Road bike size

JK said:

Hi

Just about to get my first road bike and I'm not 100% sure about the
right size frame for me. I won't be racing: mostly 2 - 4 hour weekend
rides.

I've ridden a few bikes for a couple of minutes at bike shops. A 54"
cannondale felt good, as did a 53" lemond, though the lemond may have
felt a tiny bit short on the top tube.

I'm about 5'8". Is 54" around right for this height?

Thanks for any advice

PS Apologies if this has been covered many times before.

Since you are testing bikes at a local bike shop why not have them fit
you and be sure? Simply knowing height isn't enough to get a proper
fit. Leg lenght, torso length, flexibiltiy, etc. are all factors and
for a few extra $ you can get a bike that will be comfortable and
effcient.
Also, I'm guessing that the frame sizes you reference are in cm and not
".

On 18/4/05 4:44 pm, in article
[email hidden], "JK" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I've ridden a few bikes for a couple of minutes at bike shops. A 54"
cannondale felt good, as did a 53" lemond, though the lemond may have
felt a tiny bit short on the top tube.

Try standing over the bike with both feet on the floor. If you can't do that
then you may be in for an interesting surprise at some point. Ask the people
at the bike shop for advice. They can see whether you are a gorilla or a
lizard when it comes to body shape and will fit you appropriately.

Quoted message said:

I'm about 5'8". Is 54" around right for this height?

That'll be 68" for 5 foot 8 ;-)

...d

"JK" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi

Just about to get my first road bike and I'm not 100% sure about the
right size frame for me. I won't be racing: mostly 2 - 4 hour weekend
rides.

I've ridden a few bikes for a couple of minutes at bike shops. A 54"
cannondale felt good, as did a 53" lemond, though the lemond may have
felt a tiny bit short on the top tube.

I'm about 5'8". Is 54" around right for this height?

Thanks for any advice

PS Apologies if this has been covered many times before.

Colorado Cyclist (www.coloradocyclist.com ), Rivendell Bicycle Works
(www.rivendellbicycles.com ) and Peter White Cycles
(www.peterwhitecycles.com ) all have a fair bit of information on their
websites about fitting bicycles. Read through what they have to say, then
try a few bikes. FWIW, at 5'9" and somewhat longer legs than average for my
height I'm riding a 58 cm frame.
--
mark

Quoted message said:

I'm about 5'8". Is 54" around right for this height?

A 54cm frame is in the ballpark for a man 5'8" tall. I would go out on
a limb and say if you are an average proportioned 5'8" man then you
could make most 54cm frames fit you fine with slight variations in
saddle setback, stem length, handlebar reach. 54cm is about right,
give or take.

JK said:

I'm about 5'8". Is 54" around right for this height?

Ask your LBS. If it felt good, that's a good sign. And they
can see more of you than just your height.

FWIW I'm around that height, but with short legs for my height.
54cm is the largest frame I've owned, and also the most comfortable
for long-distance touring. For urban commuting a fractionally
smaller frame is nice - very nippy and responsive.

--
Nick Kew

in message <[email hidden]>, JK

(') said:

Hi

Just about to get my first road bike and I'm not 100% sure about the
right size frame for me. I won't be racing: mostly 2 - 4 hour weekend
rides.

I've ridden a few bikes for a couple of minutes at bike shops. A 54"
cannondale felt good, as did a 53" lemond, though the lemond may have
felt a tiny bit short on the top tube.

I'm about 5'8". Is 54" around right for this height?

It's no longer possible to be hard and fast about this. Twenty years ago
all manufacturers used more or less the same geometry. Nowadays, with
'compact' frames, this is no longer true. Go to a bike shop you trust -
ideally from local cycling friends' recommendations - and get them to
help you choose a bike that fits you.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
Just as defying the law of gravity through building aircraft requires
careful design and a lot of effort, so too does defying laws of
economics. It seems to be a deeply ingrained aspect of humanity to
forever strive to improve things, so unquestioning acceptance of a
free market system seems to me to be unnatural. ;; Charles Bryant

I was just told this weekend by a bike service tech (and avid rider) that
you should make sure that when you straddle the frame, you should be able to
pick up the front wheel 1" - 3" before the center bar touches your pelvis.
Otherwise, you could be in for a not-so-pleasant experience if you need to
quickly plant both feet on the floor.

I would find a local bike shop you trust and ask their reps a few questions
about their riding background -- some may be true biking enthusiasts that
really know their stuff. Others may just do it because it's a job and offer
advice that seems like it was read from a script. Make sure the person
advising you knows their stuff.

X_HOBBES

"JK" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi

Just about to get my first road bike and I'm not 100% sure about the
right size frame for me. I won't be racing: mostly 2 - 4 hour weekend
rides.

