Road Cycling - Slightly too big or to small?

I am getting my first road bike and I think I am pretty sure I am getting a Specialized Allez Elite Cro-Mo. Now, the question is which size to get. I am about 5'10" ( a tad under) and 165lbs. I am going for the 54cm or 56cm. The 54cm is a bit small and the 56 a bit big. On the 54cm the bike feels very responsive and aggressive. The drops are very comfortable, but the hoods and top of the bars seem a bit too close. On the 56cm the ride seems much more relaxed but I dont feel like I have the same control or power on it. To reach the hoods my arms are fully extended with no bend, I am not stretching to reach though. The person at the bike shop fit be and said a 55cm frame would be perfect for me, but none is made.
So, if I want this bike I am going to have to go a bit too big or too small. I plan on doing some longer rides if that makes a difference. I am leaning towards going small and maybe adding a slightly longer stem if necessary. What does everyone think?

Thanks for the help,
Brian

I am getting my first road bike and I think I am pretty sure I am getting a Specialized Allez Elite Cro-Mo. Now, the question is which size to get. I am about 5'10" ( a tad under) and 165lbs. I am going for the 54cm or 56cm. The 54cm is a bit small and the 56 a bit big. On the 54cm the bike feels very responsive and aggressive. The drops are very comfortable, but the hoods and top of the bars seem a bit too close. On the 56cm the ride seems much more relaxed but I dont feel like I have the same control or power on it. To reach the hoods my arms are fully extended with no bend, I am not stretching to reach though. The person at the bike shop fit be and said a 55cm frame would be perfect for me, but none is made.
So, if I want this bike I am going to have to go a bit too big or too small. I plan on doing some longer rides if that makes a difference. I am leaning towards going small and maybe adding a slightly longer stem if necessary. What does everyone think?

Thanks for the help,
BrianA good bike shop will swap out stems to change the reach to the bars a bit. That is part of the fit process. Sometimes if you are between sizes on one brand, it pays to check out some others. Given that differnet brands are sized differently, all 54s or 56s are not the same.

Look at a Lemond. They usually have a longer top tube so you could get the 54 and not feel crowded.

either see what the 54 is like with a slightly longer stem [or laid back seatpost?] or try another brand.

fssb
sparky

Look at a Lemond. They usually have a longer top tube so you could get the 54 and not feel crowded.lemond does not make a 54.

lemond does not make a 54.

The Lemonds come in odd-number frame sizes, so you should try a 55cm.

I rode a Cannondale R400 and R600 I think and a Cervelo that was way too small and I also looked at a couple Fujis. I like the feel of the Specialized the best and I can get it for around $900. This is already a bit more than I wanted to spend, so I can't afford the money for a Lemond.

I think through a little tweaking of the stem and saddle I can make the 54cm Specialized fit perfectly. How will a longer stem effect my steering though?

Thanks for the help.

I think your best bet would be a slightly longer stem on the 54. 1-2 cm would not hurt the handling too much, and it would give you a bit more room. the alez elite is a nice bike, by the way, I rode one when I was shopping for my bike. I probably would have gotten it if they hadn't offered me such a good price on the lemond I have now...

BTW, in the lemond, the 57 cm lemond TT is exactly one centimeter longer then the 56cm allez.

Just checked out the Lemond Tourmalet online. Looks like a really nice bike for the money, but I cannot afford it and I want to try out steel anyway. Are there any cheaper steel Lemonds?

Not enough to worry about unless your going to race and it doesnt sound like it.You better be sure the 54 is right.I would rather guess a tad big then small. I was going to say the 56 with a shorter stem and where was the seat,foward or back.Also you could change seatpost depending on what kind it has,setback or not.

Just checked out the Lemond Tourmalet online. Looks like a really nice bike for the money, but I cannot afford it and I want to try out steel anyway. Are there any cheaper steel Lemonds?

look for 03s. they were steel, and better. better prices, too.

Not enough to worry about unless your going to race and it doesnt sound like it.You better be sure the 54 is right.I would rather guess a tad big then small. I was going to say the 56 with a shorter stem and where was the seat,foward or back.Also you could change seatpost depending on what kind it has,setback or not.

Didnt pay a ton of attention to where the seat was clamped on. I am going to guess it was around the middle, so it could probably be moved back a bit. I also plan on using a Selle San Marco Aspide Arrowhead saddle that I tend to ride pretty far back on. The combination may be enough to fix the problem. I have never raced before, but I dont want to rule it out. I do plan on doing things like the TOSRV which is 210 miles over 2 days though.

Thanks.

Not enough to worry about unless your going to race and it doesnt sound like it.You better be sure the 54 is right.I would rather guess a tad big then small. I was going to say the 56 with a shorter stem and where was the seat,foward or back.Also you could change seatpost depending on what kind it has,setback or not.ya just don't move the seat around to get better reach to the bars.

ya just don't move the seat around to get better reach to the bars.

Can I ask why? I am guessing because it effects pedaling.

So long as you can straddle the top tube with your feet flat on the ground the bike is not too big.

