58cm or 60cm
#26
Living the n+1

Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,746
Likes: 2
From: Off the back
Bikes: 2019 RM Pipeline, 2019 RM Blizzard, 2013 SuperX, 2007 Litespeed Vortex, 1970 Falcon Olympic, 2008 RM Metropolis IGH, 2004 Specialized Enduro, 2006 Langster
A 56cm TT fits me perfect. (5'-11.5" 33 inseam)
#27
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 87
Likes: 0
im 5'11 33 inseam and i ride a 54 orbea, keep in mind that you really should be fit on the frame without going beyond a 120 stem. If you get the bike with a forward center of gravity it can be unstable and too aft you loose the ability to control. It does matter on the geometry of the frame though and all of the other measurements needed to fit your bike.
#28
Aluminium Crusader :-)

Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,050
Likes: 11
From: Melbourne, Australia
There are gazillions of people, including plenty of taller pros, with 130mm stems, and they (the pros) have to fly down icey mountain roads at 90kph and sprint at 70kph+.
#29
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,760
Likes: 0
From: San Francisco
Bikes: Steelman eurocross, Surly CrossCheck, IRO Rob Roy...
6'1, my track bike is a 60 with a 110 stem, and my cross bike is a 57 with a 115. Both of my bikes were fitted by professionals. I also use both for racing.
#30
cat person
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 510
Likes: 0
From: N.W. Michigan
Bikes: Nashbar Race SIS (1987), Kestrel Talon (2007), Trek Fuel EX 9.5 (2007)
TL;DR entire thread.
If you can't be personally fitted for a frame/bike at your LBS, here are two things to use as a guide for a road bike frame:
stand-over height. should have a minimum of 1" between groin and top tube. Preferred is 2-4"
Top-tube length, should be: (your inseam x 0.67)
that's a good starting point.
Using that, I take a 48-50cm frame on most road bikes, or a "Small"
I'm 5'7" with 30" inseam.
If you can't be personally fitted for a frame/bike at your LBS, here are two things to use as a guide for a road bike frame:
stand-over height. should have a minimum of 1" between groin and top tube. Preferred is 2-4"
Top-tube length, should be: (your inseam x 0.67)
that's a good starting point.
Using that, I take a 48-50cm frame on most road bikes, or a "Small"
I'm 5'7" with 30" inseam.
#31
Senior Member

Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 12,275
Likes: 6
From: SE Minnesota
Bikes: are better than yours.
TL;DR entire thread.
If you can't be personally fitted for a frame/bike at your LBS, here are two things to use as a guide for a road bike frame:
stand-over height. should have a minimum of 1" between groin and top tube. Preferred is 2-4"
Top-tube length, should be: (your inseam x 0.67)
that's a good starting point.
Using that, I take a 48-50cm frame on most road bikes, or a "Small"
I'm 5'7" with 30" inseam.
If you can't be personally fitted for a frame/bike at your LBS, here are two things to use as a guide for a road bike frame:
stand-over height. should have a minimum of 1" between groin and top tube. Preferred is 2-4"
Top-tube length, should be: (your inseam x 0.67)
that's a good starting point.
Using that, I take a 48-50cm frame on most road bikes, or a "Small"
I'm 5'7" with 30" inseam.
#32
cat person
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 510
Likes: 0
From: N.W. Michigan
Bikes: Nashbar Race SIS (1987), Kestrel Talon (2007), Trek Fuel EX 9.5 (2007)
Not according to this:
https://www.wobblenaught.com/fittingsystem.asp
granted torso to inseam ratios can vary from person to person, as long as you're not a wookie, it should be a good starting point.
https://www.wobblenaught.com/fittingsystem.asp
granted torso to inseam ratios can vary from person to person, as long as you're not a wookie, it should be a good starting point.
#33
TL;DR entire thread.
If you can't be personally fitted for a frame/bike at your LBS, here are two things to use as a guide for a road bike frame:
stand-over height. should have a minimum of 1" between groin and top tube. Preferred is 2-4"
Top-tube length, should be: (your inseam x 0.67)
that's a good starting point.
Using that, I take a 48-50cm frame on most road bikes, or a "Small"
I'm 5'7" with 30" inseam.
If you can't be personally fitted for a frame/bike at your LBS, here are two things to use as a guide for a road bike frame:
stand-over height. should have a minimum of 1" between groin and top tube. Preferred is 2-4"
Top-tube length, should be: (your inseam x 0.67)
that's a good starting point.
Using that, I take a 48-50cm frame on most road bikes, or a "Small"
I'm 5'7" with 30" inseam.
#34
Knowing's half the battle
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 6,119
Likes: 3
From: Omaha, NE
Bikes: 2009 Cannondale CAAD9 BB30, SRAM Red, Fulcrum Racing 3s
FWIW - I'm 6'3 and my custom Seven is coming with a 59.9 cm top tube based on their calculations.
I have a 35 inseam.
I have a 35 inseam.
#35
Senior Member

Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 12,275
Likes: 6
From: SE Minnesota
Bikes: are better than yours.
I'm three inches shorter than you and have the same inseam. A 60cm top tube for me is ridiculous. This comes from the old Lemond method which multiplied inseam by .67 to determine seat tube, which is much more sensible. Unfortunately, seat tube means a lot less than it used to so they're trying to use this in a way it was never intended.
#38
Knowing's half the battle
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 6,119
Likes: 3
From: Omaha, NE
Bikes: 2009 Cannondale CAAD9 BB30, SRAM Red, Fulcrum Racing 3s
+1
All of my bikes thus far have been 60cm.
All of my bikes thus far have been 60cm.
#40
Senior Member

Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 12,275
Likes: 6
From: SE Minnesota
Bikes: are better than yours.
I'm pretty flexible and like to be a bit stretched out but 60cm is way too long on the TT. I ride anywhere from a 60-63 ST with a TT from 57.5 to 59 with 58 about optimum. You can't determine TT without knowing something about body proportions and inseam tells you nothing about that.
#41
cat person
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 510
Likes: 0
From: N.W. Michigan
Bikes: Nashbar Race SIS (1987), Kestrel Talon (2007), Trek Fuel EX 9.5 (2007)
my old Nashbar road bike, CCroMo frame, traditional geometry, is a 21" frameset, or 53cm. That was OK when I was 5'8", but lost an inch due to some ortho issues over the last 20 years, and now when I stand over the bike in cleats, my 'bits' are resting on the top tube, which makes mounting and dismounting the bike very awkward.
On a side note, when looking at framesets for Kestrel and Kuota, I use standover height measurements from their geometry charts to give myself 1-2" of clearance, and oddly, the top tube lengths of their frames fall precisely into the lengths calculated with the formula I mentioned.. so I guess whatever Lemond was thinking, so were a lot of frame-makers.. even to this day. I seem to fit well on a "small" frame withabout a 20-21" top tube. This usually leaves me with a good saddle position, 165-170mm crank arms, and a 100-110mm stem @ 0 degree rise.
It is quite possible that I am a mutant however. I've been compared to worse. hehe
On a side note, when looking at framesets for Kestrel and Kuota, I use standover height measurements from their geometry charts to give myself 1-2" of clearance, and oddly, the top tube lengths of their frames fall precisely into the lengths calculated with the formula I mentioned.. so I guess whatever Lemond was thinking, so were a lot of frame-makers.. even to this day. I seem to fit well on a "small" frame withabout a 20-21" top tube. This usually leaves me with a good saddle position, 165-170mm crank arms, and a 100-110mm stem @ 0 degree rise.
It is quite possible that I am a mutant however. I've been compared to worse. hehe





