Notices
General Cycling Discussion Have a cycling related question or comment that doesn't fit in one of the other specialty forums? Drop on in and post in here! When possible, please select the forum above that most fits your post!

newbie question

Old 02-28-10, 12:58 PM
  #1  
Newbie
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 1
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
newbie question

I am a newbie when it comes to road bikes and want to know if I can size myself so I can buy a used bike to start with? I am 5'11" 200lbs, so how can I determine the right frame size?
wannabik is offline  
Old 02-28-10, 01:04 PM
  #2  
weights are heavy
 
Tober1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 216

Bikes: CAAD9 5 (09)

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
There's a lot of considerations.
I'm also 5'11'' and I ride a 56cm CAAD9. My vintage commuter is a 21"
I think one of the biggest factors is your reach. I'd aim for something around 56 or so and then make sure it feels good when you get on it as that's the most important thing
Tober1 is offline  
Old 02-28-10, 01:32 PM
  #3  
Senior Member
 
Garfield Cat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Huntington Beach, CA
Posts: 7,079

Bikes: Cervelo Prodigy

Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 475 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 87 Times in 67 Posts
Originally Posted by wannabik
I am a newbie when it comes to road bikes and want to know if I can size myself so I can buy a used bike to start with? I am 5'11" 200lbs, so how can I determine the right frame size?
Your post doesn't give enough information about yourself, the type of riding you will be doing, etc. But here's a link to the Competitive Cyclist fit calculator:

https://www.competitivecyclist.com/za...LCULATOR_INTRO
Garfield Cat is offline  
Old 02-28-10, 03:31 PM
  #4  
tsl
Plays in traffic
 
tsl's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 6,971

Bikes: 1996 Litespeed Classic, 2006 Trek Portland, 2013 Ribble Winter/Audax, 2016 Giant Talon 4

Mentioned: 21 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 76 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 14 Times in 9 Posts
Especially as a newbie, get a fitting, or at minimum, use a fit calculator--and take good measurements.

Your overall height and weight are pretty much meaningless when it comes to bike fit. Even that old standby, standover height, isn't good enough, since it doesn't measure you when you're on the bike and riding. In my experience, it's the top tube length that's most important, yet bikes are sized by seat tube, not top tube.

I too started on road bikes with a used bike. But I had a pretty good idea of what I needed to fit me, and I carried a tape measure to measure the top tube. The test ride is critically important too, but the tape measure helped me rule out bikes quickly.
tsl is offline  
Old 02-28-10, 03:45 PM
  #5  
Senior Member
 
cyclist2000's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Up
Posts: 4,695

Bikes: Masi, Giant TCR, Eisentraut (retired), Jamis Aurora Elite, Zullo, Cannondale, 84 & 93 Stumpjumpers, Waterford, Tern D8, Bianchi, Gunner Roadie, Serotta, Serotta Duette, was gifted a Diamond Back

Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 305 Post(s)
Liked 2,038 Times in 604 Posts
Originally Posted by tsl
Especially as a newbie, get a fitting, or at minimum, use a fit calculator--and take good measurements.

Your overall height and weight are pretty much meaningless when it comes to bike fit. Even that old standby, standover height, isn't good enough, since it doesn't measure you when you're on the bike and riding. In my experience, it's the top tube length that's most important, yet bikes are sized by seat tube, not top tube.

I too started on road bikes with a used bike. But I had a pretty good idea of what I needed to fit me, and I carried a tape measure to measure the top tube. The test ride is critically important too, but the tape measure helped me rule out bikes quickly.

+1 I was thinking about this the other day when another poster who posted height and inseam and I am the same height and an inch longer inseam, that meant that their torso measured one inch longer on the top tube. A bike sized for me would not fit this other person. So I think agree the above statement. But the best way to know your size is to try bikes and know what fits you.

Also two 57cm bikes may fit differently. You really need to try a bike to have a good fit.
cyclist2000 is offline  
Old 02-28-10, 06:15 PM
  #6  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,442
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
As TSL says. If you can afford it, go to a good shop that can do a professional sizing/fitting. If not, express interest in a roadster and have them figure out what size you're comfortable on... Then go looking for something similar.
Bear in mind that frame height is only one aspect; you have to worry about reach, seat position, and so forth.
Bikewer is offline  
Old 02-28-10, 11:49 PM
  #7  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Northern Nevada
Posts: 3,811
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Getting fitted is a good idea if you can afford it, but sometimes I think we overcomplicate this. There've been about 12 billion words written on this, only some of them reasonable. A lot of them are based on what works for elite racers, and it's not logical to think you can use the same standards for a guy with 9 percent body fat who rides six hours a day and one who's 20 percent fat and squeezes in eight hours a week if he's lucky. Just for a start, how many of us have suffered (for years, in my case) trying to force our bodies to adapt to having the bars four inches lower than the saddle because that's what Hincapie did?
I think you can do a very good job of fitting a bike by reading the alleged rules from three or four sources, considering them guidelines rather than laws, then adapting them to fit you. One place to start is with Grant Petersen's fit guide at Rivendell (www.rivbike.com).
As a point of ethics or morality or something, I challenge the idea that it's OK to go to a bike shop, let them spend 20 minutes giving you information and advice, then order a bike online to save a few dollars. Bike shops are going out of business by the hundreds all over the country, and taking advantage of the shop's knowledge and expertise like that is BS.

Last edited by Velo Dog; 02-28-10 at 11:56 PM.
Velo Dog is offline  
Old 03-01-10, 01:09 AM
  #8  
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 39
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
+1 on frame size being over complicated.

I'm new to the whole scene, and I just got done building a new bike. I've learned that your body can tolerate a range of sizes, especially with different crankarm/seat post/stem combinations. What's most important is comfort.
j_deLaBay is offline  
Old 03-15-10, 06:08 AM
  #9  
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 10
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
i have another newbie question, i am 5' 5" with a PBH height of 28 inches. With the fit calculator over at competitive cyclist it says i have a seat tube length of 48, and im interested at a dawes but their only sizes are 43 cm and 49cm. Would 49 be okay? thanks
Legendarymugen is offline  
Old 03-15-10, 10:11 AM
  #10  
CRIKEY!!!!!!!
 
Cyclaholic's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: all the way down under
Posts: 4,276

Bikes: several

Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1589 Post(s)
Liked 687 Times in 365 Posts
Originally Posted by wannabik
I am a newbie when it comes to road bikes and want to know if I can size myself so I can buy a used bike to start with? I am 5'11" 200lbs, so how can I determine the right frame size?
I know the perfect size bike for you..... it's the one that you're most comfortable on during the test ride.
Cyclaholic is offline  
Old 03-16-10, 09:26 AM
  #11  
Senior Member
 
Big_Red's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Aurora, CO USA
Posts: 160
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
You also need to consider your flexibility and reach. I think you can get a good idea from the calculators, but you need to measure really well as bad measurements will give bad results. I would not consider what fits good on another rider with the same inseam a great way to fit a frame.
Big_Red is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
bradbrah
Singlespeed & Fixed Gear
14
02-24-15 04:08 PM
lungimsam
General Cycling Discussion
12
06-25-12 02:18 PM
eepok
Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg)
19
05-19-12 07:49 AM
clydeosaur
Mountain Biking
17
05-01-10 03:47 PM
RepWI
General Cycling Discussion
4
02-22-10 11:52 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.