Originally Posted by pigmode
Dood, how can anyone make a valid rec without having any insight into your cycling experience, build-type/conditioning, or the type of riding you are aiming for? Racing/aggressive training, touring, cruising in the park? You have two threads running with the same title and I don't see how you can glean anything concrete to help you avoid making an expensive mistake.
At your size and height with short legs and long torso, with the fact that you felt too stretched out on a 54, I'm guessing that you are not in top shape in terms of cycling conditioning and flexibility. If this is true, I guarranty that, as mentioned above, you will need a high stack of stem spacers, or probably a super hi-rise stem with a 52. The latter is not a bad option if it fits into the type of riding to want to do. Take your competitivecyclist fit with a grain of salt. its a ball park figure (a biiiig ball park) that is just as likely to steer you wrong, and it is only as accurate as your measurments.
My demensions (inseam, height) are the same as yours. I ride a 52, but its a racing fit with 9cm handlebar drop. The fit is excellent with 43.5%/55.5% weight distribution (in the drops). Back angle is well below 45% when on-the-hoods/w arms slightly bent. Right now I am 1.5cm behind KOPS.
Exactly the point, nobody on this forum can really recommend properly that's why he needs to help himself.
The Competitive fit is a ball park, however it does give a focused range based on his actual measurements. The competitive fit at least narrows his range of frames and gives 3 options from agressive racing, to touring fit. Even if his measurements are not totally accurate, they are close enough given the recommended size ranges the program spits out for him (51c-c to 54c-c)
I would say that type of information has more bearing than
"I'm 5' x", or the same as you and I ride a 58cm, so thats what I think you should ride" That statement does not cover that the person is shaped like Quasi moto, has one leg shorter than the other, is a knuckle dragger, or what ever
In that case the Competitive fit guide is a more "Valid recommendation" I believe, and a much smaller ball park (3cm variance) compared to the variance of the sizes suggested in the 2 threads.
I recommended that he use a few fit guides, and then based on that information come to his own conclusion when asked how he would like to ride or where his goals are.
However in answer to his original question, a 52cm certainly does not seem "Too Small", based on his Competitive fit and Wrench Science fit, and I agree based on what I think of bike fit. That does not mean I'm right and it's gospel, but it it is more information to consider.
I used the Competitive fit, the Wrench Science online guides and 2 custom bike builder surveys (Everti & Seven), All 4 place me on a 53.5-54cm on average, I think based on that, the online guides are generally reliable enough to be trusted as a good starting point.
I noticed a lot of people on these forums size their bikes larger than I normally would for myself, which is not wrong, just different than how we use to do it.
If he feels good on it, and other points of referenced information correlates well with him, he is one step closer than he was when he first posted.