paladyr

I've been trying to buy a cyclocross bike from a local shop but they are making it very difficult with a lack of options. So far one shop had zero bikes, and another two had one bike in what they said was my size. I have since measured myself and am wondering if they are putting me on the wrong size (perhaps because there are no other bikes in stock to try). Here are my measurements:

Inseam: 34
Trunk:23.5
Forearm: 13
Arm: 25
Thigh: 23.75
Lower Leg: 21
Sternal Notch: 57.5
Total Body Height: 69

One shop had me on a small giant anyroad 1, another on a 52cm fuji cross 3.0 LE. Are they putting me on bikes that are too small? Both of the shops just asked me my height and guessed. Thanks!

klmmicro

Ask them to fit you on a larger frame to see if that works better for you. Mention to them that the frame seems to small and see why they feel their initial choice is correct. In the end, you are the customer and a good shop will welcome your input.

davehbuffalo

I'm no expert, but at your height small/52cm seems small. If they just guessed off height, that's not a good sign. The correct answer may depend on what you're using the bike for -- are you racing cyclocross, or using it as an all-rounder?

A few ideas:

1 - Test ride what they recommend, and the size up, and maybe even the size up after that. If they don't have the size up, go somewhere else.
2 - Go to as many shops as you can and try as many bikes as you can.
3 - Go to a shop with a professional fitter -- even if you don't use the full fitting service, I would think they'd be less likely to let their reputation suffer from letting people out the door on poorly fitting bikes.
4 - Peruse the Rivendell site for a "different" perspective on things. They tend to recommend bike on the large end of the spectrum. For example, I'm 6'1" with 92cm pbh, ride a 65cm Homer and find it perfect. It's a different style bike, but their perspective may be worth reading. Granted, Riv isn't about racing nor about cyclocross, but the information may still help you.

fietsbob

Come to the one LBS where I live and there will be a different opinion .. rather than sight unseen..

megalowmatt

I'm your height but you have a slightly taller inseam than I do. I usually buy road bikes with ~54cm effective top tubes and adjust from there with stem length.

Looking at geometry charts online, the anyroad has a 52.2 cm eff top tube and the Fuji cross 3 is 53.5. I can't give you a definitive answer but more to just relate the combination of height and fit. Maybe test ride the one in stock and see how it feels.

ofgit

When I used to work and hang out in bike shops in the '80s, there were owners/managers that wanted the sale above all else. There were also customers (I want THAT bike) who were not interested in good advice. Sales guy...stuck in the middle.

howeeee

bingo,,,you have to know what fits you,,on your own,,,there are sites on line that explain it very well. I wouldnt trust a bike shop to know what is right and even if they do,,if they will sell you what is right.

paladyr

Thanks for all the replies!

So I think a little background info would help. The two shops I went to had 1 cyclocross bike in each to try. I believe both bikes were too small for me, but I have nothing to compare it to, and the sales people were of little help. They also only had a parking lot to try the bikes out in. This is the first time I've used a bike with drop handlebars so I don't even know what the correct size should feel like. Growing up I always had a mountain bike or a bmx style bike. I also haven't used a bike in probably 20 years. Right now I think the only thing I care about is buying a cyclocross bike that is the correct size (or as close as the salesperson and I can guess it is for now). All of the other subtle things about the bike are things I will care about after I have put many miles on my first bike, so I am not going to worry about them for now.

So when I go to this next shop, I think I'm going to hand them my measurements and tell them to put me on a bike that *should* fit me well and has the handlebars and saddle about even. Then I'll try one where the saddle is a bit higher than the handlebars. Then I'll have them put me on a bike that is one step bigger, then one that is a step smaller. Does that sound like a good plan? I'm expecting one of the sizes to *feel* the best, that should be the case right? If it matters they said they have Kona and Focus cyclocross bikes. I'm still waiting to hear what sizes they have in the store.

Also, since they are bound to have a limited cyclocross selection, can I do all these same tests on a road bike instead to figure out my size?

Thanks again for all the responses!

ofgit

Sounds like a good plan. Yes, you can try the feel of a drop bar equipped bike in a different size to get an impression of the fit. Remember that saddles, stems/bars and pedals can be/are used to 'tweak the fit'. One shop I worked at (no low end bikes) had one of us ride along with a customer who wanted to test the bike on the road.

Dave Cutter

paladyr... does that stand for something like Pennsylvania Lady R(name)? If that is the case... and you're looking at mens cross bikes that may be part of the issue. Women aren't built like men (in more ways than the obvious). Handlebars and even brake/shift levers may not feel comfortable... even for a tall lady.

It is always easier to adjust a smaller bike to fit a taller person..... than to try to make a bicycle that is built too large..... fit someone smaller.

paladyr

Haha absolutely not I'm a male lol. It's from a book series I read as a kid:

Song of Albion - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dave Cutter

Just wondered. I've sometimes also wondered if the LBS's sometime try more to sell customers bicycles that they have in stock... more than the absolute correct bicycle. But it has always been a fleeting thought. I really think most shops work hard at providing good, solid, useful service. Not that, that means they are always correct with their efforts.

Wheever

Wow. We have VERY similar measurements. Crazy! (Your legs are about .5" longer than mine, and all else is really close.)

