Buying my first dropped bar -- size help please!
 

Hello,

I'm going to be purchasing the Kona Jake, but I'm going to be getting racing tires and use it as a road bike, I'd like to get into racing. My question is, then, what would be a good size for a competitive fit? I'm about 6' - 1 to 2" tall, and I have a 32-33" inseam. I'm thinking a 60cm frame?

Never had a bike with a dropped bar before, so any advice would be very helpful! Thanks a bunch in advance! . . . .

I also asked this question over in the road forum, thought maybe I'd get different answers here.

SR_

My drop bar bikes all have an inch shorter top tube than my flat bar bikes, 535-540mm vs. 555-560mm.

Is there a reason why you're not buying a road bike to begin with?

Exactly, if your pbjective isn't to ride cyclocross, then why buy a cross bike just to put road tires on it to race it?

Without knowing what your reasoning is, I think that you might be better off getting a pure road bike to begin with.

. . . so do I, but it's my parents who are buying me the bike. They originally wanted to get me a hybrid, but I convinced them into a cyclocross bike as a reasonable compromise. No pure road bike :( -- have to be able to go over light gravel and dirt, that's the stipulation. So I talked them into the Jake.

OK, now it makes a little more sense...

I have nothing to offer as far as advice on the sizing, but at least your reasoining for the bike choice makes a little more sense.

Weenies.


A road bike will do fine over dirt and gravel as long is it isn't rutted. Most 'cross bikes have road wheels (a few have 'cross specific wheels). The only difference (that is pertinent to what I'm talking about ) is that they have lower pressure 'cross tires and cantis.




GET A ROAD BIKE

To answer the op answer; just ask the LBS. They'll do their thing and get out their angle measurer and have you look all goofy trying to mount and dismount a bicycle that's sitting 2 feet in the air, but in the end the bicycle will fit.

I still argue against getting a new bike and tossing in new tires, but since the decision is out of your hands...

I agree completely! -- I understand that a road bike would be able to handle some minor dirt, rocks and gravel. Can't help that, though. Looking on the bright side, at least they are letting me get a cyclocross bike instead of a hybrid.

I actually got the bike late this afternoon, it's pretty nice. 60cm seems to be perfect, after trying both the 60 and the 58 cm. There's still a little growing room, but not at all uncomfortable. Very nice fit. Definitely nicer than anything I've had before, despite the fact that it isn't a pure road bike. And super light! -- compared to my MTB, it's incredible! I can lift it with my pinky.

Thanks anyway, guys!