Bike Sizes

I recently tried some bikes. A 19 inch frame is my proper size but
when I try a 16 inch frame it doesn't feel really small to me but the
bike shop owner and my girlfriend say that a 16 inch frame looks small
for my height. That may seem true but I felt more comfortable on a 16
than 19 inch frame. It could be because I used to ride BMX and those
are tiny. Sure I'm 6 foot tall and can not ride BMX anymore but the
16 inch bike is between the BMX size and 19 inch frame, but closer to
the 19 inch. I just feel that I get more monuverability and feel
more comfortable on a 16t inch. I like bikes that are a bit smaller
than what normally I should be useing.

Do you guys ride bikes that are the perfect fit for your height or do
you guys ride bikes that are smaller and why?


Thanks,


James

In article ,
says...
I recently tried some bikes. A 19 inch frame is my proper size but
when I try a 16 inch frame it doesn't feel really small to me but the
bike shop owner and my girlfriend say that a 16 inch frame looks small
for my height. That may seem true but I felt more comfortable on a 16
than 19 inch frame. It could be because I used to ride BMX and those
are tiny. Sure I'm 6 foot tall and can not ride BMX anymore but the
16 inch bike is between the BMX size and 19 inch frame, but closer to
the 19 inch. I just feel that I get more monuverability and feel
more comfortable on a 16t inch. I like bikes that are a bit smaller
than what normally I should be useing.

Do you guys ride bikes that are the perfect fit for your height or do
you guys ride bikes that are smaller and why?

The "perfect fit" is the one which is most comfortable for you, but you
often can't tell which is going to be more comfortable until you can
test it on an extended ride. That said, the current fashion is to ride
bikes which are on the small side, and put long stems and setback seat
posts on them. Personally, I prefer bikes on the large side, rather
than small.


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On 24 May 2004 12:13:48 -0700, (James Lynx)
wrote:
Do you guys ride bikes that are the perfect fit for your height or do
you guys ride bikes that are smaller and why?

My main road bike is a size too small because I wasn't smart enough
to know when I bought it. With an appropriate stem to put the
handlebars in a reasonable spot, it's good for me.

If you can get the right size, get it; the hard part is knowing.
Search this newsgroup at groups.google.com to find loads and loads
of information on fitting, and links to fit calculators.
--
Rick Onanian

On Mon, 24 May 2004 20:13:21 -0400, Rick Onanian wrote:

On 24 May 2004 12:13:48 -0700, (James Lynx)
wrote:
Do you guys ride bikes that are the perfect fit for your height or do
you guys ride bikes that are smaller and why?

My main road bike is a size too small because I wasn't smart enough
to know when I bought it. With an appropriate stem to put the
handlebars in a reasonable spot, it's good for me.

If you can get the right size, get it; the hard part is knowing.
Search this newsgroup at groups.google.com to find loads and loads
of information on fitting, and links to fit calculators.

Numbers? You're six feet tall, right? Are you riding a 17 inch frame?

My LBS looked at me and said 17.5, but the bike seemed small to me. I'm
5'9".

(Would it be worse to have a bike that's too large than a bit too small?
There'd be no way to fix that without sawing off something, eh? g)

-B

On Mon, 24 May 2004 22:43:05 -0400, Badger_South
wrote:
On Mon, 24 May 2004 20:13:21 -0400, Rick Onanian wrote:
My main road bike is a size too small because I wasn't smart enough
to know when I bought it. With an appropriate stem to put the
handlebars in a reasonable spot, it's good for me.

If you can get the right size, get it; the hard part is knowing.
Search this newsgroup at groups.google.com to find loads and loads
of information on fitting, and links to fit calculators.

Numbers? You're six feet tall, right? Are you riding a 17 inch frame?

I'm probably 5'10" or so. The frame in question is a Giant TCR2
compact frame in "Medium", which I think is supposed to be
equivalent to a 55cm. Huh? A "medium giant"? No conflict there?

Actually, according to Giant's sizing web page at
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/050...50.600.100.asp
it is the correct frame for me, but I suspect a larger frame would
be more appropriate.

Hah! They offer a small giant. Maybe I should start a bike company
called "minuscule" and sell large frames.

My LBS looked at me and said 17.5, but the bike seemed small to me. I'm
5'9".

Mountain or road?

MTB sizing is generally done on the small side, and that's ok. Road
sizing is done small now too, but that's _not_ ok. It makes sense
for off-road riding to have lots of extra clearance everywhere and
short reach, and so much time is spent out of the saddle and doing
weird stuff and flying off the bike into sharp rocks that you don't
notice minor size issues.

Road bikes, OTOH, should be fit perfectly. I understand that many
years ago, road sizing was done too large; that must have been
unpleasant. Now they do it too small, for minor weight savings,
purported stiffness, and extra-low handlebars. The trouble is that
road biking, with so much time and so many miles spent in the saddle
in one position, is very sensitive to minor size issues.

(Would it be worse to have a bike that's too large than a bit too small?
There'd be no way to fix that without sawing off something, eh? g)

Depends on exactly what's too large.
Top tube height? Replace 700c wheels with 650c.
KOPS? Setback seatpost.
Reach? Stem.
Bar height? Stem.
Saddle height? Seatpost.
Etc. Modifications can be made to make most bikes fit most people,
if sufficiently motivated.

