6 Foot rider looking at 56cm frame?

[claymore]

Hi guys, I'm looking for a new bike and I think I've found it.

I'm having an issue with the frame size. I'm a couple of mm from 6 foot tall and I currently ride a 58cm specialized allez 2006 model, which seems an *okay* fit. The bike that I have found is a 56cm Felt F5 2013. Although here it says that I should technically be better on a 58cm frame.

Many of the bike shops that I have been to have said I should try a 56cm frame as it may still fit me. I haven't ridden a 56cm frame yet, only my bike which is 58. I was looking for some advice maybe along the lines of 'not sure about bike size, or inbetween sizes, go one size lower.'

My aim is to go back in Monday and get the bike but just want to be sure that 56cm is optional/optimal for my size, because I've read that bike shops can occasionally just try to fit you onto what stock they have.

I've read that changing stem length plays a part in making a slightly small bike fittable to a larger rider? I've also read that there a lot of riders who are 6 feet tall riding on 56cm frames.

Thanks in advance guys, any help is greatly appreciated.

[Pravda]

Try both. Pick the one you like best.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

[MH]

I am about the same height as yourself. The two critical measurements when I look at the suitability of any frame size are the effective top tube length and also the length of the head tube. Check the bike you are currently riding and are comfortable riding and measure the length of the head tube and the length of any addition spacers below the stem. This will tell you how high, or low, you like to have your handle bars. Looking at the geometry of the 56cm F5 frame the head tube is only 140mm. It is easy to change the length of the stem to modify the reach but I would suggest that if you have to add more than 3 cm of spacers and/or flip the stem then the frame is too small or the geometry of the frame is unsuitable for your needs. I personally have two bikes and the height from the junction of the fork/bottom of the head tube to the underside of the stem is 190mm on one and 200mm on the other. The bike with the lower bars is fitted with compact bars and I can ride both bikes comfortably in the drops. You may be considerably more flexible than myself!!

[trailgumby]

... because I've read that bike shops can occasionally just try to fit you onto what stock they have...

It's more than occasional.

+1 to the horizontal top tube length. With sloped top tubes, it's the only constant you can rely on to compare sizing between manufacturers. As a happy coincidence, it's also the more difficult to adjust for, and hence is the more critical frame dimension to get right when sizing a bike.

[biker jk]

FWIW I have a table from Dave Moulton who relates height, inseam (and shoe size) to frame size. The data was collected from the thousands of custom frames he built. For a 6 foot tall rider with 87cm inseam and shoe size 10 1/2 (45 Euro) the frame size suggested is 56 cm seat tube (centre to centre) and 56 cm top tube (with a stem length of 125mm). So a 56cm top tube frame should be fine.

[foo on patrol]

I have a inseam of 87cm all three of my custom bikes were 60cm seat tube and my current none custom is 58cm. I would not be looking foe a smaller frame, you would have so much seat post sticking out, it would look stoopid.

Track frame top tube 57cm, road 54cm (these are custom) and my current is 52cm top and 58cm seat.

Foo

[YouAgainstMe]

If you're going to fork out for a new bike then buy the right size for you. Manufacturers often have size guides that will give you an idea on which size is for you but no chart or number can beat actually going and riding the bike to work out which is for you. Don't let a dodgy sales person talk you into a slightly wrong size and take your money.

[jasonc]

I'm 6 foot tall. Have ridden both 56 and 58cm frames. Definitely more comfy on the smaller frame
It's easier to make a small bike bigger than it is to make a big bike smaller.

[Dan]

6'1" T. rex here - 56tt for me.

[nickobec]

5 11 1/2 tall was always fitted to 58 or 57cm frame, until I accidentally built myself a singlespeed with 55cm frame and found myself faster aka more aero than my larger framed geared bikes.

Now anything new is 54 to 56cm range, my current project crit bike is 54cm with 120cm stem, has raised a few eyebrows, but it works for me.

[bomber]

Well this is a grey area. I'm 183cm and used to ride a 56cm with no issue. However over the years my fit hasn't changed but I have progressed onto 58cm frames so that I can run a shorter or non existent spacer under the stem set up.

Different brands are exactly that so there are three measurements that are important for me:

1: Top tube
2: Head tube
3: Set back position

Like I said my contact points haven't changed but the frame size has.

[Fixie82]

As has been mentioned height isn't the be all, leg length (including its breakdown of femur length etc), torso and arm length all play a role. I am 182cm tall, most of that is Torso (yep all pants I buy need to be taken up) and have average arm length. I could potentially ride bikes ranging from 54-58cm just with different setups of stem,seatposts and bars. I usually find a sweet spot around 56cm frames with a toptube length of 550-560 as it allows me to run a 110-120 stem and still have a good bit of seatpost extension. I run my bars low, I am flexible but prefer it for comfort, so a lower headtube is appreciated. Over the years I may lose this flexibility so may look at a larger frame to not have to cram spacers up under the stem.

I also like the feel of a slightly smaller frame under me when riding, especially for crits, even though I can fit on a 58cm it is not my preferred size and do not like how they feel when ridden. My Crit bike is a Cannondale System Six 54cm with a 120 stem and a setback post to keep my ideal leg position.

