Yet another road bike query, sorry! 🙄 Road bike virgin.
Anyway been out for a quick spin on some Giant Defys today and not sure on sizing. I'm 5'11" and been out on both a M and a M/L, man in shop said I'd be okay on either and I'm right between the sizes really.
I felt better on the M/L and a bit cramped on the smaller one but I've read a lot of talk of folks going smaller with sizes.
Advice I was given was that the smaller size would suit better if I wanted to go quicker and the larger size would suit if I wanted comfort and to ride further. My intentions are more about spinning around the Derbyshire/Yorkshire hills all day and not tearing around road racing.
Now I'm thinking go with the M/L that felt better but what's other folks experience with these bikes?
Cheers, J
if the M/L feels better for you then get that one, i'm the same size as you and the M/L would be my preferred choice, if that helps
[i]"Advice I was given was that the smaller size would suit better if I wanted to go quicker and the larger size would suit if I wanted comfort and to ride further."[/i]
this is mostly rubbish
The only reason for getting a smaller road frame is to allow you to be lower at the front. No one who is new to road biking ever ever ever wants to get lower at the front to start with, so go with the bigger frame.
The whole small frames are 'lighter and stiffer' thing is a bit daft; stiffness in the frame means nothing if you are swaying about on a 3 foot long seatpost. As a shortarse, I've sat on behind many a big lad and watched the seatposts wobble about...
"Advice I was given was that the smaller size would suit better if I wanted to go quicker and the larger size would suit if I wanted comfort and to ride further."
...I'll never believe anything anyone tells soon enough 😕
Giant's sizing guide says 5'10" up for the M/L which backs up what I experienced when taking it out.
I'd probably go larger as well. The pros often go smaller I believe but your needs aren't the same as a pro!
needs aren't the same as a pro!
indeed, I've left it far too late in life to be challenging Brad!
I'm "just" 6' and went for a M/L, large was too big
Im 5' 10" and have a M giant compact frame.
I'm same height, and I own a Defy.
I went for a Medium rather than the M/L, but that's cos it felt more comfortable to me. I've got relatively long legs and short body though, so perhaps why it felt more comfortable.
Definitely go for what feels right to you though. If you're longer in the body than me, the M/L will almost certainly feel more natural to ride. There's only 15mm difference in the top tube lengths, it's not massive. The M is like a 54cm frame, and the M/L is like a 56, so they are quite close. Longer head tube on the larger frame will probably feel more comfortable too to a new rider, and you can always lose some headset spacers later on if you want the front end lower.
Longer head tube on the larger frame will probably feel more comfortable too to a new ride
This makes sense, i'm new to road riding and struggled with the low position, though i have to say the M felt cramped on the top tube to me.
from MTB experience I've got a fairly average legs to torso ratio, neither long or short in the leg.
You've kind of convinced me I was right with the M/L, it did just feel more "right"... M felt a bit low and twitchy and I felt cramped for space when having a bash uphill standing up.
I went with a tcr rather than defy, but am 6ft and went with the M, which surprised me as I thought I'd be an L!