Proper Road Bike fit?
06-05-10, 10:24 PM
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Proper Road Bike fit?
Okay maybe someone can help me out I'm looking to buy a single speed road bike I'm male 5' 9" with a 33 or 34 inseam I've been to a couple of bike shops and they keep telling me different things, one shop put me on a 61 cm bike! I could fit the stand over clearance and I did test ride it and it felt okay but I only road it for 10 min and I'm afraid they were just rushing my fitting. Another shop told me a 59 or 58 cm might be better for me so I don't know who's right or who's wrong, I don't know much about road bikes but the bike I ride now is a Scott SUB 20 and it's a large but I don't know how that would translate into road bike sizes so can anyone help who knows about road bikes?
06-05-10, 11:02 PM
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You shouldn't need a 61 at 5'9" unless you have very long legs and then the top tube would be a bit long. But if the shop doesn't offer a fitting and you don't know what size frame fits you then find a shop that does offer a fitting. Different manufacturers use different fame sizing. My Jamis is a 56 and my Lapierre is a 49 CM. Stand over isn’t like it used to be because so many bikes have sloping top tubes now. Giant tends to list their frames as Small, Medium, Large and Extra Large. So suggesting what size frame you need would be a ball park guess at best. Find a shop that will fit you and then pick a frame. If I had to guess I would say the 58 would be closer than the 61.
06-06-10, 12:06 AM
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First of all at 5 foot 9 inches a 34 inch cycling inseam is quite a bit.
You should ride a bike with an effective top tube length of about 54 to 56 cm. At 5-9 I suspect a 54 is OK. I am 5-10.5, 85cm PBH, 75 to 76 cm saddle height and I ride bikes between 54 and 58 frame size (C/T) and I prefer a 56 or 57 (C/T). Just for reference, I have fairly long legs and arms. If you have long legs, short torso and arms maybe stay toward the lower end of the stated range.
Anyone who would put you on a 61 is just trying to sell you a bike or is ignorant.
You should ride a bike with an effective top tube length of about 54 to 56 cm. At 5-9 I suspect a 54 is OK. I am 5-10.5, 85cm PBH, 75 to 76 cm saddle height and I ride bikes between 54 and 58 frame size (C/T) and I prefer a 56 or 57 (C/T). Just for reference, I have fairly long legs and arms. If you have long legs, short torso and arms maybe stay toward the lower end of the stated range.
Anyone who would put you on a 61 is just trying to sell you a bike or is ignorant.
06-06-10, 01:15 PM
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Yeah I think a 58cm might be closer, last time I was measured I had a 33 inch inseam but a wear 34 inseam pants so maybe a 58 or 59cm is closer.
06-06-10, 01:23 PM
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Originally Posted by Robert Foster
You shouldn't need a 61 at 5'9" unless you have very long legs and then the top tube would be a bit long. But if the shop doesn't offer a fitting and you don't know what size frame fits you then find a shop that does offer a fitting. Different manufacturers use different fame sizing. My Jamis is a 56 and my Lapierre is a 49 CM. Stand over isn’t like it used to be because so many bikes have sloping top tubes now. Giant tends to list their frames as Small, Medium, Large and Extra Large. So suggesting what size frame you need would be a ball park guess at best. Find a shop that will fit you and then pick a frame. If I had to guess I would say the 58 would be closer than the 61.
06-06-10, 01:37 PM
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Originally Posted by Loose Chain
First of all at 5 foot 9 inches a 34 inch cycling inseam is quite a bit.
You should ride a bike with an effective top tube length of about 54 to 56 cm. At 5-9 I suspect a 54 is OK. I am 5-10.5, 85cm PBH, 75 to 76 cm saddle height and I ride bikes between 54 and 58 frame size (C/T) and I prefer a 56 or 57 (C/T). Just for reference, I have fairly long legs and arms. If you have long legs, short torso and arms maybe stay toward the lower end of the stated range.
Anyone who would put you on a 61 is just trying to sell you a bike or is ignorant.
You should ride a bike with an effective top tube length of about 54 to 56 cm. At 5-9 I suspect a 54 is OK. I am 5-10.5, 85cm PBH, 75 to 76 cm saddle height and I ride bikes between 54 and 58 frame size (C/T) and I prefer a 56 or 57 (C/T). Just for reference, I have fairly long legs and arms. If you have long legs, short torso and arms maybe stay toward the lower end of the stated range.
Anyone who would put you on a 61 is just trying to sell you a bike or is ignorant.
06-06-10, 01:40 PM
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I am 6'2" with about a 34 inch inseam and the 60 was too big for me! I ride a 58 now!
Also, I road a 1995 Schwinn for 14 years before I bought my Madone. I was never fitted to the Schwinn, and when I started shopping for a high end bike, and was fitted, I found the Schwinn was not the right size bike for me.
But over 14 yrs of ridding the wrong size bike, my body adapted to it ( not a good thing). Then when I test road bikes that were the right size, they felt awkward.
Well, I took the advise of my dealer, and bought the Madone. They were willing to give me 30 days to ride it and make sure it was the one for me! It felt funny for a little while, but hands stop falling asleep, my butt and back did not bother me on real long rides and the rest is history!
I now feel at one with my ride!
I hope this info helps..It sure helped me!
Also, I road a 1995 Schwinn for 14 years before I bought my Madone. I was never fitted to the Schwinn, and when I started shopping for a high end bike, and was fitted, I found the Schwinn was not the right size bike for me.
But over 14 yrs of ridding the wrong size bike, my body adapted to it ( not a good thing). Then when I test road bikes that were the right size, they felt awkward.
Well, I took the advise of my dealer, and bought the Madone. They were willing to give me 30 days to ride it and make sure it was the one for me! It felt funny for a little while, but hands stop falling asleep, my butt and back did not bother me on real long rides and the rest is history!
I now feel at one with my ride!
I hope this info helps..It sure helped me!
