Originally Posted by
headwind15
I have been road cycling for over 40 yrs, I was a shop owner for over 12, a frame builder since 2000 and am 5'-6" tall (or short). The thing is that people used to ride bigger bikes. I recommend you check out you tube under 1936 Tour de France. You will notice that no one has more than 2" of seat post sticking out of their frame. I bought my first real road bike (A 52 cm Cinelli) in 1976. I could ride that big of a road bike and I did, so yes short people can ride relatively large bikes. I am not even saying that I would have gone any faster with a shorter bike. But... it is simply nicer to not have to straddle a bike that feels like it practically comes up to your belly button. After getting into this whole "compact frame" geometry (it's been around for a while now.) I ride a road bike with a 42 - 44 cm seat tube. About 10 cm / 4inches shorter seat tube than my original Cinelli. The top tube length is only slightly longer to help get away from so much toe overlap. The bottom line is that there is no benefit to having a high top tube, but major benefit of a lower one. I do recommend that you try out a giant with a 44 cm seat tube and see how you like it. There is no way you will digress by riding some behemoth 53 cm frame, trust me.
Hello headwind ,
I felt a strong impulse to respond to your story because it is mine too !
but, I am still riding my large bike , and have yet to own a smaller sized one . I am exactly your hight and the bike is a Motobecane Grand Jubilee 1978 of 52cm .It was my father's bike and remember the day as a child seeing him happy and impressed by this new thing riding it around the block on east 71st in manhattan were we lived .I would change the bike for a Masi or something like that maybe, or I love even older french bikes , but I am fond of it pretty much and the Moto has so little resale value I would have to dig in to other funds . I am experiencing a lot of riding now more then ever before because of the lockdown . I am dressing this thing up like you wouldn't believe.with a Gilles Berthoud saddle and tool bag simplex chain guard Rene Herse type black fenders (bike is metallic red ). What would be your advice on Seat post height or another seatpost or a special castle,that possibly brought this seat forward? Also should I modify anything else like handlebar geometry? Change the stem? I'd like to make the best of what I have for now , that I can . One day the accessories can be removed and put on another bike . Oh one more thing, I'm a 30 inseam with good proportions not short for my size ,in arm length too.
Alex