Originally Posted by
JohnDThompson
People seem to approach frame sizing differently now than in the past. Until the late 1990s, 6-foot plus riders would be fitted to a 60cm or larger frame. These days 6-footers are riding 56cm frames.
I suspect this is an aesthetic issue; in the past a "fist-full of seatpost" exposed above the frame was considered plenty; more than that and you should be shopping for a larger frame. These days people seem unconcerned and will just use a longer seatpost to get the saddle height with a smaller frame.
Since the 70's it seems that shorter riders/frames run with very little seatpost and stem length, whereas taller riders would have more seatpost showing and a longer stem.
I think the current trend now has the shorter riders with more seatpost showing, largely due to the inherent geometry with sloping top tubes.
For guys like me (6'2, 36.5" bike inseam), sloping top tubes are a bane.