gios

edit: Subject changed to reflect my bike fit question: Looking at a Lynskey R300 and trying to figure out which frame size.

I'm in the market for a second bike and was looking at the length options for the stem. Is it possible to tell which I should get for the same height as my current ride?

Choices:

stem - 90mm, 100mm, or 110mm

Iride01 

If your second bike is the exact same year and model, or just happens to be the exact same geometry and tube lengths, then knowing that measurement might be useful.

Is your next bike going to be new or used? Staying old school vintage with horizontal top tube or maybe be daring and go with newer sloped top tube and threadless headset?

Unca_Sam

Simply said, yes, there is a way to measure. Much of what you make of it depends on how you're using the bike.

If you're buying a second bike to ride the same way as the first (e.g. sport road, touring, road racing) then the distances between the contact points should be matched as well as possible, and as what you currently have meets your goals for what you're doing. Different purposes will have slightly different measurements because your posture is likely different.
I use bikegeocalc.com to collect measurements as precisely as I can. It can take that information and give you stack and reach and basic fit measurements. I have a professional fit recommendation I use to try and match things up that way. Or, a 4 foot level and carpenters square are useful for measuring the reach and drop to the handlebars from your sit point on the saddle.

jadocs

Threaded stems are adjustable. There is a minimum insertion mark on them....unless you have it bottomed out on your old ride. Also (and someone correct me if I am wrong)….90, 100, 110mm of a particular brand of threaded stem is going to have the same length on the bottom (the part you insert), so stem length (for the same brand of stem) is irrelevant to the length of the bottom portion. Again...someone correct me if I am wrong.

gios

I have an older road bike and was shopping for a Lynskey.

Unca_Sam

If you're buying another road bike, Lynskey is using compact frame geometry so you'll have to pay attention to the effective top tube length.

gios

Thanks. My Gios Compact Pro top tube length is 53.3 cm, and the Lynskey medium frame is 54.1 cm. Gios has 54 stamped on the bottom of the BB.

79pmooney

All that really matters is the horizontal and vertical distances from your bottom bracket to the handlebars. (Measure center to center.) Measure that on your old bike, then figure out what stem will give you that handlebar location. (Assuming you set the seat also to the same location relative to the bottom bracket.)

Top tube length matters, but so does where the measuring starts. The seat tube/effective top tube intersection. This varies with seat tube angle. (1 degree roughly = 1 cm for a medium frame.) The measurements I suggested above don't lie and aren't subject to interpretation.

Ben

gios

Thanks.

Initially, I thought - 54 was stamped on the bb of my Gios Compact Pro frame so a size large Lynskey frame. Measuring the Gios top tube ( B on Lynskey chart below) I get 21" / 53.3 cm - which points to small to medium. Measuring the Gios seat tube length (A on chart) I also get 21" / 53.3 cm - medium large to large. Using center to center measurements.

I'm 5' 10" and my inseam is 31 3/4".

edit: a search yielded a Gios seat tube angle of 74 degrees - which points to size small.

Unca_Sam

Confusing! It might help to keep in mind that top tube length and stem height can't be adjusted as much as your saddle height.
That said, a small or medium frame seems to be the ticket. The small frame will need a longer stem, and you might need to leave the steerer longer so you don't end up too hunched over.
Lynskey is measuring to the top of the seat tube, which doesn't have much meaning with a compact road frame unless you plan on riding it like a hybrid. The actual seat tube length is measured to the intersection with the effective top tube.

jadocs

1. Does your current bike fit properly. If so what is the current stem length?
2. . If you are currently using a stem <100mm there is a good possibility that your current bike is too big (ie. top tube measurement too long and you are compensating for the increased reach with a short stem).
3. If you are using a stem >120mm there is a good possibility that your current bike is too small (ie. top tube measurement too short and you are compensating for short reach with a long stem).
4. If you are currently using a stem between 100mm-120mm go with the Lynskey that has the top tube measurement that would equal your current reach using using one of these stem lengths. 110mm would be ideal.

On compact frames, ST height is less important that reach or top tube length (if you don't know your reach).

gios

That was the first thing I was trying to figure out without removing the stem. My bike fits. I've been riding it for more than 3 decades over thousands of miles.

Iride01 

If you got something that fits and you don't have anything that bothers you then it must be okay enough.

As someone else mentioned, measure your contact points with with current bike you like. Saddle to every position you like to put your hands on the bars. Saddle to BB center. And then figure out how far forward of your saddle position is your bb center. Also, take note of the crank length between each. That might be a consideration also with saddle height if there happens to be a large difference.

Then you have to figure out how to derive that information from the geometry specs. Not impossible. Sometimes difficult but many times fairly easy once you know what to look at. Some manufactures make it easy to find geometry specs for older models others you have to dig through google searches for.

But as I mentioned the first time, just knowing that stem height and reach won't do you any good. Another bike may well have different stack height from the bb. Especially once you get away from the old style frames of the previous century.

gios

Contacted Lynskey a couple days go as to what size they would recommend. Translation: I want to buy one of your bikes but am not sure which size. No reply.

Litespeed got back to me quickly in a day.

gios

They could have taken an early start on Labor day. So I'll wait to next week for a reply.

jadocs

You don't need to take the stem out to measure it. Measure from center of the bolt to center of the clamp (across the top).

gios

Thanks. I was measuring the wrong thing. Found this pic:

gios

Is stand over height also in cm in the Lynskey chart? My inseam (standover height) is 31 3/4", so 80.6 is calculated.

For my Lynsky frame, my data:

5' 10:
inseam 31 3/4" / 80.8cm
53.3 cm Seat Tube Length (A)
53.3 cm Top Tube Length Effective (B)
54 stamped on the bottom of my current frame - Gios Compact Pro, which I know fits me well
Gios Seat tube angle (D) 74 degrees

I'm thinking right now size small frame. The same as what Litespeed recommended ( post 14 ).

.

fietsbob

You show quill height then ask about the horizontal reach varieties..

Buying New, the fork/headset will be threadless, I expect , then the steerer tube height and spacers below the stem will be a separate thing ..





....

jadocs

Your 5'-10" and Litespeed recommended a Small? Are you sure about that? I'm 5'-7" and I'm on a Medium Litespeed. I think ML is more in your range.

gios

That was a typo on my part - they recommended a M. Lynskey got back to me and recommended ML.

gios

Which wheels did you get?

jadocs

Mavic Ksyrium Pro UST Disc

gios

Lynskey is 6 weeks out. Litespeed 4-6 weeks.

jadocs

which models are you looking at?