Igoslo

Thanks for reading this.

I have the opportunity to by a 3 year old Eddy Merckx 1XM frameset (56cm) for a VERY reasonable price. This will be my first real road bike as I now ride a 6 year old mountain bike. I'm 5' 9 1/2" with a 32" inseam. I should probably get a 54cm bike, but it sounds like too good a deal to pass up.

I already have some parts to put on a frameset consisting of 105, Ultegra SL, FSA SL-K and Mavic Ksyrium Elite. I do plan on taking it to a bike shop close to where I pick it up just to get an opinion. From what I've read, this frameset is good for comfortability. Lance doesn't have to worry about me passing him .

I'm 55 and plan to ride just to ride for health reasons. I want to stay healthy!!! LOL

Thank you for your opinions.

cyclinfool

Check out the top tube length. If that's too long it will be hard to correct.

Igoslo

Here are the geometry specs.

Carbon 1XM ~

Size Top tube Seat angle Setback Head angle Head tube 48 51.5 75.3 11.3 71.5 12.0 53 54.5 75.3 11.7 71.5 13.5 56 57.0 74.2 13.6 73 15.5 59 59.5 72.3 16.4 73.2 20.0

Sorry, the table didn't come out right.

cyclinfool

I think I get it. You are a little smaller than I am - that TT length would be a little long for me.
One never knows though, you may be able to make it work.

badger1

FWIW, in my view a bike -- however great a 'bargain' -- is no bargain at all if it doesn't fit.
Given your stated height, and assuming the bike's geometry is as stated, it (that frame) definitely sounds not only too big, but perhaps even far too big. This is especially true of the t/t dimension when combined with the stated seat angle of 74.2; if it were a 73 or 72 s/a, possibly (though doubtful), but a 570 mm t/t (I'm assuming 'effective') with a 74+ s/a is a looooong bike.
If you were unusually 'long' in the torso (relative to your leg length) it might work, but doesn't sound like that's the case.
For reference, I'm just a bit shorter than you, with a 33" true (floor to pubic bone) cycling inseam, and I take a 535 to 540 mm t/t in a road bike (assuming a 73 degree s/a).
Just sayin'!

bruce19

I'm 5'9" (down from 5' 10" due to aging) with a 32.5" inseam and I ride a 56 (C to C) Masi Gran Criterium S. I had a LeMond TI that was 54 C to C and it was OK but just a bit too small. You really need to sit on it or ride it or have someone who knows bike fitting help you out.

Igoslo

Just wanted to thank everyone who responded. Found out the frameset was a 2007. The TT spec on the 56cm was 59cm! LOL

I agree it's too long for my size. I did have a chance to sit on 54cm Specialized Roubaix and it felt GOOD. Guess what frameset I'm looking for now. hahaaa Wish me luck.

Thanks everybody.

bruce19

This post has raised a question for me: when measuring the top tube on a bike with a sloping top tube, do you measure from the center of the steering stem to the center of the seat post? This is rather than following the slope of the top tube. Seems logical to me.

BluesDawg

Yes. This is usually called "effective" or "horizontal" top tube measurement. You measure where the top tube would be if it were horizontal.

badger1

That is a loooong bike!! I'm not surprised the 54 Roubaix feels right given your height/inseam -- good luck with the search!

bruce19

I went out and measured the effective TT of my 56 Masi and it was a 59. I shortened the stem from 110mm to 100mm and the bike fits me perfectly. And, as I said previously, I'm 5'9" with a 32.5" inseam.

After looking at some other bikes' specs I must be measuring this incorrectly. The TT measurement seems much too long. I'll have to check this out.

JimT

The top tube length of the 56 cm Specialized Roubaix is 56.5 cm for comparison. I'm 5' 8" with an inseam of 29", so I seem to be at the other end of the inseam/torso length scale. My 56 cm Roubaix fits quite well with the stock stem. I remember 15 years ago I had a 54cm Trek 2300. When I had it professionaly set up I had to go to a longer stem to get a proper fit.
I guess where I'm headed with this is to point out the value of getting someone knowledgeable to fit you to the proper size bike. Coming from a MTB background you may need a longer top tube (or stem length) than you might think. That's what happened with me anyway.

Regards, Jim