Tsssk, poor bloke. Happy as Larry, posts pics of his new toy and then….you lot… naughty boys. 🙂

Not sure all these 'wrong size' comments are helping. He aint gonna take it back now is he? He'll sort the fit (saddle/stem/spacers) as he gets used to riding it.

Steve, you just ride it and don't let these nasty boys take the shine off it for you. Daren't post my bike pics up anymore… 😉

Whichever way you try and justify the fit to yourself its too small, sorry.

If that's the hight you're running the saddle then removing those spacers will make it very hard going on long rides. Plus I wouldn't be that confident being that bent down through fast corners

How do you all know it's too small? DOes anyone on here actually know my size/proportions?

Have you taken my body shape on and tried several bikes?

Granted there are a few spacers under the stem (3x10mm & 1x5mm), but it's very comfortable to ride and the next size up felt bloody awful, and distincly uncomfortable to ride.

Shoes wise, I was advised by the guy in the Specialized concept store to get some nice new road shoes in the spring when I'm used to road riding – so I may do that, then again I may not, there's plenty of guys that use carbon soled XC shoes and SPD's.

It's only this forum that reckons it's the incorrect size, not anyone on a dedicated road forum 😉

I'd imagine I'd look at many of your bikes and think why the hell are you doing that/have it set up like that/using those components, but that's because we're all individual.

Oh yeah, got some crud guards today and fitted them at lunch, so out for first ride tomorrow

Plus I wouldn't be that confident being that bent down through fast corners

Eh? More weight on front wheel = better cornering, just like MTBs. I was having a whale of a time railing BIG alpine descents on the front wheel at 50mph this summer. If only I could corner the MTB that well.

Size looks about right to me, you'll know for sure after you've had it for several years.

MTB spds are fine, you may want proper road shoes at a later date.

Exactly what the guy in the store said.

See if you really can't get on with SPD pedals/shoes, if you can stick with them, if you can't get some SPD-SL's or somethign similar – and I was about to spend £150 on shoes and pedals, nice genuine guy 😀

I've had wrong size road bikes myself and persevered thinking they were right. I now know through experience i was wrong.

The headtubes on a lot of bikes are far to small (Ragley crosser spring to mind and Ribbles).

If you're happy with it then great, but i think you've tried to fit the bike, not the bike fit you.

Sorry.

Steve don't worry about all these negative comments. We are all a bunch of self opinionated tossers who know what's best for others.

Still think your new bike looks ace!

Coleman -> this is true, it's probably cos it's not a steel singlespeedable/rack mountable shed built classic 😆

steve_b77 – Member
<snip> Oh yeah, got some crud guards today and fitted them at lunch, so out for first ride tomorrow

Oh Steve, Steve, Steve…. You've gone and done it now…. Not the mortal sin of guards on a ROAD bike…. There's no hope for you now. This just pales compared to wrong size 🙂

Tell the naysayers to sod off and enjoy your bike. Dunt matter what size it is so long as you're happy with it. Your money, you ride…

I know, check me maverick of road bikes, SPD pedals, spacers under a stem, guards, saddle pack 😆

Riding in baggies and a peaked helmet?

I think you should get away with it.
Crud Products started by Mr Crud, Pete Tomkins, father of Jamie Tomkins, both firmly steeped in the history of mountain biking.

Takes a while to get used to position, you are better of riding with the spacers and then reducing as you get used to bike. Or leave as is if you are happy, Easton recommend no more than 50mm worth of spacers below stem.

valve caps? jebus.

Oh yeah, got some crud guards today and fitted them at lunch, so out for first ride tomorrow

for road bikes, presumably 🙂

the problem, if indeed there is one, is that the headtube is quite short thus the need for spacers.

Getting a frame with a longer top tube won't solve this though. It'll just stretch him out, all other things being equal.

I'd take some of the sizing comments with a pinch of salt steve.

