I am looking for advice on sizing and after a visit to the LBS i am very confused. I am 6'1 (194cm) tall with a seat to floor measurement of 36" (91cm) I worked out that a 60cm frame will be a good fit but the guy at the the LBS said i would be better of with 54-56cm. I know ultimately the best way is to ride the bike but i am looking at a used one (a 2004 TREK 1000) off of the internet.
Thanks in advance Posted by SaddleSoar a 38 year old Road Warrior riding a Not yet from LA, CA, USA - wahay!!! on 10/17/05
Sorry - it may not be important but i should add that i am 160-165lbs, although all the Halloween around is not helping!!! Posted by SaddleSoar a 38 year old riding a not yet... from stuart@barrington.name on 10/17/05
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Re: Sizing
I am about 6'1 and thought I would be fine on a 58-60 cm road bike. But after many trials I ended up being fit to a 56 cm road bike. It rides nicely I can't say I have any complaints. It is my first road bike but I did take my time and "The Monty" helped me with my stuff at the shop. I think it really depends on how your body is proportioned as opposed to just how tall you are. There are other roadies here who could tell you a lot more, like FFW or STP, PainFreak, those guys are a fountain of knowledge. Paz Afuera Posted by Papisimo a Die-hard Enthusiast riding a dirty bike from the savage land on 10/17/05
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Re: Sizing
I'm 6'1" also but my inseam's about 34.5" and I have a longish torso. A 60 fits me just fine but I chose a 58 because it was more comfortable (my back is not as flexible as it used to be). Best advice, especially for a road bike, is to get fitted properly. A shop like Helens, Bicycle John's, Kings (among others) will be able to fit you correctly. The Serotta fit system is the best I've come accross so far.
Once you get fitted properly you may still need to make some adjustments for a comfortable ride. Stuff you should think about relative to comfort: just riding or racing; stiff back or flexible back; 1-2 hour rides or 3+ hours. Bottom line is you gotta be fitted correctly to prevent pain and injury but you also must be comfortable.
If you buy on the net, unless you can trial ride a similar bike first, you may not end up with a good fit or may have to swap parts.
If you want to try fitting yourself, here's one of many web sites you can use to help: http://www.billbostoncycles.com/bicycle_fit.htm Posted by FFW a 47 year old Die-hard Enthusiast from Palmdale on 10/18/05
Saddlesoar, Bike fitting has been my specialty for the past 12 years and with all the changes in frame geometry is has become a little more detailed. Your height is almost irrelivant as is your inseasm to some degree (if you're looking at a compact frame) Torso, reach, inseasm, measurement combined will get you closer. Your best bet is to find a shop that has the ability to do a professional fit. The most reliable systems are the fit kit and bikefitting.com but there not absolute. When I was training fit techs on Bikefitting.com I would explain the difference between being a bike fit tech and a saleman that inputs numbers is knowing when the results of the numbers are wrong. Same goes with the fit kit. These are tools to help a fit tech get more accurate numbers quicker and easier but they don't make a fit tech out of a salesman. So do your homework and find a reputable shop with a fit tech that has a proven history and knowledge. BTW it's very difficult to fit yourself the idea seems appealing but even I get my bikes fit by someone else..... Posted by Thebicyclelane a 34 year old Die-hard Enthusiast riding a KHS from Fullerton on 11/07/05
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