Originally Posted by
titani
I am 5'11", with measured inseam 34". Long legs and short torso. When I try a 56cm bike, I feel cramped in the legs, yet too stretched out. ......
The leg length should be OK. A "feeling" can be hard to rectify... but you should get full leg extension on a 56... with no problem.
The typical way to shorten your stretch is with a shorter stem. You can also fudge the saddle position a tiny bit as well. But there are other fixes. You can slide the brifters (or brakes) backwards (towards the saddle) just a little and shorten the stretch a little that way. Also... the typical handlebar width (of 42cm on a 56 bike) might be too wide for you giving you or adding to that stretched out feeling. A 40cm handlebar might feel better.