What Surly LHT size should I go for?
 

I'm interested in buying a Surly LHT (complete bike). It seems like a nice bike and I just love the blue color. However I wounder what size I should go for?

I have the following measurements

Height 186.5 cm
Inseam 91.5 cm (without shoes)
Torso 64.5 cm
Arm length 62 cm

I've found the following formulas for calculating framesize:

seat tube = 0,67 * inseam = 0,67 * 91,5 = 61,3
total reach = (torso length + arm length)/ 2 + 4 = (64,5 + 62) / 2 + 4 = 67 - 68

If I compare it with my current bike (Surly Pacer 58 with 110mm stem, 11 cm drop between saddle and bar and 74 cm total reach) I think I would be relaxed on a bike with a total reach of round 70.

So, the question is, what size should I go for

Size---------------------------------56cm------ 58cm------ 60cm------ 62cm
Seat tube (C-T)-------------------560--------580--------600--------620
Top Tube (C-C) -------------------570--------586--------600--------610
Standover Height---------------- 830--------850--------870--------890

Thanks!
/Ingemar

You may find this link helpful:

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?k...31WpvkCw#gid=0

That was a good tip. Thanks!

Seems like most people my length are on a size 60. However, I think I have longer legs than most people of my length. My concern is that there will be too much drop between the saddle and the bar. If I have done my math correctly there will be ~ 4 cm if I go for a 62, 6 cm if I go for a 60 and 8 if I go for a 58. The difference in top tube length between the 58, 60 and 62 is quite small, only 2.5 cm.

Maybe I can buy a size 62 and swap the 120 steem for a 70 - 80 stem? Will that work?

I wouldn't worry about drop between the saddle and the bar. I'm not sure how you are calculating, but the numbers don't seem right. The built up bike usually has the handlebars set above the saddle. Are you buying through your LBS? If so, just let them know not to cut the steerer tube too short. You can fined the right number of spacers, and stem angle to get the bar height where you want it. Also, beware that the larger frame may cause you to be stretched out more than you like. For what it's worth, I'm 6'2" and 34" inseam, which is about your height but with shorter legs. I ride a 60 cm, and it is pretty comfy. If anything, I may be slightly to stretched out. I also flipped the stem to get the bars about even with the saddle, because I felt they were initially too high.

You are right. I was wrong about the numbers.

The distance between the bottombracket and the top of my saddle (measured along the seat tube) should be 82-84 cm depending on what shues I use. According to my new calculations a size 60 the bar will end up between 1 cm above the saddle and 1 cm bellow while a size 58 give me 1 to 3 cm drop. So I think I will end up with either a 58 or a 60.

The 58 comes with a 110 stem which gives a very apealing 690 reach but I can't do anything about the 1-3 cm drop. If I pick a 60 I will have to change to shorter stem, I guess round 80 - 100. Does it matter which one I chose?

I still don't get how you are calculating drop. You can change your drop by a lot more than 2 cm by adding/removing spacers or flipping your stem.

Well, it just so happens that a 54 frame fit me perfectly, but even if I had longer legs I would have gotten one of the 26" tire frames because I just like being able to use MTB stuff. I mean, not if I was 7 feet tall or anything, but within reason.

Ok, I just looked at my bike. It has 3 spacers, each one is 1cm. The stem is 17 degrees, so flipping it changed the angle by 34 degrees. I don't know if they cut the original steerer tube down, but the Surly site says the LHT fork comes with a 320 mm steerer tube. ( Interestingly, the 26" fork comes with a steerer tube of 380mm).

The 60 cm frame has a head tube of 92 mm, which should leave about 230 mm of head tube, which suggests they must have cut it quite a bit, unless I'm missing something. Not sure what the max number of spacers you could run is. You might want t o call Surly. Are you working with a local shop? You could also try the surly owner's group message boards, which is where that fit sheet comes from. If you find your answer elsewhere, let us know, I'm curious where you end up.

Hope this answers your question. My 60 cm. complete came with 5 spacers incl. the noodle. Definately insisted not to cut steerer,so thats what i got.


For the OP im only 182.8 cm. tall but with 88.9 cm. inseam and the 60 cm. was good for me with the stock stem. Course i like to stretch out a bit. Bars are above saddle by about 3.8 cm. I like my saddles to only stick out of the frame about a handful which it does. But thats the way i prefer my bikes.

Hope all this helps.

I would go to your LBS and let them help you out on the right size LHT.My 2 cents on this.

I started a thread at the LHT & CC group:

http://groups.google.se/group/surlyl...a47490ec044e37

The bike comes with its fork uncut.

/Ingemar

I have a 90 cm PBH and got the 60 cm long haul trucker - perfect fit. YMMV.

Size it by top tube length.

I agree 100%

I'm the same height as the OP & ended up on a 56!

I'm 6', and ride a 58 cm with 90mm stem (at least right now). Long legs, long arms, and a short torso. Ask the shop not to cut the steerer tube, and you can get plenty of adjustment. I got my LHT as a framset, but the uncut steerer tube is about 115-120mm above the top of the headset. I don't need that much, but I'm not going to cut it until I put another couple of hundred miles on it and make sure I have the fit really dialed in. I could also flip the stem and move it up, getting about the same bar heigth. Stem angle can also be varied to adjust bar height. The LHT I test rode at the shop did not have the steerer tube cut.
You can see how much steerer tube there is above the upper headset race.
http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/y...DSC_0064-1.jpg