Dan: 5 cm= 2 inches approx.

so say i have an 30" inseam and you have a 32", then in the mathematical world, if you went for a 55cm, i'd go 50cm. what's a cm or two any ways, right?

i think a 49cm would be good, but i'll remeasure/test ride before buying, as i may be overreacting from all the too big rigs i end up on. (the 70s! + male+centrism=laura not having a good fit.)

course if i do have a 31" inseam, i might get screwed.

measure to the floor, or to the ankle? i might be confusing clothes with bikes

My situation is the opposite of yours in that I carry most of my height in my torso. But last summer I went to a bike shop in Vancouver BC and the guy made a few quick measurements and told me the frame dimensions I needed. Honestly, I really didn't trust the numbers. When I returned home, I had two different full-on 'size cycle' sessions at two different places and all 3 sets of numbers were within a few mm of each other. So that guy in Canada was spot on.

I searched the web looking for the method he used and think I found it at:

https://www.kvanproductions.com/cycling/frame_sizing.htm

I've since used this to size 3 friends and all are really happy with the results.

Maybe this will help in finding the right frame for you....it's definitely more than just a standover height issue.

Jim

Thanks, Jim! This will help alot.