Jerseysbest

So I'm in the process of looking for either a touring frame to build up a bike or a complete bike.

The only thing that concerns me is bike size. My main ride is a 58cm Trek 1500 and I put about 100 miles a week riding aggressively. When I wear my padded bib, jersey etc and ride hard, its the perfect size. But when I use the bike to ride to work (<1 mile) or just ride casually around town, it feels way too big.

Should I go to a smaller size for a touring bike? Like a 56cm? I'm about 5'11.5"- 6', with a 31.75" inseam.

I've been to a few bikes stores and they haven't been able to answer any questions and don't really have touring bikes. My gut is telling my to go with a smaller size cause I can always get a little bit bigger stem, move the seat back etc.

Does anyone have any experience?

halfspeed

It depends upon the touring bike. In what way does your current bike feel big?

Jerseysbest

When riding the bike casually, I feel like its a struggle to reach the brake hoods, and this is with the saddle moved pretty far forward. I can function on the bike, it just feels like its too big.

Aushiker

G'day

Funny you are the second person I have come across with "sizing" issues with Trek bikes. Probably just a conincidence.

Anyway, have you considered getting a "bike fit" or using an online one such as the Zinn Online Frame-Size Calculator to get a feel for the correct size?

Regards
Andrew

halfspeed

Your inseam is on the short side which would argue for a shorter seat tube and a longer top tube. (By comparison I'm your height and have a 35" inseam.) Superficially, you seem to be having trouble with the reach which would argue the opposite, although the discomfort could be caused by other factors.

This is why the "internet loudmouth collective" fitting method is a bit sketchy. We don't know you and can't see you so the value of the advice is worth about what you're paying for it.

In any case, bear in mind that there's a difference between road and touring geometry so a size that fits on a road bike may not on a touring bike and vice-versa.

FWIW, my suggestion would be to make sure you've got your saddle level and at the correct height on your current bike. Then try and dial in the length with some different stems. If you can get a somewhat comfortable position on your current bike, you can take your bike to the bike shop and have them duplicate the fit.

kipibenkipod

Touring frames tend to be bigger, to allow more upright position.
When the seat tube is not parallel to the fork angle, then the saddle will get closer to the handlebar, as the frame grows in sizes.
Go try touring bikes with 58-60 size. You can try Surly LHT, Novara randonee, Jamis aurora, Trek 520, Canondale T1 or T2.
Take care that Trek 58 is like 56-57 in size.
Update us...

hockey

I use a one size smaller frame on my touring bike. I sit a bit more upright but can still use the drops if conditions warrant. I would suggest that you also go to a fit calculator. Moving your seat fore and aft is not a good choice for correcting an incorrectly sized frame.. Seat position is defined. Do a search on this site and you will get some good advice.
Hockey

NoReg

I would guess you are at least one size too big on a 58. I ride a 58, it is one size too tall for me, and I am 6'1" with 34" inseam, or maybe 33.5", can't remember exactly.

There are a few problems with too big a frame in touring. It can be difficult to mount since hte bags are likely high too. No room for a seat post shock if required. sometimes less room for sleeping bags and tents that might tuck under seat if it had more clearance. Of course, stand over height. Nothing too terrible.

kipibenkipod

I'm too 34'' inseam and 6'1'' hight. I'm starting to feel, that this whole measuring thing got out of control.
Last week I went for a ride in a Bottecchia MAX size 58cm which I measured center to top tube.
This bike felt toooooo small for me, and I had to let down vintage heritage bike because of that.
I ask myself, how can it be that this bike is small? I do not have an answer.
I will definitely will go for 60cm or more with Surly LHT. (62cm should be checked before buying).

matthew_deaner

The Surly LHT fits a bit large... I bet you'll be fine with the 60-cm. I'm 6-feet tall, 33.5 inseam, and I ride a 58-cm and it fits perfectly.

theranman

I think it might be helpful if some of you defined how you measure your "inseam". My pants inseam is 30", but I use the Rivendell method to determine my TRUE inseam, which is my Pubic Bone Height = 32".

I intend on buying a Jamis Aurora, however I'm in between their 50 and 53cm sizes. I'm only 5'6", and when I saw a guy who was 5'9" riding the 50cm, I thought I must be crazy for considering the 53. When I test rode his 50cm, it felt fine, but when I compared the 50 to the 53 at the LBS, I kinda liked the more stretched out and higher position of the 53. Well, after some adjustment (shortening and changing the angle on the Ritchie adjustable, sliding my Brooks all the way forward), the 53cm fit me just fine, and now I can comfortably reach all the different hand positions on the bar.

Bottom line: adjustment can make a world of difference. I only have about 1.5" of standover clearance (in sneakers) on the 53cm, but the 2.5" clearance on the 50cm seemed too much. Only remaining thing to do is to double check that my knee postion is ok...with a plumb line.

