When you need something different.
Originally Posted by
eduardosuave
About a year later - I went back and got fitted on the advice of a buddy of mine who had been riding for several years. The shop even remembered me and honored their free fitting that they offered the first time. For the most part I've been doing okay with the fit. Its been 6 years and 4000 miles now, I'm usually a 25-35 mile/3-5 times a week at 15-15.5 mph (I'm old and slow) and I've been wondering - is it time for a new bike that is the right size (and fitted better)?
It's not even broken in, and you can get a professional fit with video on the same bike.
A 56 probably isn't far off for you, and may be preferable to a 54 due to the taller head tube.
And when do you guys justify its time for your new bike?
I bought one when I got my first decent paying job in 1997.
In the last 10 years I put 35,000 miles on it. I put a fair number of miles on it before that, but don't know how many because I eschewed computers for over a decade after my purple Avocet broke.
I upgraded to 10 cogs after wearing out my shifters then being unable to buy small parts, added a power meter rear wheel to train with, and installed dynamo lighting so I could ride hours after dark or before sunrise. I also got a professional fit with shallower drop bars and a slightly higher position than I rode 20 years ago when I noticed some knee pain.