Sizing query?

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JSRossi

Regular
Location
West Yorkshire
Afternoon all and just a quick query if i may in the hope that someone out there is 5' 9" with a 29" inside leg!?

After a long wait my new Boardman ADV 8.9 2021 arrived last week but, in short, its too big! Having considered sizing charts and recommendations I ordered the medium but no real room to stand over the top tube and seat only just level with the bars. Although i could have got on with it, I decided it should go back as, if spending £1000 on a bike, it needs to be right!

Boardman ADV 8.9 2021

So, given that the Small is not available as is i am back to the drawing board in picking a suitable Gravel/Adventure bike for £1000 (buying under Cycle2Work)

Any advice would be appreciated as new to drop bar bikes and feel like my dimensions are a challenge to the sizing charts.

Thanks
 

DCLane

Found in the Yorkshire hills ...
Your challenge here is your leg length; it's likely to result in a Small/XS size bike. What may help is to select one with a more sloping top tube.
 

weareHKR

Senior Member
I feel your pain, bloody nightmare nowadays trying to decide the right size, just about every sizing chart is different...:sad:
Gone have the days when a simple measure from the centre crank to the top of the seat tube was the easiest way to find the correct one! Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with drop bar bikes, I only have MTB & I ride them comfortable even though 1 have 19'', 20'' & 21''
If I was buying a new on for 1K I would definitely want to see it & sit on it first, Small, Medium & Large just doesn't cut it for me!
 

vickster

Legendary Member
Have a look at the Merlin Malt Tiagra. See if they’ll upgrade the brakes to TRP Spyre within your budget. Phone to discuss and also sizing
(All assuming Merlin accept your C2W scheme)
https://www.merlincycles.com/merlin-malt-g2p-tiagra-gravel-bike-2021-197427.html
Or a more costly alternative, S may be too small tho
https://www.merlincycles.com/wilier-jareen-race-tiagra-gravel-bike-179193.html

https://www.merlincycles.com/cycle-to-work-scheme.html
(Note they charge a 10% surcharge to take C2W, to cover their cost, not unusual with small retailers)
 
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Before you send it back, note the length of reach for reference.
Reach is a bit tricky to measure, but generally Top Tube + Stem combined.

A rider with small leg length for height can often be fitted to a compact style frame which has dropped top tube so more standover ckearance. Giant TCR is the classic of this style. In comparison to a std frame of the same size, the reach is the same but with more standover clearance
 

rogerzilla

Legendary Member
What's your preferred seat height from BB spindle to saddle top, assuming you have another bike on which you're comfortable? This isn't directly related to inside leg, although there are formulae pretending that it is. Also, are you taking your trouser size or an accurate height from a book pushed up into your crotch?

If I took my trouser size and applied the common 85% formula, my saddle would be THREE INCHES lower.
 
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D

Deleted member 1258

Guest
Afternoon all and just a quick query if i may in the hope that someone out there is 5' 9" with a 29" inside leg!?

After a long wait my new Boardman ADV 8.9 2021 arrived last week but, in short, its too big! Having considered sizing charts and recommendations I ordered the medium but no real room to stand over the top tube and seat only just level with the bars. Although i could have got on with it, I decided it should go back as, if spending £1000 on a bike, it needs to be right!

Boardman ADV 8.9 2021

So, given that the Small is not available as is i am back to the drawing board in picking a suitable Gravel/Adventure bike for £1000 (buying under Cycle2Work)

Any advice would be appreciated as new to drop bar bikes and feel like my dimensions are a challenge to the sizing charts.

Thanks

Your leg size is the same as mine, and I'm 5 foot 6inch tall. These days with bike size I tend to take more notice of top tube size, if its between 52cm and 53 cm it will fit me.
 
If you have smaller legs, get smaller cranks: 170 instead of 175 will spin a smaller circle so you can spin rather than pump.
 

iluvmybike

Über Member
You could do with a proper bike fit - that way you can get all the measurements you need and then identify a frame to suit. It isn't just about leg length - it can be top tube length - some makes are very long in the top tube, saddle position etc agaisnt your own inside leg, back length, arm length - we are all different. Stems can be changed to fine tune once you've got the right measurements
 

vickster

Legendary Member
Better still go sit on as many bikes as possible, although this is tough with minimal stocks and Covid
 
OP
OP
J

JSRossi

Regular
Location
West Yorkshire
What's your preferred seat height from BB spindle to saddle top, assuming you have another bike on which you're comfortable? This isn't directly related to inside leg, although there are formulae pretending that it is. Also, are you taking your trouser size or an accurate height from a book pushed up into your crotch?

If I took my trouser size and applied the common 85% formula, my saddle would be THREE INCHES lower.
Thanks for the response, much appreciated.

Currently from BB spindle to saddle top is just 67cm on my MTB and yes, inside leg measured correctly, and somewhat intimately, with a book pushed into my crotch!!
 

rogerzilla

Legendary Member
Thanks for the response, much appreciated.

Currently from BB spindle to saddle top is just 67cm on my MTB and yes, inside leg measured correctly, and somewhat intimately, with a book pushed into my crotch!!
Yes, a medium would certainly be too large. I think my Boardman TC is a medium and my saddle height is 77cm. it all looks and feels in proportion. You may need to go down two sizes.
 
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