Proper frame size

On Apr 6, 8:47 pm, "[email hidden]" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Frame sizes seem to get more confusing all the time. The hybrid bike I
have now has a frame size of 22 inches. I like the size. I was looking
at a bike which I like. There was only one size on the floor, and it
seemed small to me. The sizes are 13,15,17, and 18.5. I found an
aritcle on the net by someone called Shelton, but it was confusing
about the right size. If my current bike is 22 then it seems as if the
bike I am looking at is for midgets or kids, but from the description
that does not seem to be the case. Is there a chart somewhere which
would explain these size differences. I seen some that are in metric,
and others that say small medium and large.

Thanks

Tom

Yeah, that Shelton guy is a bit difficult to follow.

Here's a site I've found very useful over the years. Close reading
will bring great rewards.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/new.html

Generally I've found sizing to be a generally guideline to eliminate a
frame. Never a tool to select a frame, manufacturers use different
reference points in finding the number they give as a size. When I
worked in a shop the variations in numbers sometimes just made the job
harder during the explaining to customer why frame x and maybe not
frame y.

You will really need to set a bike up and test ride it to know what
will fit.

Veloben

"[email hidden]" <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Frame sizes seem to get more confusing all the time. The hybrid bike I
have now has a frame size of 22 inches. I like the size. I was looking
at a bike which I like. There was only one size on the floor, and it
seemed small to me. The sizes are 13,15,17, and 18.5.

These nominal sizes are often not very useful when comparing 2 different bike
models. For most people, a better method is to measure the distance from the
seat to the handlebars. Find a bike with a similar reach to your current
bike and take it for a test ride. Adjust the seat height and fore-aft
position so that you are well balanced on the bike. Also try one size bigger
and one size smaller. Remember that handlebars can usually be raised or
lowered somewhat, but not by a huge amount.

I noticed that the bike I was looking at which I thought had a small
frame had the seat projecting quite a bit out of the frame. I have
also noticed this in other bikes in catalogs which I have viewed. The
bikes I am looking at are "urban" bikes with a "rigid" fork, and 26
tires.

Tom