Touring - Need Frame size suggestions for Surly LHT

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Burningman
05-20-07, 10:29 AM
Ha folks,I'm looking to put my Miyata 610 to stud and getting a Surly Long Haul Trucker.

I'm stuck on weather to get a 58cm or the 60cm....I'm 6'2 and have a inseam of 33.5"

Any extra help would be great...Thanx


martianone
05-20-07, 11:32 AM
i ride a 58 cm cross check, my riding position is fairly relaxed with an albatross handlebar
i'm just under 75 in tall, my inseam is a little shorter than yours, but i have a long torso.
58 cm cross check and LHT have almost identical top tube and stand over dimensions.
the 58 is a comfortable fit for me

Robert_in_ca
05-20-07, 12:09 PM
I'm 6'1" and feel right at home on the 56.


Michel Gagnon
05-20-07, 07:39 PM
I'm 5' 11.5" and use a 25" Trek 520 (i.e. 63.5 cm frame), with 12-14 cm of seatpost exposed. If I remember correctly, the 700c LHT has fairly much the same geometry than the Trek.

As for the ideal frame, a lot depends on your body proportions as well as your optimal riding position. If you don't plan many off road rides, the larger frame will allow you to place the bars higher without having to use any special gizmo like a steerer tube extender.

Highcyclist
05-20-07, 08:57 PM
I'm 6' and ride a 58cm LHT. If at all possible, test ride the different frames. I was all set to get a 56cm, when I had a chance to ride a 58cm, and finally decided to go with that. I've been very thankful that I did.

adrianlatrace
05-20-07, 10:48 PM
I'm 5' 11.5" and use a 25" Trek 520 (i.e. 63.5 cm frame), with 12-14 cm of seatpost exposed. If I remember correctly, the 700c LHT has fairly much the same geometry than the Trek.

As for the ideal frame, a lot depends on your body proportions as well as your optimal riding position. If you don't plan many off road rides, the larger frame will allow you to place the bars higher without having to use any special gizmo like a steerer tube extender.


Wow, how does that work? There must be absolutely zero clearance between the bike and your loins eh? Why did you decided to go with a bike so large? (I'm just curious as to why..) I'm trying to figure out what I size I should get as well. We have a 21" on the floor in my shop but nothing larger. I'm 6'-6'1" and it feels ok, just maybe a bit small..

old and new
05-20-07, 11:53 PM
Ha folks,I'm looking to put my Miyata 610 to stud and getting a Surly Long Haul Trucker.

I'm stuck on weather to get a 58cm or the 60cm....I'm 6'2 and have a inseam of 33.5"

Any extra help would be great...Thanx

Inseam seems wrong, you measured it wrong, I believe. I'm 5'10" with a 33.25" inseam, I have VERY short legs for my height, my pant inseeam is 30", 31" at most,still the pants fit long. If you test bikes to see if you're more at ease on one than another, fine. if you use fit-calcs. or consult with folkes in absentia
.. your data will mislead you. Both 58 and 60 seam reasonable judging by your height, taking your body and arm length into consideration as well. I'll say that 56 is too small,statistically and from experience,56 is for 5'9"- 5'11",again depending on TRUE inseam, PBH that is.

dydst
05-21-07, 04:09 AM
I'm 6'2 - 6'3 and 240 lbs., I went back and forth between the 58-60. After fit kit and one of those bike machines where they set up the geometry of the frame you want, 60 cm. was right for me.

brianmcg123
05-21-07, 05:48 AM
Try them both.

My suggestion, if you want the bars as high as possible with out the use of a ton of spacer get the 60 and a shorter stem. If you like the bars below your saddle, get the 58.

Here is some good fitting advice if you want a comfortable riding bike:

45318

45319

45320

45321

Burningman
05-21-07, 06:40 AM
This is all helping alot,thanks very much everyone (my inseam is right,I'm all torso)

NeezyDeezy
05-21-07, 01:13 PM
I'm not sure if you'll find the difference between a 610 and a LHT to be worth it.

jens5
05-22-07, 07:36 AM
I'm 6:1 and wear 32" inseam jeans. Weight 230lb's, I'm definitely trading my 58cm LHT frame and swapping it out for a 60. I went thru ridicules measures to get my bars barely high enough on the 58. Uncut fork, every available spacer, 30 degree high rise stem and a nut's amount of seat post showing. Remember, Surly does not measure the seat tube for they're measurement, they measure top tube c to c. A 58 cm. Surly LHT is really according to the old tried and true c to c seat post measurment a 56 &1/2. Anyone interested in a 58 dark cherry frame?

