Help with correct size frame.
 

I am in the market for a new bike but I am unsure what my correct size is. I know everyone will likely say go get fitted at a shop, but my question of more specific. I am 5ft 11in tall, but I would say that I have longer arms/torso and shorter legs. I test rode a Orbea today that is 52cm stand-over height. It really felt fantastic and it didn't seem cramped or awkward. I rode a 57cm Bianchi the other day and it really seemed too tall. Is a 52cm Orbea going to be too small for me? Is there a specific test or measurement i could do to see if it is in fact too small? Thanks!

A 52 cm frame seems too short for someone who is 5'11".

The Competitive Cyclist Fit Calculator takes pertinent ergonomic measurements and the type of riding you plan to do to generate a baseline fit recommendation. I'm 5'11" and for me it recommended a 56 c-c seat tube and top tube bike with a 110mm flat stem for a "French fit." A close match to my most comfortable road racer.

However, some will correctly note that it does not suggest seat tube and head tube angles, so they must be assumed to be fairly industry standard, like 73 degrees. Same with the amount of drop in the bars.

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/za...LCULATOR_INTRO

Try it and tell us how it turned out.

Im 6ft 3 I ride a 58, my friend who is 6ft rides a 58, we both can fit on 56s. Depends how cramped and race ready you want to be. If you cant get a good pedal stroke with you legs at less than 150 degrees when fully extended and when in the your forearms/upperarms dont create a near right angle. You may want to look to get professionally fitted because you make have weird dimensions, like I do. Ive got the legs for a 61cm bike, but the torso for 56/58cm bike.

Welcome To Bike Forums, Conan!

Frame size and fit can be really strange topics. Just because you're the same height as someone else, doesn't necessarily mean that a certain size of bike will fit you both correctly. Each individual body is different. Most of us fit the physical norm and we can more or less fit the same bike that someone else can fit who's the same height. However, that sometimes ain't the case!

That said, there are certain rules of thumb to go by, if you're not accompanied by a bicycle. They go as the following links would suggest:

1) www.ehow.com/how_4760992_bicycle_fit_guide_html

2) http://bicycling.about.com/od/howtor...ike_sizing.htm

3) http://www.ehow.com/how_14104_determ...ect_frame.html

Good Luck! :thumb:

"I test rode a Orbea today that is 52cm stand-over height."


No, you didn't. Well, maybe you did, but if so, it was tiny :) If you're saying it was a 52cm size, that seems too small for you too. Depends on the bike's geometry, though.

I'm 5 11 and kind of average. I ride a 54 cm Kona Jake (which probably could use a slightly longer stem) and a 57 cm BMC Streetracer (Just about perfect for me. Maybe could use a 10mm shorter stem). The Competitive Cyclist fit calculator is pretty good, it seems. Good luck!