I’ve already bought it mate, he was just in the process of boxing it up etc and did some measuring… Not sure why lol.

p.s Thanks to all for the advice and wisdom on this one 🙂

if its such a good buy, and you are not paying a premium (ie its not new) just buy it and see, you can chuck it back on ebay an might turn a profit

Road bike set up for me

Seat tube 62 centre to top
Top tube 57 1/2 centre to centre
Seat post 230mm
Stem 120mm centre to centre
Bars are 170mm below seat
Seat to pedal 105cm
Anything much smaller than this would be way to small for me

I have a Cube thats sized as a 58 although at just under 6 ft a 54 on my BH is the same fit.Top tube length is probably a bit more important as you have less adjustment on the seat back and forth than up and down.
Look on youtube for a bike fit video to give you a good idea to get a decent position.Because of a shortish top tube my Cube has a layback seatpost as standard but it seems to fit me well after small adjustments.

I’m 6ft and I had a 57 – that was the right size for me

“as i can actually try that and am struggling to think of anything ‘new’ in my budget and within a distance i could realistically travel to view.”

Blimey where do you live, Outer Mongolia? There are bike shops all over the place around here!

Hope you will be very happy its a Lovely looking bike. As for the shaving legs thing do amateur roadies really shave their legs if they don’t compete?

You will be fine on that. The headtubes on those Bianchis are big as they’re more of a sportive bike (I used to sell them) and the toptube length sounds ok for someone your size. Especially as you’re new to road biking.

If you’re really paranoid, put a bit of cash aside to buy a few cheap stems and be prepared to play around with your position.

You’ll be fine.

There are shops here too… but i don’t want to spend £1000+ which all new bikes seem to be locally.

This is <£600 and thereofre in a far more managable budget for me.

Sod the price, you don’t have to buy it to sit on it or scrounge a test ride (especially if it’s not a shop you use regularly) 😉

True true.. Not sure any around here do Bianchi’s…

Will have a look about now.

Buy it.

Road bike set up for me

Seat tube 62 centre to top
Top tube 57 1/2 centre to centre
Seat post 230mm
Stem 120mm centre to centre
Bars are 170mm below seat
Seat to pedal 105cm
Anything much smaller than this would be way to small for me

But what happens if you got a bike with a 57.5 TT but with a 55 ST? Would you not ride it because you’d have to use a long seat post?

“As for the shaving legs thing do amateur roadies really shave their legs if they don’t compete?”

Yes, it’s one of the added bonuses of riding 😉 Sooo soft….erm

[/url]

This should let you see the geometry of the bike you have, just in case it has changed year on year.

On the basis that your bike is 54 centre to top (AS on chart) the chart says you have a top tube of 56cm and that this bike is a 57cm old school sizing.

Well, would you believe, my favoured LBS have one in stock in a 57.I guess if the 57 fits right, then the 55 would be too small. The only other they have of this model is a 53.

http://www.awcycles.co.uk/bikes/road-bikes/comfort-long-distance-road-bikes/via-nirone-7-xenon-road-bike-2012.html

Hope you will be very happy its a Lovely looking bike. As for the shaving legs thing do amateur roadies really shave their legs if they don’t compete?

If you’ve got a lovely looking bike then you’ve got to have lovely looking legs.

Unfortunately mine are scarred from years of bmx riding so I wear some white bib longs instead of going for the shaved look.

Well, would you believe, my favoured LBS have one in stock in a 57.I guess if the 57 fits right, then the 55 would be too small. The only other they have of this model is a 53.

UNG.

The one you have bought is a 57!

They also have this in stock in a 55 and seems to be the same geometry specs.

http://www.awcycles.co.uk/bikes/road-bikes/comfort-long-distance-road-bikes/bianchi-impulso-veloce-road-bike-2012.html

If it is too small, just lob a long stem and seat post on it and pretend you are a pro, as they often ride smaller more flickable frames 😀

p.s. good luck pulling this one off if you’ve got a beer belly, baggy shorts and a peaked helmet!

If it is too small, just lob a long stem and seat post on it and pretend you are a pro, as they often ride smaller more flickable frames

😆

I’m lost – have you bought this bike or not?

If not, get the seller to measure himself. The frame’s clearly too small for him so just hope he’s a bit bigger than you are.

I hope it fits you. I have my doubts but….

Its not a **** 54 though!

Stop trolling. You’re either all thick or you’re bored on a monday night. Im deadly serious though. Best thing to do is re-read the thread and ignore everyone elses replies other than mine.

Look at this: http://www.specialized.com/gb/gb/bikes/road/tarmac/s-workstarmacsl4#geometry

A size “58” specialized tarmac. Guess how long the seat tube is? 55cm!

The worlds gone mad.

I’m 6ft and I had a 57 – that was the right size for me

thanks for sharing.
another anecdotal sizing quote that is useless in answering the OP.

Not really, we’ve established that the bike is in fact a 57 isn’t it? So he’s the same height as the OP and rides the same sized bike. Seems relevant.

But what if he’s got dead long arms?

But what happens if you got a bike with a 57.5 TT but with a 55 ST? Would you not ride it because you’d have to use a long seat post?

No because the top tube would be way to low the reach to the bars would be all wrong without putting the stem up a long way.With a horizontal top tube they would be 7cm lower than they are now

Not really, we’ve established that the bike is in fact a 57 isn’t it? So he’s the same height as the OP and rides the same sized bike. Seems relevant.

it’s totally irrelevant when people are different body shapes/proportions and bikes are measured differently with different head and top tube lengths to their named size plus the different stem lengths

i’m 6ft 1 and ride a 56. that’s also irrelevant

No because the top tube would be way to low the reach to the bars

Do you struggle tying your shoe laces aswell?

I am not being goaded by a former bmxer anymore
all their bikes are to small and for kids .If I rode a 55 cm frame it would look bloody stupid .I would look like someone who knew nothing about cycling and had bought a bike that was way to small

I am not being goaded by a former bmxer anymore
all their bikes are to small and for kids

I think I just need to grow up and buy an adults size bike! (that wont fit me properly) 😀

Maybe a 24 inch wheel one may suit you now

I think I want a full adults sized one. At least then I’ll grow into it and it’ll save my parents some money in the long run.

Was mulling this over all night lol. I’m going to shoot to AW cycles after work, sit on their bikes and then measure them up, comparing to his. So we can then work out 2 things

1. What size his bike is
2. Whether his size is the size i need

It’s the only method that technically makes any sense?

I REALLY want this Bianchi… but not at the expense of it being the completely wrong bike for me.

I’m going to shoot to AW cycles after work, sit on their bikes and then measure them up, comparing to his

Is the correct answer! – amazing that no one suggested this 🙄

Bloke at AW was really helpful… although in a way really NOT lol.

They do a ‘fitting service’ where they measure 9 different bits and then compare the results when fed into a computer prog with the geometry of specific bikes to give you the definitive answer for yourself.

However, he did also say i can come in and throw a leg over the Bianchis to see which seems most appropriate.

Have a look at this – do a basic fit yourself as a starter:
http://www.competitivecyclist.com/za/CCY?PAGE=FIT_CALCULATOR_INTRO

Assuming you know the exact model/geometry of the bike you are looking at, that should help.

Thank you. I do know the Geo of the bike… However unless i get the wife to get tap measure out later, i have no concept really of my own measurements 🙂