Help with frame size

warren100uk

Hi all,

I had my Cube Race Ltd stolen 3 months ago and replaced it with a Cube Nature 2011 hybrid from Hargrove Cycles at the weekend. I went from a MTB to hybrid as i was doing more long distance riding than mountain biking. I had an 18inch frame on the last one and was very comfortable. The new one is a 54cm frame as suggested by the shop and its correct from what i can find on sizing charts but it just feels massive. I have only ridden it from the shop home and a quick ride at the weekend but when i stop my groin hits the frame and its hard to get off the bike. Maybe i have short legs. Also if i have the seat at the same height as the bars it feels like iam stretching to pedal. Is this normal on hybrid bikes or is the frame to big for me. I dont really want to have a bike that iam not going to enjoy riding. Has anyone returned a bike for this before. I have had it 4 days.

Any help would be great.

Thanks

cjcp

Can you take a picture of yourself on the bike and post the pic?

jeremyrundle

How long is a piece of string, within reason.

I have three bikes, 17", 18" and 20" frame, I am 5'8" and all are perfect for me, they have different setups, different risers on the handlebars, handlebars, stems, seatposts and are built for different things.

Look at adjusting what you have first, this is why all my bikes are built for me, rather than "off the shelf".

snailracer

warren100uk wrote:

...when i stop my groin hits the frame and its hard to get off the bike. Maybe i have short legs...

Sufficient standover clearance is the most basic rule of frame sizing there is, I am staggered a bricks-and-mortar bike shop can screw this up. You have nothing to lose (apart from sore plums) by going back to the shop and asking them if they can do something about it (e.g. swap for smaller frame - I know of no other solutions).

BTW Frame size measurements (apart from standover clearance) are misleading, because every manufacturer has a slightly different way of measuring them.

jeremyrundle

snailracer wrote:

warren100uk wrote:

...when i stop my groin hits the frame and its hard to get off the bike. Maybe i have short legs...

Sufficient standover clearance is the most basic rule of frame sizing there is, I am staggered a bricks-and-mortar bike shop can screw this up. You have nothing to lose (apart from sore plums) by going back to the shop and asking them if they can do something about it (e.g. swap for smaller frame - I know of no other solutions).

BTW Frame size measurements (apart from standover clearance) are misleading, because every manufacturer has a slightly different way of measuring them.

+1, in the old days I was told and remember that the shop used to say, can you stand over the frame and place your feet flat on the ground, can you also sit on the saddle and reach the floor so when you stop you can place a foot down, I can with three different frames, so I am happy.

Though I am told I should have a 17", my 20" is most comfortable.

mcgyver74

Last week I too bought a new bike, went from a bastardized mountain bike to a hybrid (Specialized Sirrus) I commute in Manhatten so I didn't want to spend too much as this bike gets beat up pretty badly by the roads here etc

The bike shop I bought from once we had decided on the model, measured me for frame size (Had this thing that looks like a pogo stick with a level on it) They fitted me for a 56 frame... which seems to be good (I can straddle it with 1 inch of clearance between my groin and the top tube) The seat is much higher then I'm used to (I can't touch both feet from the saddle to the ground but if I slide forward I'm fine) but they did a fitting and so far this seems to be the most comfortable I've been on a bike...

Surprised they didn't at least measure the inseam to see what frame you should have....

warren100uk

Hi all,

Thanks for your replies.

I took it back to the shop yesterday, they agreed that it was to big and that they should have measured me. After thinking about it i changed it for a Cube LTD Comp Mtb, i had a LTD race for 2 years and loved it so will just put road tyres on it .

Thanks for your help.