Frame Sizing Chart (Road)
12-14-10, 07:51 AM
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Frame Sizing Chart (Road)
Came across this frame sizing chart on the Windsorbicycle.com website, and liked it. Thought it might be a handy resource.
Happy Holidays!
Link: https://www.windsorbicycles.com/sizing.htm
Happy Holidays!
Link: https://www.windsorbicycles.com/sizing.htm
12-14-10, 08:00 AM
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I should be on at least a 56, maybe even a 58? Yikes. Maybe I should try one out. I ride 54-55 TT currently.
I will seriously give it a try but I think they may be talking about seat tube length, which isn't always directly proportional to the TT length.
I will seriously give it a try but I think they may be talking about seat tube length, which isn't always directly proportional to the TT length.
12-14-10, 08:28 AM
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Right on the money for me. I'm 5'11" and I prefer a 60cm bike that has a 34cm flyover. Isn't that against the fashion today? I thought modern bike shops were all about dinky little bikes?
12-14-10, 08:57 AM
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If you are interested in frame sizing, Dave M has some interesting information based on a couple of decades of frame building.
https://davesbikeblog.squarespace.com...me-sizing.html
https://davesbikeblog.squarespace.com...me-sizing.html
12-14-10, 09:52 AM
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Came across this frame sizing chart on the Windsorbicycle.com website, and liked it. Thought it might be a handy resource.
Happy Holidays!
Link: https://www.windsorbicycles.com/sizing.htm
Happy Holidays!
Link: https://www.windsorbicycles.com/sizing.htm
12-14-10, 10:42 AM
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This chart is pretty good.
I worked under Lenny Preheim long ago. He was an excellent racing coach, and he leaned towards small frames. So the practice is not new. Of course, his orientation was racing, not club riding, which is how I would describe most of us. I think it's fine to prefer something smaller or larger than the guidelines recommend. According to Lenny, I should ride a 56cm frame, and that's about right for me. My bikes range from about 54 to 58 cm. I'm not that picky.
I worked under Lenny Preheim long ago. He was an excellent racing coach, and he leaned towards small frames. So the practice is not new. Of course, his orientation was racing, not club riding, which is how I would describe most of us. I think it's fine to prefer something smaller or larger than the guidelines recommend. According to Lenny, I should ride a 56cm frame, and that's about right for me. My bikes range from about 54 to 58 cm. I'm not that picky.
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Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
12-14-10, 10:14 PM
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Yep, works perfect for me. It says I should ride a 22" (56cm). My UO-8 and my Bottecchia Professional frame are 22" but of course C&V bikes often came in 21-23-25 so my favorite Bottecchia Gran Turismo is a 23" (58.5cm) which is still good for me but that is the biggest frame I can ride comfortably.
And yes, my 2 modern bikes are 53-54cm which works because they have proportionally longer top tubes.
And yes, my 2 modern bikes are 53-54cm which works because they have proportionally longer top tubes.
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1959 Bottecchia Milano-Sanremo(frame), 1966 Bottecchia Professional (frame), 1971 Bottecchia Professional (frame),
1973 Bottecchia Gran Turismo, 1974 Bottecchia Special, 1977 Bottecchia Special (frame),
1974 Peugeot UO-8, 1988 Panasonic PT-3500, 2002 Bianchi Veloce, 2004 Bianchi Pista
1959 Bottecchia Milano-Sanremo(frame), 1966 Bottecchia Professional (frame), 1971 Bottecchia Professional (frame),
1973 Bottecchia Gran Turismo, 1974 Bottecchia Special, 1977 Bottecchia Special (frame),
1974 Peugeot UO-8, 1988 Panasonic PT-3500, 2002 Bianchi Veloce, 2004 Bianchi Pista
12-14-10, 10:30 PM
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The Moulton has me on a 55.5cm and the Windsor a 56. I've generally ridden 54s.
My custom builder rec'd 55.5. Apparently he was spot on!
My custom builder rec'd 55.5. Apparently he was spot on!
12-14-10, 10:40 PM
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I ride a larger than fashionable frame, it was pretty spot on for me.
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12-14-10, 11:08 PM
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The problem with bike sizing charts, and marked bike sizes in general, is that they are measured in stand over height related to inseam length. However, these charts rarely explain how they measure inseam. Does that mean, “hey, that tickles”, or “we might as well get married”?
IMHO, the top tube length is the most important measurement to a proper fit in a bike, and that doesn’t just reflect your arm and torso length, but your preferred riding position. The adjustment from saddle to pedal is much greater and easier than the adjustment of stem, saddle, and seatpost setback.
When I try to narrow my ebay search for a frame, I’ll check sizes from 56cm to 60cm figuring that anywhere within that range I could find my sweet spot of 57cm TT.
