Originally Posted by
Treker
Question to the group: My daughter has longer legs compared to our other daughter of roughly the same height. How much does leg length figure in bike fitting? Or is overall height the more appropriate factor?
I should add, as the quote suggests, that this is for recreational riding.
It's the exact opposite -- one daughter has a shorter torso than the other of roughly the same height. Top-tube length is harder to adjust without effecting how her knees will be positioned over the pedals. You can't just move the saddle up and put on a shorter stem without taking power away from the pedal stroke.
For the record, I'm 5'4", and ride 48's, 50's, and 51's. It all depends on the geometry.