Frame sizes 54/56/58 cm whats your height and inseam?

marin_maniac

In the process of buying a new bike and looking at potentially sizing down from the bikes I ride at the moment and was wondering what sizes are people that ride the above frame sizes?

mfin

All frames measure up differently, the numbers stated in most sizes refer to the seat tube length (but, for example, I have a 52cm and a 58cm in different makes which are both correct for me) so seat tube length can be very misleading, in fact, it should be ignored for the most part.

You really need to look at Effective Top Tube lengths (and pay a little bit of attention to Seat Tube angles). This is where most bike sizing comes from (also considering head tube lengths in different makes and models which affects how low you can get on the front) ...there's a few other considerations too, but that's most of it.

marin_maniac

My bad. I should have specified those measurements as top tube measurements!

mfin

You can't size your bike purchase based on a poll of heights and inseams and what people ride! You need to know your own fit. You'll get people riding small sizes for their height, people riding big sizes for their height, and people who ride in all sorts of positions which aren't how you will ride.

This will sound daft after what I said above... but If you say what you are riding and in what size, your height and your inseam, maybe it might shed light on whether what you are riding is likely to be on the large size. A few of us on here will have some gut reactions about it no doubt.

Grill

TT measurement doesn't count for anything without the HT and ST angles. And even then there will be a big variance in stack and reach depending on HT, spacers, saddle setback, etc.

kajjal

mfin wrote:

You can't size your bike purchase based on a poll of heights and inseams and what people ride! You need to know your own fit. You'll get people riding small sizes for their height, people riding big sizes for their height, and people who ride in all sorts of positions which aren't how you will ride.

quote]

This it really. It depends on your body dimensions, riding style and a bit of voodoo

For example my bike is a 62cm frame 1.5 trek and I have it set up with just under an inch of drop from the saddle to the handlebars for a more comfortable riding position. I am just over 6ft6 with a 36.5 inseam and the saddle is nowhere near its max mark.

marin_maniac

Kin ell. Something else I should have explained. I've had a few bike fit so I know all of my fit measurements.

I'm not trying to establish fit as such, what I am try to establish is whether people frames that would be considered to be on the smaller/larger side for them.

I ride a 57cm top tube with a 100mm stem and shorter reach bars and am wondering whether I should go down a size. That is all!

maddog 2

are you 5' 11" ?

StillGoing

Marin Maniac wrote:

Kin ell. Something else I should have explained. I've had a few bike fit so I know all of my fit measurements.

I'm not trying to establish fit as such, what I am try to establish is whether people frames that would be considered to be on the smaller/larger side for them.

I ride a 57cm top tube with a 100mm stem and shorter reach bars and am wondering whether I should go down a size. That is all!

But your question doesn't have a simple answer. Take someone the same size and dimensions as yourself, and their preference for fit may be completely different. You may prefer to have the seat almost directly on the top tube whereas they may prefer to have a smaller frame to show a lot more seat tube. They may prefer to have the bars nearer and lower and vice versa.

Measurement of the frame isn't necessarily based on the inseam of the rider, the reach to the bars plays a more significant role in my opinion.