I've ridden a few bikes for a couple of minutes at bike shops. A 54"
cannondale felt good, as did a 53" lemond, though the lemond may have
felt a tiny bit short on the top tube.

I'm about 5'8". Is 54" around right for this height?

Thanks for any advice

PS Apologies if this has been covered many times before.

I'm glad it sounds like 54cm (not "!) is about right. I'll get the
guys in the bike shop to assess the fit just to be sure.

Thanks for the advice everyone - very helpful.

mark said:

Colorado Cyclist (www.coloradocyclist.com ), Rivendell Bicycle Works
(www.rivendellbicycles.com ) and Peter White Cycles
(www.peterwhitecycles.com ) all have a fair bit of information on their
websites about fitting bicycles.

This is a good link too; should help you spot bad advice in the shop.

http://sheldonbrown.com/frames/index.html

"JK" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi

Just about to get my first road bike and I'm not 100% sure about the
right size frame for me. I won't be racing: mostly 2 - 4 hour weekend
rides.

I've ridden a few bikes for a couple of minutes at bike shops. A 54"
cannondale felt good, as did a 53" lemond, though the lemond may have
felt a tiny bit short on the top tube.

I'm about 5'8". Is 54" around right for this height?

Thanks for any advice

PS Apologies if this has been covered many times before.

Depends on which shop and maker you choose. My shop put me on a 50cm Schwinn
Peloton, which felt fine once we switched to a Nitto Technomic stem.
Rivendell says I need a 56cm, and Airborne's computer says I need a 54.
YMMV.

In uk.rec.cycling Gooserider <[email hidden]> wrote:

: Depends on which shop and maker you choose. My shop put me on a 50cm Schwinn
: Peloton, which felt fine once we switched to a Nitto Technomic stem.
: Rivendell says I need a 56cm, and Airborne's computer says I need a 54.

The 50 sounds small compared to the others unless it's a very compact frame.
If you have to put a technomic stem on then I'd say it's way too small
unless you are a very unusual shape.

Rivendell always go for traditional sizing and larger frames so they and
Airborne are in agreement here.

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune PGP/GPG Key: http://www.clune.org/pubkey.txt
Don't get me wrong, perl is an OK operating system, but it lacks a
lightweight scripting language -- Walter Dnes

"Arthur Clune" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In uk.rec.cycling Gooserider <[email hidden]> wrote:

: Depends on which shop and maker you choose. My shop put me on a 50cm

Schwinn

Quoted message said:

: Peloton, which felt fine once we switched to a Nitto Technomic stem.
: Rivendell says I need a 56cm, and Airborne's computer says I need a 54.

The 50 sounds small compared to the others unless it's a very compact

frame.

Quoted message said:

If you have to put a technomic stem on then I'd say it's way too small
unless you are a very unusual shape.

Rivendell always go for traditional sizing and larger frames so they and
Airborne are in agreement here.

Arthur

Yep, my shop is kinda racer-boy. The thing is, the standover height on the
50 is just about right---my eh, um, "boys" touch the top tube. Any higher
and I would raise my voice at stoplights. Must be odd geometry on the
Peloton.

Gooserider said:

Yep, my shop is kinda racer-boy. The thing is, the standover height
on the 50 is just about right---my eh, um, "boys" touch the top tube.
Any higher and I would raise my voice at stoplights.

Not unless you put both feet down at stoplights. Although having
sufficient standover height is a Good Thing (TM) you only need to be
able to reach the ground with the ball of your foot for normal
stopping.

--
Dave...

In uk.rec.cycling dkahn400 <[email hidden]> wrote:

: Not unless you put both feet down at stoplights. Although having
: sufficient standover height is a Good Thing (TM) you only need to be
: able to reach the ground with the ball of your foot for normal
: stopping.

Got to disagree. Can't reach the ground while sat on the saddle, yes.
But you must be able to straddle the top tube while stood over the
bike IMO

--
Arthur Clune PGP/GPG Key: http://www.clune.org/pubkey.txt
Don't get me wrong, perl is an OK operating system, but it lacks a
lightweight scripting language -- Walter Dnes

Arthur Clune said:

In uk.rec.cycling dkahn400 <[email hidden]> wrote:

: Not unless you put both feet down at stoplights. Although having
: sufficient standover height is a Good Thing (TM) you only need to

be

Quoted message said:

: able to reach the ground with the ball of your foot for normal
: stopping.

Got to disagree. Can't reach the ground while sat on the saddle, yes.
But you must be able to straddle the top tube while stood over the
bike IMO

I didn't say otherwise. I merely pointed out that it's not something
that's going to affect you (I nearly said "impact you"😉 every time you
stop.

--
Dave...