Originally Posted by
TurbineBlade
Get one that fits.
Most bike shops these days are staffed with mostly idiots, and will try to put you on a frame that is too small with 8-12" of seatpost hanging out. This is supposed to "make the bike handle easier" and "be stiffer". You and I are the same height, so depending upon leg length, etc. you'll likely want something near 58-60 cm for road and 21-23 in for mountain. It's a virtual guarantee that a shop will try to get you on a 55-56 road or 18-19 mountain bike. The penalty is that your handlebars will be too low -- unless you prefer it this way, in which case go for it.
If you find a LBS that caters to all riders, or mostly non-racing cyclists, you have a gem.
I don't like Grant, but Rivendell has a good article for proper sizing for non-racing cyclists that I agree with. To each their own.
Also - do a search. These threads pop up like bed bugs in Manhattan.
Better listen to this guy...he's been in all of the tens of thousands of LBS's in the world,so he knows that "MOST" of them purposely put you on ill fitting bikes because they don't give a crap about the bread and butter of their business...just the Lance wannabe's
So how many shops have you visited to make a "MOST" statement like that? 3? 50? 350? 1,000? 5,000? Even that wouldn't be "most". I haven't been in "most" either,BTW,but most that I
have been in want to make you happy,because they want your REPEAT business.
If they don't fit you properly to a bike,go elsewhere. Or do like this guy,vent your issues on somebody here
