Teo Frame size and questions

[Falken]

Hello again,

I am wondering is there anyone on this forum that owns a Teo S medium frame? Here's my dilemma....
I have just ordered 2 Teo S mediums. ( ship date not until June 10, 2017 ) Benoit has told me for my size (5'11" / 31 inseam) that the medium is the frame to get. So I went with his recommendation. I've been on the fence between the medium and large frame since I started considering Teo as the brand to purchase. My wife is 5'9" with an inseam of 33". We both currently own Giant Trance 27.5 mountain bikes ( large frame ) so I thought I better go measure the distance we have set from the top of the seat to the top of the peddle when the peddle is at bottom position of the crank cycle on both bikes.

This would be the "B" measurement. Surprisingly, I have my bike set at 34" and the wife has hers set at 33.5". I would have though mine would have been lower due to our inseams.
I asked @america94 ( who has a large frame Teo S ) if he could raise his seat post to the max allowed height and take that same measurement. That measurement came back at 36" ( Thanks Stephane )

So.....(Please correct me if I'm wrong) Benoit has said that the difference between the medium and large frame sizes is 2". Theoretically that should make the medium frame with maximum safe extension of the seat post, measure 34" if the large was 36". That puts us right on the cusp which I guess would be ok? I'm not a pro bike person by any means but I have had lots of bikes throughout my life. I don't remember ever having to extend my seat post to the maximum height before.

Any experienced riders or anybody have suggestions? Stay with the medium or change my order to the large frame?

If someone HAS the Teo S medium, would you mind taking that "B" measurement and posting it for me please?

It's not that I don't trust Benoit,.. This is a large purchase w/o seeing the product so I really want to be sure I'm getting the correct size bikes.

Thanks in advance

 

[YYZ2017]

I believe the first shipment of Medium Frames arrive June 10th, so nobody has one yet.
I would've been tempted to pickup a Medium myself if it was available as I'm a bit shorter

 

[Falken]

Ok, thanks YYZ2017 for letting me know. I didn't realize he had only brought in large frames. Guess we'll just have to wait and see how they work out!

 

[Falken]

Hi @america94! Thanks for clarifying this for myself and future TFB's. This really helps. Benoit called me and has changed my order to 2 large frame bikes based on my wife and myself inseam measurements. We should be good to go now!

 

[YYZ2017]

I would like to add, while Benoit may say that it is ONLY the seatpost, but if you look at the pictures, the top bar is also affected, so if someone has really short legs, those two inches might make the difference between hitting the top bar or not when you jump off your seat to plant your feet down in an emergency stop.

 

[YYZ2017]

Sorry just wanted to add, in fact, I'm 5'10, but short legs, if I'm standing with the frame in between my legs and not on my seat / pedals, I can feel the top bar which makes me a bit uncomfortable.
If the medium was available at the time of order I would've likely taken the medium frame instead

 

[Falken]

I would like to add, while Benoit may say that it is ONLY the seatpost, but if you look at the pictures, the top bar is also affected, so if someone has really short legs, those two inches might make the difference between hitting the top bar or not when you jump off your seat to plant your feet down in an emergency stop.

I agree @YYZ2017 . What needs to happen is a proper frame geometry put up on the website for both frames. It wouldn't hurt to even add some measurements from points on the bike to the ground ( center of top post, top of seat at max post extension etc ). That takes all these questions we have and puts it where people can access it. I'm sure Benoit will address this and have something up soon.

 

[Falken]

ohhhh how much do I agree with this!!!!

LOL I bet! I think I've drove you crazy with measurement questions.....

 

[Jazzcat]

I measured my current mountain bike today. Because I use the ball of my foot on the pedals, my measurement from seat top to pedal at full extension is 37 inches. I don't think a medium is going to work out for me, unless I get an extra long seat post, which would mean something like 13 inches of seat post between the seat and the seat tube top. That would look silly and possibly be unsafe.
Therefore, the medium is actually likely to be small for me.

I'll have to contact Benoit and change the order. The large aren't available in white, so I'll go with red. It will still be beautiful!

 

[Falken]

I found this while researching (and driving people crazy about measurements ). It appeared to me that what Teo is calling a medium is actually a small. Large is actually a medium etc. My wife and I current mountain bikes have a 20" frame and are a large. My daughters has an 18" frame and is a medium. My sons has a 16" frame and is a small. This all falls in line with this chart. I knew something was wrong about the sizing as I am 5'11" and that falls right in line with the chart as well. @america94 you must have your seat post fully extended or very close I would guess.

