Corben

I have a centurion here. its a 58cm. My inseam is just 30in. My crotch just clears the top tube while I stand over it. Im 5'8" . Charts say I should ride a 53cm. Im able to wrap my hand around my sest post between the saddle and top tube . For some that may be too low but it looks more lime a traditional road bike to me. Any higher road bikes look more ike a mtn bike. Looking at this shot the bike and I look well balanced together. Whats your opinion here.
Again I apologize for the errors down loading pics from mobile device. ...

Machka 

Setting aside the height ...


When you are seated comfortably on the saddle, can you rest your hands comfortably on the hoods?

Phil_gretz

Body proportions count. Do you have a longish torso and longer arms, shorter legs proportionally? Then you can go up a size. If not, likely the frame is too large.

Duane Behrens

The right bike of odd size can often be made to fit comfortably. For example, and even though I am 5' 10" tall, my favorite ride is a 50cm steelie. Because of its long top tube, simply extending the stem and seat post made it an extremely enjoyable ride; my favorite.

In your case (and another poster mentioned it), if your stand over height is safe, all that's really left is your reach to the bars. This can be shortened if necessary with a shorter stem extension and/or sliding the seat forward in its mount. However, sliding the seat too far forward can cause its own problems, which is covered in other threads. Playing with stem height and length, and adjusting the seat just slightly fore or aft might make it your forever bike. DB

Dang

Looks good.

Dave Horne

My inseam is 31.5" and my frame size is 54cm. That seems like a good size for me.

My previous bike was 59cm and I would have preferred a smaller frame.

I should add that my bike dealer checked my size and spent a fair amount of time as to what Van Nicholas (the brand of bike I bought) suggests. The frame was 54cm but they wanted the saddle considerably higher than what I preferred. In the end, so to speak, you go with what _you are_ comfortable with. The 'numbers' are just that, numbers.

My wife's bike is a 52 I believe and that feels fine for me as well.

slorollin

Are you happy with it? If so, there is no problem. I'm 6'1" but with only a 31" inseam. My height comes from a long spine. I want the longer top tube of a bigger bike than my height alone would dictate. Plus, I like the feeling of "riding high". If the large bike works for you I wouldn't worry about the rule book and the carpings of those that are devoted to it.

fietsbob

if You can stand bare,flat, footed straddling the top tube pain free, you can put up with it .

... till you decide what bike you need, next.

Little Darwin

Your saddle appears to be at about the right height in your picture, so as long as you feel good on the bike, you are good to go.

Your legs must be longer proportionally than mine, because I am 6' tall, and ride 56-58 cm bikes (for bikes with a level top tube) and have about the same amount of seat post showing... Fortunately bikes are pretty adjustable.

spdracr39

If you are comfortable on the bike on long rides then it is good for you. The numbers are a guideline not a rule. Bikes are very adjustable and adjustments can compensate for a lot of over and undersize frame issues.

hueyhoolihan

i've got an old steel 55cm with just barely a fistful of post showing. decidedly oldschool (< '85 ?) appearance. it fits well enough though and can stand over it okay. OTOH, these days when i buy a frame i look at the length of the headtube and am buying the equivalent of 50cm frames. i'm 5/8.

Corben

Some good points to consider here. Thank you everyone. The bike is a cool bike and rides great. Not to comfortable on the drops...perhaps I need to get the original stem back on and keep it lower. I do have a long spine.

jon c. 

Charts from the 70s advised a 56cm at 5'8". I'm 5'8" and ride a 54, but I have a lot more seatpost showing than was common when I was young. Back then, if you saw the amount of seatpost most people show now, you'd have thought they were riding too small a frame. I think preferences in pro cycling and aerodynamic studies may play in role in modern sizing theory. But whatever you're comfortable on is really fine. My spare is a 56 and I can ride my brother's 58 comfortably if I lower the seat.

Corben

Yes. For example I'm taller then my wife but her legs are longer then mine. She has to move the drivers seat back and adjust the rear view mirror down after I drive. She also has to put the lid back down after I take a...

ThermionicScott 

I'm 5'8" and also ride a 58cm bike most of the time. (It's actually 57x57 measured center-to-center.)

Fits fine, and doesn't have all that godawful stem and seatpost sticking out.