acape

I've been riding a compact geometry 55cm Lemond, which is my first road bike. Now I'm considering a new fixed gear with classic geometry, and I'm not sure which size I should be looking at. I'm also considering purchasing over the internet, so a test ride might not be possible. Looking at the Motobecane on bikesdirect.com actually.

Anyways...I'm about 5'11" with fairly long legs and a fairly short torso. My Lemond is set up with an 8cm, 17 degree stem pointed upward. I'm pretty comfortable on it, although I could stand to have the bars a little higher, as riding in the drops is not that comfortable for more than a couple of minutes. I've wondered if a larger size would be more comfortable, as I could have the higher bars, but I'm afraid I'd be stretched out too much.

For this fixed gear, I would likely swap the drop bars for bullhorns. Even if I didn't, I doubt I'd ride in the drops much, so comfort in the drops wouldn't be an issue. But I'm also thinking that I might not be able to put a stem on it with as much rise as the one I have on now, and I don't want the bars to be too low. I'm thinking that I should be looking at either a 56cm or a 58cm. Any input, fixed-gear specific or not, would be appreciated.

grinderbob

measure the VIRTUAL top tube length (head tube to seat tube) as it were horizontal.
that is a more important measurement.

Stubacca

Like grinderbob says, virtual top tube length is the important measurement here. However, there are a few other things you should take in to consideration.

An 80mm stem is quite short. Your short torso / long legs build and a LeMond explain it, though. LeMond bikes typically have longer top tubes, and usually suit riders with long torso / short legs. Sounds like you may be more comfortable on a larger size bike with a shorter top tube.

Effective top tube length on a 55cm LeMond is 56.5cm. A 56cm Moto Messenger has a 56cm top tube, so you'd still be looking at a 90mm stem to replicate your current position. I'd expect you'd even be able to go for a 54cm, but... I also think that given you current setup on the LeMond, you're taking a big risk buying untested geometry over the net.

55/Rad

The effective top tube length of a sloping, semi-compact Lemond frame is virtually the same as their classic standard frames - long in proportion to the seat tube. A 55 sloping frame's VTT is 56.5 and a standards TT is also 56.5.

I rode a 55 Lemond with standard frame and am 6' with fairly long legs - 33.75" cyling inseam and a short torso. I loved the frame but it was definitely aggressive in terms of bar height to saddle height ratio. I had a 120 stem on there too.

57 is the perfect size for me and I'm wondering how you have yours set up with only the 80 mm stem. That would seem to indicate that you prefer a more comfortable upright position. Yet, if you are truly 5'11 with long legs and are riding a 55, the frame choice is intended to be more performance oriented and aggressive - you probably have quite a bit of seatpost showing don't you?

My guess is that if you wanted to stick with Lemond, you should look at a 57. if you want to go with any other manufacturer, you should get properly measured at the LBS.

As for a bullhorned bike, here's a pic of my Lemond, size 55.

55/Rad

alanbikehouston

My aging fleet of road bikes all have "classic geometry". I am a bit under 5 feet 10 inches tall, wear jeans with a 32 inch inseam, and measure 34 1/2 inches from the crotch to the floor. The size that fits me best is in the range of 58 to 61.

One of my road bikes is a 56. Using any sort of "normal" stem, that puts my hands much lower than the top of the saddle. That "head down" position is okay for a 25 year old who competes in races. But, the ultra-low position is a pain in the neck (and hands, wrist, and back) for an elderly cyclist riding in urban traffic, without the slightest interest in pretending to be a racer. The bike that lets me feel better at the end of a ride than at the beginning is a size 60 or 61.

acape

Yes, I too have thought that maybe my frame is a tad small. I test rode four bikes when I made the purchase: Lemond 55/57, and Trek 56/58. Since it was my first road bike, it was a tough decision because I had no prior feel to go on. At that time, the Lemond 55 felt the best for some reason, so I went with it. Now that I have 1100 miles on it, I can now say that I think I could use a size larger.

Now that I'm thinking of it, maybe I'd be happier in the long run by using my money for a new roadie that fits a little better.

Stubacca

Sounds like something you should at least explore. It doesn't hurt to go and test ride a few bikes to see if anything out there feels better. Once you have a bike that you're truly comfortable on, it makes buying online a bit safer since you can match the geometry.

acape

I think I will explore this. Of course I'd have to sell the old one to fund the new one.

55/Rad: Since you're a bit of a Lemond expert, any idea how much I could expect to fetch for a 2005 Reno with 1100 miles and zero crashes to its name? Great condition other than a little normal wear and tear.