 

[Falken]

So sorry. Not trying to confuse anybody. I'm just stating that the labeling of frame sizes with the teo fat bike are not what we usually see with other mountain bike manufacturers. Again, apologies if I am confusing anyone.

 

[Jazzcat]

Hi Stephane,

Yes, I mean the B measurement. I only have a 31 inch inseam measurement but I also use my ankle muscles and fully extend to 37 inches. I read once in a book on touring and racing bicycles that it was the most efficient way to ride. Racers have clip in shoes and the clips are at the bottom of the ball of their foot. That way, they can use muscles all the way around the circle and even pull up one pedal while they're pushing down the other.

I just use regular running shoes, but at the bottom of the stroke where you're out of leg pushing distance, I use my ankle muscles to get in front of the pedal and push the pedal around another 30 degrees of pedal. As the pedal comes up, I let my toe follow it up first so, as soon as possible, I'm pushing forward from behind the pedal.

I if you're just putting the middle of the foot on the pedal, the most you can get is about 180 degrees of travel with the foot "idling" on the upstroke. Where racers can actually get 360 degrees of push on the pedal, all the way around the circle, I get probably 270 degrees of push without special shoes or clips, not even toe clips. I figure clipping your feet to the pedals is probably just asking for trouble on a mountain bike where you're going over sometimes questionable terrain and may need to put a foot down.

I find that I can get a lot more horsepower using this technique, at least until my muscles get tired or I run out of breath. It's great for short bursts up hills.
Anyway, that's why my seat is so high.

Kind regards,
Jazzcat

 

[Jazzcat]

I guess I'll have to change my Icon to a red bike.

 

[Jazzcat]

I just remembered that I started towards circular pedaling by lifting my upward bound foot so there was very light pressure on that pedal. That way I was getting a little more efficiency by not having to use my downward stroke on the other foot to lift the foot that was no longer putting in energy. I didn't have racers toeclips at the time, so I couldn't pull the pedal up to help, but at least I could take the weight mostly off so more power went into forward motion rather than lifting the upgoing leg.

Gradually I started trying to get as much power going into the pedal cycle as I could by pushing the pedal forward a bit as it went over the top and backward a bit as it went over the bottom, so instead of 180 degrees of useful power on each power stroke I gradually got more and more as I got good at it.

This is really handy if you're trying to overtake someone who doesn't want to be overtaken and who doesn't know this technique.

It does require more oxygen and blood flow but if your cardiovascular system is in good shape it can be used for more than just sprinting.

 

[Jazzcat]

Hi @Jazzcat. You mean the B point like in Falken's image?:

(Link Removed - Attachment No Longer Exists)

If so, I re-measured mine just now and it's 37 inches too. I guess you have long legs! Good catch, much better than realizing this when the bike is home and fully assembled. I am sure you will really like the red. I find it stands out more than on the pictures. I like it so much, the little devil on my right shoulder keeps telling me to sell the black and get the red!

The little devil sits on the LEFT shoulder. That must be an ANGEL telling you to get the red one!

 

[AguassissiM]

With all these measurements and the confusion surrounding the subject of choosing the correct size of the new ride I do not see anyone taking the time to measure from the ground up to the top of the top tube, after all isn't that one of the most important measurement so the rider can dismount safely at a stop instead of being neutered by the top tube.

 

[Falken]

With all these measurements and the confusion surrounding the subject of choosing the correct size of the new ride I do not see anyone taking the time to measure from the ground up to the top of the top tube, after all isn't that one of the most important measurement so the rider can dismount safely at a stop instead of being neutered by the top tube.

Actually, I believe @america94 did take that measurement in a very early post. You Can find your answer here. Its at the bottom of page 1. That was from @america94 's bike which is a "Large" or 18" frame. He measured to the center of the top tube.

 

[AguassissiM]

@Falken Thank you for your attention to detail and pointing it out, have no idea how I missed it since I've read all the posts few times. Old age I guess... Hahaha...
Thank you.

 

[Falken]

@Falken Thank you for your attention to detail and pointing it out, have no idea how I missed it since I've read all the posts few times. Old age I guess... Hahaha...
Thank you.

LOL no worries @AguassissiM . I know how easy it is to miss things. The only reason I remembered was the fact that I went a little crazy trying to find the right frame size for my wife and I. I think I have every measurement and where to find it imprinted in my mind now