PLEASE HELP-6'-1" , 33 inseam..MADONE fit question..
 

Hello knowledgeable folks...I am sure this topic has been brought up a million times on here but I am a newbie to this forum so here goes...I just purchased a 2011 Trek Madone- I am 6'-1" tall with a true inseam of 33in. The bike fit is H2. I have been to numerous websites with fitting charts and calculators most of which recommended either a 58cm frame and some 60cm. My LBS owner ultimately urged me to get a 60cm as well so that is what I ordered. My question is this...Is it better to have the 60cm frame with a slightly lower saddle and shorter stem, or the 58cm frame with the higher saddle and longer stem? To be honest, aesthetically I like the look of the latter, but in the big scope of things comfort on long rides and functionality is most important. Any advantages or disadvantages to having the 60cm for my body type? Any input, opinions, or experience would be very much appreciated.

58

6 Ft with 34" inseam, and ride a 60 cm.

<<< 6ft, 32in inseam and I ride a 58cm madone H2.

6'2" with 32in inseam and way more comfortable on a 2010 Madone 5.2 Pro (H1) 60cm. The 58cm didn't cut it for me in the Pro (H1) fit.

vuduchyld5: I have a Madone 4.7 54cm and I'm 5' 11"; I find it very comfortabel; the "pros" often go with smaller frames to reduce the weight; they jack the seat waaaay up if you notice. I would think a 56cm would do fine for you.

I'm 6' 1" with 32" inseam and I ride a 58cm frame. I'd think 60 cm would be too large for me.

You also have to consider how Trek measures their frames. They measure to the top of the seat tube (at least they did when I looked at Treks 5 years ago). Cannondale goes center to center, so a 60 cm Trek was smaller than a 60 cm Cannondale for example. At 6'1" and 34" cycling inseam, I ended up on a 60 cm cannondale since I was planning long rides and not racing. If I had been planning on racing, I would have gone with the 58.

Spend $150 and get a somewhat professional fitting. There is a lot more to it that just Height and Inseam. I am 6'0" with a 32" inseam and ended up with a Trek Madone 58CM H2.

I am 6 2 with a 35 cycle inseam and ride both a 61 and a 59. Either of them work fine, I am a little more streached out on the 61 but I actually like that at times. I too do not like a huge amount of seat post showing but probably going down is not a bad idea.

What did the fit calculators suggest for top tube and stem lengths? I'd base my decision on which frame size matches those recommendations most closely.

SP
Bend, OR

Also look at head tube height. Will the 58 be high enough to keep you comfortable, saddle to bar drop wise?

How old are you and what type of riding do you do? And what is your "body type"?

Hey! Thanks for the reply. I am 33yrs old and as of right now I average about 25 miles a day- Just recreational and fitness. Trying to get in shape to join some local century rides by fall. Not sure what you mean by "body type"..but I guess athletic would be the best description...I weigh about 215lbs...semi long torso as opposed to leg length I guess...Not looking to get into racing or anything but I do enjoy the average fast sprint and descent here and there.

There is *definitely* not enough weight difference in the frame itself between 58 and 60cm to even think of making your decision based on weight alone. That is a bad, bad idea. It's well under 100 grams difference, and probably under 50.

Use online fit calculators (such as the one at Competitive Cyclist) and see what that suggests as a starting reference. But then, of course, consider the advice and perhaps professional fitting from the LBS. Regardless of what trim level the complete bikes are, certainly you need to be on a 58 and 60cm frame that are both the frame you're gonna buy. (Duh, right? :))

BTW I am 6'0 33" inseam and I had this exact choice too. I went for 60cm. My seatpost is 'only' exposed about 6"... I feel so inadequate compared to the 'pro' riders my size on 56cm bikes. ;)

Agree .. arm length, torso, etc. can make the difference between back/knee pain versus bliss.

Sounds like you ordered the 60 already. I think you could make either work with different length stems. I'll bet you can find a 58 to sit on. Is your current saddle height about 29.7"?

Would be a good idea to get a fitting as soon as the bike comes in. That way if the 60 is wrong you can take it back and get the 58. Very hard to fit over the internet. The 60 will have a taller head tube and you will need a shorter stem. It is a close call at your height. The 58 may be a better choice.

What Madone did you order? The 4 or 5 series? Great bikes.

6'4", 34" inseam, my Madone is 58 with a 110 stem. I use it for daily riding.

YOU ARE PRETTY DEAD ON WITH THAT SADDLE HEIGHT! Here's the thing...I had first bought a 2.1 which really made me realize I was going to stick with the cycling...So I sold that one on an auction site and went for the 5.2 Madone. The 2.1 was a 60cm -I guess the saddle was fairly low and it never ever crossed my mind to question the fit because the owner of my LBS is very knowledgeable and I stuck with the 60cm on the Madone as well. The Madone arrived and came standard with a seat post that was waaaay too long..So me, being the impatient ass that I am took the bike home anyway-ordered the right size seat post and figured I would come back later for the fitting. I rode the Madone a few times with the new seat post and didn't quite feel like I was getting the power to the pedals that I would expect for all the Madone hype..So I started to question things. And since the seat post is a cap rather than an "in frame" post it is as low as it will go...Upon getting the needed fitting today the bike shop owner took all the measurements, adjusted the seat forward a bit and put a shorter stem on and assured me that the bike was now the perfect fit for me. I rode the bike and everything felt great- But the thing is I have never had such a nice bike and I HAVE NO IDEA EXACTlY WHAT THE BEST POSSIBLE PERFORMACE FEELS LIKE YET!!! And I guess I am a little (superficially) bummed that my bike doesn't have that sporty high seat look that alot of Madones have (dumb, I know)...I mean it still looks pretty mean...maybe I am just being silly. I have also read alot of statements from people on here that were my size and the 58cm was too cramped for them. Either way the 58cm's are sold out from Trek...And there is no way in h-ll I am gonna try to sell this bike to buy the 58 anyway so I really just need to stop worrying. I just hoped I could get a good peace of mind on here that I have what I need and I can drop this...Sorry for the 15 page reply :-/

Enjoy your bike. Sounds like it fits just fine. The bigger frame will usually give a higher handlebar position and a slightly more "comfortable" fit. At age 45+ I am more concerned with comfort than aero. Some of the "punks" ;) here are all about aero and ride with fits that would make my back go out. For longer rides and comfort you did great.

And remember, performance is all about the engine. Contador would still kick all of our asses on a 40lb bike.... When I went from 22lb bike to a 16lber, I didn't climb any faster, sorry.

I sure love the ride the Madones have and a carbon frame is the best, IMO.

Thanks-Well put sir! I agree...I love em too.

58. Treks are long IME. You'll struggle with reach and short stems on the 60

Sorry wrote that before reading your reply, hope you got the fit the you wanted

Yup, that's it. :) Seriously, a lot of the young guys get the smaller bikes so they look cool...and put up with whatever discomfort results. If you're comfortable, you'll ride more often, and that's the important thing.

FWIW, I'm 6'2" and my two bikes are 61s. They're set up identically, but the Allez looks racier due to the sloping top tube. The Look has a horizontal top tube and the seat doesn't stick up as far above it, but both bikes have the same seat/bar drop (5.5cm).

Thank you Chuck! BTW- What is your inseam?