Welcome back to 32er Week. So far:

A brief history of MTB wheel sizes

Diameter and bumps

Contact patch and cornering

What about fit?

Riding a 32er

Quick summary

• 32-inch wheels are fast, smooth and efficient in bumps, but they deliver less pumping power.

• Their long contact patches can rail corners, but the bigger wheel requires more bike lean. This requires more rider skill and mobility.

• A poorly executed 32er can feel sketchy in the turns.

• Mainstream 32ers will likely fit even bigger than current 29ers. It will be harder for people of average height to get great fits.

Neko Mulally won the 2026 Sea Otter Classic downhill on a bike with 32 front and 29 rear. Photo from Sea Otter Classic.

Robin Gemperle won the Unbound XL 350-mile gravel (and mud) race on a prototype Scott Addict Gravel with 32-inch wheels front and rear. Photo by Ri Ganey/Scott.

32s clearly have some advantages, but the bikes have to fit the riders.

What does a Dialed 32er look like?

32ers have long been made for very tall riders (see Zinn Cycles). Can 32ers fit riders of average height?

I fired up BikeCAD to lay out two sizes of Dialed 32ers, one for a 5’9” rider (average male) and one for a 5’4” rider (average female). Let’s see what we can do …

Dialed QED 32 size M3

Quod Erat Demonstrandum is a note you write at the end of a mathematical or logical proof after you kick its ass. It’s like saying “case closed” or “there’s your proof.” Nerd city!

The Dialed QED proves 32er bikes can fit average male riders, be comfortable, and shred all sorts of trails.

This bike:

• Fits a 5’9” rider. Average male or tall female.

• Is RAD neutral.

• RAD angle 63°. Upright and comfy in the saddle. Hyper shreddy with the seat down.

• Heavy Hands Index of 16. That’s very light.

• Has 40/60 weight distribution for stress free cornering.

• Low seat tube for mega dropper post travel and all the standover clearance.

• Runs a 120mm fork a la the Intend Samurai 32. It can also have a rigid fork.

I can just feel this thing turning chunky trails into sine waves of love.

We know a 32er can fit an average size male perfectly. I want my shred sisters to enjoy that easy smoothness and long-contact-patch carve. Must keep a straight seat tube for all the dropper post options.

Dialed QED 32 size M2

Boom! It can be done.

This bike:

• Fits a 5’4” rider. Average female or short male.

• Is RAD neutral.

• RAD angle 64°. Upright and comfy in the saddle. Hyper shreddy with the seat down.

• Heavy Hands Index of 5. That’s basically weightless.

• Balanced fore-aft weight distribution for easy cornering and a stress-free feel.

• Low seat tube for mega dropper post travel. Height appropriate cranks.

• Runs a 120mm fork a la the Intend Samurai 32. It can also have a rigid fork.

  

Dialed QED 3229 size M2

What if you want a snappier ride and more butt clearance in the steep downs? Let’s swap to a 29-inch rear wheel and … oh yeah.

This 32/29 mullet fits a 5’4” rider perfectly. Super comfortable. Great handling. Confidence inspiring and fun. More space for shorter legs on steep drop-ins.

Hmm, let’s make a 32/29 mullet for a 5’9” rider.

Dialed QED 3229 size M3

Damn! I’d humbly ride the ever loving SHIT out of this thing! The marketing copy writes itself:

The 32” front wheel carves corners like a katana and smooths chatter like a butter knife, while the 29” rear slaps trails on the backside.

What a rad bike. 210mm dropper post. Soon we’ll have more fork options.

In summary

I don’t expect the big companies to do this, but 32ers can fit 5’4” to 5’9” riders with RAD neutrality, seated comfort and unseated handling. Bigger bikes are easy to make.

Riders can rock 32s front and rear or 32/29 mullets. The former leans toward smooth miles, the latter toward smooth smiles. :)

Every wheel size is a compromise. Smaller wheels are easier to corner and deliver more pumping power. Bigger wheels roll easier through bumps and can out-carve smaller wheels. The wheel size decision comes down to your riding goals and whether you can get a 32er that fits you well.

→ That is, unless the industry standardizes on 32 the way they did with 29. Let’s hope they don’t.

