Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - When is a frame too small?

know what I mean? like what are your opinions regarding frame size? personally I've never been "professionally fitted", but through riding different bikes over the years I"ve come to figure I can fit anywhere rom a 54 (that being on the small side), up to a 56, being on the large size. my track bike now is a 56...it fits fine, but I'd rather ride a 55.

but what if I bought a 53 and just raised the seat post and got a longer stem? I know a lot of people think this makes the bike handle poorly, yet I see a lot of guys and girls riding in this style.

(oh, also, my question only pertains to road and track bikes. I have a mtb as well and it has the sloping top tube, so the exact fit isn't as crucial.)

do any of you guys go by the "fistfull of seat post" rule?

oh and also, what about taking top tube length into consideration more than how tall the bike is? it kinda seems to me that as long as the top tube is the right length, then should it even matter how high the bike is? (within a given parameter)

I switch from summer to winter. In the winter, I want a much smaller frame - it's easier to deal with it slipping around on the snow and ice, and a lot better when you suddently step off the pedals.

I've never really cared all that much what the height is (think I'm riding 59cm now - not sure). As long as I don't have a huge amount of space below the "max" line on the seat post to be comfortable, I don't worry about it. To me, it's a lot more important how long the top tube is - I don't like reaching too far for the bars.

Uh - yeah, that really doesn't help much, but I got of work early and I'm bored...

but what if I bought a 53 and just raised the seat post and got a longer stem? I know a lot of people think this makes the bike handle poorly, yet I see a lot of guys and girls riding in this style.

That might work just fine. For 20 years I rode a bike that was too tall, with a top tube that was too short and a seat tube angle that was too steep. It wasn't exactly torture and I just thought that was how all bikes felt to their riders. When I finally decided to look into it (yeah I'm abit slow) and got a bike that fit me to a tee, I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I had no idea.

It all depends on the individual but I think the one measurement that is so often ignored but so important to the comfort level of the rider is the seat tube angle. Anyway, that's been my experience. Having said that, there are plenty of people who've ridden centuries on a track geometry.....Oh well.

Jim

I can fit on a wide variety of bikes and am comfortable with about 5cm difference in reach between seat and handlebars (different stems, bars and what can change a frame) and anywhere from a bit above the saddle to 4-5 inches below the saddle in bar height. Certain combinations of the above work, certain ones don't. Maybe I'm just a bit funky, but I can ride a lot of bikes and not really get uncomfortable.
That said I prefer smaller bikes to larger ones, not quite knees on elbows, but close.

I prefer smaller frames. I should have something like 60cm, but i´ve had everything from 54cm to 61.. Now i have 57cm but it feels just a bit too big for me.

54cmhttp://stringyspit.net/misc/bikes/kepitin_2.jpg

61cmhttp://stringyspit.net/misc/bikes/tsyggel.JPG

57cmhttp://stringyspit.net/misc/bikes/bianchi.jpg

oh and also, what about taking top tube length into consideration more than how tall the bike is? it kinda seems to me that as long as the top tube is the right length, then should it even matter how high the bike is? (within a given parameter)

This is a good first step to a good understanding of how to fit a bike.

yeah...right now my top tube feels like just tiiiiiiiiny bit too long...and the heighth of the seat tube is almost to a level where i would consider it "too tall"...

yeah...right now my top tube feels like just tiiiiiiiiny bit too long...and the heighth of the seat tube is almost to a level where i would consider it "too tall"...
Then get a stem that's a tiiiiiiiny bit shorter. It will change your reach just the same as getting a whole new frame. All a frame does is suspend the three contact points, it the location of those contact points that determines if a bike fits. Ok, a frame does a bit more than that but you get my point.

Bottom line is: what feels good.

Bottom line is: what feels good.
kicking pigeons

hey mess32-

so which of those bikes do you like to ride the most? the 54?

57cm, but that 54 is really sweet too.. it´s _so_ light.

Bottom line is: what feels good.

Onanism.

']kicking pigeons

What did those poor (rats with feathers that are only somewhat better than the @#$@#$ seagulls) ever do to you?













William "hit a seagull with his helmet the other day" Karstens

I rode a 54cm for the longest time, then I bought a 61cm from a friend. I couldn't believe the difference, of course I was riding a bike which was far too small..

Now when I size a bike, I usually do the standover pull the bars up test. If the front wheel comes up off the ground a substantcial amount, I figure the bicycle is a bit too small. Lately I have gotten into riding Tankish bicycles, big bad ass machines the have me riding near eye level with SUV drivers.