WestMass

Hi folks,

Here's my situation:

I've had the same bike for the past 6-7 years and it's the bike that has really gotten me into biking. I ride it 100-150 miles a week - commuting, longer weekend rides (30-50 miles usually), and some group rides (generally 15-18 mph average depending on group). I have a rear rack that I carry panniers on, hauling books & clothes to and from work.


Bike at the Quabbin Reservoir

The bike is a 1992 (pretty sure) Cannondale r400. It has downtube shifters, shimano rx100 componentry, 52x39 in the front and 11-23 in the back.

Here's where my issue arises. I am 5'10" with a 32" inseam, and this is a 53cm bike. Whenever I go into bike shops and try out 54s or 56s, they just don't seem right to me for some reason. I am so used to riding my bike, that I find bikes that 'should' fit me to uncomfortable.

Every time I test ride a bike there are a few things that bother me - handlebars always seem enormous and high up and shifters don't seem to work smoothly. Bikes just never seem to be permanent or something. I worry that they're like dishwashers - new designs designed to only last a few years. I've been riding bike in the $1000-$1200 range, and tiagra just doesn't seem to shift as well as my downtube shifters & rx100/altus components! It just seems so insane to me.

I rode the Salsa Cassaroll today in a 56cm and it really does glide along - but again, the shifting is uninspiring. I'm curious about maybe buying a frame and a higher group set, like Ultegra maybe? Weight is also somewhat of a concern. My Cannondale weighs 23lbs with rack, pump, bottle cages, and pedals, and I would like it very much if my new bike was equal to or less than the weight of my current bike.

What is the deal with frame size? Does it really matter all that much? Is it bizzare I'm really comfortable on a 53cm bike as a 5'10" man? Someone explain to me why a bigger frame should make more sense, and let me know how much more expensive it would be to buy a frame and then build it up.

Thank you.

Andy_K 

Making a big transition in fit usually feels wrong. I went to my LBS for a full fit a few years ago, and when I rode away it just felt wrong. The bars felt absurdly high and the seat felt too low. But I decided to give it a try anyway. It took about two weeks, but I did adjust and now I use that bike as the basis for setting up all my bikes. Of course, I was having some problems before I went in for the fit.

Frame size is pretty important, but it's mostly about being comfortable. I do suspect that you would ultimately find a bigger bike to be more comfortable once you got used to it, but I can't guarantee it.

As for the shifting issues you describe, a Tiagra drivetrain should give you very crisp clean shifts, at least in the rear. It may be that the bikes you've test ridden aren't properly tuned. It may also be that you are psychologically hooked on having the fine tuning control that you get with the down tube shifters. The front shifting, especially with a triple, will probably take a little getting used to and definitely won't be as good as friction shifting with a double. You might like something with bar end shifters better.

You would definitely notice an improvement with a 105 or Ultegra group set. Tiagra shifts pretty well, but 105 and Ultegra are smoother and stay in tune better.

FrenchFit 

I'm just about 6ft and ride a 54cm frame on one bike (w/175mm crank), a 55cm FG, a 56cm on another, 58cm on two others. It's about the geometry of the bike and your desired reach. On my 54cm it's fairly tight cockpit, good balance and comfortable in the drops for longer periods. It has the benefit of being a lighter frame too and not sloppy.

I can do 8+ hours comfortably on my 54cm, but if was out for a strenuous/fast ride I'd pick a different rig to lay-out more forward. But I can't rationalize, it's lessons learned. I can set up most bikes that range 54-58 to be a good fit pretty quickly, and you might do the same between 52-56. So...go with what works.

enigmaT120

Is something wrong with the bike you have now? I'm just wondering what you are shopping for.

idc

I'm 5'10" with shoes on, a ~30" inseam, and I bought a 54 this year for my first road bike (it has a Ultegra drivetrain, about 18lbs before pedals, cages, etc). Love it. I used to ride a 56 hybrid and now whenever I go back to ride it, it feels too big and unwieldy.

I have some problem joints (right shoulder has been reconstructed, bad knees) so I definitely prefer a more "compact" geometry so that I don't overextend.

Since I've ridden the 54 I'm pretty sure I could make my hybrid feel better with a shorter stem and narrower handlebar.

CACycling

A couple of observations. On your current bike, you don't have an excessive amount of seat post showing so the frame very well may be the right size. Also, your current bike has a level top tube. If the bikes you are looking at have sloping top tubes and the frame size listed is for actual, not effective, seat tube length, that will greatly effect the sizing. For me at 6', I comfortably ride a vintage 62cm road bike and a modern 58cm road bike. Fit varies person to person and frame to frame. The numbers are good to get you close but shouldn't be the last word. And my Ultegra shifts very smoothly but it is different from DT shifters.

tjspiel

I won't comment on the sizing part, just the shifting.

I went from downtube shifters to STIs and I was disappointed frankly. There are two problems with STIs in my opinion. The first is that indexed shifting a double or triple turns a simple mechanism into a complicated one that often doesn't work as well. The other problem with STIs is the ergonomics. Having the brake lever double as a shift lever takes some getting used to. SRAM and Campy don't do it this way.

On the positive side, once you get used to it, rear shifting, even on the lower end groups like Tiagra, works at least as well as down tube shifters with the exception of not being to shift as many gears at once. And there's the huge plus of being able to shift while in the drops or on the hoods without having to take your hands off the bars.

With down tube shifters shifting while pedaling at a high cadence seemed awkward. I always I had to pedal with me knee swung out wide enough to allow my hand to get to the shifter. Having the shifters on the bars is really nice for standing sprints too.

WestMass

Thank you everyone for the feedback. I'm thinking I'll need to check out a 54cm Cassaroll. It definitely rode really smooth.

Reasons for getting a newer bike:
1) My bike I ride now is old and extremely stiff. I was reading about these frames online and they seem to be notorious for how much you feel everything. Even cracks that I can barely see, I feel. It can make for a bumpy ride.
2) Paint is chipping off, serious dents in seat stays
3) Fears that a frame too small will cause me harm. I would like to be riding for a long time. Did a group ride with a dude who was 70 this weekend. 16mph average for 40 miles - I was really impressed.
4) I feel like every ******* I ride with gives me a hard time about my bike, and it seems like everyone I see has a newer bike than me, but I ride more than anyone I know. I just feel like I am worthy of having a nice, comfortable, new bike that suits my needs.
5) I carry a decent amount of weight on my rack on a bike that doesn't even have rack braze-ons. I'm using a seatpost clamp with integrated rack mounts, and I worry about damaging the aluminum frame.
6) I really like the idea of getting into longer distance riding like centuries or maybe longer. I have my first century coming up - the great river ride in massachusetts. It's supposed to be a doozy. I don't know if I should try and get something new before then. Right now my longest ride is 90 miles. After the ride my neck/upper back were a bit sore but that was all. I definitely will need to swap out my cassette and get a tune-up before the ride. My bike also won't take tires any bigger (I don't think). Right now I'm running 23 in the front 25 in the back, and on the century there is at least one part that is on a dirt road.
I also feel like a bike that can take larger tires will be better for my commuting comfort.

MK313

Depending on how far away the century is, I'd probably stick with my current bike for it. Unless you have a few weeks to shake it out & get used to the bike, you're better off sticking with what you know for that long of a ride.

enigmaT120

For a second there I thought you meant how far he would have to ride to get to the start of the century!