Richard

Mchaz
05-22-07, 04:30 PM
Remember, Surly does not measure the seat tube for they're measurement, they measure top tube c to c. A 58 cm. Surly LHT is really according to the old tried and true c to c seat post measurment a 56 &1/2.

??

The screen shot is a cropped version of the chart on Surly's site:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v205/zmcmasta/LHTSizes.jpg

Surly definitely uses the seat tube measurement for their frame sizing.

brianmcg123
05-23-07, 05:48 AM
Remember, Surly does not measure the seat tube for they're measurement, they measure top tube c to c. A 58 cm. Surly LHT is really according to the old tried and true c to c seat post measurment a 56 &1/2. Anyone interested in a 58 dark cherry frame?

Richard

I never heard that. Sounds like some bike shop sized you as if you were going to be racing crits, not touring.

It's sad to say but I am sure it is quite common. When I bought my LHT (56cm) I had to ensure the owner of the shop that "Yes, I am sure that is the size I want". Even after the bike was all set up and out the door every time I came back in he would ask, "Are you sure that was the right size, is everything O.K. with it?"

It is as if he had never seen a bike that wasn't a race bike. He couldn't understand why I wanted the bars so high.

jens5
05-23-07, 07:28 AM
Let me clarify. Surly measures the seat tube on an LHT center to top, not center to center. On a so called 58cm Surly LHT, the measurement of seat tube c to c is 56cm. I just measured it. Again, Surly sizes are based on they're top tub measurement C to C. Nobody "Fit kit" me for anything. If your used to the old standard iow, when frame sizing was measured by the seat tube c to c., and you go by that size when purchasing an LHT, your buying a frame that's too small. I may be old school, but I go by, what was once considered "true" measurement or, c to c of seat tube and not top tube.

Richard

jens5
05-23-07, 07:32 AM
Sure they do. Center to top. True (old) sizing? A 58cm is really a 56 c to c. Surly calls a 58cm a 58cm because the top tube is 58cm. c to c not the seat tube.

Richard

halfspeed
05-23-07, 11:34 AM
Sure they do. Center to top. True (old) sizing? A 58cm is really a 56 c to c. Surly calls a 58cm a 58cm because the top tube is 58cm. c to c not the seat tube.

Richard

Either you misunderstand or your terminology is confused. Center to top is NOT a measurement of the top tube. It's a measurement of the seat tube from the center of the bottom bracket to the top of the seat tube. The top tube doesn't figure into it. But you are correct that a 58 c-t is about the same as a 56 c-c on an LHT.

Most traditional geometry steel bikes from England, the North America and Asia seem to be measured c-t these days. The Italians may be using c-c. (I'm sure there are plenty of exceptions that people will point out.)

Other materials and other geometries are all over the place in how they measure. Compact frames are sometimes measured with an actual seat tube length and sometimes with what they would be if they had a horizontal top tube. So two compact frames with identical geometries and measurements could be marketed under sizes that have as much as a five centimeter difference or even more.

The upshot is that just because you have one bike that is a '56' there's no way of knowing whether another bike that's a '56' will fit without a complete understanding of how it's measured and what the geometry is.

jens5
05-24-07, 07:39 AM
Can't make it any clearer. No I'm not confused and I don't have my terminology mixed up. Been doing this for 30 years. Surly measures and markets they're LHT frame by the top tube measurement c to c., i.e., a 58cm LHT frame is a 58cm c to c top tube. When you look at the spec sheet you'll see that they're seat tube measurement's are center to top. That's a lot of "top".
Folks that are used to the old school method of sizing a frame center to center via the seat tube, may potentially acquire a frame that's too small per that method of sizing.

Richard

brianmcg123
05-24-07, 07:59 AM
Can't make it any clearer. No I'm not confused and I don't have my terminology mixed up. Been doing this for 30 years. Surly measures and markets they're LHT frame by the top tube measurement c to c., i.e., a 58cm LHT frame is a 58cm c to c top tube. When you look at the spec sheet you'll see that they're seat tube measurement's are center to top. That's a lot of "top".
Folks that are used to the old school method of sizing a frame center to center via the seat tube, may potentially acquire a frame that's too small per that method of sizing.

