Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - 08 Jamis Sputnik Sizing Question

i'm looking to get a new bike. i really like the jamis sputnik, but am unsure of the sizing. i'm 6'1" with about a 32 inch inseem, but my lbs only has a 59cm. would this fit me fine? how does everyone else like their 59cm and how tall are you?

I'm 6'0" with a 32" inseam and I ride the 57cm sputnik. Fits me perfectly. 59 sounds like it could be a TAD bit tall, but I don't know. Also, are you sure that your CYCLING inseam is 32"? I think 59 is definitely in the ballpark, it might be a tad big or it could fit perfectly. Not sure.

If your LBS is any good, they will be able to give you a proper fit. Go there, and have them fit you on the bike. Be prepared to say it doesn't fit. In the long run, it would be better to wait a week for a proper fitting bike than rush into an imporoper fit.

You made a great choice on getting a sputnik. It is a fantastic bike for the money and a good frame that you can keep for a long time. Are you gonna run it fixed or SS? Another thing to consider w/ the Sputnik is that it comes w/ an uncut steerer tube. You will probably want to take a little bit off that steerer tube. I took ~ 3/4" off mine.

I'm 6'0" with a 32" inseam and I ride the 57cm sputnik. Fits me perfectly. 59 sounds like it could be a TAD bit tall, but I don't know. Also, are you sure that your CYCLING inseam is 32"? I think 59 is definitely in the ballpark, it might be a tad big or it could fit perfectly. Not sure.

If your LBS is any good, they will be able to give you a proper fit. Go there, and have them fit you on the bike. Be prepared to say it doesn't fit. In the long run, it would be better to wait a week for a proper fitting bike than rush into an imporoper fit.

You made a great choice on getting a sputnik. It is a fantastic bike for the money and a good frame that you can keep for a long time. Are you gonna run it fixed or SS? Another thing to consider w/ the Sputnik is that it comes w/ an uncut steerer tube. You will probably want to take a little bit off that steerer tube. I took ~ 3/4" off mine.

ok, yeah i'll have to go get measure then. i figured i'd have to cut my steerer tube down, but isn't it s a carbon fork? how did you cut it?

You could probably ride a 57 or a 59 though I would guess you'd be happier with the 57...
Jamis ships the Sputniks with insanely long steerer tubes so you're not alone in wanting to cut it down...Assuming you're buying it new from a shop, I'd get them to do the cutting...

I cut mine with a hacksaw. The fork is carbon, but the steerer tube is aluminum. I just wanted to take one 15mm spacer off, so I just measured 15mm off the top of the steerer tube, drew a line around it w/ a sharpie, and started sawing w/ my hacksaw! After I sawed it off, I took a file to it and smoothed it out a bit. No problem

Kind of a PITA, though, so if you are buying it from a shop ask them to do it for you and they probably will for free. I still have about 35mm on my steerer tube below the stem, so I didn't make it short by any means. Truth is, anything over 40mm between the headset and the stem is considereed to be dangerous due to potential failure point

P.S.---did I mention how great the Sputnik is?

the 07 sputnik had an Easton carbon legged fork with an aluminum crown and steerer but the 08 and 09 sputniks come with a jamis-branded fork with a carbon steerer...either way, i'd get a reputable shop with proper tools to do the work for you...if you're buying the sputnik from a shop new, they should cut the steerer to size at no added cost...

oh wow, I didn't know the new ones came w/ carbon steerer tubes! That's cool, but also makes it harder to cut (I think) than aluminum. Yeah, any LBS that's worth its shop will cut it for u.

carbon steerer tubes can shatter if you cut carelessly, but you save half of a pound.

carbon steerer tubes can shatter if you cut carelessly, but you save half of a pound.

what? not exactly. splinter perhaps...

wrap a turn of masking tape around it where you plan to cut, use a new (ie: sharp) fine tooth hacksaw blade and a guide to make a square cut (i use a bit of PVC pipe), and cut *through* the tape. be sure to support the part you're cutting off and cut all the way through so it comes away cleanly and doesn't break the last little bit (which is where you'll get splintering). dress the cut edge with a bit of fine sandpaper (i like to bevel the outside edge ever so slightly) and you're done.

i've cut dozens of carbon steerers like this. nothing to fear.

oh yeah...measure twice, cut once. taking a little more off is a hell of a lot easier than putting a little back on. be sure to leave enough for at least a small spacer *on top* of the stem (ie: the steerer protrudes above the stem). it's good to not clamp right at the open end of the steerer, and also good not to discover that you're really not flexible enough to ride with the stem slammed after you've cut it so short that you have no other option...

splinter perhaps...


yes, excuse my poor choice of words.