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How tall are you and what size frames do you ride?

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How tall are you and what size frames do you ride?

Old 04-29-14, 10:35 AM
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How tall are you and what size frames do you ride?

I'm doing an unscientific poll. I am a hair under 5'11 (about 180cm) and riding a 54cm with 543mm ETT. When I look at what other people my height ride it seems like people are riding 55-57 frames. I know that means nothing and also frames are measured differently. I've used the competitive fit calculator on line a few times and the top tube recommendations I get are:

Competitive: 53.9-54.3
Eddy: 53.9-54.3
French: 55.1-55.5

I have tried several frames in the past few years and I've found anything with an ETT over 555mm feels like I'm fighting to get the bike to go where I want.
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Old 04-29-14, 06:23 PM
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I say I'm 5'9" but actually around 5'8.5". My road/commuter bikes all have 53-54cm effective top tubes.
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Old 04-30-14, 11:25 AM
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Not very tall at all, sitting in a chair, on the computer..




You need a Go-fast Racer type bike or just pootling along with the grand kids on the MUP ?

I have a 54,56, 57 ,58. and 18" a Medium Bike Friday.. and Brompton (one size)

conventional diamond frame 56~57 top tube seems goldilocks ..but ... set up changes as I get older..

Last edited by fietsbob; 08-23-14 at 08:34 AM.
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Old 04-30-14, 11:54 AM
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I'm 6'0" tall with long legs (and a shrinking torso these days). My bikes are 63-64cm (ctt), and I prefer those that have a TT of 58cm.
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Old 04-30-14, 01:11 PM
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Im 5'9 and my bike has a 17" frame, no idea what the top tube length is since its curved.
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Old 04-30-14, 01:30 PM
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I am 5' 11" and shrinking. I don't know my best TT length and have fallen into paying only attention to the ST measure. My CBH is about 35" and I think I am pushing it on the low side with a 58cm CTC ST. 59 or 60 would be better and I think 61 too much. I vary stem lenght to get comfortable for reach. What good is a thread without pics? The first is
58cm CTC


Next is a 24" Trek


And finally a 24" Motobecane Le Champion damaged in an accident.
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Old 04-30-14, 01:46 PM
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I am 4'10.5" and my road bike is a 43cm Trek with about a 48cm top tube. Fits pretty good

My mountain bike has a 13 inch frame. The standover is fine but the reach is too far. I had to get overly clever with the stem set up.
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Old 04-30-14, 01:54 PM
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5'11 3/4" and I ride a 23" road bike frame
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Old 04-30-14, 02:52 PM
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6'3". My bike has a 57cm seat tube and a 58.5 top tube. It fits... miserably.
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Old 04-30-14, 03:42 PM
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I am a little over 5'10" and I ride a 56cm Trek Lane that feels great, I also have a 55cm Bianchi EROS that feels to small, and a XL Bianchi Camelonte hybrid that feels good, and I'm currently looking for somthing to replace the Trek, just because I want disc brales (love them on the hybrid and MTB)
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Old 04-30-14, 04:20 PM
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6'6" with a36" inseam, I'm comfortable on my 62cm Surly Crosscheck.

Last edited by NikNoid; 05-02-14 at 06:04 AM.
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Old 04-30-14, 04:38 PM
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5'8" and my 54 cm WSD Trek seems like a great fit.
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Old 04-30-14, 04:40 PM
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I'm 6' 1" and have a 58 cm
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Old 04-30-14, 07:15 PM
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Originally Posted by SJX426
I am 5' 11" and shrinking. I don't know my best TT length and have fallen into paying only attention to the ST measure. My CBH is about 35" and I think I am pushing it on the low side with a 58cm CTC ST. 59 or 60 would be better and I think 61 too much. I vary stem lenght to get comfortable for reach. What good is a thread without pics? The first is
58cm CTC


