I'm 6', and after doing a serious of basic "find-your-frame-size" calculations online, somehow determined that I needed a 54cm frame. My inseam measurement came to about 32", but I always measured that with pants on and not usually to "the bone". So I basically bought the bike because the standover height matched..

Anyway, the bike is all built up, but I've got the stem and seat post at the maximum extension points and on my 30 mile roundtrip commute am feeling like I need just a little bit more leg extension. Sometimes I lift off the saddle just to stretch my legs a bit.

Any ideas? Is a 54cm frame ridiculous for a 6' rider? Or should I just look for longer cranks (mine are 165mm) or a longer seatpost?

It's relatively comfortable (on my arms/shoulders/neck) except for my legs...

that sucks. i've been down that road before more times than i'd care to admit. Source a longer seatpost... setback if needed and other options would be positive rise stem (if your steerer is cut already), something like a nitto technomic (super long quill if you have a threaded fork). good luck.

I'm about 6'2" and my last road bike was a bit too big for me at 63cm and my fixed gear is just about right at 60cm.
When your leg is fully extended you should have about 15-20 degrees left before your leg is at maximum extension. If the set up you have now is not letting you do that you could maybe buy a longer seat post (or a larger frame).
I don't think cranks will make too much of a difference. Even if you went to 175mm it's only one more cm, and in the up-swing you'll be one cm closer. That's more for torque, I believe. I ride with 165mm because I hear it's easier on the knees.

As always though: Don't buy a bike without riding it. Too late in this case but I guess for next time.

54 cm seems a bit small for someone your height. I usually ride a 60cm frame, and I'm a hair under 6' (with somewhat long legs). If you're stuck with the frame, then buy a longer seatpost (should be easy to find), and maybe a Nitto Technomic stem (if you have a 1" threaded fork). You may also need to look into a longer extension on your stem if you're cramped on the bike, but not necessarily. In my experience, if I'm a little cramped, I accelerate quickly.

What size is your seatpost length? You could always lengthen the seatpost (above). Since it appears that you have a longer torso relative to your legs, if the standover doesn't kill you, I would say go to a 56cm, a 58cm might be a tad large given your proportions. The TT would be a tad longer, and the drop to the handlebars wouldn't be as great. If standover is an issue, look towards a compact frame.

I have a 32" inseam and ride a 54cm, I'm about 5'9. That just shows why you CANNOT use height alone as a way to fit a bike, people have different proportions on their body.

Not necessarily true, especially if you're as large as you say you are. I ride 172.5 on my road bike, and have 165 on my fixed, switching it 170. I suppose most of it is preferance, but I've found that if you're not focusing specifically on cadence, for most fixed riders, that is, those using it in road applications, their actual crank arm length or close to it works best.

Quick google search: https://www.cptips.com/crnklth.htm

Get a new frame or bike... It's likely that even though your upper body feels fine it still isn't fit right.
If you can't afford it get a longer seatpost and probably stem.

A setback seatpost is definitely a bad idea. Saddle position should never be adjusted to correct your position relative to the bars.
Longer cranks are probably a good idea anyway simply because 165 is really small for someone 6' off the track.

A bike should be fit in this order:
first pedals in relation to bb.
second saddle in relation to pedals.
finally bars in relation to saddle and pedals.
Doing it out of order is simply wrong.

You want to adjust your distance from the saddle to bb / pedals BEFORE the stem and such. It's like making an adjustment of what is going into the smokestack (at the root) rather than at the end (what comes out).

any recommendations on seatposts?

its a fuji, so i think it's a 27.2

First, how long have you owned the bike? My shop allows a 30-day return period, and they only charge a restocking fee if the bike is noticeably worn. If I were you, I would try to bring it by the shop you got it at, just explain how you feel, that you want to get the same bike or another bike from them (not a refund) just in a better fitting size.

If that's not an option, you can find something relatively cheap. I believe the Ritchey Comp seatpost comes up to 400mm long, and is like ~30.00, with 2cm of setback (which should match your Fuji).

nice. that sounds like a good option.

i actually went through a huge ordeal getting the bike off craigslist and taking it to a bike shop to have them put in new cranks/bb/build a new back wheel/etc. i really like the bike, just bummed about the saddle to pedal length. i think a new seatpost should pull me through for now.

I am a hair over 6'0" and my track bike is a 56, my road is a 60 and my SS is a 58. I rode a 54 for years and loved how agile it was but I knew that it was too small for me. I gave it to my friend in 2003 and I tried riding it the other day and wow, I am amazed that I ever rode that thing for longer than 10 minutes, let alone 3 years. I was younger then too, so flexibility came into play but, ride a 56 and see how you like it. I bet it works well for you.

i'm 5'10 and ride a 54 cannondale.

if you're 6 foot you should be doing a 56 at least.

Buy a new seat post. Cheaper than buying a new frame. and yeh it seems a bit small. I'm 6'4 and I'm on a 61cm. My friend is 5'10 and he's on a 54cm.

I'm 6'0" and after test riding a bunch of different size frames, I purchased a 56cm. It felt better than the 54cm's I rode. The 58's, 59's, and 60's were all too big. My inseam is 32".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunk_cost

Forget the inseam/standover. The real measure is the top tube length.

Keep in mind that everyone seems to measure frames differently. I have a 57, 58, and 59 that are all identical in size regarding contact points.

it's always raining in dutretville.

It's about your arms and controlling the bike.

cool - well if a new seatpost will do it, and i'm only 2 cm off on frame size, i feel a little bit better.

my last question might be pretty dumb, but i realized i should ask:

when i throw my leg over the saddle currently, i'm about at the height limit to stretch over comfortably. but when i start to pedal i feel a bit cramped in the legs. should i just not throw my leg over the saddle when its totally upright, or should i be questioning a higher seatpost given that info?

Such is one of the problems with the "seatpost solution": by using a longer seat post to remedy your cramped pedaling, you increase the saddle to bar drop, making the ride increasingly uncomfortable. In order to fix that, you need to also raise your bars. If the bike has a threadless fork, then you may very well be screwed, unless you can find a stem with a steep rise. If your fork is threaded, then you can probably get by with a stem that has a very long quill like the Nitto Dynamic. Chances are, too, that you'll need to buy a stem with more horizontal extension than your current one in order to make up for the short top tube. Of course, all of these things will make your bike look like ****.

My recommendation is to resell the bike and get something that fits, which will most likely be something in the 56-58cm range.

nevermind - sheldon clued me in

You should be throwing your leg over the bars which are considerably lower than the bars. See Old School Track Mount/Dismount procedure

shants - thanks for that info

You can just lean your bike down... The important thing is that you push up on your pedals when you're about to start up.

At 6'1", I have had a couple of frames that were too small for me (~55cm). Both were extremely nice, but in the end I sold them because riding them was no fun. There are kludges to make the ride tolerable, but riding a bike that properly fits really does make a "night and day" difference.