I’m considering buying a road bike for the first time. I’m 5′ 10″ tall and all my MTB’s have been 18″ frame.

Can anyone advise what would be the most suitable size road frame?

Thanks

The size that feels right when you go to a shop and take one for a test ride.

Probably around a 56cm frame but they all vary.

Best bet is to go to a shop and try a few out

56cm – 58cm depending on how long your legs are 🙂

Good move, best way to develope jaw-dropping raw power that none of your weak oponents can match….

…. did I say that out-loud, or just imagine that I did?

Best to get a ‘good’ bike fit. That does not mean to say you must use the currently trendy (in the tri world) of computer-software driven bike fit companies…

(I’ve been snooping on their youtube site and believe me some of their statements regarding joint orientation a utter sh1te)

Go to your local bike shop, or a good one close by, DURING THE WEEK, at 10am armed with Jaffa Cakes and a jar of coffee. Then find the oldest guy there and the youngest guy who’s racing; they will between them sort you out.

Go for a smaller frame (1 or 2 cm) and build out, too large and your screwed 🙂

58cm.

At least that’s what size is sort of likely to fit me once you’ve decided it doesn’t fit and stick it on the classifieds. You’re more likely to be 54-56cm ish depending on how much of you is in body/legs/arms but so fit is much more crucial on a road bike you really have to try at least a handful to be close to knowing, especially with compact frames and the like. I’m 6’1″ and 58 is rightish for me, or a compact 55.5(Giant). My comfiest bike is a 23 1/2″ (60cm!) Dawes tourer, so pick out of that what you will.

I’m 6ft and mines a 56cm, deffo get fitted up a your LBS though. Spending hours and hours on a bike the wrong size isn’t going to be good.

I bought a planet x off bike radar. Its an XL (57.5) cos Im 6’2″. The guy who sold it to me was also 6’2″

He ran a 120mm stem and a fair bit of seatpost showing. I found it far too long so I run it with a 90mm stem, but I also have the seatpost at near enough max extension. Completely different setup to him.

Taken from http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk and might be different from other frame manufacturers.

Frame size help

All frame sizes are quoted as a centre to top size. The centre to top size is determined by measuring the distance from the centre of the bottom bracket to the top of the seat tube.

In order to establish your correct frame size you will need, first of all, to accurately measure your inside leg, (in cm).

The inside leg length (in cm) is measured as follows:

– Stand straight up on your bare feet (do not wear any shoes).

– Position the inside of your feet approximately 200mm apart.

– Pull a tube with a diameter of approx 35mm (or the back of a book) firmly to your crutch until you can feel it against the bone.

– Position yourself in the middle of the tube or book.

– Measure the distance (in cm) from the feet to the top of the tube both in front of you as well as behind you (see image, right). Add those two sizes and divide the respective result by two. The result is your inside leg measurement.

HORIZONTAL GEOMETRY 7005 Race and Audax (Horizontal Top Tube)
Use the formula: Inside leg measurement (cm) x 0.69. The resultant size should be rounded up or down to whichever is the nearest frame size option. If you are in between sizes we recommend you go for the smaller size.

SLOPING GEOMETRY (Sloping Top Tube)
Use the formula: Inside leg measurement (cm) x 0.64. The resultant size and round up or down to the nearest frame size option. If you are in between sizes we recommend you go for the smaller size.

Need more help? Contact us and we’ll go through it with you.

I’m 181cms and ride a Ribble 56cm.

Thanks everyone, I’ve just got back from Evans & size is definitely 56cm. I shall do some research on bikes now.

erm oponetns opponents 🙄

Not bashing you don simon, indeed all fair points but you simply can’t compete with experience. Also, and this is only my opinion; I’ve never aligned my road cleats first go, would be much easier with a second pair of hands to tweak up the (usually only one) exposed cleat screw that never holds straight the cleat when you click out (aka alone on the turbo for example)…never ever… no matter how accurate you think you’ve done it, or slacked off the peddal spring.

Have fun 😉

56cm – 58cm depending on how long your legs are

so torso, arm length, lower back flexibility and bar drop have nothing to do with it then?

anecdotal advice like “i ride a XX and am xft xin tall is nowhere near as accurate as being fitted properly in a shop (by somebody who knows what they are doing)

Thanks everyone, I’ve just got back from Evans & size is definitely 56cm

that’s meaningless unless you know what manufacturers 56 you will be buying because the effective top tube will vary.
i know exactly what ETT i need (with a 130 stem) that gives me various sizes from a 55-56-57-58 or either a medium or large depending on manufacturer of the frame.
as long as you have enough standover (most frames are compact geo so you should) then you should size on ETT and desired stem length, plus taking into consideration bar height/drop which will dictate stem length a bit plus your knee over spindle needs to be spot on.

as an example the ribble frames vary across the range
picking a few from the geometry charts there is:
52 with a 56.5 ETT
54 with a 55 ETT
55 with a 57.5 ETT

all different models of racing bike if you picked the 55 then there is ahigh chance of it being the wrong size and you ending up with a silly stem (either very short or long)
so ‘size’ is meaningless

Oh dear, this is getting a bit complicated. I tried a Trek & Specialized in 56cm & they both felt right. I will do some more research before buying though, as I hate making a wrong decision when purchasing bikes & bike stuff.

I eventually spoke directly with Ribble to get a 56cms frame and it is as comfortable as the Dave Quinn it replaced that was a made to measure frame. Ssnowman, it’s not that complicated, try as many bikes as possible to find something that’s comfortable, remember you’re probably going to riding it for long periods with little movement. I shared 6hr 45mins on the road yesterday and it was ace, no aches or pains, for such a cheap frame it’s awesome.

Maybe go to a more traditional shop rather than a superstore type shop, speak to someone with experience.

For info at 6ft I ride a 56 cm Van Nic and I ride a 19.5″ HT ; Id reckon youd want a 54 cm frame—-IMO it is best to have a slightly too small frame than one which is too large; with a samller frame you can adjust reach by a longer stem and pedal height by extending seatpost. Too large a frame and you amy struggle on this. However, historically, as far as I recall fashion has often dictated the small / large size frame issues! I once was riding 58/60 cm frames with only a bit of seatpost showing. A smaller frame will be stiffer, lighter and probably feel more in tune with you. And then again there`s the issues of normal / semi compact to compact frame designes to add confusion. Not all mfr frame sizes are equally balance either, some will have comparatively longer Top Tube lengths v seat tube sizes. Best to shop around if you can and test ride