Roughly what size road bike should a six foot tall newbie buy?

I’ve been and sat on some but they all felt weird/uncomfortable (probably ‘cos I’m used to my mountain bike).

Anyway, the Competitive Cyclist calculator came out at 51-52 (race) and 54-55 (comfort). However the people in shop were trying to get me to buy a 58-60 sized bike which seems like quite a jump.

The ones I’m looking at are the cheaper Tribans from Decathlon, etc.

ta

Completely depends on the bike. I’m 5’7″ and ride a 54cm Cube.

Probably a 56/57/58, will depend on the bike though. I’m 6’1″ and ride a 56cm Scott CX bike, but it’s a bit small for me.

6foot and ride a 57cm.

I struggle to see how any calculator can come up with a 51cm.

Could be anything from a 53 to 59 or M, L or XL.
So many variables in manufactures, ways of measuring, stem length, head tube, seat angle, flexibility, arm length, torso length, leg length etc etc.

Anecdotal sizing as a guide is pissing in the wind, unless you have a knowledgeable opinion from another road cyclist or good shop staff it’s a lottery getting the correct fit if you or the people you are buying the bike from know nothing about bike fit.
Look at the online guides and take a punt, with a bit of luck you can make it fit. 🙄

Anecdotal sizing as a guide is pissing in the wind, unless you have a knowledgeable opinion from another road cyclist or good shop staff it’s a lottery getting the correct fit if you or the people you are buying the bike from know nothing about bike fit.

Yep totally agree with that but I’ve had such a wide range of suggestions now that it’s hard to know what’s right.

Certainly sounds like i should be on a 57 ish frame so I think the other riders i chatted to in the shop did a better job than the staff and the online thingys! thanks all.

Im 6 foot with longish legs and normal everything else, I’m a 58 with a 100mm stem on a Trek, go to a shop for a fitting?

I would say 57cm +/- 1cm.

I am shorter than you but have an XL Focus which is 57mm but it fits me fine. It’s an odd sized bike though and only has a stand over slightly higher than a 54cm Ribble which is the size I would normally ride.

I’m 6′
Can’t really comment on the Decathalon models but I have one of there cheap hardtails as a runaround and I need an XL 😕

Anyway, with all the big US names, a 56cm fits me about right

sounds like i should be on a 57 ish frame

And depending on the manufacturer there will be +/- 2 cm for effective top tube length which in road bike terms is more than the difference between fit and not fit.

I`m 6ft.I used to ride a 58cm Trek 1200 which was a tad too big.I tried a 56 when I bought it and that felt a tad too small.A 56cm Specialized feels right,but so does a 57cm Bianchi.

I`m ow riding a m/l Giant Defy and that feels perfect.

Moral of story,try lots of bikes!

6’1 here. 34 inch leg, short arms, big feet (winning smile, slighlty ginger) My traditional road bike was was a 61 and a bit too much of a stretch. 56 CX bike and 56 track bike are both spot on for a mountain bike rider as they are not too stretched out. 58 better for a more racey ride. Now riding a Medium Giant TCR, which has loads of setpost out (seems weird to me) but length is perfect.

Try as many as you can, and remember the head tube is as important as the seat tube when it comes to getting a proper fit. I was well within the height range for a 58cm Cayo, I’m now on a 60cm Genesis and a 61cm Scott.

Look up reach and stack figures if available – not that you need a particlar dimension to be ‘right’, just a useful way of comparing different brands for fit. You can have a 53cm with the same reach and stack as a 59cm, as long as the seat can hit the right point for you to be balanced when seated and the R+S works, all’s good. You can also adjust to different set ups if it’s not for pro-level output stuff so fit advise should work more with how you ride rather than a measuring system.

Got it! 😀

Went with a 60cm Triban 3 in the end, 57 would have worked too but kept feeling my knees were a bit close to the drops when standing. 55 was much, much too small.

Bike feels like a quality item, in terms of paint, welds and so on it actually looks a lot better than a UK boutique mountain bike frame I paid over £1k for. Just superb for £300.

Now I have to start wearing down Mrs Claus to let me out on it before Christmas morning…