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Can anyone help, I'm super confused!
I want to get a road bike for winter but can't seem to make sense of the sizing.
Online charts seem to suggest I get a 52cm to 54cm. But that's 20inches or more!
I ride a 16.5in mtb which is a good fit. I'm 5ft 6in and female (longer legs, shorter torso) and like my bikes on the 'big' size rather than small, ie, like to stretch out.
What size road bike frame would you suggest?
The online charts are there for a reason 🙄
do a search on this forum for similar threads and take it from there.
Anyone fancy being any more helpful 🙄
Road bike and MTB sizing is rather different. I ride 20/21 inch MTBs, and 60/62cm road bikes.
Go to a shop and try some is your best idea...
Oh and 52-54 sounds about right if you ride a 16.5 mtb
That was at druidh btw, not MrSmith. Checking out old posts now, unless anyone has anything else to add.
Yeah, my mtb is 17"/43cm and my road bike is 58cm, both fit me well.
Anyone fancy being any more helpful
get fitted in a proper bike shop by somebody who knows about bike fit.
online sizing charts are just a guide and are often wrong due to people having different proportions/flexibility than the norm.
ignore anecdotal "i'm 6ft and ride a 60cm" advise as it bears no relation to you and what size frame you need.
manufacturers frame sizing varies considerably, the important measurement is effective top tube and stem length. once you have this you can look at the frame chart and know exactly what size you need.
Yeah, I think you're right vdubber67. Just had my eye on something on eBay but i think i need to try a few out before i buy.
Suggestions sound about right for you.
Sizing is much more critical for road bikes though and is quite
personal, I would say test ride before buying rather than risk buying blind.
I'd also get something that will take mudguards.
Oh and I ride 20" mtbs and 56-59cm road bikes. We're all
different!
The Pilot - Member
That was at druidh btw, not MrSmith. Checking out old posts now, unless anyone has anything else to add.
I was just suggesting that you go by the very online charts you referred to. I'm about 5'7", ride a 16" hardtail and my road bikes are 53-54cm.
I'm a bloke, 6" and have just got a Ribble Winter trainer that is 56cm
I have to say its a minter.
I was out with some pals last week (who are all the same height ish) and I had a go on a giant and spesh all felt very different.
My mtb is an orange 5 at 18"
Thanks for the advice guys. You've given me some homework to do but saved me from a potentially disastrous impulse ebay buy! Cheers.
If you have long legs, short torso, go for either a "woman specific design" 54cm or a more normal framed 52cm. It's the [u]horizontal [/u]top tube length that matters most. You'll be wanting a slightly shorter one for a given frame size. Traditional 72 degree parallel frames have top tube lengths equal to seat tube. I'd err on the smaller 52cm frame, personally in your instance.
For the record, I am Mr Average according to Bike Fit - 56cm frame, 178cm, 70 kilos, 43 feet, etc...