S-Sizing, and how to use it
Specialized sizes most of its mountain bikes with S1 through S6 rather than S, M, L. The idea is to size by rider, not by height. Across the range the seat tube, head tube and standover stay roughly constant, so the main thing that changes size to size is reach. That frees you to pick your cockpit length by preference and riding style rather than being forced into one size by your inside leg. Lower numbers mean shorter reach and a more playful, nimble bike; higher numbers mean longer reach and more stability at speed. The bands overlap heavily, so most riders straddle two or three sizes and choose by feel. The cross country bikes and hardtails keep conventional XS to XL sizing, because a race position wants a taller front end than S-Sizing allows.
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Read first. S-Sizing is built around overlap and choice, so the sizes here are a guide, not a rule. Decide by reach and riding style, and where you straddle two sizes, a test ride of both is the honest way to choose.
S-Sizing by height
Find your height for the middle of the range, then use riding style to go up or down. This chart applies to the S-Sizing full suspension bikes and e-MTBs.
| Rider height | Typical S-Size |
|---|---|
| 150 to 160 cm | S1 |
| 157 to 168 cm | S2 |
| 165 to 178 cm | S3 |
| 173 to 188 cm | S4 |
| 180 to 193 cm | S5 |
| 188 to 203 cm | S6 |
Size down for tight, technical, playful riding or a nimbler feel; size up for high speed, bike park and DH stability, or a roomier cockpit. Fast riders often size up, playful riders down, and that is by design.
How to choose your size
Take your height, then let reach and riding style decide, because S-Sizing keeps standover and seat tube nearly constant so you will not inherit a too tall frame by sizing up. On the XC bikes and hardtails, sizing is conventional, so just size by height. Note that some models are mullet in the smallest sizes, and Specialized carbon frames sometimes drop the smallest size, so very short riders may need the alloy version.
Trail and enduro (S-Sizing)
The Stumpjumper 15 is the adjustable do it all trail bike, the Stumpjumper EVO the slacker, rowdier and even more adjustable version, and the Enduro the long, stable gravity race bike. Reach is the neutral setting; flip chips and headset cups shift it a few millimetres.
| Reach (mm) | S1 | S2 | S3 | S4 | S5 | S6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stumpjumper 15 | 400 | 425 | 450 | 475 | 500 | 530 |
| Stumpjumper EVO | 408 | 428 | 448 | 475 | 498 | 528 |
| Enduro | — | 437 | 464 | 487 | 511 | — |
Electric (S-Sizing)
The Turbo Levo is the full power e-MTB and the Turbo Levo SL the lighter, mid power version, both sharing the S-Sizing logic and Stumpjumper style handling. Carbon frames typically drop S1.
| Reach (mm) | S1 | S2 | S3 | S4 | S5 | S6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turbo Levo | 407 | 435 | 455 | 480 | 505 | 535 |
| Turbo Levo SL | 405 | 425 | 445 | 470 | 495 | 525 |
Cross country and hardtails (conventional sizing)
The Epic and Epic World Cup XC bikes and the Chisel and Rockhopper hardtails use standard letter sizes, so simply size by height. Reach below is the Epic 8.
| Frame size | XS | S | M | L | XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Epic 8 reach (mm) | 390 | 420 | 450 | 475 | 500 |
| Rider height | 148 to 158 | 158 to 165 | 165 to 178 | 178 to 185 | 185 to 193 |
What Specialized riders find
The praise for S-Sizing is that you can genuinely pick a size on reach alone without ending up with a too tall seat tube or head tube, which is ideal for riders wanting a long reach with a short seat tube for a big dropper. Fast and gravity riders commonly size up for stability, and Specialized itself points to pros riding larger than their height suggests, while tight, technical riders size down for agility, again matching pro habits. The overlap is real, so the S3 versus S4 choice usually comes down to tight and technical versus high speed. On the adjustable Stumpjumpers, remember the reach shifts a little with the flip chip and headset settings, so note the position when comparing. And watch wheel size and carbon versus alloy availability in the smallest sizes.
Between two sizes?
This is the heart of S-Sizing. Size down for playful and technical, size up for stable and fast, and use your reach preference from a bike you know. If you are on the S3 or S4 cusp, tell us your height, inside leg and the kind of trails you ride and we will help you choose, or suggest trying both.
Shop Specialized MTB
- All Specialized bikes including the Epic, Stumpjumper, Enduro and Turbo Levo
S3 or S4? Ask our concierge
S-Sizing is powerful but personal. Share your height, inside leg and riding style with our concierge team and we will translate it into the right S-Size and model. Talk to our concierge.
These sizes are guidance, not a fitting guarantee. Reach figures are current Specialized data in the neutral geometry setting and are high confidence for the main models; the exact figure shifts with the flip chip and headset settings, so confirm on the specific bike and, where possible, a professional fit.