Bike fit is a funny thing, we all have preferences and dimensions that are different. You just need to find what will work for you

[RonK]

I'm 182.5cm. The right frame for me has a 55 or 56 cm top tube and an appropriate stem for an overall length of 66cm. I could go the other way (i.e 58cm tt and 80mm stem) but stems shorter than 90mm may adversely affect handling.

Seat tube length does not matter as saddle height is easily adjusted, but in general road bike frames are designed "square" i.e. the seat tube and tube are approximately equal in length anyway. On compact frames we are of course talking virtual sizes.

[RonK]

I'm 182.5cm. The right frame for me has a 55cm or 56cm top tube and an appropriate stem for an overall length of 66cm. I could go the other way (i.e 58cm tt and 80mm stem) but stems shorter than 90mm may adversely affect handling.

Seat tube length does not matter as saddle height is easily adjusted, but in general road bike frames are designed "square" i.e. the seat tube and tube are approximately equal in length anyway. On compact frames we are of course talking virtual sizes.

[rifraf]

I'm 182.5cm. The right frame for me has a 55cm or 56cm top tube and an appropriate stem for an overall length of 66cm. I could go the other way (i.e 58cm tt and 80mm stem) but stems shorter than 90mm may adversely affect handling.

Seat tube length does not matter as saddle height is easily adjusted, but in general road bike frames are designed "square" i.e. the seat tube and tube are approximately equal in length anyway. On compact frames we are of course talking virtual sizes.

I'm 182.5cm. The right frame for me has a 55 or 56 cm top tube and an appropriate stem for an overall length of 66cm. I could go the other way (i.e 58cm tt and 80mm stem) but stems shorter than 90mm may adversely affect handling.

Seat tube length does not matter as saddle height is easily adjusted, but in general road bike frames are designed "square" i.e. the seat tube and tube are approximately equal in length anyway. On compact frames we are of course talking virtual sizes.

Is there an echo in here?

[Ozkaban]

Just to confuse things, I'm 185cm with 87cm inseam. I ride a 57cm Orbea. I have heard Orbea sizing is odd/off a bit though I don't know which way!

[twizzle]

*sigh*

Go to the Competetive Cyslist fit calculator, do all the measurements, plug the numbers into the calculator and see what comes out.

In compact frames I'm a ~ 57 - 58cm TT, but my latest bike (which is the closest to my sizing except a little long on the top tube) is a "64cm" frame. Seat tube angle is a very important consideration in larger frames.

I'm 191.5cm with a 93cm inseam.

[Dan]

*sigh*

+1

[RonK]

I'm 182.5cm. The right frame for me has a 55cm or 56cm top tube and an appropriate stem for an overall length of 66cm. I could go the other way (i.e 58cm tt and 80mm stem) but stems shorter than 90mm may adversely affect handling.

Seat tube length does not matter as saddle height is easily adjusted, but in general road bike frames are designed "square" i.e. the seat tube and tube are approximately equal in length anyway. On compact frames we are of course talking virtual sizes.

I'm 182.5cm. The right frame for me has a 55 or 56 cm top tube and an appropriate stem for an overall length of 66cm. I could go the other way (i.e 58cm tt and 80mm stem) but stems shorter than 90mm may adversely affect handling.

Seat tube length does not matter as saddle height is easily adjusted, but in general road bike frames are designed "square" i.e. the seat tube and tube are approximately equal in length anyway. On compact frames we are of course talking virtual sizes.

Is there an echo in here?

Hewo. Hewo.
He he - it's just an echo. He he - it's just an echo.
How are you? I'm fine how are you?
Oh I'm fine how are...hey wait a minute. I gotcha you wascally wabbit! Come outta there.
OK Doc - you got me. Go ahead (sob). Shoot me! (Choke)

[rifraf]

Hewo. Hewo.
He he - it's just an echo. He he - it's just an echo.
How are you? I'm fine how are you?
Oh I'm fine how are...hey wait a minute. I gotcha you wascally wabbit! Come outta there.
OK Doc - you got me. Go ahead (sob). Shoot me! (Choke)

Priceless, I'm off to get a cloth to rid my screen of coffee

[barefoot]

6'1" T. rex here - 56tt for me.

5'10" T-rex here.

Most simplistic size charts would put somebody my height on a 56.

I've had a few 54cm frames with 555mm eTT, and they're way too long / low for my short arms to reach the bars (from my high shoulders).

Had a 53cm frame with a 540mm eTT. Better length, only a little too long, but waaaaaay too low.

Bit the bullet and had a custom frame built with 510mm eTT and 54cm ST... and a massive 200mm head tube. Finally, a bike I fit on.

At 6' tall, I'd recommend you buy... the size that's comfortable for your body proportions. 56cm is not outside the range of sizes you might fit on. I wouldn't buy it without trying it (or without being prepared to come up with all sorts of ugly stem/spacer kludges to get the bars where you need them).

tim

[rifraf]

I'm 182.5cm. The right frame for me has a 55cm or 56cm top tube and an appropriate stem for an overall length of 66cm. I could go the other way (i.e 58cm tt and 80mm stem) but stems shorter than 90mm may adversely affect handling.

Seat tube length does not matter as saddle height is easily adjusted, but in general road bike frames are designed "square" i.e. the seat tube and tube are approximately equal in length anyway. On compact frames we are of course talking virtual sizes.

Hi Ron,
could you please elaborate on the stems shorter than 90mm I was considering a 50mm to help shorten the cockpit of my new frame.
Cheers
Aidan