Jumpjet

I am 6'1 and am making a transition from mountain bikes to road bikes. I just picked up a 2014 Specialized Allez C2 that is a size 54cm. I'm kinda concerned about the size of the bike and if it would cause any negative affects on the body. I road it around the block and I felt comfortable on it. I know I should have given it a good long ride before posting but it's been raining this week. So my question would be whether to keep it and make this bike work, or sell it and get this Schwinn Phocus 1600 which is 56cm. Between those two options, which one would be better.

My rides are usually less than 20 miles on a typical bike path mainly for excercise purposes. if that makes a difference.

10 Wheels

Get a 60 cm or 61 cm if you want a good fit for nice rides.

Leinster

I'm 5'10 and ride a 54 CAAD, but also have a 55cm Bianchi and a 56cm old Cannondale. I'd say you'd be much better off with the 56 or bigger.

RogueRadio

At 6'1 I would expect you to be riding a 56cm at the minimum. Even with a long stem, you may be cramped. I would say a 58cm would be perfect for you.

dtrain

58cm would be my first guess for 6'1"...maybe a touch bigger. Not a 54cm.

TGT1

I'm 6'2" and ride a 61cm CX bike. At first it felt way too big coming off of years of using a MTB for commuting. I was on the tops all the time and hardly ever on the hoods or drops for the first six months or so. As the back got stronger, I got stretched out, more aero and on the hoods most of the time, it now feels about perfect, but I think a 58 could be set up just as comfortable.

If I was a little shorter or had a little different ape index (reach to height) a 61 would be too big. A 54 or 56 would be too small.

Don't underestimate the advantage of a more aero position. My cruising speed has gone up about 2 mph once I got strong enough to stay down on the hoods and drops.

68venable

I am 6'2" and ride an Allez.. the shop fitted me to it when I purchased it and it's a 56cm. Everybody online say that a 56cm is too small, without actually seeing the fit or measuring me. I trusted the shop and have enjoyed it for 5 years or so I guess. My best advice would be to either get fitted or ride with someone that knows what to look at. An experienced cyclist should be able to look at you and guage the fit better than a bunch of people online that have limited information about your setup and your body type.

Jumpjet

I understand I should get a bigger size but my current two options are to either keep the 54 Specialized or get the bigger Phocus 1600 bike. I know the Specialized Allez is a better bike but do I keep the better bike if it's a tad smaller or do I get the bigger Walmart bike? Those are my only two options right now. If I'm comfortable on the 54, are there any negative physical affects with keeping that size?

kv501

I'm 6'1" and going from a 58 to a 56 cm frame was the best thing I've ever done for my comfort on a bike. Fit is way to individual to make a recommendation based on height.

dtrain

False choice. There are hundreds of options. If you are not wildly uncomfortable on the 54cm, don't make a hasty move right now...but keep your eyes open. Go to a LBS and ride a few 56-59cm bikes; start tucking some money away.

stephtu

Why are those the only two options? Have you hunted around your local craigslist for a bigger bike of similar quality you could buy or maybe swap for? What kind of components are on the Allez, is it the race C2 with 105? You ought to be able to get a decent amount more money than that Schwinn costs, and get something nicer, whether used or new. Fuji Roubaix from Performance maybe?

The main thing is if, with your seat set to give you proper extension for your downstroke, the handlebars feel too close to your body making you feel cramped up, and/or if they feel too low and you are bent over more than you want to be. And whether a stem a centimeter or two longer/with more rise can fix this or if the fit is further off than that.

Jumpjet

With the seat raised up to give me proper leg extension, I had to move the seat forward so that I didn't feel so over stretched. I might just keep and ride what I have for awhile till I feel it's unconfortable, then I'll try to do something about it.

LesterOfPuppets

I'd guess 58 if normal arms and legs. 60 if longer arms and legs. 56 if shorter ones.

bonz50

I'm 6-1, I ride a 56, I could easily be on a 58, no way a 54 works for me. but everyone is proportioned differently. go ride 'em and see, but my money is the 54 is too small.

Team Sarcasm

54 sounds a bit small for someone who is 6'1. I am 6'2 and should ride a 58 but I have a 56 caad10. I don;t have any complaints about my 56, but I would never ride anything smaller than that. who sized you for the 54?

pdedes

post a pic of your bike as currently set up OP. seat rammed forward? i currently will suppress a laugh in your general direction, but things may yet change.

RoadGuy

54cm sounds way too small for your height. But the actual length of your legs and torso is what is going to dictate what size frame you need.

Are you riding the 54cm with 6-8 inches or more of the seatpost exposed? Or, are you curled up in a ball with the seat slammed all the way back? Either situation would tell me that the frame is too small for you.

Are you hinting that you don't have a ton of money to blow on a new bike? A used bike may solve your problem and conserve your cash.

I have a 60cm 1990 Trek 1200 that's sitting here because I bought it sight unseen from a Seller who claimed to have measured the frame at 56cm (it's listed in the This Frame Doesn't Fit Trading Thread). The standover height is about 34" (my pants are 30" inseam, can you see the problem?). Would you be interested in trading? I can ride 54cm or 56cm with my short legs (I'm 5'10").

mcours2006

No one here is really answering your question, OP. Frankly, neither of those two choices are desirable. The 54 is for sure too small for you. I'm 5'9" and I fit a 54cm. At the same time if you sell it you're you're likely not going to get the price you want, and then at the same time you're downgrading to the Schwinn.

If however, you can get a decent price for the Allez, then perhaps it might be worthwhile considering a 56 or 58cm, but not necessarily the Schwinn.

Did you say Walmart?

dtrain

Very similar to my post above (number 10). He needs take his time and look well beyond these two bikes.

mcours2006

Precisely. There are always other options. If you don't like the options you have, then wait for the one you want to come along--save money to buy a better bike, buy used, etc.

Jumpjet

Okay, Thank you all. Just what I needed to know. So I guess I'll have to put my 2014 Specialized Allez C5 up forsale. Seems like such a nice bike. Maybe I'll just have to save up from my lost and get the Allez in a size 58 at a later date. The only reason I was considering the Schwinn Phocus 1600 was because I know if I sell my Allez, I would take a lost and still be able to get the that bike which seems to be good and have good reviews.

RoadGuy

I think I offered the most reasonable solution. A frame trade would get the OP onto the right size frame at minimal cost without settling for a WalMart quality bike.

Without getting the whole story from the OP, we don't have any idea of how he ended bike with a bike that is so obviously too small for him. Maybe it was a gift that he couldn't return. Or, maybe someone on the street approached him with a deal (hot) that he couldn't refuse. Maybe he won it in a raffle (and couldn't exchange it for a more appropriate size), or bought it sight unseen (and can't return it).

lsberrios1 

There is nothing sexier than a bike with a massive saddle to bar drop. You may be able to slam a 120-30mm stem and make it work but i am not sure what to tell u about feeling overextended when the saddle is at the appropriate height... Can you show us a side pic of u on the bike?

RoadGuy

I offered a frame trade (frame, fork, handlebar stem, handlebars, seatpost, crankset, bottom bracket, headset), against your small frame and parts. A frame trade for my 60cm Trek 1200 would get you into the right size frame with the modern drivetrain from your Specialized. You would keep your front and rear derailleurs, brifters, wheels, tires, chain, saddle, pedals, any bottle cages, and racks (except the crankset, and bottom bracket, because the crankset arms would be too small/short).

lsberrios1 

What year 1200? Is it the carbon / alum hybrid? That's a sweet bike!