Sizing quess - help me help others
 

I have a bike up on the local craigslist and have gotten tons of questions about fit. Every other time people just showed up and tried it out, but I have had 3 or 4 people who wanted a fit guess before making the trek.

It's a mixte frame and measures 19.5 inches c-t. I know fit is a very unique and specific topic, but is there a general range that I could use to help potential buyers before they actually try it out? I have suggested that they be fitted at a lbs for proper fit. I know this is a vague question and I can expect equally vague answers but I could use some help. Please don't answer "have them ride it and see if it fits" because I have tried that and met resistance.

I am trying to be a responsible seller and want to give the best answers I can to potential buyers.

Thanks
Matt

Someone really short......Maybe around 5'2" or so?

mixte fit everyone....right.:D

"have them fit it and see if it rides."

I would suggest listing the seat post length of 19.5" and the horizontal distance from near the top of the head tube to the top of the seat tube, the equivalent of top tube length on a standard mens frame. Based on seat tube length it looks like a 49cm to 50cm frame size, pretty small. I am no expert on Mixte frame dimensions though.

Here are the catalog pages of the frame I am talking about. Looks like it only came in 19.5 in and 22 in frames.

http://bp1.blogger.com/_whtVpXkKwlQ/...0-h/img010.jpg

http://bp1.blogger.com/_whtVpXkKwlQ/...0-h/img014.jpg

I too avoid sizing recommendations, but that is a very common question. I have started to catalog past sales and rider sizes. I then can honestly say: "I sold a bike this size to a woman that was 5-2 and she thought it fit great". I also have referred various buyers to websites on sizing (but most are too lazy to look).

Interesting on the sizing, my mixte experience has been with either 17 inch or 19 inch bikes. (But I don't have a lot of experience with mixtes).

Yeah, I am not thrilled to get the question either. I had a women who was 5'7" interested, she had a long way to drive and wanted to know before she made the trip. I told her it was probably too small, but who knows since it really is a preference thing.

It's not too small....it's the competitive fit :rolleyes:

Measure the distance from the center of the BB spindle to the center of an imaginary level top tube. Measuring the length of the seat tube does not work because many mixtes have short seat tubes. This Raleigh for example:

http://inlinethumb63.webshots.com/47...500x500Q85.jpg

^ measuring that way added about 1 inch. (20.5in - 52cm)

As the 19 1/2 inch frame size is the smaller of the 2 frame sizes listed I would guess that it would be more suited to smaller women - I would guess at 5' 2" as well.

Then again, my wife, and through observation, many other women would like the security of being able to put 2 feet on the ground and still be able to sit on the saddle. They would rather ride with their knees bent in a very 'compact' style than raise the seat to give themselves a more powerful position.

I think you could stretch the frame's 'target demographic' to women to a height of 5' 4" to 5' 5".

+1 I have had several women expect to be able to sit on the seat while both feet are on the ground. I have tried to explain that seat height/position should be based on the distance to the pedals, not the ground. So you might try it that way: Ask the potential buyer, are you looking to have both feet on the ground when seated? If so, this bike will fit you. But if you want your legs fully extended when pedalling, this bike is probably too small. At the same time, for a woman 5-7, this bike does sound too small.

Speaking from my years of motorcycle experience, there is a certain comfort to be able to have both feet flat on the ground while seated. I have tried to explain that bicycling and motorcycling is not performed Fred Flintstone style, but I have not succeeded with that explanation (I am a part time motorcycle riding instructor).

Thats a good point, my wife falls into that column also. Thanks for the all the help with this.

-Matt

It's a shame that you don't have one of the 210 mixtes that came with cantilever posts, I'm on the hunt for one of those.

As for sizing: In the best of situations the seat tube is a poor sizing guide, on a mixte it is worse than useless. Definitely measure the virtual top tube length. Due to it's design anyone can stand over it and because of readily available long seatposts anyone can get the saddle high enough. Reach and riding style are the only important parameters for fitting a bike like this. The bike could easily provide an agressive fit for a short person or a relaxed upright "city bike" fit for a taller person. This versatility is the beauty of the mixte design, and likely the very reason Miyata built only 2 mixte sizes and 5 standard sizes for the same model.

Mixtes also almost always have a shorter virtual top tube and, more importantly, a taller headtube and a shorter reach stem compared to the men's model of the same seat tube length, thus getting the bars higher and closer to the seat. This is a simple and seldom understood design decision for sizing bikes for women with long legs and a short torso. Manufacturers produced only one or two mixte sizes because each size could fit women over a wide range of heights. The 22" mixtes were intended for women over about 5' 8" or so, and 19" mixtes were for shorter women, but both sizes are surprisingly accomodating to taller or shorter women.

Yeah, my 210 also has steel rims too, kind of a bummer. Thanks for all the info, it's been very helpful.

Matt

Big difference: if a motorcycle falls over, it weighs 500 to 600 #, and lifting it back upright takes strength, skill, and a technique. Bicycles weigh from 15# (!!!!! Weight Weenie!!!!!!) to say 40#.

Granted it's more comforting, but also point out please the effect on knee joint health and longevity, as the trade-off against comfort.

There's a chart on this web page;
http://www.rivbike.com/article/bike_...g_a_frame_size
I've also heard that you take your inseam, barefoot, floor to pubic bone and multiply that by 109% and that should be the distance between the seat and the Bottom pedal. You can figure the range of seat adjustment and work out the formula and give an approximate range based on inseam.