Originally Posted by
Ray Dockrey
Who told you you needed a 21" frame? Maybe a 19" frame due to your longer legs but there is no way you need a 21" inch frame at 5' 8". Your torso is way too short.
21" is probably in the ballpark for a horizontal top tube road bike. I'm 5'7" and ride 54cm classic road bikes.
I ignore the seattube measure for sloping top tube bikes with flat bars, however. I just shoot for around 58cm Effective Top Tube for those. I make stem and bar adjustments to dial 'em in. I have a 16" Mongoose with 56cm ETT that works well with 130mm stem and a riser bar. And my KHS must be an 18 or 19" with a 60cm ETT. I run a flipped 110mm stem with a flat bar on that one, wish I had a 100mm for that, will grab the first cheap one I see.
Currently running drops on the Mongoose. 100mm stem unflipped.
