smaller frame?

davecooper

My current road bike has a 57cm sloping geometry frame, I am around 5' 11" tall. This bike has been ok until the last couple of years when I have had frozen shoulder syndrome on both sides. This has left me with only about 80% mobility in my shoulders and as such I am now uncomfortably stretching on my old frame, even with a short stem. I want to try a smaller frame and then play around with stem lengths until I am comfortable. Could I get away with a 54cm frame? I am not going to spend the earth on this, probably get a basic Ribble frame and transfer all my components accross. Any advice welcome.

night_porter

Because some manufacturers label their frames S, M, L etc. some make compact frames and some make traditional frames just choosing a bike because of it's label can be confusing.

It makes more sense to go by top tube length (or virtual top tube length) to give you an idea of what you are looking at and what would be suitable for you.

The geometry tables are your friend and should tell you all you need to know.

Monty Dog

It may be worth getting a bike fit done where they use a special jig that they can adjust to various positions and help find a position that suits you - on that basis, you should be able to make an informed choice of the frame you need. It might cost £25-50 but many shops will refund this if you buy the frame from them, or likewise, you could easily save that in not buying extra stems and bars as you find a position that suits.