Bike4Hunter

I have an idea of what size Gravity Liberty CXD that I am going o order from BikesDirect. The sizing guide says to order a 54cm because I am 5'11.2"

Can I trust Bike Direct's sizing guide?
How can I be sure of what size bike to order?
Should I get a bike fitting after buying this bike?
How much does a basic bike fitting cost?

Thanks!

fietsbob

It's part of buying a bike in a bike shop helping you buy the right size is step 1. putting you on the bike and taking a test ride .

bypassing the retail shop , you're on your own .. good luck ..

JerrySTL

I'm 6'1" and bought a 58 cm Windsor Tourist from BD a few years ago. It fits me OK. Of course I'm a statistical sample of one plus on a different bike.

Based on the questions that you are asking, you might want to buy from an LBS instead of BD. I've been buying and riding bikes since the early '70s and have a clue or two of what I'm doing. I've never paid for a bike fitting; rather, I do it myself.

Leisesturm

Can you 'trust' BD's sizing guide... ... whoa, there is a loaded question. I am a hair or three shorter than you, FWIW, this is my story. In my 20's it gradually dawned on me that I was a Large guy. No one told me, my mother had always bought me medium but when I discovered Large that was when life became worth living. Decades later, I am still large in everything. Recently I was shopping for cycling gloves online and as I usually do I clicked large. As it happens this brand had a sizing chart and for the first time ever I learned that glove sizes measure across the width of the palm and not down the length of the fingers as I had (and probably you too) had supposed. 9cm was apparently large and do you know I got out a tape measure and measured my palm and dang if it wasn't bang on 9cm. 10cm was XL but I hadn't seen a line of gloves that went to XL until I was in the LBS last Saturday. XLC gloves run to XL and I tried on a pair and liked the fit a lot. They also had large and I liked the fit of those as well. So I asked the guy in the LBS "what do you do when both the L and the XL feel good to you?" He said, "If it were me, I'd go with the L. Gloves stretch and... ..." So I got the L, because he had a point. I also thought that some real XL guy might need them and might not be able to work with L like I could.

I have road bikes from 52cm to 62cm. I didn't have much choice of frame sizes when I bought the bikes, only a "take it or leave it". You can make nearly anything within reason work very well and you would be surprised at how unreasonable you can get if you accept some compromises in handing or comfort. Personally I would think more bike wouldn't hurt and if they were available the 56cm or 58cm would be nicer looking, IMO, aesthetics count for a lot in the n+1 game. I am not sure of the worth of getting professionally fit after buying a mail order bike. If you aren't a fit expert after reading through a few back pages of this forum, you should worry. The guy at the LBS doesn't have as much to work with and he is also p*ss*d because you've brought him this BSO you got off the Internet and now he is supposed to make all right in your world for $2.00/hr above minimum wage. Heck I'd tell you that you needed a carbon fork too, just saying.

It's not rocket science. Read up about fit. Order your BSO of BD and when it arrives put your new found knowledge to work making it the best fitting BSO on Bike Forums.

H

gregjones

BD has geometry links with the bike descriptions. Measure yourself and see what a fit calculator says.

That will give you a starting point.

CenturionIM

Hear. Use the calculator and compare with the geometry chart.

ThermionicScott 

@Bike4Hunter, do you own or ride any bikes yet?

The BD sizing guides never jibe with my preferences, so any information you can bring to the decision besides your height will be helpful.

Kopsis

The Gravity Liberty CX bikes are only available in 4 cm increments, so the sizing guide will probably get you close enough. If you want a good fit, plan to change the stem and/or bars to fine tune stack and reach.

The 54 cm has a 570 mm ETT which seems long for a typical 5'11" rider (though from what I've seen BD has these fitted with comparatively short stems to reduce the overall reach). The next size down (50 cm) has a 555 mm ETT which might be a better fit if you're a typically proportioned rider (though you'll have a lot of seat post showing and will likely want at least a 120 mm stem if you go this route). Either size can probably be made to work. If you have long legs and a short torso or limited flexibility, I'd suggest sizing down.

Bike4Hunter

@Leisesturm
I hear what you're saying, and you are making sense to me. I wish I would have joined this forum many bikes ago.
Thanks for all your help!

Bike4Hunter

Thanks! I'll keep this in mind.

Bike4Hunter

I have a 33" inseam. That is the only other sizing info that I can give you at the moment.

Bike4Hunter

I am going to use the fit calculator as you are suggesting. Thanks!

Bike4Hunter

I was sold a 55.6cm SE Draft Single Speed from an LBS. That bike fit fine. No complaints
I had a cheapo Vilano Wave Freestyle 54cm that I rode the hell out off. That bike also fit fine. Never had a problem with fit.
I have a 55cm 80's Bianchi road bike that was uncomfortable. The bike was very twitchy. I was never comfortable on the bike on the hoods or the drops. I was somewhat comfortable on the top of the drop bars.
I also had a 2006 57cm Bianchi Axis. That bike felt too big and unwieldy. I had a lot of pain in my hands from riding the hoods, and discomfort in the saddle. This Bianchi Axis fit better than the previous 55cm from the 80's, but I was still no where near comfortable.

Thanks!

ThermionicScott 

Excellent. Based on that, it sounds like the 54cm may work well for you.

Leisesturm

In the 80's men were men and Knights were bold and sloping top tubes had not yet been invented. What you could straddle was what you could ride. Very few late model 56cm or even 58cm being sold on BD can't be stood over by someone 5'11". Maybe the ETT is 58cm and 55 would be an easier fit... ... buy a 90mm stem and save the 110mm that comes with the bike for trade goods. Simple. I don't even know how you make a 50cm with 700C wheels. Most 52cm already have the top and downtubes touching. That short a head tube makes for a very juvenile looking bike IMO and I don't know about anyone else, but I get an instant 10 more rpm in my cadence when someone yells from a cage: "hey, cool bike!". They aren't going to yell that to a 52cm BD BSO. Stems are made down to zero offset and it shouldn't take anything shorter than an 80mm or 90mm to make even a 60cm frame comfortable. Unless you are Criterium racing, bigger is better IMO. FWIW.

H

NormanF

In the old days, sizing was simple: you rode the biggest frame you could comfortably straddle that left you tippy-toed when straddled on the bike.

Nowadays, its more complex, thanks to sloping top tube design and compact frame sizing. In general, you ride a frame that fits when the stem and saddle are correctly set up. Usually a stem riser will make it all work out. Effective top tube length is now more critical than frame sizing. Shorter TT length equals increased comfort.