Road Cycling - A question about proper sizing of my new road bike

Hi all, Yesterday I picked up my first new road bike......a 2004 Trek 1000. I am proud of it as it is my first road bike. Before this I was just using one of those Walmart special "Huffy" mountain bikes (I know, I know guys). to get around in. I was never really properly sized or fitted. I wanted to do things right and was sized up at a very reputable bike shop (specializing in Trek bikes) for my road bike. Everything seemed to fit okay and the dealer was very helpful in the fitting process. However, when I mount my bike my feet reach the pedals with no problems and I can pedal fine. The awkward part for me is that my feet have no contact with the ground while sitting on the bike (as in I can't just take my feet off the pedals and put them out to the side to dismount and have instant contact with the ground). It seems like I am sitting a bit high on the bike and to dismount I have to sort of lean over to one side, let my foot touch the ground and then dismount. Is this normal and something I have to get use to or is my seat too high? I was curious to see what your input is and how your bike fits you. Oh yeah as for my stats I am 5'10" and weigh around 180 lbs. I was fitted on a 56cm bike. Thanks for any input.

i am 5'9'' and ride a 56cm. take 1 foot off a pedal get off the seat and then click out of the other pedal. you dont dismount both feet while on the seat.

im 5'9.5 and fit for a 56cm

youre not supposed to sit on the seat and have 2 feet touch the ground flat-footed... unless you're riding a cruiser

A road bike is fitted to you by the frame dimensions regardless of whether your feet can touch the ground while seated.

Remember that the saddle height is set to reach the pedals not the ground. When I stop, I keep my right foot clipped in, this is my dominant leg. You should only need to put one foot down, unless you are stopping for an extended period.

This seems to be a major complaint/worry/criticism/concern amongst new riders. I know my wife is very uncomfortable about not being able to put both feet on the ground while seated. I have tried explaining to her that proper fit won't allow for it but she's adamant about riding that way. I try to assure her that she's not going to lose any safety benefit by it. Is there another way to go about getting the idea across?

Nobody seems to have mentioned it so far, but I leave my left foot (dominant) clipped in, take the right foot out of the clip and come forward off of the seat. At a full stop, I am standing over the top tube, with my right foot on the ground, and left foot still in the clip.

Of course, you mileage may vary...

Is there another way to go about getting the idea across?

Well, in the old days a good thrashing with a three foot length of rubber hose would usually do the trick. :D (just kidding.)

I have seen countless female casual riders with their seatposts way down. I guess it feel more comfortable at first. But, someone please explain the helmet way on the back of the head thing for me.

I think these are good cases of what "feels right" at first, being totally wrong.

You should barely be able to touch the ground with toe tips at best. You're not on a motorcycle.

You could always learn to do a track stand, that way you dont have to unclip either foot and you dont have to worry about your feet touching the ground.....

You should barely be able to touch the ground with toe tips at best. You're not on a motorcycle.

Thank you Fixer and everyone else you answered my question. My tip toes barely touch the ground.

This seems to be a major complaint/worry/criticism/concern amongst new riders. I know my wife is very uncomfortable about not being able to put both feet on the ground while seated. I have tried explaining to her that proper fit won't allow for it but she's adamant about riding that way. I try to assure her that she's not going to lose any safety benefit by it. Is there another way to go about getting the idea across?


Yeah I am a new rider.....I feel the same way, but its only when I just start pedaling after the mount. I get the little uneasy feeling. But once I start to get going I am fine. Also, I noticed that most riders here lke using the "clips" for the pedals. My bike came with the straps for the feet. Which is better and why?

Toe "clips" predate "clipless" pedals, although to some extent both are a form of clip (clipless pedals are really more like ski bindings, but nobody calls them bindings for whatever reason). Toe clips come with straps. Clipless uses the metal plate on the sole of the shoe to connect to the binding.

Anyway, it's now more confusing, terminology-wise, that it used to be...

Yes, everybody kind of assumed that C7 was using clipless.
Toe clips are just fine for general riding around and fitness. They are not used for serious racing any more, but are still popular with commuters and tourists.
They work best with shoes which have a clean profile: no knobly bits on the soles or tops to catch. Never cinch the straps tight. If you need that degree of efficiency, you need clipless pedals. Loose straps will release your shoes with no effort.
You need to learn a proper dismount. Apply the brakes. Brace against the bars. Slide back on the saddle a bit if it helps. When you come to a stop, you should retain some balance. Keep the brakes applied, remove your shoe from the pedal, lean over to that side, and let the bike angle down a bit. You foot will gracefully reach the ground, and you will remain in control of the bike.
To practice this, you may want to remove the clips (or use the other side of the pedals).
Practice remaining balanced on the bike when stops (a track stand), and stopping in very slow motion.

A friend of mine, who rode every day, thought that they knew how to ride a bike. I had to teach them the safe and effective way to mount and dismount.

I think the "right" frame size depends on some other factors as well. I used to ride a 56, which given my inseam is correct. However, when I bought my new bike I got the 54. I'm 5'9.5 with a 34 true inseam (not pant inseam) so have a shorter torso. I found that I was "reaching" on the 56. My hands always hurt too much as there was too much pressure going through them. On the 54 that is not the case. As anyone here will tell you, fit is a function of many things - not just measurements. For me the final level of comfort determined the frame size.