Shorter Stem?? NEED HELP!
 

Hi,

I just joined this thread today.... Sorry for the 3.5 year delay!

I'm 5'8 - 5'9 and I just bought a used 2008 55cm Duratec Cappel CR1 for $1300... I went to two local shops and without checking me on the bike said it's too big and I should've gotten a 54cm. I can't return the bike so unless someone in MA or NH wants to buy the bike I need to find a way to make this fit me...
I rode it for about 30 minutes and had neck and chest pains for 2 days.. It has a 140MM stem length and by the looks from the above postings I should have it shortened? Is that the best way/only way to do this? How short of a stem should I be looking at?

Thank you!
Dave

I ride a 53 kilo and have about inch or more space from the TT to the family jewels. With the stock cranks (165mm) I had a good 6-7 or so inches of seatpost exposed from the clamp. Ever since I switched to newer cranks with 175mm crank arm length I had to compensate with lowering my seatpost and now only show about a fist full.

***edit

wow i didnt even read the 2nd page or previous post dates before I quickreplied *facepalm*

I'm 6'5" and my "sporty" bike is has a ~60cm seat tube c-c (62cm c-t) and about 72cm top length (tube + stem). 36" inseam. This seems a bit small but I can get my palms to touch the ground. This one feels compact to me.

My "comfort" bike is much larger at 67 cm c-c and 72cm top length. With the seats at the same height this one leaves me more upright and a little stretched out while the other has me more crouched low.

So I guess this goes back to the flexibility topic. I have friends my height that absolutely cannot ride my bikes because they just cannot get as compact for the sport bike and cannot lengthen for the comfort bike.

The sportier the bike, the smaller the frame size IMO. I am 5-10/11 with a 33 inch cycling inseam (85cm) and I was sized long ago at a clinic that had expert cycle coaches etc and they wanted me on a 56 to 57 frame, center to top. I prefer the 56 frames but on a long distance bike where ride is a concern I like the 57 size. Seat post extension depends somewhat on the frame size, my wife on her little roadie does not have nearly as much extension on her seat as I do yet her bike is a great fit for her, it is just a little bitty thing.

This link has the same formulas I have always seen for the last twenty or so years.

http://www.coloradocyclist.com/bikefit/

People who are short torsos or long arms or short legs, other variables obviously compromises have to be made somewhere. With all that, I want one of those Kilo TT and I simply cannot decide between a 53 and a 55, lol.

This quote is important:

"saddle height will be within a centimeter of .883 x inseam length"


This puts me at a saddle height of 75cm from center of crank to top of saddle measured along the seat tube. It should be the same regardless of the bike, mountain bike, touring bike, whatever, it should be close.

A few people mentioned not being flexible enough for a smaller frame a couple posts back. It's actually really easy to develop flexibility through daily stretches: Every morning, just straighten your knees and try to touch your toes. It shouldn't be so far that it hurts, but you should feel it in your legs. Hold for six seconds, repeat a couple times per day. Two weeks ago, I wasn't able to get very far past my knees. With daily stretching, I'm touching the floor :thumb:

Thanks everyone for your responses! I did the inseam and it works out to a 55cm! so maybe I can work this bike out with a shorter stem!

wow im glad i found this thread.
this has been bothering, me about my kilo. im about 6'1 or 6'2 and i have a 57cm kilo. im wondering if this is too big. at the time i bought it i knew they ran big.but didnt know how big. i now went back to bd and saw they have a chart. and i ususally ride a 58. i have a 31.5 or 32 inseam. so it shows i should have got a 55. so my question is my bike overly too big? i got a short stem to try and fix the problem and got about a fist of seat post and have about an inch between my "area" and top tube.

i mean i ride it and it dont bother me. but im wondering if its big enough problem that i should start looking at bike island for a frame slightly smaller. and change everything over. cause i like the bike alot, im just wondering if me switching stem and stuff kinda evened out the too big problem. and so would me buying a 55cm frame be noticable to how i got it set up right now.

i just want others opinions on the situation.

I'm 6'2" and felt that the 57cm Kilo was a little too small for me.
Arm, torso & leg length all come into play when figuring out bike size.