Road Cycling - is 54cm c-t bike too small for 5'8.5"? HELP

i'm buying a bike online so cant test ride or throw leg over one. its also my first road bike ever so i cant compare. the most i can do is go to a local bike shop and straddle one. i mountain bike and none of my friends has a road bike.

so i'm either a 54cm or a 56cm. i'm 5'8.5", 31" inseam with shoes, 24" arms. any help will be greatly appreciated. thnx.

I'm about the same measurements as you, maybe a half inch taller. I have a 54cm Trek 1000 that fits me perfectly, height wise, if it were a 56cm I think it would rack me in the nuts everytime I hopped off the pedals. But, as everyone on this forum says, you should really ride a bike before you buy it, which is obviously impossible with mail order.... Hope this helps.

Nate

i'm buying a bike online so cant test ride or throw leg over one. its also my first road bike ever so i cant compare. the most i can do is go to a local bike shop and straddle one. i mountain bike and none of my friends has a road bike.

so i'm either a 54cm or a 56cm. i'm 5'8.5", 31" inseam with shoes, 24" arms. any help will be greatly appreciated. thnx.

I am 5-11, with a long torso and shorter legs...I have been able to ride a 54 confortably and could even ride a 53 if the geomotry worked...56 would be too large for you, IMHO. You might very well be better suited to a 52...
Z

I think for your first road bike you should buy it from your LBS and get properly fitted and not get it online.

That's what I did. Recently, I replaced my saddle and although I think I have it set exactly as before I'm having a slight knee problem. I'm pretty sure it's due to poor saddle placement. I've made micro-adjustments for the past two weeks and it's no better. So, I'll probably be going in to be re-fitted. So, good fit on a road bike is more than just frame size. Saddle, stem, clipless pedals...these all are vital to good fit and your LBS is the best place to do this.

I'm 5'10" w/ a 31" inseam (NO shoes) and I ride a 55cm frame. So a 54cm frame for you doesn't sound far fetched.

I am 5'8" even and I have a 30.5" inseam. I ride a 52. I would say you're probably in the area of a 52 or a 54 more than a 56. Go to the local bike shop see if they have something in a similar geometry to the bike you're thinking about getting. Figure out if you want to be more upright, or more hunched over when you're on the handlebars and try to figure it out from there. Some people are more comfortable when they are hunched way over on the drop bars, and some are more comfortable when they are sitting up straighter. Could your LBS order the bike for you? or don't they deal in that brand?

sounds about right. i don't see why you can't test ride a 54cm someplace local just to get an idea.

I'm 5'9" with the same inseam as you. I ride a 55cm Bianchi San Remo. If a bike that I'm considering doesn't come in a 55cm, then for me 54cm is right. A 56 may also work. A 57 would be too big.

Again, this is only for me. You may be different, but my guess is that 54cm is right. Try www.wrenchscience.com for a fitting system.

thnx all for the responses. i went to a LBS to look around and straddle the 54cm and 56cm. i dont want to test ride or get fitted just to walk away and buy online.
i agree that buying from the LBS is best as far as fitting, but the online price is much, much better (reynolds 853 frame, reynolds ouzo comp carbon fork, full ultegra, ritchey wheels and cockpit for only $1095). the LBS cant even come close to that.
i am in good shape, but mountain biking is my passion. i want to get something good i can do long rides on and also race that is not entry level, but i dont want to throw down more than $1400 (high end for me, $1000 area is better).
im very close to going ahead with the 54cm, but will do a little more research.
im also considering the ibex aprisa team pro (alum/carbon stays, full ultegra w/dura ace rear der, ritchey wcs cockpit, ritchey wheels), but its at my very high end $1499.
thnx again.