Road Cycling - Sizing of frame for my sister - shes 5'3/5'4 52?

I know, I need to have her sized, I will have that done. However, my sister is in Texas right now and I want to scan the web for roadsters in her size range. She is between 5'3-5'4, I wonder if she is in the ball park of a 51-52 or could she stretch into a 53cm. I just looking for a closer range before my search. Thanks guys.

I am 5'4" female, and I ride a 50cm Trek 1000, if that helps any.

:)
Squirrel

Wow, a 50cm, do you feel that is right in your size range? How about arms and legs, short or long? I cant really say one way or the other for my sister, I guess she would be right in the middle on the arms and legs for length.

I feel like the 50cm fits fine. I'm don't have my measurements, but I could ask my husband to take some if it would help. Hard to measure oneself, but a quick measure of my inseam showed 29 inches.

In a couple of weeks I will be picking up a Trek 2300, also 50cm, so I guess I'm pretty happy with that size. I just started riding last April, and got my 1000 in May, so it's not like I have many years of experience, in fact not even one year of experience.

We are also in Texas.

:)
Squirrel

I am like 5'1", and I believe they told me my frame was a 48 cm. I'm happy with my size too, although in the beginning, it sure did feel like it was almost too big, and I was extremely tempted to go back and ask for an extra small frame.

Koffee

I agree with the others you are looking for around 48-50cm frame.. I am not female and 5'7" and I ride a 53cm frame..

i'm a guy and i'm around 5'5", i ride a 50cm road bike, and 50cm, and 49cm track bikes. they all seem to fit me pretty well.

i'm 5' 4.5" and i just picked up a Felt SR91 w/50cm frame

my girl is the same exact height and she just picked up a Specialized Crossroads w/15.5" frame

yeah I concur with the 'smaller' suggestions
I'm just under 5'4" and got sized for a 50cm
I'm currently riding a Giant size small and it fits like a glove.
definitely get her in to be sized since her upper body to lower body length is going to play into the fitting process largely.
good luck

Where in TX? If it's the DFW area, I've got a 49cm litespeed she can throw a leg over.

I'm 5'5" , 29.5" inseam and ride a 50cm Cannondale.
Anything bigger would be too big. In fact, my 49cm Bianchi is an even better fit.

Inside leg x 0·65 = frame size . Look for the option of 26 inch wheels for very small frame sizes .

Fit by the top tube reach, not just the "size". Dont forget about short cranks, narrow bars, and all the other stuff that you find on well proportioned small bikes.
5'4" is about the limit for a 700c wheel'ed frame. Your sis would do well to use a smaller wheel, 650c or 26"MTB . The MTB wheels , when used with 1" slicks, make fine road wheels.

I am 5'4'' and wear 28'' inseam jeans and ride a 50cm raliegh heritage international. I barely clear the top tube but I find the bike to be very comfortable. I think my last bike was too small, could never get comfortable in spite of experimenting with various stems and handlebars. I might have a longer torso or something. I'm willing to bet there are small models in many brands that would be good candidates.

I'm 5'7 and I ride a 52cm bike, so the 52cm bike will be a little big for her.

My wife is 5'1" and rides a Trek 2200 WSD 47cm.

Hi Nikos,

Start with the basics. The traditional way to determine frame size is to measure crotch to floor in shorts and multiply by 0.65. (good to start with metric and millimeters too). This gives you a starting point. This is the frame measurement from center of the bottom bracket to the center of the seat tube. Be aware that all bike manufacturers set their sizing differently. A 50cm Trek is much smaller than a 50 cm Pinarello for example... Next thing would be to determine saddle height. With this you'd use the same leg measurement and multiply by 0.885. This would give you a saddle height based on using cycling shoes and standard cleats/toe-straps. Measure from the centre of the bottom bracket to the top of the saddle. Adjustment <> 2mm would follow this setting to allow for cleat placement, shoe/pedal combo's etc. From there you'd need to then determine saddle setback, stem length and handlebar position. This is the bit where experience and a good bike shop come into play. No two riders are the same and no two riders ride the same. A position that's comfortable and efficient for one rider could end up as torture for another. An experienced bike shop will help you get to the right spot. They'll be willing to swap stems, saddles, etc. to make sure the bike is right. Get a comfortable bike set-up and you keep it for life.

Avoid saving a buck by shopping around only to pay $100+ plus later for a professional bike set-up. Get the wrong size and it's even more expensive.

There are a few websites around that can point you at the right size. Most are however, by bike companies and the sizing info is based on their models. I work for a bike company but I'm happy to offer impartial advice. If you have any questions, send me a PM.

All the best,

Neil, London UK