Frame Size

tony\'s vision
tony\'s vision Posts: 8
edited December 2008 in Road beginners
Really new to this so forgive me, I really like the 2nd hand Pinarello Paris carbon in the classifieds but I'm exactly 6' so is the 54ccm frame to small?

Comments

  • father_jack
    father_jack Posts: 3,509
    I would think so I'm shorter than you and ride a 54cm. But don't order the next size up on my behalf.
    Say... That's a nice bike..
    Trax T700 with Lew Racing Pro VT-1 ;-)
  • kafkathedog
    kafkathedog Posts: 242
    Almost certainly unless you've got really short arms and body.

    Why not get measured by LBS, worth the investment
  • father_jack
    father_jack Posts: 3,509
    Why not get measured by LBS, worth the investment

    I've found they'll just sell you what's available rather than what's the right size bike.
    Say... That's a nice bike..
    Trax T700 with Lew Racing Pro VT-1 ;-)
  • kafkathedog
    kafkathedog Posts: 242
    What i meant by worth the investment is to pay to get a bike fit profile independently of whether you purchase a bike.
    Not all shops do it but some do an in depth measurement profile and give you the printed out data to take away
  • vinnn
    vinnn Posts: 62
    I've found this 'bike fit' calculator is accurate...

    http://www.competitivecyclist.com/za/CC ... ATOR_INTRO
  • mhuk
    mhuk Posts: 327
    This is also worth reading:

    http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fitting.htm
    Scott Scale
  • synchronicity
    synchronicity Posts: 1,415
    I am 180cm, ride a 55cm F3:13. I find it is 1cm smaller than my 'ideal' size.
    Well, the reach is good, but the head tube is a bit too short, making it difficult to get the handlebar position high enough...
    vertebr.ae | precision braking & shifting
  • STEFANOS4784
    STEFANOS4784 Posts: 4,109
    edited December 2008
    Forget 'bike fit' it's crap!!!! I rode a cannpondale R500 for yrs and loved it, was told i need 56/58, bought a bargain(imo) 57 Kuota and it wibbled and wobbled, i think 'fit' is only essential when in tdf, bikes tend to have a lot of adjustment places IMO

    BTW my c'dale is 54cm, i am 6ft with 34 inner leg and quite skinny
    winter beast: http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr34 ... uff016.jpg
    Summer beast; http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr34 ... uff015.jpg
  • Mister W
    Mister W Posts: 791
    Bike fit depends as much on your proportions as your height so try the bike fit calculator than vinnn posted a link to and see what figures it comes up with. Remember that the top tube length is far more important that the seat tube length because it has less adjustment. A different stem will only change the reach by a few cms but there is loads of adjustment in a seat post.
  • synchronicity
    synchronicity Posts: 1,415
    edited November 2008
    That's certainly true. Although it's not very easy to adjust handlebar height. Well I'll clarify that: you can't add more than 30mm of spacers without looking like a tw@t. So you also need to compare head tube lengths between bikes. I completely neglected this when buying the Pinarello. :oops: It turns out they have short head tubes.

    It's the first bike I've bought based on the correct top tube measurement ... sure I can get the seatpost high enough, but the resulting saddle to bar drop is too great. I need to purchase a shallow drop bar to compensate. Had I bought the next size up, I'd be having trouble with the overall reach. I'd probably need a 90mm stem, compact reach bar and zero setback post... :(

    You need to look at the whole geometry, not just one element of it. :wink:
    vertebr.ae | precision braking & shifting
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    Mister W wrote:
    Bike fit depends as much on your proportions as your height so try the bike fit calculator than vinnn posted a link to and see what figures it comes up with. Remember that the top tube length is far more important that the seat tube length because it has less adjustment. A different stem will only change the reach by a few cms but there is loads of adjustment in a seat post.

    Good advice I reckon. And contrary to some opinions, a good bike measuring service is an asset and an investment.
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    synchronicity wrote:
    It's the first bike I've bought based on the correct top tube measurement ... sure I can get the seatpost high enough, but the resulting saddle to bar drop is too great. I need to purchase a shallow drop bar to compensate. Had I bought the next size up, I'd be having trouble with the overall reach. I'd probably need a 90mm stem, compact reach bar and zero setback post... :(

    You need to look at the whole geometry, not just one element of it. :wink:

    Yeh, you definitely need to look at the whole geometry, both my most used bikes have 55cm top tubes, but one has an 11cm headtube and the other a 17cm headtube - it's been really difficult to get a decent on the one with a 17cm HT
    I like bikes...

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  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Back to the OP, I doubt a 54cm, particularly with italian geometry would be suitable for a 6-footer - more like a 56 or a 58, but again depends on things like your proportions, flexibility, riding style etc. Stefano - suggest you only post on subjects you know something about - sticking a long stem on a small frame puts the weight too far forward and more likely to wash-out the front wheel when cornering hard.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • oldwelshman
    oldwelshman Posts: 4,733
    I agree with monty, you need 56 or 58 definately.
    I am 5'9" with 33" legs and have pinarello prince 55.5cm frame and find that a bit tight but great for racing.
    http://s290.photobucket.com/albums/ll245/oldwelshman/
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aK5Bfqj5fxY
  • tony\'s vision
    tony\'s vision Posts: 8
    Thanks for all the info will try out some of the measuring sites and keep looking. To be honest when I said I'm new to this I was not joking and did not realise the advert was for the frame only :oops:
  • STEFANOS4784
    STEFANOS4784 Posts: 4,109
    Monty Dog wrote:
    Back to the OP, I doubt a 54cm, particularly with italian geometry would be suitable for a 6-footer - more like a 56 or a 58, but again depends on things like your proportions, flexibility, riding style etc. Stefano - suggest you only post on subjects you know something about - sticking a long stem on a small frame puts the weight too far forward and more likely to wash-out the front wheel when cornering hard.


    I was posting on my experience, i have never 'washed out' apart from on an icy car park, my larger frame gets much more speed wobble. However you're right in the fact that i don't really know what i'm on a bout, i'm no expert by any means, but i have actually experienced it, i'm not just going by what i've heard etc because i have actually been riding a 54cm frame. Thought my real life experience might help rather than a bunch of links to bikefit calculators which calculated a frame much to bIg for me :P :roll: :arrow:
    winter beast: http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr34 ... uff016.jpg
    Summer beast; http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr34 ... uff015.jpg

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