Richard

Then how come their 50 and 46 cm bikes are not labled 52 and 50 cm as that is what their Top Tubes measure C-C, or their 62cm not labled a 60cm, or the 52 not labled a 53?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v205/zmcmasta/LHTSizes.jpg

I guess what is going on is that Surly measures their bikes by the seat tube on sizes 42,46,50,52,54,56,60,and 62, but by the top tube on the 58. I see it now.:rolleyes:

NeezyDeezy
05-24-07, 08:42 AM
I guess what is going on is that Surly measures their bikes by the seat tube on sizes 42,46,50,52,54,56,60,and 62, but by the top tube on the 58. I see it now.:rolleyes:

lmao

Jens5, how about you look at Surly's own sizing chart - what you're saying just isn't reflected there.

cooker
05-24-07, 09:29 AM
Inseam seems wrong, you measured it wrong, I believe. I'm 5'10" with a 33.25" inseam
I'm 5'11 7/8" with a 33" inseam.

old and new - I don't think you have short legs for your height, unless you're a female.

Burningman: you have perhaps slightly short legs for your height. That might mean you need the larger Surly so you won't be cramped in the upper body, but you'll have to determine that for yourself...don't take my word for it.

jens5
05-24-07, 09:35 AM
Look. Take a Surly LHT frame. Measure the seat tube center to center, notice Surly specs don't include this measurement on they're chart. They list only the center to top on the seat tube chart They advertise they're sizing based on the top tube, center to center. When I order an advertised 58 cm or 23" frame, I'm expecting a 58cm Seat tube Center to center. This going by top tube measurement is new school at best and is less important than than what was once accepted as "true" measurement. I'm done. Semantic away.

Richard

cooker
05-24-07, 09:40 AM
Let me clarify. Surly measures the seat tube on an LHT center to top, not center to center. On a so called 58cm Surly LHT, the measurement of seat tube c to c is 56cm. I just measured it. Again, Surly sizes are based on they're top tub measurement C to C. Nobody "Fit kit" me for anything. If your used to the old standard iow, when frame sizing was measured by the seat tube c to c., and you go by that size when purchasing an LHT, your buying a frame that's too small. I may be old school, but I go by, what was once considered "true" measurement or, c to c of seat tube and not top tube.

Richard

EDITED
I think you are confused. First you are saying that the seat tube can be measured two ways: centre to centre (which you prefer) or centre to top which we will call "new school" and which you don't like.

You then apparently claim that Surly labels/markets its frames by the length of the top tube, when in fact the chart quoted in post 13 show they label/market based on the "new school" way of measuring the seat tube. It's just a coincidence that on some frame sizes the top tube c-c is about the same length as the seat tube c-t.

brianmcg123
05-24-07, 09:59 AM
They list only the center to top on the seat tube chart They advertise they're sizing based on the top tube, center to center....


THEY DO NOT ADVERTISE THEIR MEASUREMENTS BY THE TOP TUBE. IT IS PLAIN AS DAY ON THEIR SIZING CHART. THEY MEASURE THEIR FRAMES BY THE SEAT TUBE MEASURED C-T.

READ THEIR SIZING CHART FROM THEIR WEBSITE:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v205/zmcmasta/LHTSizes.jpg

old and new
05-24-07, 11:52 AM
I'm 5'11 7/8" with a 33" inseam.

old and new - I don't think you have short legs for your height, unless you're a female.

Burningman: you have perhaps slightly short legs for your height. That might mean you need the larger Surly so you won't be cramped in the upper body, but you'll have to determine that for yourself...don't take my word for it.

You MAY have a point, I don't try to be argumentative, I'd like to steer folkes right, as you and most do, I'm sure. I've fallen prey to my own wrong mearsurements, I'm beggining to believe that my legs are not so short. I don't assume folkes are not astute,the measuring CAN drive one "crazy".. Thanks though .

Skip Bernet
05-24-07, 02:53 PM
Just to end the argument:

We measure our frames from the center of the bottom bracket to the top of the TOP TUBE where it meets the seat tube. So a 58cm LHT is 58cm from the bb to the tt. It's another 3cm to the top of the seat tube.

If you'd like more information about sizing a Surly, please dig our new sizing Spew found on our blog.

Here it is. (http://www.surlybikes.com/spew17.html)

And, if you ever have questions about our products, feel free to contact us at derby@surlybikes.com


Thanks,
Skip