Originally Posted by
DX-MAN
I haven't used a Wabi, but looking at it online, it's pretty standard geometry. Given your height and long limbs, 55 sounds right to me, too. A friend had a 54cm road bike years ago, fitted to him when he bought it in '97, and he's 5'9" with 'normal' limb length.
The 90mm stem WILL make a difference; you'll be more upright, you may even feel cramped. On the other hand, it may fit you well. Only you will know that.
Just remember this: if you're going to spend ANY significant time on this bike, you need to be HAPPY with the fit; if it's wrong, it won't get better as time goes by. It's not something that can easily be reduced to measurements; it's a "feel" thing, and it just has to feel "right". When all of your contact points (bar, saddle, pedals) seems to "disappear", and just feel like an extension of yourself, you're there.
Ok, well that's good to hear, was feeling a bit neurotic. The change in head stem would have to be quite large it seems like because I also have to move the seat back in order to get my legs in the right position.
Wabi has great customer service, so if worse comes to worse I guess I could speak with him about sending back the 55 for a 52, although like I mentioned, I've never heard of anyone my size riding a 52cm frame. However perhaps there is something unique about his geometry:
http://www.wabicycles.com/component_sizing_info.html.