wolfpack95

sdmc530

I am in the same "shape" you are. My ideal is 57" in specialized numbers anyways. I got the 58 and shortened the steering set up. I could have gone the other way but it really felt cramped to me on the 56. I wonder though if I would have been more happy with a 56 for its nimbleness.

I have had a 58 for sometime and no issues but I had a fancy schmancy bike fit and its feels really good after all that little adjustments it provided.

Have you tried riding a 56 at the bike shop for a "test ride"? maybe that will give you some final insight. Nothing when it comes fit and comfort is an easy answer unfortunately.

seedsbelize 

I always go the next size bigger. In fact, after riding 58cm for 40 years, I've recently switch to 60, and am much more comfortable. I'm 6' and 66 years old. I limit top tube length to 58cm.

wolfpack95

Abe_Froman

Honestly....being older, with neck issues, I would go get another proper bike fit, and then use his information to compare against geometry charts of bikes you're considering to make sure you can make it work. Will probably be the best $200 you ever spent, even if it comes out of the budget for a new bike.

himespau 

What about trying a taller stem that puts you up higher on your current frame? That should decrease some of the neck issues. It seems like a smaller frame would likely have a shorter head tube (unless it's got different geometry and it may), and that's not the direction you want to be going.

hanknstein

I think Abe is right. If you have issues, best to lead with your best foot.
FYI, I too am around 6' and rode a 2006 Specialized Roubaix size 58 with a shorter stem (I picked the roubaix to be a bit more upright) and switched to my new bike: Specialized Roubaix 2018 size 56. My new bike handles noticeably better. After about 2000 miles, it is still very comfortable.

Sy Reene

Doesn't a smaller frame usually mean a shorter head tube, meaning in turn greater saddle to bar drop?

wolfpack95

fietsbob

Stem raisers , or getting another fork with an uncut steering tube, and adding spacers,
a shorter / more up-angled stem , longer seatpost,
are some of the many ways you can alter the fit to be more upright..

Work with your Dealer to make it so.






..

Abe_Froman

8 Years ago, was it a FITTING, or somebody at a shop measured you and said, yea you should do a 58cm? There's a difference. The fitting I got, the guy spent an hour with me with motion capture cameras, lasers, power meters, probably lasers mounted on sharks heads. He dialed in seat position, cleat position, handlebar position for/aft, up/down to the millimeter. It was worth it. Made a lot of knee pain go away over night.

More importantly...I would imagine a good fitter would have specific ways to alleviate some of your pain spots through adjustments in the bike fit. Sure, you could try it yourself. But what I found was after years of messing around with it myself...I ended up fairly far off. A lot of fit stuff is counterintuitive.

wolfpack95

Steve B.

wolfpack95

wolfpack95

after removing tilt and lowering seat 1”

Shuffleman

Seattle Forrest

Ask a fitter or physical therapist. It's too individual. What someone else find blissful could be pain for you.

To an extent, you can make a smaller frame bigger, but not the other way around.

joelcool

I'm 6'0", rode a 57 for 20k miles, just replaced it with a 56, and it seems great. Every individual is uniquely shaped, and bikes are unique as well. One manufacturer's 58 will fit very differently from someone else's.

Like others have said, getting a fit is a good route to go - certainly better than taking advice from someone like me 2,000 miles away and having never seen you ride.

cat0020

In my experience, frame size can depend on your riding style.
Larger frame size tend to be more stable handling in general, more compliant with longer tubes to soak up bumps.
Smaller frame size tend to be more responsive in handling, stiffer, more efficient power transfer, better at sprinting, but may or may not be less comfortable on longer rides.

