Newbie trying to decide on sizing for first bike -- please help?
Preface: I enjoy using an indoor cycling machine for fitness, and have decided I want to do my regular cycling workouts on an actual bicycle outdoors, since it's far more fun and interesting. However, after riding my father's road bike, I found it uncomfortable on my wrists and hands (and frankly unnecessary for the short 20-30 minute rides I would be doing for fitness), and took interest in finding my own bike to purchase with comfort in mind. Yes it is for fitness but it doesn't have to be fast.
The problem: I settled on a Verve 3 (although still considering an FX 3), but find myself torn between two sizes: M and L.
The details: I was measured in the Trek store as 5'10.5" with shoes on, which would put me squarely in the L size group according to the Verve 3 size chart, for which 5'9" is the tallest who should allegedly ride a Medium and also the shortest who should ride a Large. However, my inseam is 32 or 31 inches -- I buy pants with a 32 inch inseam regularly and they sometimes bunch a little at the bottom, so I guess I have a longer torso and shorter legs. On the Verve sizing chart, 30-33in is Medium and 32-35in is Large.
So, I am quite far out of the 5 foot 5 to 5 foot 9 height category for a Medium, and at nearly 5 foot 11 I am concerned that if I get the Medium I would be getting a bike that is frankly too small. However, when I test rode both, I often felt like the M was more comfortable, the reach out for the handlebars wasn't as long, the bike was "under" me.
I will try to link some photo but I am not sure if this forum will allow me to since I am new. If not, perhaps I can send a link to a member and then can add it here?
[Tried to put link here, but yup it's not allowed until after 10 posts... Guess I will hold off on the photos for now, but I feel they are the best way to see how the bikes fit me. They are imgbb links]
I think you will be able to tell the L is on the right. Sorry for the poor quality photo. I can try to upload higher quality, closer up photos at a later time.
What I am wondering is, would it be bad to get a Medium? The Large FX 3 felt more like my size but the Large Verve just feels so large. But I am also wayyy out of the M category on the height sizing chart...
Does the size simply correspond to the length of the frame, as in, the wheels are further apart? And otherwise they're the same size?