Is my bike too big if the frame touches my crotch?

[gabefleming]

Hi all. I just got a Specialized Cirrus 2009, which I plan to use for an 8-mile daily commute in London. Before ordering I checked Evans' sizing chart online, and it said i needed a medium (I'm 5 foot 7 inches). But in the Specialized manual it says I should have a couple inches clearance when standing over the frame of the bike with my heels flat. When I stand as indicated, the top bar of the frame is right up against my crotch. Can I safely ride this bike without castrating myself? Help much appreciated!

 

[Bigtwin]

Touching isn't a big deal. Are you wearing your shoes and cleats?

How much post have you up?

 

[jimboalee]

As Mickle says on another thread, it is more important that a frame has the correct reach.

Spesh at Morgan Hill size their frames to suit a person with 'normal' body ratios.
If they say there should be a certain air gap, take their word.

If they say a 54 cm is for a 5' 9" bloke, the reach will be suitable for a 'normal' 5' 9" bloke.

The stem length will be a nominal 100mm ( Correct me if I'm wrong ). Stem length not only adjusts the riding position, it changes the bike's handling and responsiveness. Short stem - turn the bars, long stem - move the bars sideways.

 

[peanut]

Stem length not only adjusts the riding position, it changes the bike's handling and responsiveness. Short stem - turn the bars, long stem - move the bars sideways.

thats a good point there Jimbo that is often overlooked I think. Longer stems make the bike feel safer and less twitchy to new cyclists because they do not operate so directly on the steering as do shorter stems.

All down to turning moment

Other influencing factors are of course angle of steering tube and rake of forks

Same in cars . A quick ratio steering rack like a sports car will feel much more direct and in control than a slow ratio rack or non rack system like a delivery van

 

[RedBike]

Doesn't the Sirrus have a sloping top tube? (It's higher at the front than the back).
There should be loads of clearance with this bike. Certainly sounds like you could have the wrong size to me.

If you jump off/on the thing wrongly or stop on a sideways slope then you'll be wishing you'd got that inch or twos clearance!

 

[johnnyh]

jump off the thing wrongly and you might find you suddenly aquire that inch or two's clearance!!!

 

[gabefleming]

Thanks guys. Quick and well-informed advice, I'll definitely be sticking around on this forum.

But I am a shameless newbie and I must admit you lost me a bit by the end. To put it in terms that I can understand in my ignorance, I think the advice is that it's not necessarily a problem that the frame is against my nether regions when I'm standing over it, as long as it i'm comforatble with the distance between stem and seat - is that about right?

 

[Bigtwin]

2 things - pedals to seat, and seat to bars.

Re the latter - if you are new to all this, it will probably seem too stretched to start with, and not enough after a while as you get into it, so don't get too stressed with how it feels on day one.

 

[numbnuts]

No it’s your legs are too short, as my mum use to say "you’ll grow into it"

 

[gabefleming]

Curse these short legs! Same problem as when i buy jeans, except jeans don't necessarily compromise my safety

 

[Rhys_Po]

Doesn't the Sirrus have a sloping top tube? (It's higher at the front than the back).
There should be loads of clearance with this bike. Certainly sounds like you could have the wrong size to me.

If you jump off/on the thing wrongly or stop on a sideways slope then you'll be wishing you'd got that inch or twos clearance!

I'm with Redbike on this one. The Specailized Sirrus has a compact frame, meaning that it is lower at the seat end than at the handlebar end (see pic below).

If you're finding that it touches your nadgers (assuming that you're Male or pre-op) at the short end then I'd say that it is more or less definitely too large. The reach may seem fine, but any collision could see you singing soprano.

 

[Tynan]

I wouldn't want to ride a bike that I couldn't stand over, that'd be bloody akward in any sort of traffic etc

 

[very-near]

Sorry, when I read this I thought it said 'Is my crotch too big if the frame touches my bike ?'

 

[jimboalee]

thats a good point there Jimbo that is often overlooked I think. Longer stems make the bike feel safer and less twitchy to new cyclists because they do not operate so directly on the steering as do shorter stems.

All down to turning moment

Other influencing factors are of course angle of steering tube and rake of forks

Same in cars . A quick ratio steering rack like a sports car will feel much more direct and in control than a slow ratio rack or non rack system like a delivery van

I had opportunity once to drive a Competition Altered Dragster. Its full lock-to-lock was half a turn of the steering wheel. Not a car for the faint hearted. 5.8 litre, about 850 BHP and was not much bigger than a Morris Minor. Does anyone remember the Fiat Topolino?

 

[youngoldbloke]

+1 with Rhys Po - I'm with Redbike on this one. The Specailized Sirrus has a compact frame, meaning that it is lower at the seat end than at the handlebar end (see pic below).
If you are touching the frame at the saddle end it is much too big - the set up should be much as in the photo - how high is your saddle? Can you return it and try a smaller one?