What is it with oversized frames??!

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XmisterIS

Purveyor of fine nonsense
I have just bought bike #3 (a felt citycross bike for town riding) and according to the size guide it's too small, although I find it perfect!

I had the same experience in more than one LBS when I was sitting on bikes, musing over which town bike to get. I am 6ft tall, and so they immediately stick me on a 21" or 22" frame ... which is HUGE!!! I had to insist that they got a 19" for me to try, even though they were adamant that it was too small for me.

The bike I've bought is a "medium", intended for someone up to 5'9" ... but it's 19" and Fits me perfectly. I would never go bigger than that, you end up so stretched out over the top tube. All my bikes are between 18" and 19" - my city bike, my MTB and my road bike.

I remember I had the same experience with my first ever mountain bike - LBS stuck me on a 21" which was far too big for me. Since then I've learned to go a size smaller!

So I wonder why they always seem to stick people on bikes that are too big for them? Or is that just my experience?
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
Sounds like the bike shop don't know what they are doing - they should be able to size you correctly the minute you show an interest in any bike.
 

Fnaar

Smutmaster General
Location
Thumberland
Here's mine, parked up :evil:

big-bike.jpg
 

PpPete

Legendary Member
Location
Chandler's Ford
XmisterIS said:
Ain't that the truth! One can tell immediately by standing beside a bike whether or not it will fit!

Funny isn't it....I'm 6'2", 35" inside leg, and find anything less than a 24" to be too small - and even with biggest 25" frames I have a ton of seatpost out.
My knees hurt today because I was riding a 22" at the weekend - ran out of seatpost and stem adjustment.
 

swee'pea99

Legendary Member
porkypete said:
Funny isn't it....I'm 6'2", 35" inside leg, and find anything less than a 24" to be too small - and even with biggest 25" frames I have a ton of seatpost out.
My knees hurt today because I was riding a 22" at the weekend - ran out of seatpost and stem adjustment.

Are we comparing like with like here? Ie, I'm 6' but lanky-legged, and I also ride 24", but that's with an old-style horizontal top tube. The sizing on these new-fangled angled jobbies is a whole nother ball game.

Generally I like a large frame. I feel cramped on one 'the right size'. Tho' I do have to use a stubby handlebar stem to make it work for me.
 
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XmisterIS

XmisterIS

Purveyor of fine nonsense
we could indeed be comparing apples and oranges! All my bikes are new-fangled things with quite a lot of slope on the top tube - and I tend to ride them with a good 8" of seatpost poking out. Plus the MTB and the citybike both have about 1.5" of setback on the seatpost, like a trials bike.
 

jujubi

Active Member
Location
London
I've had the same experience, being 6ft and on a 19inch bike. Everytime the bike is being serviced the repair guy tells me that I really should be on a bigger bike. Even after he's seen me on it and readjusted handlebars and seatpost according to my wishes (which feel perfectly fine now). Maybe it's because I'm a woman and they're used to dealing with 6ft men of standard male proportions?
 
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XmisterIS

XmisterIS

Purveyor of fine nonsense
jujubi said:
I've had the same experience, being 6ft and on a 19inch bike. Everytime the bike is being serviced the repair guy tells me that I really should be on a bigger bike. Even after he's seen me on it and readjusted handlebars and seatpost according to my wishes (which feel perfectly fine now). Maybe it's because I'm a woman and they're used to dealing with 6ft men of standard male proportions?

Are you saying I'm a funny shape??!!! :evil:
 

redjedi

Über Member
Location
Brentford
You might be 6ft but perhaps you have little short stubby arms :evil: so need a shorter frame.

I don't know about all these inches, but I'm 6ft and take a 58cm frame. My Bianchi is a 59 with a shorter stem. If I go down to a 56/57 the headset is too short for comfort.
 
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XmisterIS

XmisterIS

Purveyor of fine nonsense
Right! That's it! I'm officially a freak, God damnit!

Seriously though, I think it may be due to my preferred sitting position, which is at the back of the saddle. I tend to pull the saddle right back on the rails too and I like a setback seatpost, which puts all my weight over the rear wheel.
 
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