Road Cycling - 56cm or 58cm?

Okay . . . I'm currently somewhere between 5'10" and 5'11". I'm 17, and I will probably finish growing between 6'1" and 6'2" in the next 2-3 years. The problem? I don't know if I should go with a 56cm frame or a 58cm frame.

The 56 fits NOW, but might be a bit small when I am 6'2". The 58 is a bit big now, but would likely fit later. The 56 is quite a bit more comfortable and I get more power in my stroke on the smaller bike. Will a 56 work when I am 6'1"?

I am looking at the Specialized Allez Sport and the Cannondale R600, if that makes any difference. Some people have told me the 56 will be fine, even at 6'1". Some people have said to go ahead and get the 58, because 56 will be stretching it. Right now I am leaning towards going with what fits NOW and hoping it will fit later.

How much do you ride? I'd be more inclined to buy the it-fits-later bike at 1000 miles a year than at 10,000 miles a year... there's only so much discomfort a person can take! ;)

If you can make the 58 fit now with a shorter stem and less seat post, I'd go that route. The bike will seemingly get faster as your body gets bigger and stronger in proportion to the frame. If it truly doesn't fit, then forget it - the key is not to outgrow it.

55/Rad

get what FITS NOW. if you get a bike that's too big the whole damn time you're riding you'll be thinking "this bike is a bit too big" and you won't be happy, and you might quit riding or get sick of it, etc, as a result. for the love of god, get hte bike that FITS NOW. when you're older and 6'1, 6'2, whatever, you can ALWAYS just sell the bike and get a used one in your size. OR you can just get a longer stem, higher seatpost, and move the saddle back as you gain height. as that happens, the 56cm will become even more of a pure racing bike for you with its stiff seattube smaller size (racers prefer smaller bikes, so i see no prob with it).

no way in hell you'll outgrow the 56cm. only thing that'll happen is you might get less flexible and want a more comfy bike. at your age, though, that's a long way off.

sd

Why not look for a 57? As it is, if the seatpost and stem on the 56 are pretty long now, go with the 58. But if you're only showing a tiny bit of seatpost and have 90mm ish stem then you may be better off with the 56. After all, you may not grow as much as you think, and by the time you need a 58 you might want something different in a bike anyway (like a proper TT bike, or a track bike, or carbon stays, or a different groupset or whatever). And I think it's probably better to have too small a frame than too large.

56 or 58 does not mean anything without telling us what bike you're looking at. A lot of companies size their frames differently.

Get what fits now and buy another frame when you need to.

Cheers

At 17 and you can grow 3 inches? Tell me about a late boomer, I thought I was the latest of boomers, I'm 17 too, growing 2 cms at most a year. You'll slow down a lot now, don't expect too much height. How well does the 56 fit? If it is slightly big, if you do grow, it will fit years later. I am 176cm, about 5'10" and a 54 fits me properly. ONe thing is that a smaller bike will be a more agile bike, than would a bike that is bigger than you can take, and thus vital to accelerations and stuff. Getting a bike that fits now should be totally fine.

The reach is extremely important, it will determine the handling and your safety. For me, my longer inseam than torso forces me to take a small bike at 54, though a 58 would be just right for my inseam. So, do take into account the many factors.