1st road bike.

Oxfordred
Oxfordred Posts: 5
edited September 2016 in Road general
Evening all.

This may be an odd question to some but here goes.
I've always had hybrids or mountain bikes but decided to move to pure road, anyway I got myself measured (5" 6 and a bit) and was told a 48cm frame was right for the bike I was after (Ribble R872) looks great when it arrived but I was a bit surprised how small the frame looks to a mountain bike. So long story short, is it the norm that road bikes look so compact and bijou?

Tia.

Comments

  • davep1
    davep1 Posts: 837
    I would normally expect an mtb to look smaller - you need more clearance when roughing it over unknown and unpredictable terrain
  • diamonddog
    diamonddog Posts: 3,426
    48 seems about the right size for you on that bike, if you got the next size up you could feel too stretched out on it. I'm 5'5" and would be getting the 46 if I bought one.
  • Oxfordred
    Oxfordred Posts: 5
    diamonddog wrote:
    48 seems about the right size for you on that bike, if you got the next size up you could feel too stretched out on it. I'm 5'5" and would be getting the 46 if I bought one.


    Thank you.
  • kingrollo
    kingrollo Posts: 3,198
    better to small than to large - you can always get a longer stem if it becomes an issue.
  • onionmk
    onionmk Posts: 101
    It's normal. Most if not all modern road frames including the one you've opted for have a compact design with sloping top tube. This means they can use less material to make the frame lighter and it gives you more stand-over clearance much like a mountain bike. Get yourself fitted to the bike and see how you feel. With a smaller bike you can always extend reach with a longer stem and setback seatpost without sacrificing much handling.

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