel set on the Race I don't have experience with but have heard they dent easy. I currently run Spanks on my Tracer 275 and I cannot kill them, Sun Ring/Stans I have literally ripped nipples out of the rim doing high speeds at a DH park partially due to the nipples being soft AL. So the wheel set to me is one of those deciding factors. Brakes between the two I am a bit of a snob and don't like either so that's a wash... unless the Signature was still in the pic. For drivetrain SX or GX really doesn't matter it's a wear item and if I am going to smash it off rocks I just assume get the cheapest thing that works. Also if I want it to shift like a GX I can buy just the shifter for ~$30. Bonus points as of right now the M Ride has a May date which is also my bday month.

Don't want to start a debate but just wondering if my logic is sound or I am missing something significant between the Ride and Race to compensate for $1200 and 2-3 more months of waiting.

 

[Santa_cruzer]

Uhg just when I thought I knew the size I needed. I have a Large Intense Tracer 275 from 2014, which geo depending on the year of your Nomad might be very similar to mine.
That said I have had fit issues with that bike from day one, changed everything to try and get more weight on the front to prevent the wheel from lifting. When I compare Reach, Stack, and Top tube to the SX my Large is more like the Medium. The large SX is way longer in reach which might give me issues. As said above my arm length is 71" so not sure if I am considered monkey arms even though most of my life ppl tell me I have them.

Yeah sorry to confuse things.

It’s the latest nomad version. Same color as my power sx too.

 

[azzwethinkweiz]

So given the price increase of the Signature, and the $1200 delta between the Ride and Race. I am leaning to the ride, I can easily upgrade the fork internals to make it the same as a Race for ~$330. I wanted a different rear shock anyway probably an X2 but I can wait on that and the fork upgrade or sell them both and move to fox. The wheel set on the Race I don't have experience with but have heard they dent easy. I currently run Spanks on my Tracer 275 and I cannot kill them, Sun Ring/Stans I have literally ripped nipples out of the rim doing high speeds at a DH park partially due to the nipples being soft AL. So the wheel set to me is one of those deciding factors. Brakes between the two I am a bit of a snob and don't like either so that's a wash... unless the Signature was still in the pic. For drivetrain SX or GX really doesn't matter it's a wear item and if I am going to smash it off rocks I just assume get the cheapest thing that works. Also if I want it to shift like a GX I can buy just the shifter for ~$30. Bonus points as of right now the M Ride has a May date which is also my bday month.

Don't want to start a debate but just wondering if my logic is sound or I am missing something significant between the Ride and Race to compensate for $1200 and 2-3 more months of waiting.

If you needed someone to tell you to get the Ride in a size medium, well here I am

Do it! Logic seems sound lol.

 

[Stiggy_rider]

If you needed someone to tell you to get the Ride in a size medium, well here I am

Do it! Logic seems sound lol.

Well officially followed your lead, just placed my order for the 2021 Meta Power SX Ride in Medium. Already looking for upgrades and I don't even have the bike. How do you find the stock brakes? I feel those will be the first to go from what I have read online, but since I wont be at the parks till summer I might get some use out of them before the swap for something a bit stronger.

 

[azzwethinkweiz]

I find the brakes to be pretty good. They aren't the greatest but I like them more than most people like them. I'd give them like a 7.8/10

 

[NCeMTB]

Hi all

On sizing — I’m 69-70” tall, 31” inseam, longish arms. Just put my L sig 27 together. Reach is fine. Did shorten stem to 32mm to match my other bikes. I like the way the bike feels. Only issue is 175 Fox factory seatpost. Due to frame design, and inability to slam post, its about 25mm too long. So if anyone needs a brand new 175mm Fox Transfer... will be sorted with a 180mm OneUp (hate to lose that Kashima bling).

 

[leftside]

Hi all

On sizing — I’m 69-70” tall, 31” inseam, longish arms. Just put my L sig 27 together. Reach is fine. Did shorten stem to 32mm to match my other bikes. I like the way the bike feels. Only issue is 175 Fox factory seatpost. Due to frame design, and inability to slam post, its about 25mm too long. So if anyone needs a brand new 175mm Fox Transfer... will be sorted with a 180mm OneUp (hate to lose that Kashima bling).

Could you have got shorter cranks instead?

 

[NCeMTB]

Could you have got shorter cranks instead?

Original ones were 160mm e13 (now replaced with 160mm Shimano XT) - didn’t want to go much shorter... been riding a 150 miles or so with the OneUp 180mm (shimmed to 160mm). It’s brilliant - plus due to shorter insertion - seat now goes almost 2” lower which is what the real issue was for me.

 

[leftside]

Glad to hear! I have the Meta SX 27 Power on order and am really looking forward to it.

Im in between sizes, and went for the larger size, but will put a 30mm stem and shorter cranks on.

Will have to see how I get on with the dropper post. I also like my seat as low as possible for the DH.

 

[dropbear14]

That's a bit lame reading about the dropper not being able to be mounted all the way down on the large 27 SX. Does it really stick out 2 inches on the signature? I'm 177cm and having a hard time deciding between medium and large, at this point they'll probably sell out before I decide. If that's the case with the dropper on the large though then it could help with my decision.

 

[NCeMTB]

That is the case. The L comes spec’d with a 175mm fox transfer dropper which has a 290mm max insertion. Frame really has about 260-265mm of room depending on geometry of cable actuator. I replaced mine with a 180 OneUp V2 (shimmed to 160) which as a 267mm max insertion. Shimmed dropper travel to 160mm (short legs and easy to do on OneUp). The OneUp is pretty much slammed (maybe 5mm showing). For me - this feels way better than with the Fox which (for me) was too high when it was dropped.

Upside - OneUp was only $200ish, sold transfer for more... Also OneUp uses same cable barrel end as Fox so changeout was easy. Simple to access cables by removing battery.

I do miss a bit of that kashima bling - but over it as performance with OneUp is perfect for me on the L.

 

[NCeMTB]

 

[Aterasu]

View attachment 59277

I’m glad that worked out for you! Does anyone know if the OneUp 180mm dropper will fit my Medium Power SX frame, and still sit that low? Cheers!