Help - I must be deformed!

[johnnyb]

Looking for a road bike - my first - and I had settled on a Specialized Secteur or maybe an Allez. I went to the Specialized Concept store and tried a 56cm Secteur and really liked it. At the weekend I tried a 58cm as people were saying that the 56 looked too small! However I felt the 58 to be a bit of a stretch even onto the hoods let alone the drops.....the seat post on the 56 was raised to an alarming height. I am just about 6' tall with a 30" inside leg. I know that bikes are very adjustable,stems saddles etc. but can anyone offer me any advice as to which way to go?

Many thanks

John

 

[Sittingduck]

Hi John

Are you used to riding a flat bar bike without drops? If so the position of a drop bar bike may well feel a bit stretched out at first. I would have thought the 58 would be more to your size and if it still felt a little stretched after a couple of weeks you could always get a shorter stem... Others may well disagree in due course

 

[aJohnson]

I agree with the above post ^^

Also, what is your age? If you're still growing then 58 would definitely be the best choice.

 

[johnnyb]

Long Stretch

Thanks sittingduck, you are spot on - I have been riding a flat barred hybrid for the last 4 months and not much else since I was 17! I am more inclined toward the 58 and will take your advice on stem and nudge the saddle forward. The 56 did look a bit daft. Thanks to you too ajohnson - I am almost embarrassed to admit to the 52 years that I am...I'm probably shrinking! I guess a 57 would be the one!

 

[Randochap]

Start here.

 

[Ivan Ardon]

Six foot with a 30 inch inside leg? Yes, you are an odd size.

Try lots of bikes and don't be in a hurry to buy one unless it fits properly.

 

[ianrauk]

I'm 5'8" and ride a Roubaix in 56, and have also just bought a Sectour in 56. (they share the same geometry)
So with your height a 58 should be fine. As other posters have said going from flat bar to drops does take a little time to get used to.

 

[johnnyb]

Ian - Thanks for that - I'm just about warming to the idea that I will have to get used to the 'elongated' position. I have also realised that my inside leg measurement for bike riding isn't the same as my inside leg measurement for trouser buying, so really I can add another 3 or 4 inches, and I am not quite the gorilla shaped object that I appeared to be....
By the way are you liking your secteur - I guess it will be your winter bike?

 

[ianrauk]

Not picked it up yet Johnny, should be this week, And yes it will be my commute/winter bike (it's the Sectour Elite btw).

 

[BrumJim]

Six foot with a 30 inch inside leg? Yes, you are an odd size.

Try lots of bikes and don't be in a hurry to buy one unless it fits properly.

And I thought I was a bit out-of-proportion, being 6' with a 32" inside leg. How do you get shirts to fit, or do you have a belly piercing instead to make a feature of your bear mid-rift?

 

[Kestevan]

I have pretty much the same problem - Long body, short legs (6'1 tall, 31" legs).

I just couldn't get a Specialized Allez to fit, they all felt just wrong, despite trying a mixture of sizes and stems.

Ended up trying a Trek 1200 which fitted perfectly.

 

[johnnyb]

Hi Kestevan - what size frame did you end up with and how much different is a Trek 1200 to a Trek 1.2 ?

Cheers

John

 

[Kestevan]

I eventually ended up with a 58cm Trek 1200, I'm using a slightly longer stem than it came with as standard (110 instead of 100 I think - but then I have arms like an orangutang), but it was OK before that change.

The 1200 is the previous model, replaced by the 1.2. I dont think there is much difference in the frames themselves, but component wise the 1200 is a higher spec.

It's certainly worth trying a 1.2 for fit, I'd pretty much decided on the Allez before I tried it, but I just couldn't seem to get comfy. The Trek fitted me spot on, but YMMV.

 

[johnnyb]

I think I have found it (almost!) I rode a trek 2.3! It fitted like a glove. Now I have to find a dealer that stocks a 1.2 in a 58cm frame - I'm assured that the geometry is identical! Felt spot on.

 

[Sittingduck]

I think I have found it (almost!) I rode a trek 2.3! It fitted like a glove. Now I have to find a dealer that stocks a 1.2 in a 58cm frame - I'm assured that the geometry is identical! Felt spot on.

Something's amiss here. You're suppose to sit on it not wrap it round your fingers