If you can get a 32er that fits you well, and you have the skills to make it work, the bigger wheel can deliver smoother rolling and better cornering. I like the idea of a 32/29 mullet hardtail. We already know a 32/29 suspension bike can win the Sea Otter DH!

Look for 32ers from the big brands as rims, tires and forks become more available. I suggest following the fit guidelines in the book Dialed v2.

If you want a Dialed 32 or 32/29 bike, I’ll make one that perfectly fits your body and riding style. Hardtail or full suspension. Riders 5’4” and taller. Your choice of colors. . Start the design process. Questions? DM me or email leelikesbikes@gmail.com.

See the rest of 32er Week:

A brief history of MTB wheel sizes

Diameter and bumps

Contact patch and cornering

What about fit?

Riding a 32er

What do y’all think?

Lee

Dial in your bike with Dialed v2 and the DiRT tool

The ebook, print book and Kindle of Dialed v2 include access to the DiRT MTB modeling tool and Dialed v2 online. Run the numbers before you run your credit card.

Hi and welcome back to 32er Week. So far:

• A brief history of MTB wheel sizes

• Diameter and bumps

• Contact patch and cornering

We’ve learned that, compared with the 29-inch wheels they hope to roll over, 32s:

• Take more work to get rolling, but they tend to stay rolling.

• Are smoother and more efficient in bumps, but they deliver less pumping power.

• Can carve corners better, but they require more bike lean.

I see advantages for trail riders and racers, as long as the 32er fits the rider. Today we dig into 32er fit. Who’s tall enough to make a 32er sing?

Read more

Welcome back to 32er Week. So far we’ve looked at

• A brief history of MTB wheel sizes

• Diameter and bumps

Today we look at tire contact patch (is it really bigger?) and why 32s can out-carve smaller wheels in corners.

Read more

Hello and welcome back to 32er Week.

This week we dig into the effects of the bigger wheel’s

• Increased mass and

• Increased diameter

Just like when we switched from 26 to 29 (I’ve written all of this before), there are plusses and minuses. Bonus: How does wheel size affect pumping power?

Read more

Today, Monday: A brief history of mountain bike wheel sizes

Tuesday: Diameter and bumps

Wednesday: Contact patch and cornering

Thursday: What about fit?

Friday: Riding a 32er

Saturday: A dialed 32er

For those new to the sport and those who forgot, here are the major epochs in mountain bike wheel sizing.

1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s: 26 inches baby!

When mountain bike pioneeers like Gary Fisher, Joe Breeze, Charlie Kelly and Tom Ritchey started messing with early mountain bikes, did they do a study to find the optimal wheel size?

No. They looked for what was 1) available and 2) burly. 26-inch cruiser wheels and tires met those needs, and viola mountain bikes had 26 inch wheels.

My first proper MTB was a 1989 Diamondback Apex with 26es of course.

Except for the 24-inch wheels

Yep. A few downhill bikes used 24-inch rims with tires up to 3”, which yielded a diameter close to the 26x2.3s, with may more traction.

The Specialized BigHit had a 26-inch front and a 24-inch rear — it was a mullet before we knew what that was. I raced that bike with an IRC Kujo 24x3.0 tire.

The Gazzaloddi 24 x 3.0 was the burliest of all: basically a moto tire you could run at less than 10 psi. The gnarly bros were sending that setup.

2003 Specialized BigHit. The 24-inch rear allowed room for a triple chainring and short chainstays.

Around 2000: Gary Fisher pushes 29s

Here comes Gary Fisher again, telling us that bigger wheels would be better. The promises were “They roll over bumps more easily” and “They have a bigger contact patch (not true).” Gary was a marketing powerhouse. The MTB industry was ready to sell new stuff. 29ers became The Next Big Thing.

2002 Gary Fisher Supercaliber 29

But suspension travel was growing and bikes threatened to become unwieldy with lots of suspension and those big wheels.

20teens: the 27.5 compromise

Kirk Pacenti is one of the lesser recognized geniuses of mountain biking. He pushed for the 27.5 standard in the mid aughs. By the teens every big company was making 27.5 bikes.

The smaller wheels kept front ends lower and rear ends shorter than the 29s. The marketing bros told us 27.5 is the “best of 26 and 29 … the perfect compromise.”

The Stumpjumper 27.5 is a fun bike.