I'm about 5'9", 165 lb., I started riding a 54 or 56cm back in the early 90's, over 20k miles.
By 2004 I switched to a 58cm for another 22k miles until today.
Here\s my 2001 58cm Litespeed Ultimate:

When I was younger, I don't mind a stiffer frame, doing more sprints and intervals.
Now middle-aged, I spin more, sit on the climbs, less aggressive riding.
I use 46cm handlebar to allow more room to open up my chest, move around during the climbs while breathing hard.
BTW, smaller frame also easier to fit into your car trunk, if that's a consideration...

drewguy

yeah, I'd start with this. Also consider short reach bars.

But, if you really want to snap up that 56cm bike, it seams like you could get it and tinker with stem/bars/seat height to make it work. If anything you're headed towards a more upright position, so a shorter reach that a 56 vs 58 frame potentially has means you have a bit more flexibility regarding reach and drop (i.e., you can put a longer higher rise stem on a 56; you can only shorten the stem on a 58 so much).

Clipped_in

OP, you have been given some good advise. As has been eluded to, seat tube length (and nominal frame sizing, ie. 56, 58, etc.) is all over the place between frame models and manufacturers. That is why stack and reach have become preferred reference dimensions. A better number to look at rather than nominal frame size for comparison is the Effective top tube (also called virtual or horizontal TT) length while also considering the seat tube and head tube angles.



Measure the Effective top tube length on your existing bike and see if the new bike is anywhere close to that. It doesn't have to be exact, but it should probably be within about 1cm. The question would be, can you make this new 56 frame fit by using a longer stem and setback seatpost. What matters first is your relationship to the bottom bracket (vertically and then horizontally), and then secondly your relationship to the handlebars.

Just for reference, I am 55 years old, 6'-3" tall, and I like a 57.5cm horizontal top tube (considered by some to be rather small for me). I have just over 4" of saddle to bar drop for a somewhat aggressive position. Both my current bikes are listed as 58 frame size. I prefer a smaller frame because with the longer stem it makes steering smoother and the smaller frame also lowers my center of gravity for better cornering. A larger frame is more stable and tracks better.

MagicHour

I'm gonna go with Abe's recommendation. I thought I had a pretty good idea of my fit all these years, but then had a fairly intensive fit session last year with a reputable local guy who made some adjustments that were more radical than I would've thought. My frame size didn't change much but drop and stem length and my center of gravity over the bike differed significantly which has helped improve my form and comfort.

FWIW I'm 49 , 5'11.5" my bikes are 56 and have moderately aggressive ~3-3.5" of handlebar drop with 110 and 120mm stems. At 6' you could probably safely go 56 or 58 depending, with the 56 giving you a racier fit. Also like others said learn about and compare stack and reach; 2 size 56 from different manufacturers may fit completely different.

tigat

Six ft., short torso, long legs. My first Domane was professionally fit at Trek in 2013, at a 58 with what became 6cm of drop. Reach was perfect with a 110 stem. The Emonda I picked up four years later is a 56, and now has 9cm drop (again pro fit by a PT), but I needed an 80 stem to get the reach right. This year's Domane is a 56 with a 100 stem (headtube angle different from the Emonda), again fit at Trek. In keeping with the endurance nature of the frame, I'm only running 5cm of drop on the Domane. In every respect, I like the smaller frame on both the new bikes. And even though my flexibility has stayed pretty good at 62, my reach seems to be shrinking, and stretching out for the hood/drops does not feel as stable. OP: with neck issues to boot, it would not surprise me if the 56 didn't feel just fine for you, even with the shorter stem.

sultanofsuede

great conversation to track along. i'm about 6' .5", maybe closer to 6'1" with shoes, and have kind of run into these sizing questions for years. used to ride a 59cm steel frame that i fell in love with, but it was probably a bit large for me. moved on to a 56cm alu/carb frame that i fell in love with, but it was probably a bit small for me. starting to bike shop now, and hoping to find a 57cm frame, but might just go custom. nice to read how people address this fit.

McBTC

If you're interested in a more upright position a smaller frame would not be what you want... 2" taller and you'd be into a 61 for a Felt "Z" frame and even then you might need a stem extender..