Originally Posted by
huerro
Rim radius is 4mm difference, not 4cm. The tires you choose will can affect the bb height as well.
Ha. Whoops. Thanks for catching that.
Fearfeasog, in answer to your question, I've learnt mainly through trial and error what sizes I like to ride. Sometimes, a 21-inch/53 cm frame will fit, but sometimes, it just feels too cramped: top tube lengths vary. Unfortunately, however, 22-inch frames usually crowd me a bit in the crotch. This is where adjusting w/ stem lengths comes into play. You sound like you have a slightly longer inseam than I do, though, which gives you more options.
I've found the general rule-of-thumb works well for me as far as the top length: if I look down at the front wheel, the hub is not visible beneath my handlebars. When the hub is visible by anything more than about a cm, I tend to feel crowded when tucked into the drops. That's how I tend to gauge it. One of the pieces I've read about bicycle fit is at
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/. He basically describes what kind of 'feel' factors one should look at as far as fit goes. And that's really the most important part--not numbers or measurements, but feel.
One thing that might render that Shogun unappealing, btw, is the seatpost--make sure it's not stuck into the seattube. If it is, realize you will have to kill yourself to get it out.