I fit a 54 very well, and can even fit some 56s. (My competitive cyclist fit numbers put me on a 55) When I decided on a Giant Defy, suddenly all the LBSs around were trying to fit me on a S or M Giant. Which was CRAZY. (One place INSISTED I was a small, another INSISTED I was an M.) It's all down to Giant's bizarre sizing schema, and their ideas of what someone our height should fit, never mind the length of our inseam or length of our arms.

Anyway, I ended up, happily, with an M/L Defy--"effective" top tube, 54cm-- and that's the size Anyroad you need to be trying. In any other brand, you'll probably need a 54, as I do.

Good luck, and keep us posted!

paladyr

Thanks! Good to get some advice from someone like me!

paladyr

The first LBS that had zero cyclocross bikes wasn't like that, he was trying to be helpful and even directed me to the shop I'm going to tomorrow (closed today). The next two (one was performance bike) seemed like they were trying to sell me what they had in stock :-/. I'm optimistic about the third trip!

Dyskolos

I, too, have almost exactly the same measurements as you. I ride a medium Defy. When I was looking at the Anyroad, I tried a medium and the LBS got a large for me to try, which was a better fit although I ended up not buying it.

Ray Dockrey

I am 5' 8" with 29" inseam and I ride a medium Anyroad. I have put about 1100 miles on it and so far so good. But to let you know if you are planning on doing some racing with whatever you buy the Anyroad probably isn't the best choice. Because of the radical slope of the top tube it is very difficult to carry.

paladyr

I'm double checking my estimated frame size and competitive cyclist is telling me 52cm for the top tube and 57.4cm for seat tube. All calculators agree on the seat tube for the most part but for example zinncycles estimates I should have a top tube length of 58.5cm. Pedalforce allows me to enter the saddle height over handlebar and says I should be anywhere from 52cm-55cm based on that measurement. I'm gathering that maybe I have long legs and a short torso, and on an aggressively positioned bike I should be on a 52cm top tube and on a relaxed position bike I should be around 55cm? Would it be better to get a bike with the correct seat tube length and swap to a shorter stem?

Doc V

I am a firm believer in choosing a frame size based on top tube length and not seat tube. I, like you, have abnormally long legs for my height. It looks like based on your numbers, your inseam to height ratio is 49.3% and the average male is 46.5-47.5%. I point this out because today's frames are proportional and based on the average male. For your leg length, the calculators will probably put you in a frame that is one size higher than you need. If your recommended top tube length is in between sizes, I would go with the smaller size frame. You can always lengthen your fit by increasing your stem length.

Two sizing calculators I found useful and accurate for me are the SizeMyBike app and the calculator at https://www.davemoultonregistry.com/M...FrameSizeChart.

paladyr

Thanks! I did stumble on that chart and it looks like based on height/inseam/shoe size he would suggest 54cm/55cm C to C frame size. If I were going to get this it would put me between a 54 and a 56 right?

Fuji Cross 4.0 LE Cyclocross Bike - 2014 Performance Exclusive - Performance Sales Exclusions

The last bike shop has ignored my emails and hasn't called me back (I asked what they had in stock I could try) so that was a disappointment and I called a bike rental place and left a message asking if I could rent a bike and try several frame sizes, adjusting the seat on each. No call back there either. At this point I'm considering just buying a bike from performance and trying it out, using their return policy if necessary.

Sixty Fiver

We are the same height but you have a few inches of leg on me and should add an inch to determine your riding inseam which would be 35 inches (in shoes).

You should probably be six feet tall with legs that long, and unless you have orangutan length arms, your reach is probably less than mine and more of my height is in my torso which extends my reach.

My road bike is a 55.5 (top tube) with an 80mm stem and I also ride bikes with 57mm top tubes and higher rise (shorter) stems that bring the bars closer to even out the reach.

Everyone has an R.O.R. (range of rideability) and road bikes between 52 and 55 will usually work well, your own physical abilities will determine how comfortable you will be with different top tube lengths / reach... being off the bike for 20 years means you probably need to get in shape to see where you fall.

With your numbers the a 52-54 will probably provide the best reach while the frame will be sized down (as per your leg length) and require a little more seatpost... I think anything over 55 might cause issues.

I have friends who are my height who cannot match my reach.

Sixty Fiver

This is excellent advice... you and the OP are a little freaky.

paladyr

I would love to be 6'!

I don't know if it matters, but I'm very athletic and pretty flexible.

So would it be crazy if I just bought the Fuji 54cm and tried it for a while, maybe flipping the stem to help with my reach to start with (I don't have long arms)?

Doc V

As others recommended be sure to test ride a 54 and 56cm before you buy, maybe even a 52cm but probably not. I am 5'6" with a 32.2cm inseam and test rode 52 and 54cm top tube lengths and chose the 52cm. The two calculators I recommended chose a 53-54cm top tube length. When I rode the 54cm top tube, even with the saddle to the extreme forward position, I had to lockout my elbows to reach the hoods so it was clearly too big.

When you test ride the bikes have them move the seat fore-aft until the front of your knee cap is roughly even with the crank arm (close to KOPS) as this will position you on the bike somewhat properly. This way you can get a more accurate feel for your reach to the handlebars. Really the bike shop if it is worth its salt should do all this for you. The REI I use looked at my stationary position on the bike and picked my size correctly even though I knew that was the correct size.

Schwinnsta

I am your height and your inseam and I ride a 56.