And mtb shoes with carbon soles are fine for long rides. It's only the cheap/casual ones that have hotspots IMO.

How do you all know it's too small? DOes anyone on here actually know my size/proportions?

Unless you have some sort of stange body shape in which your legs are vastly out of proportion to your upper body i still reckon it wrong, sorry 😉

Getting a frame with a longer top tube won't solve this though. It'll just stretch him out, all other things being equal.

But getting a bike with the right size seat tube on the other hand would have been a good idea.

bigger seat tube = bigger head tube, thus negating the need for heaps of seatpost out and a stack of spacers.

Move the saddle forward 1.5cm (which is a long way back at the moment) and that takes the extra length in the top tube.

But like has already been stated if you are happy with it then thats all that matters, we can all go and whistle 😆

This mereley adds to the STW caveat of not posting a picture of your bike

Steve, this lot just won't let go will they!
As you said near the start of this very dissapointing assault on your new steed you have been measured on a jig for this very bike. I wonder how many of the doubters have bothered to do this.

This is a race bike it is supposed to have a low front end. Plus the bike is not quite level on the photo which gives an impression the bars are lower than in reality. I think even if you flipped the stem and removed a couple of spacers it will still be fine – an aggresive race set up.

bigger seat tube = bigger head tube, thus negating the need for heaps of seatpost out and a stack of spacers.

Move the saddle forward 1.5cm (which is a long way back at the moment) and that takes the extra length in the top tube

A bigger frame does tend to mean a bigger head tube, it is true.

But a bigger frame also means a longer top tube, and trying to solve a too-long top tube by sliding the seat forward isn't good advice at all. Your seat position should be decided relative to the BB and pedal position. Any professional bike fitter would tell you this.

Like I said, a fair chunk of advice on here is made up on the spot….

But a bigger frame also means a longer top tube,

Agreed a longer top tube will be as standard, i use a frame with a 56 top tube and a 120mm stem and have done for years, i know it fits me.

I could ride the next size down with a 55 top tube with a 110 stem, that would fit too but the seat tube would be too small and i would end up with spacers under the stem, sound familiar ?

and trying to solve a too-long top tube by sliding the seat forward isn't good advice at all.

Different saddles vary by that measurement, ever seen the length of a Fizik Arione, compared to a Flite ?

You dont sit in one position on a saddle so the position is important but not critical, we are talking about 15mm here, not 150mm

Any professional bike fitter would tell you this.

And would also be laughing all the way to the bank when they tell you you need a custom frame, which you won't.

Anyway we all seem to have our opinions and none is helping the OP, one mans good fit is anothers bad one, like i said further up, if he finds the fit good then thats all that matters, i wouldnt be happy but then again i very rarely am 😉

It's hard to judge without seeing the rider on it. However going by the post height and stem length I'd say that saddle needs to go backwards and loose 15mm of spacer. If the rider likes to use the drops but feels uncomfortable in those, then something a lot shallower like Fluidas would help.
Is the frame semi-sloping because it's hard to tell as the picture is out of kilter.
My bike has more post showing a 120mm stem and no spacers, so the drops are at fork crown height.

maxlite – Member
Takes a while to get used to position, you are better of riding with the spacers and then reducing as you get used to bike. Or leave as is if you are happy, Easton recommend no more than 50mm worth of spacers below stem.

There's 45mm of spacers under the stem – so thats that one sorted, I'm sure the position may change over time as it has done on both of my MTB's

tragically1969 – Member

How do you all know it's too small? DOes anyone on here actually know my size/proportions?

Unless you have some sort of stange body shape in which your legs are vastly out of proportion to your upper body i still reckon it wrong, sorry

You'd not be far wrong there, the guy who fitted my last suit said pretty much the same thing – "are you sure you need long sized trousers, you're about 5'10" aren't you?"
So I tried them on and he said – they fit really well a regular would be too short by a good way 😆 , so yes legs are a bit longer than they should be hence the high saddle height. 🙄