Smokin Joe
Squire
- Location
- Bare headed cyclist, Smoker
People often forget that a bike has a fair amount of adjustment for position and the body is flexible and adaptable.
Bike size discussion.
- Thread starter Milzy
- Start date
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Lozz360
Veteran
- Location
- Oxfordshire
If, like me, you have a long torso but short legs for your height, then you should go for the larger size frame. It's easier to adjust the seat height than adjusting the reach to the bars.
Depends what the purpose of the bike will be.
I have a long torso but like my seat to be a round 760mm (from BB) and bars slammed on my 56's.
When I've been on 58's, it always feels like throwing my leg over a stable door.
A smaller frame will be more responsive and lighter, all things to consider.
Lancsman
Veteran
- Location
- Bognor Regis West Sussex
I recently bought a used Secteur in a 56cm it does look too big for me as I am only 5'7 but it is really comfortable and it has but the pleasure back into road bikes again. If anyone was to tell me it was too big I would tell them to go away, but a little less politely, Ride what you are comfortable on is my motto these days not what fashion dictates.
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
My commuter is a 56 and im the same height, works with an 80 mm stem .
Lancsman
Veteran
- Location
- Bognor Regis West Sussex
I assume mine has the factory fit stem, don't know the length, but I do know the bars are virtually the same height as the saddle which is set at a nice height for me and it suits my ageing body
Grant Fondo
Guru
- Location
- Cheshire
Yes couldn't agree more....interesting times ahead for both UK and U.S...having lived in both countries i know things will work out.
Stinboy
Über Member
I'm no expert on this by any stretch of the imagination, but whereas a smaller frame is lighter by the fact it has less material, it's not necessarily more responsive. To accommodate the smaller size, the head and seat tube angles will be more relaxed to give a comparable wheelbase with a larger frame, but there will still be slight differences in wheelbase between the two frames. The shorter the wheelbase, the more responsive (and twitchy I suppose) the bike will be. If the fork is curved there will also be more trail on the smaller frame which (so I believe) can reduce responsiveness slightly too.
I think though the underlying point for the OP is not to give a sugar what anyone else says/thinks (including me
) and ride what's comfortable for you. It's your bike, after all 
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
Lol, I was sitting in a bike shop cafe and their fitter told me my bike was too big for me so I looked into it, and sure enough on a sporty fit it was 0.5cm too big for me but on a comfort fit it was 2cm too small for me. I've since done the Mallorca 312 on it, an 205miles ride and a few other things and had previously done the Liege Bastogne Liege all in comfort and a speed I was happy with and I don't think I'll be rushing out for a new bike 