That time passed and the industry started standardizing on 29s. Did biomechanics and physics change such that mountain bikes with 29-inch wheels and tons of suspension now fit people better? No. But the MTB market learned to accept them.

27.5+ oh I miss you

For a too-brief period in the teens the big companies made “plus bikes” with 27.5 wheels and 2.8-3.0” tires. I was stoked! 27.5+ delivered cushion and traction with diameters slightly less than 29x2.3.

The Specialized Fuse and other plus hardtails are extremely capable yet affordable.

I really believed this was the perfect setup for most riders. I rode a Specialized Fuse and Stumpy with 27.5x3.0” tires. They were awesome. One day I was training a pro DH racer on my Demo downhill bike at Trestle Bike Park then switched to my Stumpy to test some new 3.0 tires for Specialized. Per Strava I was faster on my Stumpy+.

To this day my daily driver work Mistress NoWukkas hardtail has 27.5x2.6” tires on the carbon Roval wheels (actually all of the parts) from my 2017 S-Works Fuse. Plus tires work great.

But alas. Somewhere along the line, plus tires got judged as not cool. You could run really low air pressure (I’d run 11 psi front, 13 rear). If you were a hard charging industry or media bro, the tires might feel wallowy or ping off rocks. And they weighed more than skinnier tires. Rather than accept the unique benefits of these wheels for the vast majority of riders who don’t charge hard, the MTB mind deemed plus tires as unshreddy and thus uncool.

That killed the plus tire movement. So stupid.

Today: mostly 29 with 27.5 in the niches

As most of you know, 29s are now the default MTB tire size. 27.5s are used in niche shred bikes, smaller sizes and in mullet rear ends. 26es and 24s are used in kids bikes.

Modern trail bikes like the Stumpjumper 25 have 29s in the bigger sizes and 27.5s in the smaller ones.

The Next Big Thing?

As far as I’m aware, none of these shifts came from riders asking for them. We’ve all been happy riding our bikes until the industry pulls out The Next Big Thing (wheels size, hub spacing, whatever) and makes us feel like we have to have it. We, being ignorant and susceptible to marketing, buy the new thing.

Are 32-inch wheels The Next Big Thing?

I dunno, but the industry seems to be shifting in that direction. Stay tuned for more on 32-inch wheels.

What questions do you have?

Lee

Dial in your bike with Dialed v2 and the DiRT tool

The ebook, print book and Kindle of Dialed v2 include access to the DiRT MTB modeling tool and Dialed v2 online. Run the numbers before you run your credit card.

In Pumping the perpetual peanut Jim asked:

Hi Lee, I have some questions about the moto stance vs pedal stance.

You say the moto stance is safer and you hurt your hamstrings over time. Is this something that recreational riders need to be concerned about, or is it something that only comes into play at the riding volumes of a professional?

Should I shift my RipRow work to moto stance?

The DiRT tool put me at 162mm max crank length, but I'm able to square my hips on my existing 165mm cranks (with some asymmetric foot tilt). Should I prioritize shorter cranks for long term safety?

Jim

Jim!

Thank you for that great question. I do believe shorter cranks are better for us than longer ones. Here’s why I believe that, and how you can keep riding into old age.

Read more

Our friend TJ posted a great comment in the DiRT page at the Lee Likes Bikes Library:

Hey TJ!

You are very welcome. Thanks for the thoughful question.

Here’s a thoughtful answer.

Read more

6’1.5” is the 95th percentile for American males.

You raced motocross and motorcycle enduro back in the day. You followed the top pros onto the road bike and have been spinning circles since. Too many drivers are on their phones, and too many of your buddies are dying on the roads. It’s time to go back off road, and the new enduro bikes look sick. You love your Specialized Tarmac, so you need a Specialized Enduro.

You go to the Specialized website and use their sizing tool. S5. That’s the biggest size they make, and you’ve always been an XL type of dude, so it makes sense.

But your hands, wrists and shoulders are killing you, and you can’t make this bike corner, hop or do anything fun. That’s because it doesn’t fit you.

Read more

Hey Lee,

I am interested in the Mistress GoodOnYa custom build for my next bike, but have a couple initial questions to inform my decision.