My 2¢

sprintcarblue

I have a 58cm Long Haul Trucker with a 110mm stem, and no matter how things are set up, I always feel a little too stretched in the hoods. I am 6' 1" with a 34.5 inch public bone height. (I think I might have shorter arms.) Which is partially why I am trying to sell it and get something different.

Jerseysbest

Funny this thread popped up again.

I cheaped out and bought a Windsor Tourist from Bikesdirect.com. I bike to work daily and won't be doing any touring till Spring, so it'll get some good use and hopefully by then anything thats susceptible to breaking will become apparent.

The 3 biggest sizes available are 54cm, 58cm, and 64cm. After reading a lot of blogs and fitting guides I went with the 58cm, and after two weeks of riding, I think I fit the bike great, as is.

valygrl

+1,000,000

Don't tune the reach with the saddle position, or you'll end up with knee problems.

Skewer

Good deal that it fits you. Send in a picture when you have it loaded up. That 420mm chainstay length sounds a little short for touring geometry, but it looks like the rear rack that comes with the bike will allow you to get your bags back pretty far so you don't have to worry about clipping your heels. How does that rear rack look---does it look like it will handle a load?

theranman

Moving the saddle fore/aft automatically changes the reach no matter what, and is often suggested by the pros as being part of the fine-tuning process. There is absolutely no reason not to fine-tune the reach with the saddle, just as long as you're not trying to make major adjustments, and that your knee isn't forward of the pedal.

spencejm

I rode a 21" 520 and just to look at me straddling the bike you would have sworn it was too small. I certainly thought it was. I spent over 2 hours in the bike shop playing with fit and we almost got it right. According to my inseam, I should have needed at least a 23" but it turns out I have short arms. My torso is average and my inseam is average but my short arms cause trouble. To go to a 23" 520 or a 56cm LHT I would have needed to compromise the front geometry too much and I just couldn't get the bars of the 21" high enough without extension. I wound up ordering a 54cm LHT. It will look a little short but the taller head tube and shorter top tube should work just about right. I guess the moral to all of this is I kept hearing so much about inseam and stand over height that I took that as the best indication of whether a frame fit or not. In my case, it didn't mean a thing. The top tube was the all important measurement.

Just the $.02 of a newbie so take it for what it's worth.

Joe

theranman

"Just the $.02 of a newbie..."

And that newbie is correct. Standover height don't mean diddly unless you have less than an inch. Reach and overall comfort level is MUCH more important. When I rode the 50cm Aurora, it was fine, but felt a little small. The 53cm feels juuust right, says baby bear. I had bike shops recommend both sizes to me.

staehpj1

The Windsor Tourist is what we did the transAmerica on this Summer. We bought three of them and they worked out pretty well, I would buy them again if I had it to do over.

The following are items that you may want to consider:
1. Tires. - The ones that were supplied wore well, but were kind of prone to punctures. Out west the goathead thorns were a real pain. We are now using Schwalbe Marathon +,. They are very puncture resistant, but way heavy. I was torn between those and Continental Ultra Gatorskins.
2. Brake shoes - The ones that came with the bike gave less warning before they fail than I would have liked. Replace them when they are even close to worn out or carry spares. They look like there is some wear left and are suddenly metal on metal.
3. Gearing - The crank does not support low enough gearing for mountain touring. We replaced the crank with a Sugino XD600 ($80 or so). The 46/36/26 was barely adequate and it probably makes sense to swap the 26 with a 24.
4. Keep an eye on the back wheel and watch the spokes. I had some breakage issues, but suspect that most if not all were caused by a screw that backed out of the cassette and scored the spokes. I think it was a fluke.

Jerseysbest

Comparing the 58cm Trek 1500 I ride and the 58cm Windsor Tourist, well, they're different.

I guess I was used to riding the Trek so much that I didn't realize it was more of a race bike, and when I wanted to ride aggressively, it suited me well, but casual riding, it just felt uncomfortable. Maybe this is more obvious to others, and without ever riding a touring bike, I assumed the touring bike would be more comfortable, and it is. On the tourist, I can ride on the hoods and even the drops without much strain, and even though I'm not a big fan of the seat, and most of my riding I'm in nice khakis or suit pants, a dress shirt, and loafers, its a good fit.

Jerseysbest

I've come across your review of the Tourist online before and was one of the reasons that encouraged me to get it.

I already ordered cheaper, more street oriented tires for the time being, but eventually will invest in some gatorskins or some other similar tire thats on sale. I'll be commuting to work for the next few months before I take it on any long rides, or any rides that go to relatively remote places, so I'll definitely find any faults with the bike. Right out of the box, the spokes were chirping like crazy, but have since quieted down, and the tension seems good, but if I had to guess, they'd be the first thing to go, so a professionally built wheel set might be good idea befor I do any touring. The gearing is more than adequate for my use right now too, but obviously the crank it should be replaced with something lower.

How did the rear rack hold up?