Is my bike too big?

[CentralCommuter]

Hi everyone,

Hope everyone is well - not been on for a while but have been cycling, so not all is lost.
I got fitted for my Cube road bike - I’m 5 ft 11 and it’s a 56cm frame. It feels stretched so I put on a 90mm stem and also put the seat forward.

If I do 20 miles the first 8-10 miles feels stretched. I don’t seem to notice it after a while, but at first it feels a bit like I’m hanging onto the handlebars. My cycling gloves are the right size but seem to dig into my hands between the fingers, and there is rubbing on the top of the handlebar where I am holding, but not in the hoods really as I don’t seem to move my hands that far out.

I don’t know whether to get an 80 or 70mm stem, or if that’s getting silly and really I need a 54cm bike. I’ve never been on one so don’t know!

All advice gratefully received!

 

[Racing roadkill]

Hi everyone,

Hope everyone is well - not been on for a while but have been cycling, so not all is lost.
I got fitted for my Cube road bike - I’m 5 ft 11 and it’s a 56cm frame. It feels stretched so I put on a 90mm stem and also put the seat forward.

If I do 20 miles the first 8-10 miles feels stretched. I don’t seem to notice it after a while, but at first it feels a bit like I’m hanging onto the handlebars. My cycling gloves are the right size but seem to dig into my hands between the fingers, and there is rubbing on the top of the handlebar where I am holding, but not in the hoods really as I don’t seem to move my hands that far out.

I don’t know whether to get an 80 or 70mm stem, or if that’s getting silly and really I need a 54cm bike. I’ve never been on one so don’t know!

All advice gratefully received!

You’re the same height as me. Ideally I ride a 55cm frame with a 90mm stem, if I fall in between the ‘medium sizes’ usually a choice 54 or 56, I go with the smaller bike. It’s dependent on your exact proportions and the exact geometry of the bike ( stack and reach being two of the most important measurements for comfort fit ) but for most frame / bike manufacturers, with not to obviously odd frame designs, I find this is the case for me.

 

[carlton88]

I'm just under 5'11" and use a 56 cm frame and for me it feels right. I'm not sure what my stem size is off hand. Dunno if this snap helps with geometry.

 

[Sharky]

If you've had a bike fit, I would assume that the 56 is the right size. For comparison, I am 5' 9" and I ride a 56 frame, with a 120 or 130 stem (can't remember which).

But if it doesn't feel right, do you have any route back to the guys that did the bike fitting?

If not, the best way forward is to do what you are doing and make tiny changes and re assess after each one.

Good luck

 

[CentralCommuter]

This was the most recent I could find. So I assume it’s roughly like that. Yours looks too stretched for me, although maybe yours is similar to mine?

 

[HLaB]

Hi everyone,

Hope everyone is well - not been on for a while but have been cycling, so not all is lost.
I got fitted for my Cube road bike - I’m 5 ft 11 and it’s a 56cm frame. It feels stretched so I put on a 90mm stem and also put the seat forward.

If I do 20 miles the first 8-10 miles feels stretched. I don’t seem to notice it after a while, but at first it feels a bit like I’m hanging onto the handlebars. My cycling gloves are the right size but seem to dig into my hands between the fingers, and there is rubbing on the top of the handlebar where I am holding, but not in the hoods really as I don’t seem to move my hands that far out.

I don’t know whether to get an 80 or 70mm stem, or if that’s getting silly and really I need a 54cm bike. I’ve never been on one so don’t know!

All advice gratefully received!

Without seeing your setup my gut would say its the right size. I'm bit smaller (5ft 9in) and ride a 54cm bike. You probably just need to build up your core muscles. I would do the majority of your riding on the hoods though and have access to the brakes and only use the tops to stretch my self out occasionally uphill.

 

[CentralCommuter]

It is (highly) conceivable my core strength is poor.

 

[I like Skol]

Looking at your picture and based purely on the saddle height i would say you definitely don't want to go smaller on frame size. Maybe you just need to tweak the bars (angle and reach, etc) to get the sweet spot and also give it time to get used to a new bike. It takes me a coupe of months to feel at home on a new steed.

 

[vickster]

Are the bars too wide for you?

I'm not surprised you struggle with the hoods if the reach is long as they are enormous!

 

[si_c]

Might be worth trying to get a side on view of you on the bike, tops, hoods and drops.

 

[Sillyoldman]

I'm just under 5'11" and use a 56 cm frame and for me it feels right. I'm not sure what my stem size is off hand. Dunno if this snap helps with geometry.

View attachment 529065

That’s a lovely looking bike

 

[carlton88]

That’s a lovely looking bike

Thank you!