1) What is the current lead time for frame delivery? I saw that the website lists 8-10 weeks, but wanted to check in to verify. I am on the Boulder Mountain Bike Patrol and am hoping to qualify for a SRAM deal late summer or early fall to help allay the components cost of the build, hence the timing question. Worst case I might be able to take everything off my current bike and minimize new stuff until I can build what I want, but would rather get it done once and just ride!

2) Is there a common rear shock for the trail build (160/145)? I was considering a Super Deluxe Ultimate Flight Attendant but those seem to be bike frame specific (my thought being it would help compensate for the single-pivot when pedaling and allow the linearity and plushness when descending). I’ve got a question in to SRAM to see if the upgrade kit would work or not.

Thanks for your help,

Jeff

Hi Jeff!

Thanks for reaching out. I’ll be stoked to deliver your custom frame with either Mistress or Dialed branding.

Megan’s custom 160/135 trail bike in Blue Screen of Death. The frame is tall for her long legs and short for her short torso.

Lead time

8-10 weeks looks like a solid estimate. I just checked one of the frames currently on its way here via DHL. I placed that order exactly 8 weeks ago. It should land here at 9-10 weeks. Since you’re local I’ll hand your frame to you.

Shock choice

People are using a variety of 210x50mm shocks for that mid travel build. I’ve seen PUSH, high end FOX, high end RockShox, high end Marzocchi and low end Marzochhi. One rider is using the Fox Live Valve and is very happy.

Here’s my stock size M3 mid travel trail bike. This thing is so comfortable and easy to ride … I just love it. The $300 Marzocchi Bomber Inline shock works just fine.

People are loving both air and coil setups. If you enjoy a progressive feel, run an air shock with air spacers or the Cane Creek Tigon coil with adjustable ramp. Molly will be running that shock on the Iron Mistress.

With a standard size chainring, the suspension drives the rear wheel into the ground when you make high pedaling torque. Excellent for loose, technical climbs a la Bitterbrush at Hall Ranch. For longer, smoother climbs, settle in and pedal smoothly.

For a more neutral DH feel, increase chainring size so the chain is in line with the pivot.

Stoked to get you on a bike that fits you! Once you experience the Warm Embrace geometry, you’ll never go back.

Lee

Get your own perfect bike!

Are you short, tall, special or just want a bike that’s so easy to ride you shatter your perceived limits?

I’m bringing dream bikes to life with either Mistress or Dialed branding. Every frame I deliver is made to be 1) safe, 2) comfortable and 3) confidence inspiring. These bikes are fast in ways that feel slow and capable in ways the feel easy.

Learn more at Mistress Cycles or DM or email me.

On the DiRT MTB Fit Tool page over at the LLBMTB library site that’s included with your Substack membership, our friend Greg asked:

Hello Lee
How do you compensate a hardtail geo for sag in your DIRT calculator?
Thanks

That great question forced me to think about this topic more deeply than ever.

Thanks Greg!

When the fork sags on a hardtail, the entire bike pivots forward and downward on the contact patch of the rear tire. This turns a black enduro hardtail into a blue trail hardtail and a hardcore XC race hardtail into a torture tool.

How to make sure your hardtail rides the way you want:

Read more

Hello, I wanted to thank you for all your tutorials. I would like to know how many centimeters less you recommend for a dirt jumper in RAD. Very good day to you.

Hey Simon, thanks for asking. As niche as DJ bikes are, I get this question quite often.

Riders buy DJ bikes in the hopes they’ll magically be able to jump, but it rarely works out that way. DJ bikes usually come in one size, which makes fit tricky and jumping sketchy. Keep reading to learn more.

A DJ bike is a great tool for a smooth, tight slalom course. Me in May 2007, Nathrop CO.

Read more

— — —

5’8” is the 95th percentile for American females.
5’9” is the 50th percentile for American males.

You’re a committed weekend warrior. You’re not in the best shape, but you want to get into shape, and mountain biking seems like a fun way to do it. You want a Yeti SB140 trail bike because your friends ride ‘em and the site says:

Meet the bike in between nothing. Leaving no rider wanting. Master of the climb, the bomb, the rail, and the air. The utterly unequivocal. The rule crusher. The trend buster. No rig can rule all, but this one can absolutely rule.

My free edit: “No bike can rule absolutely, …”

The Yeti size chart says you fall in the middle of size Medium, which makes sense because you’re of average height. You buy the bike, but it feels like it’s ruling you. Keep reading to understand why and make this bike feel better.

