Being a professional mountain biker, I can tell you numerous signs your mountain bike is too big for you. However, the best is, if I guide how you can judge that your mountain bike isn’t the right size.
This is essential for safe, sound, and fair rides.
Just like humans, as they come in all sizes, mountain bikes or MTBS also have different dimensions. For safe, sound, and fair rides on all terrains, you need a mountain bike that goes parallel with your height and weight. A too-big or too-small cycle is out of the question.
There are numerous signs that show your mountain bike is too big for you.
- While sitting on the bike, you may look like you are not using your own bike but borrowed one. Your friend or someone from your racing club told you that you are too small for your bike.
- If you are doing cliff biking for a long and still struggle while taking narrow turns, this is the most obvious sign that your MTB is too big for you.
- During off-road cycling, mountain bikers use the standard technique of lifting the front wheel when facing an obstacle.
However, many bikers do not even know the basics of mountain bikes. Due to the wrong bike size, they feel like they cannot learn biking and either leave this sport or remain uncomfortable while riding.
Well, fitting a mountain bike is a must for proper riding skills and ethics to learn and showcase. Moreover, you should also know that the size isn’t the only thing if you feel outbound to your bike. Various other factors matter too.
It means there is so much to discuss today. So without any more lag, I am starting my today’s guide by telling you about 8 Signs Your Mountain Bike Is Too Big:
Let’s start:
Signs your mountain bike is too big
Following are some basic to apparent signs that you are riding a mountain bike which too big or too small for you.
1. Your friend told you
First of all, while sitting on the bike, you may look like you are not using your own bike but borrowed one. Your friend or someone from your racing club told you that you are too small for your bike.
No, we don’t recommend you completely ignore your friend’s suggestion. You can check yourself in the mirror to see if it really feels so.
However, this is not the most obvious sign your mountain bike is too big. Sometimes, a bike doesn’t appear big but makes you uncomfortable while driving.
Read some more signs your mountain bike is too big for you before deciding.
2. Riding struggles
Riding a mountain bike is no less than a skill because it is way different from cycling on even streets.
If you are doing cliff biking for a long and still struggle while taking narrow turns, this is the most obvious sign that your MTB is too big for you.
There is no doubt that taking technical turns need practice and experience. However, if your bike is too big, the skill and experience don’t matter; the struggle will remain the same.
3. Grip issues
One of the confirmed signs your mountain bike is too big is front wheel grip issues. Front-wheel grip means that the bicycle would turn immediately without any struggle when riding off-road. In simple words, you will not be able to control it.
When your bike is too big, the struggle will be challenging, and despite all the technical skills, you will have a hard time trying to control your bike on rough terrains. Your front wheel needs your proper weight to keep it from dangling.
When your weight is too light to get over the front wheel, it will cause squirms in turns and crashes.
You might try to go slow in the roughest places, but that is not going to help unless your bike is as big as you are.
4. Jumping is despicable
During off-road cycling, mountain bikers use the standard technique of lifting the front wheel when facing an obstacle.
Signs your mountain bike is too big is that you will struggle too much to go through these jumps while lifting the frontal wheel.
When your MTB is bigger than your size, different mountain biking techniques such as wheelie will become challenging to opt for.
Remember, do not consider yourself an amateur biker unless you have the right-sized mountain bike while riding through hills and hikes.
5. Feel like a passenger
As the heading shows, you don’t feel like you are riding your own bike but someone else’s. Although, it might not appear to others that you are struggling with your bicycle.
It will make it hard to pedal, take turns, and hold the handles in the right positions. You can feel like plowing through everything. Without a doubt, an obvious sign that your mountain bike is too big.
6. Discomfort
While discussing more signs that your mountain big is too big for you, another thing is that you will feel scratchy while sitting on it.
You will face uneasiness while sitting on your MTB saddle, while pushing the paddles, or controlling the handlebars as they will be too high or low than your requirement. Stopping the bike using brakes will come even down of it.
This discomfort is one of the clear things that your hill bike is not suitable for you.
7. Can’t get the posture
Another thing that can cause discomfort when your mountain bike is not the size, too big, or too small for you is the uneasiness while making the right sitting posture on the bike.
