bicyle frame size help
10-01-10 | 11:46 PM
#3
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2010
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From: Victoria, Canada
Bikes: Cannondale t1, Koga-Miyata World Traveller
Bicycle size on a new bike is usually on a sticker on the seat tube.
Road bike sizes are in centimetres.
Mountain bike sizes are in inches.
Some manufacturers use Sm, M, L, XL
Road bike sizes are in centimetres.
Mountain bike sizes are in inches.
Some manufacturers use Sm, M, L, XL
10-02-10 | 10:29 PM
#4
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2010
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From: City of Brotherly Love
Bikes: Raleigh Companion, Nashbar Touring, Novara DiVano, Trek FX 7.1, Giant Upland
For some reason unknown to me frame manufacturers put the size sticker on top of the clearcoat with a weak adhesive. The typical way to measure is from the center of the crank to where the center of the seattube intersects with the top of the toptube.
10-03-10 | 06:41 AM
#5
Thrifty Bill
Joined: Jan 2008
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From: Mans of NC & SW UT Desert
Bikes: 86 Katakura Silk, 87 Prologue X2, 88 Cimarron LE, 1975 Sekai 4000 Professional, 73 Paramount, plus more
+1 Tape measure.
Many manufacturers (Trek for example), use a removable decal for the sizing, so on used Treks, its often long gone. Sometimes you will find the frame size cast into the bottom bracket shell, but not very often.
If you are comparing with other bikes, just realize some manufacturers measure it differently: center to center, center to top, etc. And in the used bike market (Craigs List for example), most sellers either don't own a tape measure, or can't read one, as I rarely see a bike on C/L with the size accurate. I buy one one or two used bikes a week, so I see a lot of used bikes. Bought two bikes this week, seller stated they were the same size. Actually, one was a 52cm, the other a 56cm. 4 cm is over 1 1/2 inches, so even a yardstick could tell the difference.
Many manufacturers (Trek for example), use a removable decal for the sizing, so on used Treks, its often long gone. Sometimes you will find the frame size cast into the bottom bracket shell, but not very often.
If you are comparing with other bikes, just realize some manufacturers measure it differently: center to center, center to top, etc. And in the used bike market (Craigs List for example), most sellers either don't own a tape measure, or can't read one, as I rarely see a bike on C/L with the size accurate. I buy one one or two used bikes a week, so I see a lot of used bikes. Bought two bikes this week, seller stated they were the same size. Actually, one was a 52cm, the other a 56cm. 4 cm is over 1 1/2 inches, so even a yardstick could tell the difference.
Last edited by wrk101; 10-03-10 at 06:54 AM.
10-03-10 | 07:41 AM
#6
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From: Pittsburgh, PA
Bikes: '96 Litespeed Catalyst, '05 Litespeed Firenze, '06 Litespeed Tuscany, '20 Surly Midnight Special, All are 3x10. It is hilly around here!
That's not the usual way bike sizes are specified. For a level top tube frame the measurement is either from the center of the crank to the top of the top tube or from the center of the crank to the center of the top tube measured parallel to the seat tube in both cases.
For sloping top tube frames, the messurements are to where a "virtual" level top tube would intersect the seat tube.
For sloping top tube frames, the messurements are to where a "virtual" level top tube would intersect the seat tube.
10-03-10 | 07:37 PM
#7
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Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Austin
Bikes: Too many to count
Some frames are measured C-C (center of BB to center of ST/TT junction)
Some frames are measured C-T (center of BB to top of either ST/TT juntion or top of seat clamp)
I would suggest going to the manufacturer's website to determine which method they use to measure their frames. Then, take a tape measure and do the same on your frame.
Some frames are measured C-T (center of BB to top of either ST/TT juntion or top of seat clamp)
I would suggest going to the manufacturer's website to determine which method they use to measure their frames. Then, take a tape measure and do the same on your frame.
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