Over 6 foot

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Cycleops

Legendary Member
Location
Accra, Ghana
You can but you’ll never feel right on it. Speaking as some who is 6’1 and has tried it.
 
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ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
I am 6' 1" tall and ride 58 cm bikes with long stems but there are people on here taller than me who ride 54 cm bikes! :wacko:

I think a 58 cm bike would probably be a better choice, but (if you can) why not just try the 56 and see for yourself?
 

Milkfloat

An Peanut
Location
Midlands
I think it depends on the 56cm. All bikes are not the same measurements. I suspect it would be too small, but then again at 6'4" I am fine on a 58cm.
 

Kestevan

Last of the Summer Winos
Location
Holmfirth.
Depends on the frame. I'm just over 6' 1" and usually ride a 58.
However my GT Grade is a 56 - I'd actually struggle to straddle the top tube on a 58 and would not be comfortable at all.
 

AndyRM

XOXO
Location
North Shields
I'm 6'1" and have been fine using a 56, though I prefer a 58. It's all about your body shape really, and if you're comfortable on a 56 then that's fine, but I'd want a test ride before I committed.
 
I'm 6'2" & usually look for a 59. I do have one that's a tad short so use a 140mm stem to correct it.
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
I'm 6'1" and have been fine using a 56, though I prefer a 58. It's all about your body shape really...
I'm 6'2" & usually look for a 59. I do have one that's a tad short so use a 140mm stem to correct it.
Yes! I say that I am a 6' 4" person with 5' 10" legs... a 32" inside leg measurement isn't long for a person who is 6' 1" tall, but I make up for it in my upper body. This means that to avoid feeling cramped up on the bike I either need an even bigger frame or to do what I have done, and fit a 14 cm stem.
 

faster

Über Member
Seat tube length as quoted by manufacturers is a poor gauge of how big a bike actually is. Bikes with a sloping top tube, for instance, will usually measure small compared to ones with a horizontal top tube.

It's not even a good gauge of how long the seat tube is to be honest, as some quote a theoretical length measured to a point in space where the top tube would be if it was horizontal.

I have 3 road bikes - 56cm, 60cm and 63cm. They are all about the same size. I'm 6'4 and I'm perfectly happy on my 56cm bike, but most 56's would be far too small.

You'll probably need a L or XL.
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
I don't think seat tube length is of any importance at all. I go entirely by top tube length (or 'virtual horizontal top tube length' if the tube is sloping.)

The seat tube length on my sloping top tube singlespeed bike is much shorter than the one on my horizontal top tube CAAD5 and the actual top tube length is 3.5 cms less on the singlespeed. The overall sizes of the bikes are the same though.
 

rogerzilla

Legendary Member
It depends. For a conventional level top tube frame no, the bars will be too low. For a "compact" frame, 56cm could be huge if it's the actual seat tube length, rather than a "virtual" length as if the top tube were level.
 

T.M.H.N.E.T

Rainbows aren't just for world champions
Location
Northern Ireland
I've literally never considered seat tube, it's the most irrelevant measurement when I size bikes prior to purchase. I still need the same saddle height:ohmy:

530350
 

carlosfandangus

Über Member
You need to try the size if possible I am 6'4" and I have been fine on 58's however my Cannondale is 61 and fits, my Planet X frame is a 58 (so was my cube) and both fit, geometry is one thing, what fits you (body shape) is another, a 56 may fit, I would say try it first if you can, Honestly, I would not go below a 58.
 
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