Read more

— — —

5’4” is the 50th percentile for American females.
5’5” is the 5th percentile for American males.

You used to ride bikes in college. Heck, you didn’t get a car until after you got your first promotion at work. You miss the wind in your face, the freedom of movement, and that warm buzz in your body. The kids are in school, you’re in great shape from daily workouts, and you have time to ride again. The road seems dangerous, and those gravel bikes seem to come with Lycra, so you figure you’ll try mountain biking. Bonus: Your friends all ride and they gush about it when you get together. It would be so cool to ride with them.

You go into your local shop and ask the salesperson for a bike. The young man glances over his phone, thumb still scrolling, and asks you how much you want to spend. You say $7,000 plus the gear. He lets out a huh, walks you past a bunch of black and red bikes that look like motorcycles, still scrolling, and shows you a lavender bike in the corner. He wipes away dust to reveal that the bike is a Juliana Joplin in size small.

This Juliana is named after the great road/XC/DH racer Juliana Furtado,
but it’s a Santa Cruz Tallboy in “Matte Hazy Lilac.”

“This one is made for women,” he says. “It’s agile yet stable, while also being responsive yet plush.” You understand marketing and can barely swallow the puke that wells up. Whatever. You buy the size small, per the sizing chart, and all the gear that goes with it. Time to have some fun!

Your friends usually do big rides on blue trails, but they meet you for a short green ride because they remember what it was like when other riders bullied them into rides they weren’t ready for, and they really want to ride with you. The whole day was so great. The sun warmed your cheeks, your legs pumped with good vibes and the scenery was just stunning. But the bike didn’t feel right. You remember riding your old touring bike around campus, then to work. That thing was part of you. This Lavender Beast (it now has a nickname) feels like it’s in charge.

That doesn’t feel right, and you’re no dummy, so you reach out to me for a fit consultation. Here’s how we can make that bike fit you better.

Read more

Here’s a common situation.

A 5’3.5” rider bought a small Ibis Ripmo V3 from the size chart. Who can blame her? She’s right in the middle of the range:

But the bike is too big. Like, WAY too big.

• RAD is 100mm plus.

• Seated reach/height is 36%. That’s XC-race long on an enduro-style bike. We’re looking for 30-33%

• With the best possible fit, grips are well below the saddle. Heavy Hands Index is 45. 30 is comfortable. Less is better.

A bike like this feels cumbersome. It thwarts skills practice. It’s not safe to ride. Of all the variables in mountain biking, the only one we can fully control is bike fit. Why add risk from the get-go?

Here are some options

This rider — who is almost the median height for American females — needs a frame with a reach shorter than any adult performance MTB on the market. We have three options:

A Mistress or Dialed bike. These single-pivot steel bikes are not light, but they’re designed to be safe, easy and fast — in a way that feels slow because you’re in control. Size M2 would fit her perfectly. Learn more at Mistress Cycles. Riders can get Dialed branding if they prefer.

Megan’s custom Dialed trail bike fits her relatively long legs and short torso. She raced it in the expert class at Sea Otter dual slalom — and rocked!

5’2” Molly rides the hell out of her size M1 Mistress NoWukkas hardtail. She is FAST on this bike. QOM on our local blue DH.

A dual suspension bike made for teens. Some companies (Commencal, Rocky Mountain and Spawn to name a few) make cool bikes, but the viable models were discontinued, unavailable or didn’t list frame reach.

The Spawn Rokk 26/27.5 looks promising, but the reach isn’t listed, so it’s off the table.

A frame straight from Taiwan. This rider wanted a carbon frame. As many of you know, most bike frames are made in a few factories. There exist carbon frames with “old” geometry, which means shorter reaches and slacker seat angles.

I found a frame with the right frame reach, internal cable routing, Boost spacing, and a paint job the rider likes. She can use most of the parts from her Ripmo, then sell the Ripmo frame for what the new frame costs. The frame will be in her hands in a couple weeks, then it’s GAME ON. I’m stoked with this solution.

You don’t have to ride a bike that doesn’t fit

We have options. If you want help finding (or building) your ideal bike, DM me here or email me at leelikesbikes@gmail.com.

Have fun!

