Effective Top Tube MTB vs Gravel Bike

[Witterings]

I tried a medium gravel bike in a shop the other day with a 562 top tube which felt a bit too large / too much of a reach and the bike fit person thought I'd probably be better on a small.

I just thought I'd measure it on my 29er which I'm used to riding and it's 580 which has totally confused me.

Do MTB's generally have longer effective top tubes in comparison to road style bikes??

[yostumpy]

a lot is to do with where you hold the bars. An MTB with flat bars, will place the 'controls' closer to the rider than a bike with drops, assuming the gravel bike has drops, because the 'controls' are where most people put there hands. The transition from yeas old flat barred mtb's to off road drops, is a slippery slope. you could ask the LBS to try a 20mm shorter stem for you Good luck.

[Brucey]

Do MTB's generally have longer effective top tubes in comparison to road style bikes??

yes they usually do. Depending on what the intended use of each bike is, the flats should be roughly between the midpoint on the ramps and the hoods when compared with a dropped bar bike.

Note that this usually means you have a more upright climbing position available when using drops, if you want it.

cheers

[tempsperdu]

I went from a 29er with Jones Loops to a Fargo with drops - Woodchippers - and hated it.
As a winter project I was planning on changing to the new raised Jones Loops and a complete XT 2x11 speed groupset.
Meanwhile I put an adjustable stem on and raised the bars and over the summer I have found I actually like the drops.