Returning a bike

Peter Clinch said:

Haggis McMutton said:

To be honest, no. I did think about that but I've got on the bike and
there's about 5cm distance between me and the top tube. I'm guessing even
with the saddle up it's still going to not be a good fit.

Distance between you and the top tube isn't that actually important for
sizing, as long as you've got enough height to stand clear of it with
your feet on the ground. Many designs, especially with "compact"
frames, have quite large distances between the rider and the top tube.

Set a reasonable-ish saddle height, the system given at
http://www.personal.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/cyclebike.htm#fitting is a
good rule of thumb on how. Once you've done that, check if you can sit
on, pedal and control the bike in reasonable comfort.

If not, send it back (as others have said, it's a basic statutory right)
and then get a bike fitted properly at a shop that knows what they're
at. Or do that anyway...

I went to most of the bike shops that were recommended in a previous
threads and even most of them seem to think buying a bike is like buying a
t-shirt. One look at me is all they need to know I need 'large' or a '58cm
frame'.

Quoted message said:

I'm just going off some guide on the Internet that says 3cm should be
between me and the top tube. I'll get it back out and try putting the
saddle back up.

The gap needs to be big enough to not crush your balls. Assuming you can
get the distance from saddle to pedals correct, then the main thing is the
reach to the bars. Most people want a slight bend at the elbows, possibly
a slightly sharper bend for off roaders. In the abscence of ball-crushing
pain, crossbar/toptube height is an irrelevence.

Haggis McMutton said:

I'm just going off some guide on the Internet that says 3cm should be
between me and the top tube. I'll get it back out and try putting the
saddle back up.

That's a rough guide only. As long as you can stand over the bike
without the top tube bringing tears to your eyes it doesn't matter.

When you put the saddle all the way up you should find limit marks on
the seat post. As long as these marks are not exposed when the saddle
is at the right height for you (refer to Pete Clinch's guide) the bike
will fit you, for leg length at least. Fixing the post with the marks
exposed is very bad - don't be tempted.

You should also find a film of grease on the seat post when you raise
it. If there isn't any pull the post all the way out and apply some,
assuming you plan to keep the bike. Clean it off the exposed part of
the seat post once you have established the correct saddle height.

--
Dave...

Haggis McMutton said:

I went to most of the bike shops that were recommended in a previous
threads and even most of them seem to think buying a bike is like buying a
t-shirt. One look at me is all they need to know I need 'large' or a '58cm
frame'.

Compact frames fit quite a wide range of people, that's one of the
reasons they're increasingly used. It's entirely reasonable to
assume the above assumption would be correct.

A thing to mull over: Tony Raven and I both ride Bromptons with
identical frames and don't have size issues with them. Tony is,
IIRC 6'5" and I'm 5'8". He uses a longer seatpost.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Peter Clinch said:

Haggis McMutton said:

I went to most of the bike shops that were recommended in a previous
threads and even most of them seem to think buying a bike is like buying a
t-shirt. One look at me is all they need to know I need 'large' or a '58cm
frame'.

Compact frames fit quite a wide range of people, that's one of the
reasons they're increasingly used. It's entirely reasonable to
assume the above assumption would be correct.

OK, it's just I've received so much advice about making sure the fit is
right that I now feel apprehensive about buying something that is simply
measured in terms of small, medium and large.

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

Quoted message said:

Peter Clinch said:

Haggis McMutton said:

I went to most of the bike shops that were recommended in a previous
threads and even most of them seem to think buying a bike is like buying
a
t-shirt. One look at me is all they need to know I need 'large' or a
'58cm
frame'.

Compact frames fit quite a wide range of people, that's one of the
reasons they're increasingly used. It's entirely reasonable to
assume the above assumption would be correct.

OK, it's just I've received so much advice about making sure the fit is
right that I now feel apprehensive about buying something that is simply
measured in terms of small, medium and large.

The frame may be small, medium and large, but the bits which hang off it
allow the finer adjustment required.

The critical one is seat height - which has always been adjustable. Get that
right, and you can at least ride the thing.
Then there's seat-bar distance, both horizontal and vertical. This varies
depending on body size and position, so is somewhat harder to do a standard
for. But changing handlebar stem length is quite easy if you find the one
the bike comes with is wrong.
Then there's other bits, like saddle fore-aft position. If you ride a lot,
you may find it worth tuning that. But I wouldn't worry too much about it.
(Of course if you know you prefer a larger or smaller frame than typical
people, you can choose differently - but for the first go, the one your shop
guessed at will probably be ok.)

cheers,
clive

Haggis McMutton said:

OK, it's just I've received so much advice about making sure the fit is
right that I now feel apprehensive about buying something that is simply
measured in terms of small, medium and large.

A reasonable worry, but think of it in clothing terms... if I wander
into a shop and say I'd like a T-shirt, and the assistant says "what
size?" and I don't know, they'll probably assume medium for a first try
'cause I'm 5'8" and that's often about right. But as it happens I have
a relatively long trunk and wee legs, so I'm often better off with a
large. This is important if I'm not going to be fashionably showing off
my belly (and you don't want me to do that, trust me!), and it's easy to
get the right T shirt simply by trying on an M and an L. There's no
high-accuracy measurement going on, but the distinction between the 2
sizes *is* important, and the right answer is best shown by trying in
person.

So if you're in the shop and they say "oh, you want an L frame" that's
only a problem if it's the end of the process. Next step is you try out
an L by sitting on it and fiddling with the saddle height, and if it's
immediately evident you're fine on it then no problem, but if it's on
the big side then you try an M and see if that works better, and so on.
Further fine tuning can be wrought with bar height and reach and
saddle front/back and tilt, but you will need to be on the right basic
size of frame, even though that's a fairly coarse measure.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/