Lee

Dial in your bike with Dialed v2 and the DiRT tool

The ebook, print book and Kindle of Dialed v2 include access to the DiRT MTB modeling tool and Dialed v2 online. Run the numbers before you run your credit card.

You walk into your local Giant dealer. You tell the salesperson you love riding your old hardtail on the green trails, but you’re ready to invest in dual suspension and start exploring the blues and maybe the blacks near where you live. You’re in shape and consider yourself a solid rider. Your crew says so too.

The salesperson asks about your budget (less than $2,000) and shows you a Liv Embolden in size XS with a reach of 404mm.

The Liv Embolden is a nice trail bike for the money. Perfect for a new rider.

You’re so excited! You gear up and hit your local trail. You want to love the bike, but it feels huge and hard to control.

That’s because frame is too long for you, and the handlebars and cranks fit a much taller rider. If you need to keep this bike, I see two viable setups:

Read more

Hi all,

While I’m on the road this week for the Sea Otter Classic (The Joyride Crew is rocking the dual slalom and downhill), I’ll start sharing some representative fit scenarios from the book Dialed v2. Over the next couple weeks you’ll see case studies for:

5’0” (152cm) rider
5th percentile for adult American females

5’4.5” (164cm) rider
500th percentile for American females.
5th percentile for American males.

5’8.5” (174cm) rider
95th percentile for American females.
50th percentile for American males.

6’1.5” (187cm) rider
95th percentile for American males.

Before I get all hard core in these fit scenarios I want to offer some perspective.

Everyone who hires me for a mountain bike fit or a custom frame is looking for improved comfort and bike handling. While there is a wide range of bike setups that allow people to enjoy riding — especially if they are some combo of strong/skilled/brave/ignorant/self-destructive — there are narrow margins for a mountain bike fit that gives you the most possible confidence and safety on technical terrain.

Of all the external variables in mountain biking, the only one you have complete control over is your bike fit.

I take my responsibility as a coach and fitter very seriously. I know a dialed bike, solid skills, and sound judgement make mountain biking as safe as it can be. To that end, I do everything I can to get your bike as dialed as possible. If there are compromises in your setup I tell you about them so you make informed choices, and I try to offer solutions that don’t require compromises.

Do people have fun riding bikes straight from the size charts and off the showroom floors? Yes.

Can you ignore all of this advice and just ride your bike? Of course.

Is close enough good enough? Yes. Until it isn’t. Injuries can be painful, expensive, and preventable.

Every compromise you make in your bike fit is a compromise of comfort, handling and/or safety. The less fit and skilled you are, the less leeway you have. Put simply, unless you are an expert who can make informed fit decisions, I recommend listening to logic and experience over marketing and brospeak.

Next: Case study for a 5’0” (152cm) rider.

Please ask your questions in the comments.

Have fun out there,

Lee

Dial in your bike with Dialed v2 and the DiRT tool

The ebook, print book and Kindle of Dialed v2 include access to the DiRT MTB modeling tool and Dialed v2 online. Run the numbers before you run your credit card.

In the comments at the DiRT tool inside the www.llbmtb.com library (access is included with a paid Substack subscription), Jakob asked:

Hi Lee,

I just completed my DiRT fit on my SC Chameleon. The bike is RAD+ as a result of me adding spacers below the stem, I think I intuitively understood trying to decrease the HHI when I did this but didn’t consider the RAD length tradeoff (at the default spacer of 5mm its RAD= with a HHI of 74!). I’ve been experiencing outside wrist pain on my left wrist so I think I still need to reduce some weight on my hands, but I’d also like to improve handling!

I’m a powerful climber and gravitate toward slow motion technical obstacles or fast and flowy descents. I can power through rock gardens and I’m decent on fast and flowy descents. But I’ve noticed I’ve stagnated and perhaps regressed in fast and flow terrain over the last couple years despite no major injuries – I’m wondering if bike setup/fit is holding me back.

I’ve been reading the bars/stem section of Dialed v2 and I’d think some combination of a shorter stem + high rise bars should help here. I plugged A318 30mm stem into the calculator and helps reduce RAD without increasing HHI, but need some help finding a good option for bars. Curious what you’d recommend!

