Buying a bike one size to "small"

hveminem
hveminem Posts: 6
edited August 2014 in Road buying advice
Hey guys. I am looking at a trek domane 5.2 that i can get a good deal on. The only thing is they only have size 58 left. I am 191cm 6'2", and 91cm 35 inch inseam. I felt i sat pretty well on the bike, but are there any issues that might arise from buying a bike that is in essence one size to small. Other issues that might pop up is also appreciated.

Comments

  • t4tomo
    t4tomo Posts: 2,643
    It's not a good deal if it's the wrong size
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  • kajjal
    kajjal Posts: 3,380
    It depends on your body shape and the riding position you are after. I would do a test ride and see. At the same time test ride a bike of the correct size, that way you get an idea. If it feels wrong don't waste your money unless you are sure what correcting it entails.
  • Grill
    Grill Posts: 5,610
    I doubt that bike is too small.

    Even if it is a bit too small there are no real issues. Rule of thumb is that you can easily adapt a small bike to fit with no detrimental effects, but a bike that's too big will always be an uncomfortable compromise.
    English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg
  • paul1000
    paul1000 Posts: 190
    I'm the same height as you and ride 58's, it's better to go smaller
  • freefall_junkie
    freefall_junkie Posts: 123
    I am 188cm tall but have a very long 92cm inside leg so not dissimilar to you. I have test ridden a 60cm Madone H2 and the 58 would definitely have been too small for me. On the 60 I had to use the longer seat mast and had a massive amount of post/mast showing. I ride with about 11cm of saddle to bar drop - on the 60 I could just about have the stem 'slammed'; for me the 58 would have required an ugly washer stack. By way of fun comparison one Jens Voigt is 189cm tall and rides a 60 Madone H1, which has a similar stack to the H2 58. Check out that hooooge saddle to bar drop :)

    1390208539736-14s4t3xkvs34a-700-80.jpg
  • freefall_junkie
    freefall_junkie Posts: 123
    Just noticed the OP said Domane, not Madone, sorry! The Domane has a very long head tube, so 58 may well be fine depending on your preferred riding position. Guess the only real solution is a bike fit and a test ride...
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    freefall_junkie wrote:
    Just noticed the OP said Domane, not Madone, sorry! The Domane has a very long head tube, so 58 may well be fine depending on your preferred riding position. Guess the only real solution is a bike fit and a test ride...

    Yes, but if the OP is after an upright position (ie that's why he is looking at a Domane in the first place) then he'd still need a big stack of spacers on the smaller framed bike to bring it up to the correct height.
    Faster than a tent.......
  • hveminem
    hveminem Posts: 6
    Thanks for the input guys. I'll go 58, start with a big stack of spacers, start doing yoga, remove spacers as i evolve. Problem solved...

    I'll testride today with exact setup on a 58, then i'll see. There are no 60 frames left in the country (Norway), so i can't compare.
  • stueys
    stueys Posts: 1,332
    Traditional rule of thumb is 0.67 * inseem length. And pros tend to size down as there are some advantages in having a smaller frame, but they are also a tad more flexible than the rest of us.

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