Fit goes beyond how your body contacts the bike, IMO. Fit should
also include how you're going to use the bike, and your abilities.
In this region, a double crank doesn't make sense for beginners,
weak riders, people living in extra-steep areas, or anybody not
completely sure of their needs. I'm not sure it makes much sense for
anybody, but I certainly shouldn't have left that store with a
double. In fact, I should have had a sport tourer, or at least
something whose geometry is a little more relaxed than the hardcore
racer that I bought -- maybe a Giant OCR. I know now...I know a
_lot_ more than I did then. I'm nearly "saavy". Unfortunately, bike
shop employees tend to be either racer-wannabes (and expect
everybody else to be), or don't give a damn, or dumb, or too busy
focusing on bringing in the benjamins (how's that for me being hip!
to help somebody choose the right bike.

This newsfroup should write a training manual for bike shop owners
and employees. Now that I've done the hard work of coming up with
that idea, it's up to the rest of you to implement it. What, me
spend MORE time on it? Sheesh, how ungrateful... BFG
--
Rick Onanian

Hello James,

when you have both feet on the ground, there should be a 2 inch clearance
between the top bar of the frame and yourself. Less is dangerous, more will
make adjusting the rest more complicated. In essence the bigger the bike,
faster you can go with the same effort. Think of those BMX bikes, even with
great effort they can't go that fast.


"James Lynx" wrote in message
om...
I recently tried some bikes. A 19 inch frame is my proper size but
when I try a 16 inch frame it doesn't feel really small to me but the
bike shop owner and my girlfriend say that a 16 inch frame looks small
for my height. That may seem true but I felt more comfortable on a 16
than 19 inch frame. It could be because I used to ride BMX and those
are tiny. Sure I'm 6 foot tall and can not ride BMX anymore but the
16 inch bike is between the BMX size and 19 inch frame, but closer to
the 19 inch. I just feel that I get more monuverability and feel
more comfortable on a 16t inch. I like bikes that are a bit smaller
than what normally I should be useing.

Do you guys ride bikes that are the perfect fit for your height or do
you guys ride bikes that are smaller and why?


Thanks,


James

No, my LBS said that I was right for a 19 inch frame. I do feel more
comfortable on a 16 inch frame and that's probably because I used to
ride BMX bikes (years ago) and now want to get back into biking and
feel that I have more control over the bike if I have a slightly
smaller frame. I was thinking maybe a 16 inch but yeah that's gotta
be mega small on me so maybe a 17.5 if there is such things.


Thanks



Numbers? You're six feet tall, right? Are you riding a 17 inch frame?

My LBS looked at me and said 17.5, but the bike seemed small to me. I'm
5'9".

(Would it be worse to have a bike that's too large than a bit too small?
There'd be no way to fix that without sawing off something, eh? g)

-B

In article ,
says...
Hello James,

when you have both feet on the ground, there should be a 2 inch clearance
between the top bar of the frame and yourself. Less is dangerous, more will

I disagree somewhat on this. On a MTB, I would say *at least* 2 inches,
but on a road bike 1" is enough.

.....

--
Remove the ns_ from if replying by e-mail (but keep posts in the
newsgroups if possible).

In article ,
says...

....

(Would it be worse to have a bike that's too large than a bit too small?
There'd be no way to fix that without sawing off something, eh? g)

Depends on exactly what's too large.
Top tube height? Replace 700c wheels with 650c.

Might be kind of tough to get the brakes to work, though...

KOPS? Setback seatpost.
Reach? Stem.
Bar height? Stem.
Saddle height? Seatpost.
Etc. Modifications can be made to make most bikes fit most people,
if sufficiently motivated.

.....

--
Remove the ns_ from if replying by e-mail (but keep posts in the
newsgroups if possible).

What if we are talking about a compact frame? I have a size 55 Specialized
Allez. I have more than 2" from the cross bar to my crotch, but I am pretty
sure the bike fits me.

By the way James, don't get mixed up in comfortable, and familiar. You may
be more used to the feel of a smaller bike, but it may prevent you from
getting the most out of your effort.

Jim

"Daniel Crispin" wrote in message
.. .
Hello James,

when you have both feet on the ground, there should be a 2 inch clearance
between the top bar of the frame and yourself. Less is dangerous, more
will
make adjusting the rest more complicated. In essence the bigger the
bike,
faster you can go with the same effort. Think of those BMX bikes, even
with
great effort they can't go that fast.


"James Lynx" wrote in message
om...
I recently tried some bikes. A 19 inch frame is my proper size but
when I try a 16 inch frame it doesn't feel really small to me but the
bike shop owner and my girlfriend say that a 16 inch frame looks small
for my height. That may seem true but I felt more comfortable on a 16
than 19 inch frame. It could be because I used to ride BMX and those
are tiny. Sure I'm 6 foot tall and can not ride BMX anymore but the
16 inch bike is between the BMX size and 19 inch frame, but closer to
the 19 inch. I just feel that I get more monuverability and feel
more comfortable on a 16t inch. I like bikes that are a bit smaller
than what normally I should be useing.

Do you guys ride bikes that are the perfect fit for your height or do
you guys ride bikes that are smaller and why?


Thanks,


James