I used to have a 62cm steel touring bike that my 'boys' were very intimate with the TT when I stood flat-footed over. But, with its' 57cm TT length, I could have ridden that bike for years. Just saying, size charts can be flawed.
IMHO, the top tube length is the most important measurement to a proper fit in a bike, and that doesn’t just reflect your arm and torso length, but your preferred riding position. The adjustment from saddle to pedal is much greater and easier than the adjustment of stem, saddle, and seatpost setback.
When I try to narrow my ebay search for a frame, I’ll check sizes from 56cm to 60cm figuring that anywhere within that range I could find my sweet spot of 57cm TT.
I used to have a 62cm steel touring bike that my 'boys' were very intimate with the TT when I stood flat-footed over. But, with its' 57cm TT length, I could have ridden that bike for years. Just saying, size charts can be flawed.
12-15-10, 02:34 AM
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Windsor's chart is 2 to 4cm too big for me. Moulton's method is spot on for touring frame. For sport and racing frame I prefer 1 to 2 cm smaller.
12-15-10, 03:15 AM
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I'm 5'7" with a 32" inseam. I ride a 55 cm Lemond Zurich and Schwinn Super Sport DBX and my other 700C bikes are 52 cm.
So I've chosen frames that work well with my given height and long legs proportionate to my body.
Good chart that takes much of the guesswork out of bike fitting.
So I've chosen frames that work well with my given height and long legs proportionate to my body.
Good chart that takes much of the guesswork out of bike fitting.
Last edited by NormanF; 12-15-10 at 03:18 AM.
12-15-10, 08:26 AM
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Interesting that Moulton's discussion mentions foot length. It would seem important; but no one recommends taking measurements that include foot length, such as PBH while standing on tiptoe.
12-15-10, 08:37 AM
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The chart's recommendation is a little small for me, but then again it's labeled 'Road' which typically means smaller frame. I'm 6' and maybe 0.5", and usually ride 63-65cm frames with about a 1-3cm seat-to-bar drop (65 is the biggest one, but it has a really low bottom bracket). For TT length, about 60cm is nice. That's the measurement on my '88 Trek 400 and '83 Sequoia which both fit pretty good.
12-15-10, 08:48 AM
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He pretty much checked the distance between every joint. I'm really looking forward to seeing how this thoroughness pays off in ride quality.
Things I was asked:
total height in cm
inseam height (not your pant inseam but the distance from pelvic bone to ground)
shoe size in European size
wingspan measured from finger tip to fingertip with arms opened wide
arm length from finger tip to arm pit
then grasping a tube about the thickness of a handlebar in each hand, measure the distance from center of the tube to center of the tube with arms spread wide open
still holding the tube, from teh centere of teh tube to the armpit
lastly from the vertebra at teh base of your neck to the ground. To determine teh vertebra, you should sit down and tilt your head forward, the vertebra is the one that does not move when you tilt your neck.
Last edited by KonAaron Snake; 12-15-10 at 08:51 AM.
12-15-10, 09:07 AM
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Daniele Marnati asked me my foot size and rec'd a larger bike based partially on my huge flippers. He also asked ...
total height in cm
inseam height (not your pant inseam but the distance from pelvic bone to ground)
shoe size in European size
wingspan measured from finger tip to fingertip with arms opened wide
arm length from finger tip to arm pit
then grasping a tube about the thickness of a handlebar in each hand, measure the distance from center of the tube to center of the tube with arms spread wide open
still holding the tube, from teh centere of teh tube to the armpit
lastly from the vertebra at teh base of your neck to the ground. To determine teh vertebra, you should sit down and tilt your head forward, the vertebra is the one that does not move when you tilt your neck.
total height in cm
inseam height (not your pant inseam but the distance from pelvic bone to ground)
shoe size in European size
wingspan measured from finger tip to fingertip with arms opened wide
arm length from finger tip to arm pit
then grasping a tube about the thickness of a handlebar in each hand, measure the distance from center of the tube to center of the tube with arms spread wide open
still holding the tube, from teh centere of teh tube to the armpit
lastly from the vertebra at teh base of your neck to the ground. To determine teh vertebra, you should sit down and tilt your head forward, the vertebra is the one that does not move when you tilt your neck.
It continually troubles me that while people's size varies so much, bicycle crank arm length varies very little. For anyone whose height isn't right under the center of the bell curve, this means a significant compromise to the theoretical ideal frame size.
12-15-10, 09:09 AM
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This is good information. Another excellent source is the Competitive Cyclist Calculator
https://www.competitivecyclist.com/za...LCULATOR_INTRO
https://www.competitivecyclist.com/za...LCULATOR_INTRO
