Have I just been an idiot?

Cupotea

Hi all,

After months of pondering I decided to get into road riding. Today I bought a Felt Z65 from Evans in Manchester but I'm starting to worry I've been led a merry dance with the sizing.

I'm 6'3 and I was sold a 56. It feels right, but I'm wondering if I just don't know any better and I've only had 10 minutes spin on it. I know I should have tried lots of different bikes first but I kinda fell for it when I saw it.

I think I'm hoping someone will pipe up and say "I too am of the lanky persuasion and ride a 56". Any takers?

Nuggs

To me (an armchair expert), a 56cm frame sounds very small for a man of your height.

I'm 6'5" and ride a 61cm Spesh Roubaix, and even that has a very long seat post and a few spacers at the front.

I was keen on a Felt Z35, but I was told they don't import anything larger than a 58cm into the UK. Knowing a 58 would be too small for me, I had to rule a Felt out.

Obviously everyone's different, and manufacturers size their bikes differently too. It all comes down to how the bike feels to you. That said, 56cm sounds very small for a man of your stature.

synchronicity

If it's a centre-centre effective seat tube measurement, not sloping geometry, it certainly sounds too small.

After several years, I've worked out my size is between 55-57cm, with 56 being ideal (depends more on the length of the top tube though). The last time I measured myself I was around 5'11. I've probably shrunk a cm in the last decade though.

I don't claim to be an 'expert' but it is in my best interests to put my clients on the right sized bikes... I generally have to go off people's height (and some people exaggerate, making it that much more difficult :!:).

Based on your height, I'd most likely put you on a 58-60cm frame.

Here's a very rough chart that I made up (it isn't accurate for riders below 5' / 150cm as they're much better off using 650c wheels), based on over 100 fittings:

Cupotea

Thanks Nuggs

The post is a fair ol' way out (the markings on the post have 9 out of 10 showing) and there are some spacers under the stem but so far it does feel good. I'm tempted to flip the stem (5 deg negative at the moment I think) just to see what it's like but only after I've got some milage on it.

I guess I'm just wishing for some reasurance. It was reduced but still a hell of a lot of money (for me).

The best bit of all is how insanely fast it seems after riding my singlespeed mountain bike with 2.5" tires. Possibly coming from a mountain bike background lots of post showing made me feel at home. :roll:

Cupotea

Here she be! I'd just like to say not my kitchen!

Infamous

Pffft, call that a seat post?



I'm about the same height as you, and I think mine is a 54 (can't remember). I have now got tribars on so the smaller bike fits even better. The saddle is now flat, the stem has been flipped and one spacer removed since this pic.

I've done 1974.9 km on it, so it's absolutely fine in terms of comfort.

would I swap it for a bigger bike? would i balls.

Cupotea

I notice you have your saddle very far forward. I was thinking in the shop that I might move mine half an inch or so forward but I'll have a few spins on it first. Thanks for the piccy infamous. It's put my mind at rest a little.

To be honest, the guy at Evans (James if anyones been there) was very attentive and helpful. I don't think he would have sold me something knowing it was obviously wrong for me. The reach feels good, if not a tiny bit long (hence the saddle comment) so perhaps I have an odd leg/torso/arm ratio. :?

I see you're from Cheshire, I'm from Northwich so if you know any particularly nice routes please give me a shout.

Cupotea

One other thing...... I can't believe how close the clearence is for the forks. At the moment I get a slight noise from the molding 'nubbins' on the tires hitting the fork. It was very worrying until I knew what it was and I'm even thinking of putting helicopter tape on the forks. Carbon scares me :oops:

sub55

i am 6"6" and race on a 56 but train on a 58

AceOnTheLine

It really depends on the manufacturer I think, having recently tried several bikes in order to buy my first road bike I found I needed a 58 in a Spesh Allez, a 56 in a cannondale and a 54 in a Scott Speedster (which is the one I bought).

FJS

Just your length is not precise enough to know your frame size, you could have relatively long or short legs. Your inseam is more relevant. You could calculate using this for instance: http://www.competitivecyclist.com/za/CC ... ATOR_INTRO . But 56 cm seems very short for 6'3''; I'm 6'3'' too and have 61/62 cm bikes.

