Frame size dilemma, Should I upgrade?

My bike is a 2015 Intense Tracer Pro, and I originally bought it for my wife, so it is a size medium (it is mine now, but her's is another size M ITP). I am 6' tall and 180 lbs, 32 inch inseam, and I actually find the medium comfortable and not cramped, but it tends to pull the front end up during a steepish climb. No problem with the downhill part, just climbing. With that said, is it worth it to upgrade to a size L frame to help with the climbs, or will it make no difference from my M frame?

Additionally, should I upgrade the frame from these two Intense tracer frames on craigslist:
One is a grey 2015 size L, well used, but new bearings for $1,000.
The other is a 2018 orange/red size L, almost brand new for $1,900.

Final question, should I just sell my size M in total and buy a size L bike in total?

Appreciate your opinions.

 

To me,the bike feeling good and fitting well during the downhills trumps how it feels during climbing. i'm just under 5'8" and ride a SMALL banshee rune. But i like shorter bikes so...

How long is your stem? If its 60 mm or longer a large witha 30-40 mm stem may feel awesome.

 

I'm going to contradict what Gary just said.

@ 6' w/ 32" inseam, I have tried a few M frames....and there is no way I would every buy one, let alone ride one regularly. At your height, you are in L frame territory. Things have changed quite a bit in the last 2-3 years when it comes down to TT length. Bikes are getting longer.

When I bought my Hightower this year, I went with what I knew.....with SC I am a L....however at 6' I could have done a XL and been perfectly happy with it. No way a M would have worked.

You say that the M doesn't feel cramped.....have you ridden a L frame recently?

Too short of a bike, mean you are pretty upright....also means you weight is not evenly distributed on the bike.....this is why the front end wanders so bad when it gets steep.

If we were talking about a DH bike, or a bike that spent most of the time heading in the DH direction.....a smaller bike is managable. However, around here we have to climb to get to the goods.

 

I say try a longer stem and/or lower your cockpit and see if that helps enough to keep what ya got. I’m 6’ with 33” inseam and ride a large from 2013 and a medium from 2002. Neither of my bikes wanders on the climbs, but that may be because I like my cockpits low, close to the head tubes.

 

Can you demo or borrow a large Tracer to see how it feels. I'm almost the same size but generally like smaller frames when possible.

Moving the seat forward might help on climbs if it doesn't mess with your knee position over the pedals.

 

You find it comfortable and not cramped. (Maybe) try the wide bar craze and fiddle with climbing techniques. Or a tad longer stem, saddle moved forward a skosh. No high-rise bars. I have a 59-Schwinn Klunker which translates to S. 90-stumpy=L with a looong stem. 09 hardtail= large. GT full-Sus=XL. I tend to make bikes fit instead of spending big buks. But if money is no object go big!

 

Thanks for the replys, my bike doesn't wander on the steep climbs, it wants to wheelee. Sitting my "crack" on the tip of the seat helps, but is definitely not comfortable. Maybe it is my technique or I need a snub nose seat? I have a longer stem, 100mm I think, and that makes the bike comfortable.

 

Just get one of these:

 

+1 to that. Even a "mere" $1000 experiment gone bust is best avoided.

But, I think sizing up is a natural thing as we get more competent. We're amazed whenever we get back on our old bikes, like how the hell did we clean anything with that shee? Mostly, they just seem small in every way. Clearly oversized is a different issue. Slightly oversized can be dealt with fit-wise, and your riding will adapt to it handily. Probably feel more confident going down.

 

I am 5'8", comfortable on a medium. But my XC HT is a large, and the replacement XC FS I am getting is a large (good deals), and they work fine too with just minor lower back issues.

Regardless, going up a frame size isn't going to fix the wheelies. That is technique. It may keep the front end slightly more planted, but in reality, trail bikes are designed to keep your weight back for descending. A lot of effort has to be put in to keeping the wheel down.

I personally wouldn't go with a longer stem to keep the wheel down on climbs. If you like to descend, keep it descending friendly.

 

I think if you are running a 100mm stem and feel the bike is too short, you are hosed. 100 is a huge performance compromise already. Any other adjustments would likely be worse.

 

Get one of the large frames and swap out the parts (hopefully fork will be long enough). I think it will be perfect for you.

 

Wow, forget what I said before. If you need a 100 mm stem to make it feel comfortable, a large with a much shorter stem would feel great with a big handling performance benefit.

 

Lots of factors @ULEWZ.. looks like you've got a dealer nearby-- Pedaler's Fork in Calabasas? Maybe they can help or let you ride around on some new Tracers?

A pro fitting might be in order, or maybe a session with a coach. It could be frame size, set-up, or technique.

It's gotta come down to what works for you. I prefer a comfortable reach, good bb height to avoid pedal strikes, fairly slack head tube for stability and good standover for you know what. That 100mm stem is 4" long! and I've seen bikes with the same standover vary over 2" in length. You might opt for a longer frame, but you don't need it to be too tall (standover) or too low (bottom bracket). Carry on.

 

In the mean time perhaps a little different technique ... Try tucking those elbows in closer to your body and imagine pulling back through your elbows on the bars / along the line of your forearms instead of elbows out and up that may help keep the front end down and drive traction into the rear wheel.

 

Same size here. 6', 32" inseam, long torso and arms. Always a large for me. As others have said go large with a shorter stem. Either frame is nice and probably designed around a shorter stem.

 

A millennium falcon seat, great, but at $189, ouch. Funny, I will spend over $1000 for a frame, but find it hard to spend $189 for a seat.

 

The underlying question is which do you more of? Climbing or descending? If climbing, then you'd need to evaluate the saddle (not seat). If descending, then set it up for that and deal with the issues on climbs. I don't think there's much of an in-between solution.

 

Everybody spends more time climbing than descending, unless they shuttle or ride lifts. Many, many, many bikes do both really well. My bike climbs fine and descends great. I don't climb well, but it's not because of my bike.

Sounds like it doesn't fit, and anything you do beyond what you've already done to make it fit would be too extreme. Moving the seat back compromises your knees and back, and you've already gone to a 100mm stem. You could go wider on your bars, but that just sounds disastrous with a 100mm stem. How high are your bars? Perhaps you could remove spacers and drop your front end to help a little on the climbs.

Good luck!

 

Well, heck, my bike does everything better than I do...so I figured maybe the saddle could come into play. What the heck do I know? Or, to plagiarize you...I have an opinion and a keyboard.