**UPDATE TO **UPDATE** Help please. Is my inherited bike too big?!

[Chris9181]

Hi, I wonder if you can help please?

My father in law sadly passed away recently, a keen cyclist who rode an immaculate 2009 Trek Madone 4.7 58cm.

This bike has now become available to me and I would love to ride it in his honour/memory. It's a lovely bike and I rode it to our local bike store today (where it was purchased) to check sizing as I am 5.10 and have ridden a 56 in the past.

The young guy in the shop immediately said it is too big but didn't ask to see me on it, or size me up on it! He did say they could fit a shorter handlebar bracket for £50 but said that could affect steering. I must admit to being no expert but riding it, it didn't feel much different to my 56cm Trek Domane I had a couple of years ago.

Any help/advice would be very much appreciate please? Obviously I don't want sentiment to cloud my judgement and run in to problems, but equally I also see a very good, light and well equipped bike that would mean a lot to be able to ride and enjoy!

Many thanks

 

[ColinJ]

I would have thought that you could put the saddle down a bit (which would bring it forward) and fit a shorter stem to get the bike to fit you.

I ride 58 cm bikes but I got a 60 cm bike to fit me by doing the above.

It wouldn't cost much to try, in fact you could probably borrow a shorter stem off somebody. maybe from the LBS on the understanding that you would buy it or return it undamaged after a test ride. I suggest trying an 8 or 9 cm stem. You'd normally have something like an 11 cm stem on a bike of that size.

 

[screenman]

I would find another lbs, the young guy sounds a right no interest planner.

 

[Racing roadkill]

Hi, I wonder if you can help please?

My father in law sadly passed away recently, a keen cyclist who rode an immaculate 2009 Trek Madone 4.7 58cm.

This bike has now become available to me and I would love to ride it in his honour/memory. It's a lovely bike and I rode it to our local bike store today (where it was purchased) to check sizing as I am 5.10 and have ridden a 56 in the past.

The young guy in the shop immediately said it is too big but didn't ask to see me on it, or size me up on it! He did say they could fit a shorter handlebar bracket for £50 but said that could affect steering. I must admit to being no expert but riding it, it didn't feel much different to my 56cm Trek Domane I had a couple of years ago.

Any help/advice would be very much appreciate please? Obviously I don't want sentiment to cloud my judgement and run in to problems, but equally I also see a very good, light and well equipped bike that would mean a lot to be able to ride and enjoy!

Many thanks

It's not a massive difference, a few minor tweaks will have the bike fitted to you nicely. Seat position, and pedal position will be key, maybe flip the stem, that should work. Any bike fitter, worth their salt, will get it sorted for you..

 

[Smokin Joe]

You'll be fine. It's not the ideal size if you are an out and out performance buff, but for most riders provided you can get the bars and saddle in the correct position you won't notice a difference. It is worth remembering that ideas about the ideal frame size changes from time to time, look at pictures of professional riders from the fifties through to the early nineties and they had very little seat post showing compared to today, even allowing for compact frames. When I started racing in the late sixties the fashion was to get the biggest frame that would fit you.

 

[Mrs M]

Ride it about for a while and if it feel comfy enough then that's ok
Good luck.
(Nice tribute to FIL)

 

[Kajjal]

You'll be fine. It's not the ideal size if you are an out and out performance buff, but for most riders provided you can get the bars and saddle in the correct position you won't notice a difference. It is worth remembering that ideas about the ideal frame size changes from time to time, look at pictures of professional riders from the fifties through to the early nineties and they had very little seat post showing compared to today, even allowing for compact frames. When I started racing in the late sixties the fashion was to get the biggest frame that would fit you.

This is the advice i would give. Start with the saddle, if you can get that into the right position you are in business. If not then consider trading it in for another bike at least that way the bike helps you into cycling.

 

[Chris9181]

Thanks so much everybody for the comments do far! I felt really gutted after leaving the shop but feel more positive now. I'm never going to be a performance cyclist, I will be going on social club rides, 30/40 miles each week.

When you say get the saddle in the right position, what should I technically be looking at please? I know about height etc, slightly bent leg at pedal lowest point, but it sounds more than that?

 

[coco69]

5ft 10.....size 58cm = Bike too big

 

[Racing roadkill]

Thanks so much everybody for the comments do far! I felt really gutted after leaving the shop but feel more positive now. I'm never going to be a performance cyclist, I will be going on social club rides, 30/40 miles each week.

When you say get the saddle in the right position, what should I technically be looking at please? I know about height etc, slightly bent leg at pedal lowest point, but it sounds more than that?

Angle and height. It (probably) won't be too hard over those distances.

 

[coco69]

But the OP says he is comfortable on a 56cm Trek. You can't make assumptions like that. I ride bikes in several different frame sizes, and I'm short so difficult to fit, but they are all set up to suit me.

Look...if a guy went into a bike shop who was 5ft 10 there is no way in memory of man would they size him up for a 58....he is a 54/56 all day....so i can make assumptions on the ops height...simple

 

[Chris9181]

5ft 10.....size 58cm = Bike too big

Oh, you see this is where it is so confusing after reading all the other helpful advice.

Thanks for the very sensitive reply!

 

[Chris9181]

Look...if a guy went into a bike shop who was 5ft 10 there is no way in memory of man would they size him up for a 58....he is a 54/56 all day....so i can make assumptions on the ops height...simple

Not really the full story tho is it as I'm not just walking in to a bike shop choosing!!

 

[vickster]

As others have said, try it out with a shorter stem, maybe a narrower handlebar etc. £50 for a stem, he's having a giraffe. You can get them easily for under £20. Indeed, someone on here might have a short one they'd exchange for postage or a few quid
Was the other Trek also a Madone, as the geometry varies across the range. The effective TT of the 58cm is 57.3cm versus 56 on the 56. So a shorter stem could easily be a solution. It may not be the perfect size, but I'm sure you would like to keep the bike if at all possible

 

[coco69]

By sayi

Fair enough, but the OP already has the bike! Just saying 'too big' is remarkably unhelpful to him. My bikes are all different sizes and they all fit.

Its too big....what else is there to say...thats the answer to his question
quote: Help please. Is my inherited bike too big?!