Juju_uk_68

Don't get hung up on seatpost height, unless the post is so far out the frame its in danger of breaking.

You obviosuly adjusted the saddle to get a good leg stroke, so dont worry about stand over height.

The only real issue is how the barts feel to you. Are the hoods comfortable to hold. Do you geel cramped or that a longer sten would help? If not, your bikes fine and you can stop worrying.

I am no expert, being very new, but I am not a conventional size either, in that I have a short top body to leg - and I ride a frame technically 3 cm too small for me too. Bit its perfect. The"right" size would have me reaching so far for the hoods that cycling would be almost dangerous.

Just enjoy. Besides, slightly small looks so much cooler than slightly too big!

Cupotea

Thanks guys. It's nice to use a forum and not be instantly flamed into shame. Once I've put a hundred or so miles on it I'll post an update. Hopefully it might be useful to someone.

nick hanson

As said above,the frame size(seat tube length ) is Irrelevant.
The key is the top tube/stem length.
Firstly,for leg/saddle position,when sat on the saddle,with the cranks at three o'clock,and nine o'clock,you should be able to drop a vertical line from just behind you kneecap,through the spindle of the front most pedal
When riding on the drops,you should not have a right angle at your elbow joint,you should be reaching a bit forward of this.
Another good guide is,again,when on the drops,when looking down to the front hub,your handlebar should be roughly in line with the hub.
as said before ,the seat tube length doesn't matter,as you can always buy a longer seatpost.Hope this helps.

a_n_t

I'm 6'2" and my ribble is a 54, all manufacturers are different. If it feels right, it's right!

nick hanson

a_n_t wrote:

. If it feels right, it's right!

Correct!

Cupotea

nick hanson wrote:

As said above,the frame size(seat tube length ) is Irrelevant.
The key is the top tube/stem length.
Firstly,for leg/saddle position,when sat on the saddle,with the cranks at three o'clock,and nine o'clock,you should be able to drop a vertical line from just behind you kneecap,through the spindle of the front most pedal
When riding on the drops,you should not have a right angle at your elbow joint,you should be reaching a bit forward of this.
Another good guide is,again,when on the drops,when looking down to the front hub,your handlebar should be roughly in line with the hub.
as said before ,the seat tube length doesn't matter,as you can always buy a longer seatpost.Hope this helps.

Thank you Nick. I'll be sure to try those things tomorrow.

I just wish it would stop raining. It always seems a shame to take a maiden voyage in the rain, especially as I'm not used to road riding at all. Hopefully I won't be back with road rash and a scratched bike. My last mountain bikes maiden voyage resulted in a shoulder that now clicks if i reach above my head

nick hanson

I know the feeling,some Idiot ran out in front of me,causing my carbon forks to shear (not really the forks fault,it was one hell of an impact) and i landed on my head and shoulder (no,not the shampoo!).
When i swim,my right shoulder clicks

Infamous

Cupotea wrote:

I notice you have your saddle very far forward. I was thinking in the shop that I might move mine half an inch or so forward but I'll have a few spins on it first. Thanks for the piccy infamous. It's put my mind at rest a little.

Yeah, with the saddle being so high, it needed to be. It's so far forward that the saddle bag doesnt really fit well. I used the link that FJS posted and started from there.

I see you're from Cheshire, I'm from Northwich so if you know any particularly nice routes please give me a shout.[/quote]

I live about 10 miles south of chester, I ride mainly on the road between here and chester. Occasionally I go on the cheshire cycle way, there are some nice hills on it.

DonDaddyD

a_n_t wrote:

I'm 6'2" and my ribble is a 54, all manufacturers are different. If it feels right, it's right!

Sorry to highkack the thread but a_n-t how does the Wilier ride? Am considering buying that model next year, if I get riding for a club and doing races/sportives...

mr-ed

I think part of the problem is not to worry about what the frame size is called by the manufacter (56, 54, M, S ect) The important size is the top tube length. I'm 5'11 and I like to ride a 54 top tube. On my Cervelo that works out as a 54 but on something like a Ribble (one of their winter frames) I need a 51.