It looks like I've been wrong for a while, 54 or a 56 frame for a 5'10" rider?

homers_double

So the time is closing in to look at a new frame and for reference I'm 5'10" with a 32" inside leg assuming I've jammed the end of my tape measure as far up as I should have :shock:

Current ride is an size 54 Allez which seemed to fit ok when I bought it 2nd hand a few summers ago.

One old rule of thumb I got told was that in the drops the hub shouldn't be visible under the bar clamp (not sure if true) but my hub is in front of it... :?:

Allez size chart based on a 5'10" rider says either a 54 or a 56 and the bike I've been looking at, the new Trek Domane SLR disc clearly states on thier size chart that I'm smack bang in the middle of a 56.

In my LBS (trek dealer) the guy who I've known for years straight off the bat said I was too tall for a 54.

The obvious check is to sit on both but as the frameset may be a special order there may not be that option, does anyone have an opinion on how the two bikes would fair against each other in terms of sizing etc as I'm not fully up to speed on how the differences in geometry are affected by a size jump.

Once I've settled on the size of frame and bolted the bits on I suspect I'll have a professional bike fit at Manchester Velodrome.

Some rambling thoughts from those with more knowledge would be appreciated as it may happen in a few months, but it could also happen next week.

markhewitt1978

homers double wrote:

So the time is closing in to look at a new frame and for reference I'm 5'10" with a 32" inside leg assuming I've jammed the end of my tape measure as far up as I should have :shock:

Current ride is an size 54 Allez which seemed to fit ok when I bought it 2nd hand a few summers ago.

One old rule of thumb I got told was that in the drops the hub shouldn't be visible under the bar clamp (not sure if true) but my hub is in front of it... :?:

That's just a very rough guide and doesn't really mean anything on it's own.

Allez size chart based on a 5'10" rider says either a 54 or a 56 and the bike I've been looking at, the new Trek Domane SLR disc clearly states on thier size chart that I'm smack bang in the middle of a 56.[/quote]

Never, ever, compare sizes between manufacturers. They can mean entirely different things. You'll need to go to basics and consult their geometry charts to be sure.

In my LBS (trek dealer) the guy who I've known for years straight off the bat said I was too tall for a 54.

It depends both on yourself and the riding you want to do. e.g smaller frames not only have a shorter top tube they also have a lower front end. So those who are wanting to get in an aggressive racing position will often want a smaller frame than those who want a more upright position.

Once I've settled on the size of frame and bolted the bits on I suspect I'll have a professional bike fit at Manchester Velodrome.

Or how about going and seeing a bike fitter now? For most of them you don't need a bike to be fitted to. They'll have a jig or some other test bike and they'll fit that to you, after hopefully detailing your requirements (as above) then you'll come out with some numbers which you can use to inform your choice of frame from real data rather than taking a punt and *then* finding out if you got it right or not.

diamonddog

'' One old rule of thumb I got told was that in the drops the hub shouldn't be visible under the bar clamp (not sure if true) but my hub is in front of it... :?:;;

Thought this should be when riding on the hoods.

homers_double

Sorry, I'll elaborate on my riding. I ride a regular 20 mile morning loop before work two or three times a week, a 40/50 miler most weekends and throw in the odd evening ride in the summer months.

I'm 38 (39 in June), have a no ambitions to race, but I do ride the occasional sportive. I guess comfort would the optimum objective as the reviews I've read on the Domane are quite good what with all this isospeed decoupler gubbins.

bsharp77

You definitely sound like a 56 on a Domane - I was wavering between the the sizes as well, but 56 in a Domane is perfect for me and i have similar height and leg length.
One thing to note is the new SLR isn't the standard endurance geometry of the normal Domane - just something to consider, as it may be a bit longer (I haven't checked the exact differences, but just wanted to mention it as it will make a big difference to the fit).
Good luck with the purchase - very jealous indeed!!

meesterbond

Sounds like it's worth getting the fit first and then buying the bike.

