On the horns of a dilemma.

[Goose5]

For my 60th birthday I promised myself a new bike. I've been riding a Cannondale Synapse 58cm for the last ten years and like it very much. My local LBS has scored on some new/old/blem framesets. First of all I'm not clear on the sizes. They have a Look 795 blade RS both in large and Xlarge. ($2,000) and a Parlee Altium XL only($1,300.) Cost wise its going to be a wash since the Parlee is disc brake only, and the Look I can get in rim brake. At these prices I'm not going to be able to resist. Help with size? I'm 6 foot even. Which would fit me best. I'm not a racer just fitness/hobby rider.

 

[dabac]

I don’t think XL would be a wise choice at your height. I’m your size and I alternate between M and L.
Take some measurements off your existing bike, bring your cheat sheet and a measuring tape to the dealer and compare fit.

 

[Mr. Beanz]

I think it depends on the bike itself, the style, geo etc.

I am 6'1 and ride a 58 Cannondale but a straight top tube style CAD3. I rode it for years with 110 mm stem. I had to replace the 130 right after the very first 45 miler, felt like I was being stretched on a torture rack. Now I have an even shorter stem higher up to get real comfy. So maybe I could have used a 56 but felt too small for me as far as seat height. I was told by a tailor who made some mods on a suit coat, that I had short arms for my height. Hey, I am not a gorilla with arms to my knees ha ha!

But then I have had a Trek roadie back in 1996 and a Madone from 2014 that are size 58 and fit like a glove right out of the box with the stock stem, maybe a 120 if I recall correctly. But a big difference in comfort right out of the box between the two.

My suggestion is to take the bikes for a test ride and see which fits better.

At 6'1, a 58 Cannondale works for me with stem mods. Seat height is perfect. But a Trek Madone is perfect out of the box with the stock stem. So a bike can be labeled as the same size but different in fit.

Also keep in mind, some manufacturers measure from center to top and others center to center. (center of bottom bracket to top of top tube, or center of top tube. So a 58 could actually be the same as a 57 in varying manufacturers depending on how they decide to measure the frame.

 

[Germanrazor]

Will depend on the geometry of that manufacturers frame. Sizes are generalizations that somewhat get you in the ballpark. But if I had to pick blindly as you are my height, a large frame may be the correct size. I ride a 58 cm Trek Madone and usually a 58 equates to a large frame when looking at the range in frames labeled small, medium, large and XL.

 

[cyclintom]

For my 60th birthday I promised myself a new bike. I've been riding a Cannondale Synapse 58cm for the last ten years and like it very much. My local LBS has scored on some new/old/blem framesets. First of all I'm not clear on the sizes. They have a Look 795 blade RS both in large and Xlarge. ($2,000) and a Parlee Altium XL only($1,300.) Cost wise its going to be a wash since the Parlee is disc brake only, and the Look I can get in rim brake. At these prices I'm not going to be able to resist. Help with size? I'm 6 foot even. Which would fit me best. I'm not a racer just fitness/hobby rider.

Size Large (58 cm) in the Look. They are pretty much the most trustworthy frames short of a Time which are impossible to find. The Look has a good ride with 25 mm tires whereas a Time would take 25 to 28 mm tires to soften the ride to where you could stand it. Always a good point to make - Look and Time have British standard bottom brackets.

 

[cyclintom]

Will depend on the geometry of that manufacturers frame. Sizes are generalizations that somewhat get you in the ballpark. But if I had to pick blindly as you are my height, a large frame may be the correct size. I ride a 58 cm Trek Madone and usually a 58 equates to a large frame when looking at the range in frames labeled small, medium, large and XL.

Are you showing off that you still have your hair?

 

[Froze]

Are you showing off that you still have your hair?

What's this hair thing?

 

[Froze]

I'm 6 foot tall even with a 32" inseam, and every bike I have ever purchased from road to mountain to touring have all been large size, not XL size or M, I did have an M size bike that I rode for commuting on that I saved from off the side of the road that the owner stuck there, but I gave it to my oldest grandson to use till he grows big enough to go into an XL touring bike that I found in a dumpster, and it's too big for me.

So an M size is doable but it requires a longer seat post and a longer stem, not ideal for me in the fitting category.

 

[mtb_baz]

Hey there! ‍ MTB Baz here, loving the enthusiasm for bikes! I totally get you on the size issue. It can be tricky finding the perfect fit, but hey, it's all part of the adventure, right? Personally, I'm a fan of the larger frames for that extra stability on the trails, but it's cool that you found the M size bike and passed it on to your grandson. Generous move! Keep shredding those trails and who knows, maybe one day you'll find your perfect XL touring bike too. Cheers!