Is my bike to big for me??

rhionm
rhionm Posts: 22
edited June 2008 in Workshop
Been riding my current bike (Saracen Galibier) for around 18 months now and thought this season i'll do a few TT and sportives so I joined a local cycling club. Did a few TT's but some members of the club have said that the frame looks too big for me!?

Im 5"10 and I messured the frame by middle of BB to top of centre tube and it's 59cm,
so my question is, is my frame too big for me and should I be looking at a 54 to 56cm frame?

Many thanks

Comments

  • Compton77
    Compton77 Posts: 139
    I'd say so, my bike is a size 54 (not sure of the top tube measurement though) and i'm 5'11". Any idea how long your stem is? A quick fix maybe getting a shorter stem, that'll bring the bars closer to you..?
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  • rhionm
    rhionm Posts: 22
    My stem is a 110mm one I think!

    Think i'll be looking on ebay for a new frame then soon!!!
  • Sfelt
    Sfelt Posts: 55
    rhionm wrote:
    Been riding my current bike (Saracen Galibier) for around 18 months now and thought this season i'll do a few TT and sportives so I joined a local cycling club. Did a few TT's but some members of the club have said that the frame looks too big for me!?

    Im 5"10 and I messured the frame by middle of BB to top of centre tube and it's 59cm,
    so my question is, is my frame too big for me and should I be looking at a 54 to 56cm frame?

    Many thanks

    I'm 5' 11" and was measured for a 56cm frame, I'm not long in leg or torso just normal :D
  • a_n_t
    a_n_t Posts: 2,011
    I'd say the top tube measurement is the more crucial of the 2.

    I'm 6'2", 57cm toptube, 120mm stem.
    Manchester wheelers

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  • jonnyv
    jonnyv Posts: 85
    I'd say 59 was fine - there seems to be a tendency to set road bikes up with so much seat pin showing that the bike is basically unrideable on the drops except by a contortionist - unless you also have the stem correspondingly high, which looks daft.
  • over-the-hill
    over-the-hill Posts: 144
    I'm 5' 10" and a bit and a 54 Tarmac fitted me better than a 56 and my Wilier is 55.
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    The problem is every bike model has a different geometry so every case is different. Having said that, I'm the same height as you and a 59cm seat tube would have me stretching a little much.
  • andrewgturnbull
    andrewgturnbull Posts: 3,861
    rhionm wrote:
    Been riding my current bike (Saracen Galibier) for around 18 months now and thought this season i'll do a few TT and sportives so I joined a local cycling club. Did a few TT's but some members of the club have said that the frame looks too big for me!?

    Im 5"10 and I messured the frame by middle of BB to top of centre tube and it's 59cm,
    so my question is, is my frame too big for me and should I be looking at a 54 to 56cm frame?

    Many thanks

    Hi there.

    Picture! We need a picture of you on your bike in your normal riding position, otherwise we're just speculating!

    Cheers, Andy
    http://www.andyturnbull.co.uk
    http://www.stirlingtri.co.uk
  • cyclingvet
    cyclingvet Posts: 131
    edited June 2008
    It all depends on what you want from your bike and how comfortable you want to be. I'm 5ft 10 " (178cm) tall with a 86.8 cm inside leg (measured properly!) and was measured up for a frame by Enigma earlier this year (Esprit with a horizontal top tube). Because I'm no longer a spring chicken at 48 years of age and I don't race, comfort is more important that aerodynamics and I enter quite a few sportives, a size L frame was recommended. This has a 60cm centre to top (56.5cm c-c) seat tube and the top tube is 57cm. I have a 110mm stem on it and the 1.5cm of spacers under the stem. This fit was reached both after taking all my measurements on the bike fit rig and then making final adjustments with me pedalling on a on a static rig. I find the bike very comfortable on long rides and I got a very good time on my last sportive.

    There is about 5" of seat tube visible on this bike.

    My other bike is a Colnago CLX 54cm cloping that has a 56cm (c-c) effective seat tube and a 56.3cm effective top tube , which I purchased after entering all my mearurements into the competitive cyclist bike fit calculator. You should check that site out (www.competitivecyclist.com) as there are 3 types of fit depending on whether you'r a 20 year old pro or a middle aged weekend warrior.

    It turned out that I had my Colnago set up very close indeed to the mearurements that Enigma came up with.

    eg Centre of bottom bracket to saddle 76cm Saddle to bars 55cm and the bars about 6cm lower tthan the saddle.

    If I had a smaller frame with the seat sticking out more, the bars would be lower and I would be suffering neck and back ache on a long ride (as I did on a 56cm Trek a few years ago until I fliped the stem so it was pointing up at 30 degrees)

    I wouldn't necessarily say your frame is too large at all.
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    cyclingvet wrote:
    I wouldn't necessarily say your frame is too large at all.

    It might be if the OP wants to use it more for TTs though.
    I like bikes...

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  • cyclingvet
    cyclingvet Posts: 131
    He wants to do sportives or TTs? I would have thought he would need two different bikes if he wants to do both.
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    cyclingvet wrote:
    He wants to do sportives or TTs? I would have thought he would need two different bikes if he wants to do both.

    I'm not sure about that, there's no reason why you can't use your race bike for sportives, races and TTs (with clip-on tribars).
    I like bikes...

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  • rhionm
    rhionm Posts: 22
    Thanks a lot for all the replies, here's a pic of my bike (first time uploading so if it doesn't work i'll have to get some help please!):-

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/27749019@N04/2588172682/

    I measured the top tube and its 58cm.
  • Zonc Hastings
    Zonc Hastings Posts: 65
    Difficult to comment upon picture alone. Really need to see you on the bike.
    However! My comments on the bike would be:

    Saddle seems to point downward somewhat. This normally indicates that it is a wee bit high.

    Handlebars are also over skewed. The Bar bottom ought to be parallel with the ground.

    Get a pal form the club to check out your position with hands on the 'tri' bars to see what
    position you are in and what you optimal aero position would be.

    Do not forget: If you change angles/position of parts on your bike to new angles do it a wee bit at a tiime otherwise you can cause yourself all sorts of damage.

    as several folks have already said it is a horses for courses business and the trend seems to be having loads of seat pin showing. (Originally this was to create stiffer and lighter bikes).
    Good luck!

    Zonc
  • rhionm
    rhionm Posts: 22
    Thanks for your comments, much appreciated!

    Reason the saddle is pointing down a bit is when I do a TT and sitting/resting on the front of the saddle it just feel's more comfy! Think I will ask a few at the club tommorrow and see what they say! After looking at the picture though I know what you mean about the handle bars!
  • James1823
    James1823 Posts: 68
    looking at that picture the top tube looks more like 56cm. How are you measuring it, centre-centre or end to end?
  • rhionm
    rhionm Posts: 22
    I did it centre to end, i'll try and do the centre to centre tonight!
  • zaynan
    zaynan Posts: 180
    Er, does it feel big - ie do you get sore shoulders, knees, neck, arse that sort of thing - if not then maybe it's ok!
    www.practicalcycles.com
    The home of cargo bikes

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