Next is a 24" Trek


And finally a 24" Motobecane Le Champion damaged in an accident.
Holy cow, I'm your height and I'm riding 53cm-56cm ST c-c. Haven't measured my CBH though. Can you tell me more about your measurements?
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Old 04-30-14, 07:49 PM
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I am 5ft 6in (167.6cm) and ride a 52cm effective top tube frame. The Competitive Cyclist website calcs say I should ride a 53-54cm effective top tube, but I am disproportionately long in the legs (81.8cm inseam) a frame one size smaller fits me well. I then installed a 110mm stem to accommodate my arms.
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Old 04-30-14, 11:06 PM
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5' 11" but short legs, long torso. My daily road bike is 58 cm with the same top tube, a shortish stem with long modern brake hoods, and just a fistful of seatpost. One weekend road bike is 52 cm with lots of seatpost and I wish for a longer stem, like a 140 mm. Another recent acquisition is 58.5 cm. All measurements c-t-c. These bikes all have the same pedal to saddle distance, even though they are differently sized.

The 58 cm - this bike fits me well, I've ridden it on centuries and now ride it daily as a commuter (added fenders, lights, bag, different saddle):



The 52 cm - this bike fits me okay in the more "modern" style with more post and more saddle to bar drop, but the bars are an inch or so too close to the saddle. Still, I ride it 40-50 miles without discomfort.



The 58.5 cm - this bike has a saddle that sags more than a half cm under my weight, which affects the fit a bit.


Last edited by jyl; 04-30-14 at 11:12 PM.
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Old 05-01-14, 07:05 AM
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6ft and ride a 60cm, but probably should be on a 58.
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Old 05-01-14, 09:37 AM
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@romperrr, which measurements? The peddle spindle center to top of saddle is approximately 38 inches regardless of which bike I ride. The top of saddle to rail distance varies based on the saddle. Crank length varies slightly too, so I always set up my saddle height based on the peddle spindle center line.

Someone I knew suggested I keep raising the saddle until my butt started rocking left and right, then back off. This adjustment raised the saddle a lot and I found it far more comfortable. Changing height by 1/4" increments is what I do until I get near the right spot. Saddles will cause a slight variation as they are often flexible enough to make a slight difference.
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Old 05-01-14, 09:54 AM
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5'9" and ride 23 inch (58cm) seat tube. My pedal to seat top is 35". Everyone stares and thinks my bike is too tall but I have ridden 3000 miles a year for the last three years and am quite comfortable on my bikes.
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Old 05-01-14, 10:10 AM
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Originally Posted by Doc V
I am 5ft 6in (167.6cm) and ride a 52cm effective top tube frame. The Competitive Cyclist website calcs say I should ride a 53-54cm effective top tube, but I am disproportionately long in the legs (81.8cm inseam) a frame one size smaller fits me well. I then installed a 110mm stem to accommodate my arms.
I'm jealous! I'm 5' 5' (165 cm) and have an inseam of 72.5 cm...

To answer the OP's question, I ride a size 51 frame with an effective top tube length of 52.4 cm. I had the stem swapped with a shorter one (-10 mm) as I felt somewhat stretched with the original stem.
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Old 05-01-14, 10:20 AM
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I am 74 inches and ride a 6ocm Surly CC.
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Old 05-01-14, 10:29 AM
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Originally Posted by Retired2013
I am 74 inches and ride a 6ocm Surly CC.
Interesting. I had a 56 Cross Check and felt way stretched out. 56 has a 570mm ETT I believe. Strangely I tried the 54 and felt cramped. That is a weird fitting bike , at least in stock build with bar end shifters
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Old 05-01-14, 11:33 AM
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rms,

I have a 4.5inch stem adapter, and a 50mm stem. I sit almost upright.
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Old 05-01-14, 12:02 PM
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5'10 (178cm) and typically ride a 54cm (eff. TT) frame.
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Old 05-01-14, 08:14 PM
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I'm 5' 11" tall but only have a 29" inseam. ( Kinda like Gumby! ) That's why I gravitate towards the touring type bicycles. They have a more relaxed seat angle. My Miyata 1000LT has a 54CM frame ( 21" standover highth ), and 21" top tube length, and that's the max for me on both measurements!
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