Current setup with stock Burgtec stem:

═════════════════════════════
DiRT Results – 4/5/2026
Build: Santa Cruz – Chameleon 2026 – XL
═════════════════════════════

RIDER
Proportions: Not average
Height: 1918 mm
RAD: 873 mm
Inseam: 933 mm

FRAME GEOMETRY
Head Angle: 65°
Seat Angle: 74.1°
Reach: 490 mm
Stack: 647.3 mm
Chainstay Length: 437 mm
Wheelbase: 1237.1 mm

COMPONENTS
Handlebar Setback: 30 mm
Handlebar Rise: 30 mm
Stem Length: 42 mm
Stem Angle: 0°
Stem Height: 40 mm
Spacers Below Stem: 30 mm
Headset Top Cap: 10 mm
Crank Length: 170 mm
Pedal Thickness: 15 mm

RESULTS
Bike RAD: 886 mm
Bike vs Rider RAD: +13 mm
Bike RAD Angle: 58°
Seated Reach: 707 mm
Seated Reach/Height: 37%
Saddle Height from BB: 854 mm
Bar/Saddle Height: -57 mm
SHO: 30 mm
Heavy Hands Index: 65
Fore/aft Balance: 35/65%
RAD Leverage Ratio: 2.0
Maximum Crank Length: 187 mm
Handlebar Width: 796 mm

═════════════════════════════

Hi Jakob!

65 is a very high HHI. 74 is crazy! For context I always get my custom frame clients under 40.

The reasons for the huge HHI are 1) your longer-than-average legs and 2) the long frame reach. In order to be anywhere near RAD neutral, the bars end up well below the saddle, which increases HHI. At 37% of your height, your seated reach is longer than most XC race bikes! A nice all-around cockpit is 33% or less.

It makes sense that you’d be feeling wrist pain and losing confidence. Without a doubt this bike setup is holding you back.

Here are two approaches to help make this frame feel better. As with all long frames, you have to compromise either comfort or handling.

Read more

From the department of MTB rebellion comes this custom build for my platinum shredder B. Just look at this thing! It’s an affront to the MTB broligarchy!

What’s rad about this bike:

It’s perfect for its rider. Like many riders, B was having trouble balancing and pumping on offset pedals with long cranks. Rather than fight that, I put him on my PumpCycle, and boom he was ripping around the track and getting some great cardio and strength work. A few laps later he said “OK dude I get it. Didn’t you say you have a frame that fits me?”

It’s RAD= for a tall rider. A 26” wheel and 100mm fork make a low front end … run the DiRT calculations … a ha! … a 6” BMX cruiser bar fits perfectly (and looks bad ass).

It has a motocross RAD angle. I proclaim 65° to the official perfect RAD angle for a PumpCycle. It happens to be the same RAD angle as a motocross motorcycle.

Hinging is optional. Thanks to that high RAD angle, the rider can rip in an easy standing position (like a motocrosser). No hinge needed. If he wants to hinge and go faster he can — but he doesn’t have to!

THIS —> Most of my career has been spent teaching people how to change their body movements so they can work with their bikes. Screw that. Let’s change our bikes so they work with our bodies.

MotoCranx attach your pedals to your bottom bracket, like motorcycle footpegs. I invented them to help people learn pumping without the complication of cranks, and to relieve stress on my hamstrings.

This is my old Specialized P.3 frame, which I retired when I built my much shorter PumpCycle. Stoked to see “3PO” live its new life!

Here’s my personal PumpCycle. I love riding this bike! It’s fun and fast on the pumps and jumps, and it’s easy on the body because hinging is optional.

Here’s my Mistress GoodOnya with MotoCranx. This bike is stupid fun at the bike park. It’s getting a drivetrain for Sea Otter dual slalom.

So rad!!! Don’t change your body to fit your bike. Change your bike to fit your body.

I’m thinking seriously about building a small run of inexpensive PumpCycles. Who’s interested?

Lee

Ride unchained with a pair of MotoCranx. They fit all threaded bottom brackets. Give that dusty old hardtail a new life!

Ride a bike that fits you perfectly. Full suspension or hardtail. With or without a drivetrain. DM me here or email me at leelikesbikes@gmail.com, and let’s talk about what you need.

Lee,

I hope all is well. It’s been fun here; a long ski season delayed the start to my mountain biking this year. We’re closing out the ski season with a CO trip for kids to compete in USASA Nationals at Copper MTN next week. Wish ya’ll had more snow tho!