So long as you can straddle the top tube with your feet flat on the ground the bike is not too big.
Does that apply to compact framesets with sloping top tubes as well?

Myth alert!

LeMond top tubes are not longer than other bikes. In fact, they are usually shorter.

The misconception (apparantly) comes from the fact that LeMond measures it's seat tube center to center while almost everyone else measures center to top. So a 53cm LeMond has an almost identical seat tube length as a 56cm Trek (and a shorter top tube).

This myth is so widely spread that it's almost become gospel. Please check the geometry charts and spread the word.

ya just don't move the seat around to get better reach to the bars.
Mostly not but if the seat was all the way back or forward , it could effect reach some.

But to answer your question, I would vote for either the larger one or trying a new bike.

If this is your first road bike then you probably have some time ahead of you getting used to the road bike position. Usually a well fitted bike feels big to someone who is not used to it (leading to most people on the road that I see clearly having too small of frames).

But if you don't like the feel of that bike, it's probably best to look at other bikes.

I know body types are different but i am 5'9''ish and the 54 was way to small for me and the 56 fit me better. This is generally speaking of the 10 different bikes i looked at before buying the cannondale.

Can I ask why? I am guessing because it effects pedaling.

Sort of. It effects your balance on the bike and therefore your entire fit.

The most important step for a comfortable fit is getting the correct saddle position over your pedals (this does *not* mean KOPS). From there you find the right handlebar reach. If this reach makes the stem too short or too long, you're on the wrong size bike. If you can't get the right saddle position over the pedals, you're on the wrong size bike.

Check the following website. Their fit calculator is pretty good. I used it to fit my bike and it worked great.
The bike size should be determine by your in-seam, then you choose the proper saddle position, and handlebar height. These last two elements will tell you what stem length and angle to get.
If the 56cm frame provides you with a 1" to 1.5" clearance while standing over it then that should be your size and starting point. If the clearance is less than 1" I would take the 54cm.
I have an old Specialized Allez Epic Carbon, it is 58cm c-c and fits me well (I am barely 6' tall). I am using an 11cm + 17 degree rise stem so I guess a 60cm frame would have worked for me as well with a shorter stem and a 0 or -6 degree rise.

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/za/CCY?PAGE=FIT_CALCULATOR_INTRO

I don't want to vote as I don't think it's cut and dried.

From experience, I think the larger frame would probably be the better bet. It takes a while for the road position to feel natural. I was tossing up between a 56cm and a 58cm when I bought my first road bike about a month ago. The 56cm was a bit cramped, while the 58cm felt a little bit stretched. After riding it for a month, my core is now more used to the less upright position and the bike is extremely comfortable.

However, all the measuring at the LBS showed the frame to be the perfect size for me and I liked the feel of the bike more than any other I'd ridden. Get the shop to put a longer stem on the 56cm and see how it feels. If you don't feel supremely comfortable on this bike, it's probably worth waiting a bit and perhaps trying some different brands at some other shops. Other option is to check the return policy - my shop had a 7 day refund and 30 day store credit policy on any new bike, so if I had bought the wrong size they were happy for me to take it back and exchange it.

Myth alert!

LeMond top tubes are not longer than other bikes. In fact, they are usually shorter.

The misconception (apparantly) comes from the fact that LeMond measures it's seat tube center to center while almost everyone else measures center to top. So a 53cm LeMond has an almost identical seat tube length as a 56cm Trek (and a shorter top tube).

This myth is so widely spread that it's almost become gospel. Please check the geometry charts and spread the word. It's not myth. Many measure c-c. I ride several c-c 57s but would need a 55 lemond to get the right TT length. Lemond TT are what they are, and they are measured center of headtube to center of seattube.

So long as you can straddle the top tube with your feet flat on the ground the bike is not too big.That is far from bing right also and totally ignores TT length.

It's not myth. Many measure c-c. I ride several c-c 57s but would need a 55 lemond to get the right TT length. Lemond TT are what they are, and they are measured center of headtube to center of seattube.

Give me an example.

Give me an example.
Of what? Carrera 57c-c 56.5 TT, Merckx 57 c-c 56.8 tt Pinarello 57 c-c 56.5 TT, Moser 57 c-c 56.5 ....TT Lemond 57 c-c 57.5 TT LEMOND 55c-c 56.5 TT Enough??

ya just don't move the seat around to get better reach to the bars.

Yes, it is OK to move the saddle back to make a bike fit better. In most cases, that will also make the bike more comfortable. To understand why, read the essays linked in my sig line.

Does that apply to compact framesets with sloping top tubes as well?

It depends on the frame design. Some compacts are really funky. On some brands with radically sloped top tubes you might get a top tube that is too long. But on most brands with horizontal (or close to horizontal) top tubes, a bigger frame will usually fit better. Provided of course, it is not SO big that you cannot safely straddle the bike.

If I had to choose, I'd go for the smaller frame and the better handling.

If I had to choose, I'd go for the smaller frame and the better handling.

