Help with Norco Frame size please

[irata]

INFO

i am unsure if a Medium Norco Faze 3.0 is the correct frame size for me due to my inexperience of purchasing MTBs. Salesman is helpful and knowledgeable (only one store in town) but model im looking at is older stock and he seems eager to get rid of it.

MAIN QUESTION

which size: M or L model would suit my needs? norco letter sizing is strange; dosent specify inches, even in buyers guide or catalogues. salesman measured seat stem and came to 17". i am unsure of the inch length the L is. Dealer dosent have L and cannot get one.

SPECS

- im 5'10, 220. my inseam is approximatley 31"
- im keen on the XC race model, im looking for all around xc and speed, which the faze seems to suit my needs. used for moslty trail riding, some offroading. the deal being offered is really great, and there is really no other model in stock that interests me.

TEST SPIN and MORE QUESTIONS

took the bike out for a test spin. it took some adjustsments, like rear suspension tuning for my wieght (fyi im a weighlifter), seat stem height and seat forward/back adjustments. i felt my weight moslty towards the back, but could it be due to further adjusting needed? My larger weight? I felt like my wieght needed to be propeled a little more toward the handlebars. seat stem only had about an inch or two more before it would pop out of frame, this concerned me a little -- should seat post be raised this much, is this normal? or is L needed? considering the its a great deal, is this possible problem a non-no?

CONCLUSION

does it seem like a M would be ok for me based on my specs and test spin? its a more expensive model and i want to be sure of what im buying. due to my lack a expereince, i would like to know if the problems i faced are 'adjustable' or am i in the incorrect frame size.

thank you!

[sk8r]

Yeah, I'd like to know if Norco has some sort of chart for this, I can walk into to two dif. stores and be offered a L or M in the same bike, e.g., Fluid LT, for a test ride

[kperras]

I'm 6'1" and can safely say that a large Fluid LT is the corrrect size for you. I wear 34 inseam pants and I max the seat post for climbing excursions. I'm also running a 50 mm stem and it feels bang on for top tube length.

As for the faze dilema, the medium is the correct size as well. If you're running max seat post extention for proper positioning on the bike, then don't worry about it. Play with stem length and horizontal saddle positioning if you feel the need to move forward. If you go wth the large, you'll feel stretched in the cockpit, and remedying that issue with a shorter stem will only promote your feeling of being too far back over the rear axle. It'll also make the bike climb like poop.

[Testy]

Irata, I'm about the same spec as you, height, weight and inseam the same and have had a few Norcos through the years. I'd say the Medium is the way to go, get a 380 mm seat post (most are only 330 mm), and play around with stem lengths to get comfy on the bike.

And yer right, weight is more of an issue than height for a 220 pounder when setting up your bike. Example, I can climb Cardiac on BBY mountain and the most tired part of my body is my arms for holding me on the bike. So now for XC I'm using a 120 mm Raceface stem and find it does a good job of getting my weight forward on the steeper climbs. Another thing to do is make sure your seat is not tilted back when the bike is flat. I find a very slight forward tilt on the seat helps alot although you have to be careful as it loads some weight onto your shoulders on long rides. .