Originally Posted by
Tony (Michigan)
O.K. I went to the Trek fitting thing tonight and the guy there, after measuring me and running everything through their computer told me I should be on a 58 road bike. However, he said that LeMond Poprad is different and that my 55 is O.K. for me.
He was very good and adjusted some of my teckniques, seat height, etc. It was a good experience.
While it is true that one can adjust a bike to achieve a better fit, and that expertise in this area can be very helpful, I'm not buying the statement that the Poprad is different, because it isn't.
The LeMond Poprad is a typical traditional geometry bike. It is true that their sizing is a bit smaller than what Trek uses on their other lines ... that is, a 55cm Lemond is essentially the size as a 56cm Trek.
Consider the effectively length of the top tube: A 55cm Poprad is 56.1cm, a 56cm Trek 1500 is 55.7cm, likewise for a 56cm Madone. A 56cm Trek Portland has a TT of 56.5cm.
Meanwhile a 58cm Trek 1500 is 57.2cm and a 58cm Trek Portland is 57.5cm
Thus one can make the case that a 55cm Poprad is the equivalent of a 56cm Trek. But it is smaller than a 58cm Trek. If your perfect fit road bike is a 58cm, then it goes that your perfect fit Poprad would be the 57cm size.
But that doesn't mean you would like the 57 better. Some people like a bike that is a bit larger or smaller than the formula suggests. However I think the LBS should try to put you on the best fit first and do their best to make that work, rather than put you on a less optimal fit and then make adjustments.