That is a myth. Smaller frames do "handle" better.

Check the following website. Their fit calculator is pretty good. I used it to fit my bike and it worked great.
The bike size should be determine by your in-seam, then you choose the proper saddle position, and handlebar height. These last two elements will tell you what stem length and angle to get.
If the 56cm frame provides you with a 1" to 1.5" clearance while standing over it then that should be your size and starting point. If the clearance is less than 1" I would take the 54cm.
I have an old Specialized Allez Epic Carbon, it is 58cm c-c and fits me well (I am barely 6' tall). I am using an 11cm + 17 degree rise stem so I guess a 60cm frame would have worked for me as well with a shorter stem and a 0 or -6 degree rise.

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/za/CCY?PAGE=FIT_CALCULATOR_INTRO

Inseam 31.3
Trunk 24
Forearm 13
Arm 24
Thigh 23
Lower Leg 20.5
Sternal Notch 53.5

Seat tube range c-c 51.5 - 52.0
Seat tube range c-t 53.1 - 53.6
Top tube length 52.0 - 52.4
Stem Length 10.5 - 11.1
BB-Saddle Position 68.0 - 70.0
Saddle-Handlebar 49.9 - 50.5
Saddle Setback 5.1 - 5.5
Seatpost Type NON-SETBACK

Learn more about output values

Seat tube c-c 51.7
Seat tube c-t 53.3
Effective reach 62.7
BB-Saddle Position 70.2

What do you think?

When comparing it to Specializeds specs it looks like I need the top tube of the 54 and the seat tube of the 56. No one was around, so I measured myself. I did it twice to try to be a little more accurate though.

Of what? Carrera 57c-c 56.5 TT, Merckx 57 c-c 56.8 tt Pinarello 57 c-c 56.5 TT, Moser 57 c-c 56.5 ....TT Lemond 57 c-c 57.5 TT LEMOND 55c-c 56.5 TT Enough??

Ok, I'll retract the "most"

But the point still stands. I could make a long of list bikes that have bigger top tubes for a given seat tube than LeMond's does. Including Trek, Fuji and most of the other bikes that will be side by side with it at the LBS. So why does everyone always immediately mention LeMond when they want to recommend a bike with a longer top tube?

You said you looked at 10 other bikes.Did you test ride or just look?

Inseam 31.3
Trunk 24
Forearm 13
Arm 24
Thigh 23
Lower Leg 20.5
Sternal Notch 53.5

Seat tube range c-c 51.5 - 52.0
Seat tube range c-t 53.1 - 53.6
Top tube length 52.0 - 52.4
Stem Length 10.5 - 11.1
BB-Saddle Position 68.0 - 70.0
Saddle-Handlebar 49.9 - 50.5
Saddle Setback 5.1 - 5.5
Seatpost Type NON-SETBACK

Learn more about output values

Seat tube c-c 51.7
Seat tube c-t 53.3
Effective reach 62.7
BB-Saddle Position 70.2

What do you think?

When comparing it to Specializeds specs it looks like I need the top tube of the 54 and the seat tube of the 56. No one was around, so I measured myself. I did it twice to try to be a little more accurate though.

It seems the 54cm might better fit you as the bike seems to have a slanted top tube meaning that the given seat tube height is shorter than with an horizontal top tube bike. You may need a longer stem on the 54cm. If you go with the 56cm you will need a shorter stem.

Anyway try them again, have the saddle properly fitted for you (may end up higher if you are planning to use clipless pedals) and see how the rest of your body fits with the standard stem or with a different stem.

Ok - everyone has an opinion and they all pretty much make sense. I am one of those people who has for years beat myself up over top tube, seat tube, stem and crankarm length. Then I came to the conclusion that the real important aspect of all of this was cockpit size. This really didn't sink in until the compact frame craze hit. I ride a Cannondale ("Cannondale is best bike" - to quote Cipo) but I thought I'd build up an Orbea as a backup bike to try out a compact. It is set up exactly like the cannondale using the cockpit size. That is the measurement and angles fron the center of the handlebar at the stem. The center of my saddle and the center of the cranks. To make this exact I use the same saddle and same length cranks. The stem and seatpost lengths are the variables.

I think using the fit calculator from Competive Cyclist is a good start. Try to stay within 1CM of their recommendation in either direction while making sure you can stand over the bike with a little clearance. The important thing is to have a releaxed fit on the bike without stretching or being bunched up. I tend to ride 1cm under the "ideal" recommendation which is 57cm seat tube for me. I have one bike that is a 58. The differences? shorter stem and less visible seatpost on the 58. Just be sure you are not too far over the bike when out of the saddle and that you can control it. Likewise be sure you are not stretching and unbalanced on it and you should be fine with either size. A good bike shop should be able to help. By the way, if you want to stop beating yourself over the two cm difference go with a Medium Giant OCR or TCR and have the shop fit you to it.

Get a sloping frame : this should allow you to buy the frame that has the top tube size you need and still fit , bigger may be better if it´s small , medium or large as the bars may get very low if you choose the smaller option .