I'm the same height and inseam as you and have just moved from a Cervelo 56cm to a Parlee 54cm as the 56cm was a fraction too big. Very nearly went for a Madone in a 54cm - was somewhere between the H1 and H2 geometries.
I don't know how the Domane compares numbers-wise to the Madone but the guides on manufacturers' websites are just that. No two individuals are the same. Even if you're the same height as someone else, your relative flexibility, limb length, usage requirements etc will all be different.

homers_double

How does that work then? Does the fitter look me and then take into account the geometry on the charts etc?

giropaul

diamonddog wrote:

'' One old rule of thumb I got told was that in the drops the hub shouldn't be visible under the bar clamp (not sure if true) but my hub is in front of it... :?:;;

Thought this should be when riding on the hoods.

It depends on the length of the stem more than anything else. It's a rough guide to stem length rather than frame size.
When selecting a frame size I'd recommend looking at top tube length first, then "stack" height - how much below the saddle height you put your bars.
The usual way of sizing based on seat tube length is a distraction with many modern frames.

noodleman

As others have said. Being a certain size on one bike doesn't mean you'll be the same on another. My bikes range from a 52 to a 55. The 52 comes up biggest and the 53 smallest.

drlodge

giropaul wrote:

diamonddog wrote:

'' One old rule of thumb I got told was that in the drops the hub shouldn't be visible under the bar clamp (not sure if true) but my hub is in front of it... :?:;;

Thought this should be when riding on the hoods.

It depends on the length of the stem more than anything else. It's a rough guide to stem length rather than frame size.
When selecting a frame size I'd recommend looking at top tube length first, then "stack" height - how much below the saddle height you put your bars.
The usual way of sizing based on seat tube length is a distraction with many modern frames.

This ^^^

I'm about 5' 8" with longer than average legs, probably about the same as the OP, and a "54" is my size. However the real way of telling the right frame size for me is effective top tube length. With a 73.5 deg seat tube angle, I need a 54.5cm effective top tube length.

homers_double

Do you guys get this info from a fitter?

mugensi

I'm in a similar position to you OP, I'm 5'11" and currently have a 56cm Felt and a size M Ridley (which has a 55cm top tube)

I'm going to buy a new frame and want something suited for endurance and comfort rather than speed/agility and the Domane, Synapse and Z-series Felts are all contenders. I have a 90mm stem on both my bikes and was considering going for a 54cm in the new frameset however the smaller frames have shorter stack which ultimately means a greater drop from saddle height to bars and so comfort may be comprimised with a smaller frame. After a lot of deliberation and comparing frames sizes and measurements, I think i'll stick with 56cm frame and swap over all my components including 90mm stem to it...I just need to decide now which frameset to buy.

markhewitt1978

homers double wrote:

How does that work then? Does the fitter look me and then take into account the geometry on the charts etc?

No, not really. Many of them will have an adjustable bike of some sort. Some will just look a bit like an exercise bike with parts which can easily slide this way and that. The one I went to was a bit more fancy in that they could automatically move the handlebars back / forward / up / down and the same with the saddle position while you're pedalling.

The fitter will then draw up their opinion (and it's only ever an opinion), of what your ideal bike position will look like. It's then up to you with some advice from your fitter to use the geometry charts to figure out which bike is going to most closely match those numbers, taking into account you can have different saddle heights, layback, stem lengths, stem rise, stack spacers etc etc.

You can use the fitters fit recommendation to then build the bike yourself but most will allow you to go back for a follow up fit for a small fee (or free)

markhewitt1978

MugenSi wrote:

I'm in a similar position to you OP, I'm 5'11" and currently have a 56cm Felt and a size M Ridley (which has a 55cm top tube)

I'm going to buy a new frame and want something suited for endurance and comfort rather than speed/agility and the Domane, Synapse and Z-series Felts are all contenders. I have a 90mm stem on both my bikes and was considering going for a 54cm in the new frameset however the smaller frames have shorter stack which ultimately means a greater drop from saddle height to bars and so comfort may be comprimised with a smaller frame. After a lot of deliberation and comparing frames sizes and measurements, I think i'll stick with 56cm frame and swap over all my components including 90mm stem to it...I just need to decide now which frameset to buy.