That said I took my gorgeous Mistress GoodOnya out this week and LOVED IT!

1. Geometry fits me nice

2. Riding position is noticeably more natural and relaxed; yet prepared and aggressive. So FUN!

3. Feels like my Trials and BMX bikes got together and had a mountain bike.

4. Climbing is better than my carbon stump jumper - a lot to the riding position, mullet, and drivetrain.

5. Was great to have near zero stack height and slam my stem down (like my downhill bikes) but still effortlessly reach my grips

6. It’s SMOOTH, fitted with all Hope and Fox components

   1. Hope V4 brakes are so nice - oversized to 203mm in front and rear, mainly for long West VA Snowshoe rides.

   2. Hope hubs front and back

   3. The EVO crank, at 155mm, is shorter than my previous, already reduced strikes.

   4. Shimano Micro spline 12 with hope 30T chainring

   5. Fox 36 and DHX2 coil

   6. You digging that Selle Anatomica Leather seat?

Also, I took this thing down our sketchiest rock slab trail and it was so much better than anything I've ridden on it. The rider position was a major factor, as was the coil, and those brakes are insanely good. Your going to have to have a Mello edition build!

Tommy!

Dang bro, that bike came out perfect for you! That was fun … you reached out … we did a Zoom so I comprehend your shred needs … we decided to make you a custom mullet based on a size M2 Mistress GoodOnya … and now you’re shredding like the boss you are.

I love that build: Top level modern suspension, brakes, wheels, drivetrain … pink frame with badass Mistress logo … and a riveted leather saddle. In 1990 I spent what felt like insane money on a Brooks leather saddle. My boss at the shop said, “You’re going to change bikes a lot over the next 10 years. You’re going to keep this saddle at least that long.” And I did.

Hmm … you have me thinking about a coil shock. And a special Tommy Mello Edition.

Have fun out there!

Lee

Get your own perfect bike!

Are you short, tall, special or just want a bike that’s so easy to ride you shatter your perceived limits?

I’m bringing dream bikes to life with either Mistress or Dialed branding. Every frame I deliver is made to be 1) safe, 2) comfortable and 3) confidence inspiring. These bikes are fast in ways that feel slow and capable in ways the feel easy.

Learn more at Mistress Cycles or DM or email me.

Rider: Molly, the 5’2” ripper who’s been QOMing her Mistress NoWukkas hardtail (size M1) and has lost her tolerance for ill fitting bikes.

Goal: Make a perfectly fitting trail/enduro/DH bike using parts from Molly’s too-big Pivot Mach 6 — including the FOX Factory 38 170mm fork and 27.5” wheelset.

NERDS: The height of the fork, front wheel, 100mm head tube, and our favored bar/stem determine the frame stack, which then determines the frame reach because math.

Project requirements:

• RAD neutral

• High RAD angle for upright riding position and tons of range of motion for steep gnar

• Designed around proportional 140mm cranks

• 170mm front, 160mm rear travel

• Suitable for both trail riding and DH runs — including masters worlds 2027

• F1 fore-aft balance to prevent front-tire washouts

Not a requirement:

• Conformity. This bike is made for one unique person to explore her capacity as a rider and human.

Behold the Iron Mistress:

Features include:

• RAD= fit

• RAD angle 67° a la a motocross motorcycle. This bike fits like a small moto!

• Short, comfortable seated pedaling position

• Warm Embrace geometry. To learn more go here and scroll down.

• Frame reach is 320mmm which is proportional to me on my PumpCycle. Speaking of nonconformity, check out this no-hinge-needed grass slalom on slick tires … no low hinge, no chain, no Fs.

The Iron Mistress is currently in production. Stay tuned for more acts of MTB rebellion and personal transcendence.

Find your joy then share it!

Lee

Funny, a similar bike is on Pinkbike today.

The Iron Mistress is a custom Mistress GoodOnya with Dialed branding and the perfect model name for its rider. Get your custom trail/enduro/DH bike here. For size, select custom and I’ll follow up with you.

Or to discuss the perfect bike for you and you alone, DM me or email me at leelikesbikes@gmail.com.

Dial in your bike with Dialed v2 and the DiRT tool

The ebook, print book and Kindle of Dialed v2 include access to the DiRT MTB modeling tool and Dialed v2 online. Run the numbers before you run your credit card.