Hey Y'all,

I'm looking for sizing advice on a Bianchi Oltre XR3. I'm around 5'7" - 5'7.5" tall, with a 31-32" cycling inseam (pants are 30s). I'm debating between the 50 cm and the 53 cm model.

I'm currently riding a 55cm Bianchi Eroica frame with a whopping 130mm stem, which is way too long for me.
I spend most of my time on the tops, and have almost no saddle drop on the bike. It kinda works, but it really doesn't, and long rides on the hoods make my lower back stiff.

I'd be using the bike for long distance rides, not races. I'm thinking the 53 cm would be a little more relaxed than the 50, without too much drop.
But I worry about 53cm being too big, from my experience with the 55. Anyone have any recs?

I'm 66" and fit best on a 52. So the 53 sounds good. If your lower back gets stiff, your position or fitness is probably an issue rather than the reach. So why didn't you try a shorter stem?

Stems can be pretty inexpensive, why not get a stem comparable in length to the bikes you are considering and see what that does for you. They maybe you'll have some more actual experience to base your decision on what size new bike.

I bought an Infinito CV earlier this year and has a similar issue. I normally ride a 56cm, but the size run was 55cm and 57cm. After riding both, I chose the 57 and went with a slightly shorter stem than stock and running about 1mm of spacers. The benefit is that the bike is more stable and the front end feels stiffer die to the shorter stem and minimal spacers.

Also, not sure if the Oltre 3 has the same seatpost as the infinito, but if it does, there is a lot of adjustability fore and aft.

Good luck with the choice