Road Cycling - Fitting issues...........

Hey,
I've been looking at some roadies recently and as it turns out my body type doesnt really fit well with the sizing. I'm a 5'8" male, but have longer legs and a shortish torso which means if i get the correct standover height on the frame it's too stretched out, and if i get a bike with a shorter top tube my legs are kinda cramped. I'm wondering if it's better to get the taller frame and put a shorter stem on, or is it better to get the better fitting top-tube and raise the saddle?:confused:

Go to the bike shop, and ask to try both setups. Whatever is most comfortable is the one for ya!

Brendon

Standover height means very little, if nothing in road bike fit. It is the last thing you should consider.

so it doesnt matter if my knees are in my chest, or if i'm not getting full leg extension?

Originally posted by DnvrFox
Standover height means very little, if nothing in road bike fit. It is the last thing you should consider.

.
so it doesnt matter if my knees are in my chest, or if i'm not getting full leg extension?

Like DnvrFox says; standover means little. It is merely a comfort zone. Standover is where the top tube meets your 'family'. Seat height from the center of the crank determines your leg extension.

It is extremely difficult to get fitted over the internet on a forum. No one can see you and make judgements on what would be good for you.

If you are looking for a bike to buy, a good shop will fit you on one of their bikes. The key is to find a shop that will pay attention to you and take the time to make sure that the bike will be correct.

Heres a good article on bike fitting. Not how to, but one persons (respected) philosophy behind getting fitted properly: http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fitting.htm

And here's a site that has a TON of links on bike fitting: http://www.cyclemetrics.com/Pages/FitLinks/bike_fit_links.htm

Still, there is no substitute for a hands-on experienced person helping you with the fit.

maybe a compact frame would be good for you. That way, you could have the correct length (kinda short) but you would still have enough standover height to make you feel comfortable.

You might feel offended by this, but you also seem to have similar proportions to females (long legs, short torso). Look for a road bike designed for females. I think Trek offer same.

Hi,
I, too, am 5'8". Sometimes it feels like they make bikes for everybody else, doesn't it? Here's the deal, as you progress road cycling; you will want to get
a little more stretched out. So don't get a frame that requires a long stem.
Next...there are some medium length top tubes out there, but it takes some looking. One company that has made that something of a religion is Rivendell.
The compact frame idea may work for you; I am riding a semi-compact. Also, about standover height, road bikes can be as tall as you want (as long as they don't touch bone during standover). It's a quite different situation than the Mtn bike world. And to conclude, buy a good bike, and you'll be riding it the rest of your life. Take some time, consider all options (that's a subtle way of mentioning custom frames if you have genuinely unusual proportions) and find something that you'll love. Get a bike you love, and you'll ride it every chance you get. Zoom,zoom zoom (as the old VW ads used to say). Gonna ride mine manana :rolleyes:

Hey,
I already did the custom-fit thing at the best LBS in the area. It was really helpfull, but since i didnt write down the numbers the only thing i can really remember is that the top tube needs to be close to the same size as the standover. He said something along the lines of a 53 in LeMond and a 54 in trek. It helped to give me a good idea of whats going on, but unfortunately the LeMonds dont fit right and i really dont want a trek. I'm really looking closely at a Bianchi which is where this question came from. On the Bianchi 53 the top-tube felt right, but on the 55 it felt better with the legs. Also at the prior LBS, the one that fitted me, he mentioned that you cant add too many spacers to a stock fork since they're pre-cut. So this is where i'm at

I meant seat height earlier. I've been riding my MTB for 8 years and now am getting sick of the problems on my new one. Sizing on MTB's is so much easier. Small, medium, large and add or subtract stem length

Hi,
yup, getting a Mtn bike is easier. One thought, you can buy another fork. It's not that big a deal if it's what you need to do. Something my LBS does is put short, steep stems on all his bikes when he builds them up. He says nobody wants the stems that come with bikes; and he has a huge box of brand new stems to prove it. I think he's on to something, he sells more bikes than anybody else in the area. That would make you a little more upright; without spending much (if any) money. I meant to mention my RaceFace XYZ seatpost. The XYZ has more setback than any other post on the market. I have had them on my last couple of bikes. Shoving your butt an extra inch ot two further back can really help.

Go to the sites that Davet recommends and add to it www.wrenchscience.com and see how your fit comes out. After all of that you will have some idea of what an ideal fit should be. This still allows for valuable interchange with the bike store people, but they will regard you with more seriousness after they hear that you have done some homework. You are the same height as me, but your length is in your legs, and for me length is in the torso. The comment above about allowing for the fact that you may evolve into a more stretched out riding position as you become a better cyclist is right on as well (ie. don't go too short on top tube.) One thing that I have noticed of late is the length of the seat post that the TDF riders are using-they look to be about 8-10 inches of extension. This suggests to me that they are riding bikes with short seat tubes, but that the top tubes would of course be sized for their torsos and arms in any case. In short, you should be able to get proper extension with the smaller bike by raising the seat to an allowable height, but here again you may find that you may want to lower the saddle over time to enhance higher cadence. Spend the time on getting the fit right the first time, that will allow for future adjustments, and seek out the most experienced fitter at the LBS, letting him or her know that you are not wasting thier time and intend to buy. You won't regret it!

Peter: You need to know the numbers that the LBS came up with for you. Otherwise everything is a guess, at best.

The reason the road bikes come in so many sizes is that typically you sit on it, more or less in the same position, for a long time. Where on a mountain bike, a rider is all over it. Once you have sorted out road bikes, it will make sense to you.

Understand because you are new to road biking, your fit will change and so will your preferences as you gain conditioning, experience and "saddle time".

Again, the top tube dimension is the most important, that can't be changed. Seat height and stem length can. The very best thing is to take the bikes that you favor, have them set up for you and take them for an extended ride. Several hours if possible, over the weekend would be fantastic.

Handlebar height can be changed with stem selections. As you progress on your road bike, you will have to experiment with a few of the dimensions, but some riders consider that fun.

Take your time and be patient. The world's best bike is no good if it doesn't fit properly. Fit is everything!

Not all lbs are on the ball.I've been test riding and the last two shops were the same.Me-what size bike should we try.What size do you ride?Thats what i want you to tell me.Well it looks like a 57 or 58 but we only have a 59 so lets try that.Gee thanks but i would like to try the right size.Well stand over this one and we'll see.That was my bike fitting so far.

Hey,
Thanks for all of the info. I went to wrench science and found out i need a 51cm top tube, but that seems a little short even for me. But its definately something to run with and i'll find out the exact measurements from the LBS when i take my bike in in a day or two. All of the info has really been helping and clearing up a lot. I'm mainly looking at steel bikes, but i'm also wondering if steel really makes that much of a differance at the 1.25K pricepoint? The only roadies i've test ridden were steel, and a Bianchi Giro with carbon seat stays and it felt good in the 53. Any opionions on the steel vs alluminum at the 1.25K pricepoint?

Once again thanks a lot

Peter:


I went to wrench science and found out i need a 51cm top

Be VERY careful self-measuring. As an example, my wife is 5'4" with a short-torso. Her Calfee has a 51cm top tube and fits her fine. If you need your measurements, use a yardstick and have someone help you. It's extraordinarily difficult to do it by yourself. Based on what little info you've provided, I would suspect a 54cm bike would be more your size.

Any material, steel or aluminum will make an excellent bike if the materials are properly used. Improperly used, they make for a crap bike. People have their own preferences. You need to ride, really ride the bikes that you are considering. Even ride a Trek. It may surprise you. There's nothing wrong with Treks. Good is good no matter who it's made by.