I currently ride a 52cm Scott CR1 which is slightly too big, the fact that I have a 70mm stem proves that enough. But I don't particularly like a big saddle to bar drop, mine is currently about 1cm drop only, so if I moved to a smaller frame I wouldn't be able to achieve the same bar height without a crazy amount of spacers or a very steep stem, which would look silly.

mugensi

markhewitt1978 wrote:

I currently ride a 52cm Scott CR1 which is slightly too big, the fact that I have a 70mm stem proves that enough. But I don't particularly like a big saddle to bar drop, mine is currently about 1cm drop only, so if I moved to a smaller frame I wouldn't be able to achieve the same bar height without a crazy amount of spacers or a very steep stem, which would look silly.

'
Yeah thats the reason I'm sticking with a 56cm frame, the drop on a race frame is manageable and reasonably comfortable on 2-3hr rides however its a little too agressive for rides longer than that and hence the reason going for the same size frame but with a more relaxed geometry.

redvision

My experience is that a bike size is very unique to the individual and the size guides are there more for reference.

I had a Retul fit 3 years ago and it suggested i ride a 56cm frame (Felt) and actually changed the stem from a 100 to a 110mm.

I have recently just bought an S-Works Tarmac as my pride and joy (Felt is the training bike). Given my height - 5ft 10", 32" inside leg - i was plum between a 54 or 56. I spent ages trying to compare geometries between the Felt, my previous race bike (canyon ultimate cf, medium) and the S-Works, finally i thought the 56cm with a 100mm stem was the way to go.
However, the bike shop did their own bike fit and the 56cm just didn't work. They tried numerous changes but it just wasn't right. Then they suggested i try a 54cm. They changed the saddle for a slightly wider one, they changed the bar width and the stem and got it bang on.

I was quite concerned there would be a significant difference between the S-Works and the Felt but there really isn't (the reach is less than .2mm difference). So i am now riding a 54cm S-Works and a 56cm Felt F85 and the set up on each is now identical despite the difference in geometry.

OP my suggestion would be to stop looking at the size guides. Find a shop with the bikes where you can get a full bike fit from an experienced fitter. It really will pay dividends in the long run and make for a far more comfortable ride.

paul2718

ISTM you have a bike which you can ride, if you wanted to cover the hub with the bars then a longer stem would do that. So that's not helpful to frame size.

I'm just over 6 feet and ride 56cm Scotts. The next size up wouldn't give me low enough bars, the size down might need too many spacers under the bars, assuming I still want to see where I'm going. Either option would allow enough reach with suitable stems.

So, IIWY, I'd be looking carefully at my current setup and deciding whether it was ideal, whether the frame interferes with achieving an ideal setup, whether the setup is at an extreme of the frame's range. And then use that to inform the choice of next frame. You will have to do some translation using the frame size charts most manufacturers supply.

Paul

homers_double

As a slight update to:

diamonddog wrote:

'' One old rule of thumb I got told was that in the drops the hub shouldn't be visible under the bar clamp (not sure if true) but my hub is in front of it... :?:;;

Thought this should be when riding on the hoods.

The hub is about 2/3rds visible when on the hoods.

darkhairedlord

is that with your elbows bent?

kajjal

Bike fit is part theory, part experience and part personal preference. A TT position or similar is not for me but works well for others. Roughly speaking once setup you should be comfortable in bar, drops and hoods. There are no exact rules and once tge saddle is in the right position it is up to you.

When it comes to sizing the key is not to get a bike that is too big. If it is there is nothing you can do without compromises and probably injury if you keep going. If on the border of two sizes i have always chosen the smaller due to my preferred handling and riding position.