Thylacine

Hrm, short inseam for someone your height. That hints to me that you have long torso and arms meaning that you'd need over a 60cm top tube. Pretty rare for big guys, most are like me - all leg.

Devious Rhesus

I just re-measured myself. I'm 6'4.5" tall, and my inseam is between 89-91 cm, depending on how hard I'm applying pressure with the book. I suppose the point is to simulate sitting on a saddle by cramming a book between your legs, so I guess 91 would be right. What does long torso and arms mean in the way of sizing?

So, palms flat on top of the shifters, arms parallel to the ground?

Patriot

You are 6'4"? Well, in that case, I would say an X-large frame is probably best then. Can you take it back, and exchange it for a bigger one?

Devious Rhesus

Yes, I can. I'd still like more opinions, as I'm apparently at the cusp between sizes. I'm a total road newbie, so maybe when I road the XL it just seemed too large to someone with no experience? What are signs that a frame is too large or too small? Would a different sized stem help either frame become close to what I need?

timwat

Thylacine, does it matter that he's on an OCR, and with the more upright posture intended, it's going to be harder to get him into a "traditional" posture?

Patriot

Well, I'll put it to you like this. I am 6'2", and can take a 57-59cm top tube with a 120mm stem (usually).
Now, with you being 2" taller, and with most likely a longer torso than myself, I would say go to the larger size.

The reason it may feel a bit big, is exactly how I felt after getting back on my old Centurion after being off it for 9 years. The fact is, as you said, you are new at road cycling, so the whole posture is going to feel VERY differant, and you will feel very stretched out at first, until your body gets used to it.

Your lower back will probably get a little sore for a while until the core muscles build into the posture for long durations. You may even get some sore wrists, but nothing good gloves can't help with. Also, your bum will get sore using the harder road saddle, simply because your bum isn't used to it. These things will happen, and when they do, just take it in stride, and it will eventually pass after a few weeks of good riding. If it doesn't go away, then you may have other problems with equipment, your posture, or the way the saddle is adjusted etc. These things can be taken care of as they arise.
Anyway, after riding my old bike for a few months, it feels totally natural now, when it used to feel like I was riding a huge framed bike.

Devious Rhesus

okay, the photos as requested:

In the drops

Arms straight

My elbows go passed my knee when I tuck in really low in the drops.

Anyeone in the houston area want to go with me to look at the XL?

rosem

Yeah, you look huge compared to that bike. Your head is almost as big as the damn tires

I would go for a new one, one size up.

Devious Rhesus

lmao. Yes, I'm a freak. Stop staring!

It appears the general consensus is to get the next size up, right?

R900

I usually tend to like a sightly smaller frame, but I would try the XL. The large just looks way to small. Unless you just can't dial in a XL, then you can always fall back to a L, or even another brand.

John

biker7

Yes...unless your objective is to go racing as mentioned by Smooth where most would opt for one frame size down which BTW belies the upright cruising nature of an OCR.
Almost 6'5" clearly correlates to a Giant XL. Work with the shop if the bike is brand new. Also...if you have more of a racing versus touring spirt...test ride a TCR in XL which will have a shorter steerer tube and get you more aero even on an XL.
Good Luck,
George

Devious Rhesus

But my inseem correlates to a large :-<

Sizing bikes is a pain. lmao

berny

Bike looks too small. I thought it when I saw the first pics and I still do.

biker7

Kind of a pain or challenge if you are particular which many of us are on the forum. Also no subject sparks as much debate or controversy either...sometimes heated...no most times heated as personal preference weighs heavily as well...your intent for the bike..to race or cruise...do you like to bend way over the top tube or ride more upright for example. Reread the inseam sizing chart. Even though you don't have a long inseam for your height...you fall almost on the recess of the margin for inseam on a Large...and more in the middle range for an XL for your inseam. What you do need is a longer top tube. A 585mm top tube for a longish torso'ed guy almost 6'5" isn't going to get it done...you need an XL. BTW, I am 6'1" and ride a 585mm top tube bike and I don't have a long torso...more height in my legs. Even though I am a pretty big guy...I would fit squarely on a Large and you are a much bigger guy and confirmed by the pics...need the top tube length of an XL.
HTH,
George

Devious Rhesus

Okay, I'm going to return this sucker. Hey, if the XL proves to be too large in the future, I can always get a shorter stem! ^_^

biker7

Don't know how much cycling you have done in your past...but if not, you will stretch out a lot in the next 1000 miles or so on your bike. You will be glad you bought the bigger bike as you become more flexible with miles. You don't want to ride a road bike like a balloon tired bike with a basket in the front...lol. The other issue...harkening back to an earlier thread about bike fitting comes to mind when there was heated exchange as to who knows best about fit...a LBS or the rider himself. Granted some new shoppers are acting from a pretty limited data base in terms of cycling experience and how it relates to their best fit...but here is a definitive case where a LBS sold you a bike clearly one size small...and not one size in the conventional sense either but per Giant's less incremental sizing which equates more to two sizes or so. At the end of the day...unless a very knowledgeable shop...buyer beware when it comes to deferring to a LBS recommendation for bicycle sizing...unless it was you that was adamant about going with the smaller frame size in spite of your LBS recommendation and now you are having second thoughts.
George

jdub71

I've always thought it was easier to lower the seat tube to fit for legs than to change out the stem to fit for torso. IMO

biker7

I always thought it was easier to adjust hand brake tension then to change a tire...IMO.
George

samp02

I don't think you position is all that bad. You seem to be in a comfortable position on the hoods. Your elbows are slightly bent and your chest cavity seems to have enough room for when your gasping for air..

Were you fitted for any "extras"..for example. My fitter allowed for not the best back and the want to remain somewhat upright but still get that needed "road Bike" position.

sunninho

Totally agree. Also, think about getting fitted at another LBS if possible. The shop that sold you the bike didn't seem to care too much about your overall and optimal fit.

cyclezen

Dont' muck around - find a good fitter in your area before you go any further - if you're gonna make the LBS jump hoops, then be 'educated' about your fit needs. Obvious the LBS let you make all your decisions. He wasn't gonna talk himself outta a sale...

There's another 'fit' thread in the forum with a good response with online fit calculators, you can start there and get educated.
Caveat - what feels right to a 'new' performance bike owner will feel like **** after a few months...

do a bikeforums search and check for prior threads... get fit, then go visit the LBS again.

Devious Rhesus

How do I find a decent fitter in my area?

BikeWNC

I'm just a hair under 6'3" and after looking at the geometry chart for the OCR, I really think the large TT is too short for you. But the issue with jumping up to the XL is the length of the Head Tube. At 231 mm with an integrated headset, it is likely that the max saddle to bar drop you could get with a 80 degree stem (-10) would be around 7 cm maybe less. So while that may seem sufficient right now, it may not be in the future.

roadwarrior

Frame's too small....at 6'4" you need an XL...you look way too tight in the top..if they advised you to go XL and you chose L, if they are nice they'll switch.
Really...I sell a lot of these and if you are 6'4"...XL...

roadwarrior

If the bike fits, your knees will be slightly outside of your elbows...I chuckled when I saw this picture...it's too small...on a longer ride, you will start pushing yourself away from the handlebars to create more space and that's when your back will start screaming.
Look, if I was selling you this bike, and you insisted on taking it, I would not allow you to. I'd rather not make the sale than sell you something that does not fit.
Sorry...get an XL.