This is also one of the signs your mountain bike is too big. So, what is the correct posture to sit on a mountain bike?
Well, it is different from the road bike because the techniques of different types of biking and the sitting position differ.
Sitting doesn’t really go with just saddle only but handles; your back, hand placement, and foot posture also matter.
You shouldn’t be more than a few inches off the saddle, while torso bent forward from 5 to 10 degrees with hands on the handles having two fingers on brakes and two on the bars.
8. Someone of your height has smaller bike
If you are in a club and have people of your height with their bikes, you can try their bikes to check the different signs your mountain bike is too big.
Look if you can use your knees and legs as shock absorbers while mountain biking. This can lead to finding the right size mountain bike for you.
However, you should note one thing: bike sizes can differ according to a person’s comfort, so do not depend on this thing alone, and be sure before configuring the right MTB size.
Dangers of riding a bike that is too big
My discussion doesn’t end here. There is still a lot more that I need to tell you. Sometimes, people think that they are going to get used to riding a bike that is not an appropriate size.
I am afraid this is wrong. Going off cliffs on a bike, which is too big for you, is dangerous. You can end up in miss-happenings and misfortunes.
What dangers can it cause? I am penning down them below:
1. Exhaustion and Aches
An obvious danger associated with riding a wrong-sized bike is that it will cause stretch and strain in your body, especially your back, neck, knees, and shoulders.
After every ride, you will feel exhausted and never like going on mountain biking again. Instead of satisfying you, it will cause unsatisfactory discomfort and pain in your body.
2. Longer rides: Impossible!
Going on longer journeys and extended expeditions on your mountain bike will become more than an issue. Yes, this can be impossible.
It is because when you apt easily on your MTB, the discomposure, which is also one of the signs your mountain bike is too big, will never allow you to take more extended expeditions.
You will start to feel tired too quickly.
3. Difficult rides
Riding a bike skillfully will become problematic. How? You will try to stretch your whole body reaching the handles and pedals. It will make controlling the cycle a challenge.
Taking turns, lifting the bike on the obstacles, and going downhill or uphill will become tricky, complex, and nearly dreadful.
4. Accidents
Riding a cycle that is too big for you can result in accidents too. Cycling on the mountain is not child’s play. You will have to know proper bike control skills.
If you cannot take the right turns, falling and crashes can happen, making you reach hospital emergencies. So having the right-sized MTB is integral.
5. Losing competition
It can also stop you from winning competitions because all other bikers can use their skills properly as their bike is comfortable for them to sit and control.
You also know the techniques of turns and riding, but the signs your mountain bike is too big to show that your bike is not in your control, so it can result in defeat.
What is the right size mountain bike for me?
Your height can easily determine the right-sized bike for you. Therefore, I am adding a table below with bike frame size and type respecting heights.
Check your height and go for choosing the bike. This table is powered by MTB Knowledge.
| Height (cm) | Height (feet) | Bike Size | Frame type (inches) |
| 152 – 162 | 5 – 5.4 | Extra small | 13 – 14 |
| 162 – 170 | 5.4 – 5.7 | Small | 14.1 -16 |
| 170 -178 | 5.7 – 5.10 | Medium | 16.1 – 18 |
| 178 – 185 | 5.10 – 6.1 | Large | 18.1 – 20 |
| 185 – above | 6.1 – above | Extra Large | 20.1- 22 |
The table is based on average height. The table is accurate but not enough to choose the right bike size. Some more things you will need to do after checking the table are given below:
How to choose a mountain bike size?
After you know the signs your mountain bike is too big for you and configured your height, here are some more tips to follow when choosing the bike in your perfect size.
Do not forget to take a test drive before buying a bike for yourself. The test drive will give you the best idea in this regard.
Try to choose a path on which you are intended to use your mountain bike. If it feels comfortable, select it or repeat the process with slightly smaller or bigger bikes, accordingly.
Bottom Line
So, this was all about 8 signs your mountain bike is too big. You can read my more mountain bikes at MTBKnowledge.com/Mountain-Bikes.
Feel free to contact me for more information, queries, or suggestions.
