squirtdad

my bikes have been 58cm/23 for years..... with fit oriented to minimal seat post

My De Rosa is 59 and that is I think my high end. Havn't tried but 57 and probably 56 would not be a problme

59 derosa

Velo Mule

55cm is about right for me on a road bike. I have a couple of 23" [58cm] bikes that I ride and it is OK. My limit is I picked up a DL-1 Roadster that I loved riding, but every time I stopped, it was too close for comfort. In the bike shop, we would ride any bike that a customer brought in. We had some pretty tall customers. Since it was just a test ride, we dealt with it.

I also prefer a frame that is a little on the smaller side rather than taller. I had a 21" framed bike that I liked a lot with a longer stem. I felt like it got me into a better faster position. Maybe it was just perception?

non-fixie 

That only holds true if your only reason for buying a bike is to ride it.

Some of us just fall in love ...

due ruote 

On paper I probably look like a 52 or 53, but I'm not so flexible and 54-55 feels pretty perfect. My Gran Sport is a 22-1/2", so more like 57, because my dad told me in 1973 that I'd grow into it. It's a comfortable French fit with an 80mm stem, but I don't think I could go bigger and still feel good on the bike.

rando_couche

Patience, Grasshopper.

That said, at 6'3" I rarely deal with too-big bikes. But I do tend to wait for big-enough bikes.

SP
OC, OR

hellojoben

Generally I look for a 48-50 size frame. I just attached a pic of my bicycle; I'll let the forum decide if it's too big or too small. I've been told that the bike is just the right size for me and I've also been told that I need one much smaller. It has an 80mm stem that I want to switch over to a 60mm and I might switch to a zero setback seatpost but I am pretty comfortable as it is on this bicycle.

seat tube is 50cm C-T and the top tube is 52cm C-C

due ruote 

Assuming your position on the bike is right, that looks good to me.

gaucho777 

Lascauxcaveman 

grayEZrider

After downsizing from twelve to six bikes over the last year I (now) refuse to buy anything outside of 56 thru 60. That range works well with adaptable and adjustable seats/bars/stems. I bought several "gotta have one of those!" over a few years which were too large but impatience was larger. The last three buys were upgrades- the same bikes in correct size. I don't discard any good condition parts anymore. Is it me, or has anyone else noticed that a crap seat on one bike can work and feel just fine on a different bike of the same size??

Cl904

tkamd73 

CliffordK

Wow, a frame sizing poll with more than 2 votes that is perfectly split.

I'll ride bikes in a variety of sizes. And, I think the standards have shrunken a bit over the years, in part due to people achieving bar drop in the past with actual drop bars, while now they spend more time riding on the hoods and tops, and thus more bar drop from low handlebars.

I wouldn't be too worried about a frame that is one size larger or smaller than a calculated "ideal" size. However, it is much harder to get the perfect amount of bar drop with an oversized frame than an undersized frame.

Over the years, I've missed a few deals, and gotten far too many good deals.

With a wide enough search, the perfect frame will pop up somewhere. So, if you are worried about a frame, then simply wait until the right one shows up, or expand what you are looking for to include something you originally might have ignored.

The Golden Boy 

I've been riding 53/54/21" frames. Up until about a month ago, I didn't realize I couldn't straddle my top tubes without shoes on. I knew there was "next to no clearance" for my junk... yeah, there was no clearance- I just lean the frame over instinctively. Usually when I pull up to stop signs, I rest my foot on the curb. It then occurred to me, I get my trousers in 30" mostly because that's pretty much where the pants in the mens' section starts.

I got a decent deal on a 22 or 22.5 Trek- and as much as I tried- I could not be comfortable on that bike.

Like a few others here, I've got the 'stubby legs, long torso' thing going on. Quite totally by accident, I happened to happen upon two bikes that have fairly long top tubes in relation to the seat tubes- For a 52 seat tube, rolling with 55 and 56 cm top tubes... I shudder to think of a "square" frame.

shipwreck

I voted to suck it up, but believe that you should keep hunting for frame the right size as well.

The sweetest size I have ridden is a 59. At 6"1' with fairly average torso to leg length(33 inch inseam), but fairly long arms.

Seems like the bottom bracket height makes a big difference in what I consider a rideable frame. My touring frame is a 60, but has almost as low a standover as a 58.

The smallest I currently ride is a 58 trek 560, with a long seatpost and a 120mm stem. The largest is a Schwinn 974 at 62, I can just clear the top tube with no shoes on. It may be my favorite bike to ride.

I had a 54cm Miyata 1000 frame that I had a super long post on, with a tall stem it was still an aggressive bar to saddle drop. Did my longest loaded touring day ever on it, 164 miles through the ozark mountains. Made it work just because I wanted a 1000.

Another favorite is my 61cm Centurion. I don't have many pictures of my bikes, but I think that the stem and seat post "look" right on it for a French fit. One and a 1/4 fist full.

Bad Lag

Too small? Longer seat posts and stems are cheap.

Too tall? A LOT too tall? Your privates are at risk and those aren't cheap!

When I look on ebay, I see scads of small framed bicycles, so I'm surprised you are having trouble finding one that fits. The really tall ones are rare. The ones in the middle are expensive and you have to act fast.

hellojoben

Well it comes down to specific frames and brands that I want in particular you know what I mean? In general, it's hard finding anything in 48cm in a frame that I want, so I just suck it up and ride a 50 lol.

What's amazing to me is that this poll is still going and it's been nearly even this whole time. What I did notice though is that the side that chose to wait for the right frame includes more yellow jerseys and red stars near their usernames...maybe the experienced cyclists have a point

rustystrings61 

My range of "acceptable fit" has expanded upwards - depending on seat tube angle and bottom bracket height. Top tube length is a narrower range for me. I don't like anything with a top tube shorter than 57 cm, 58 is ideal, and 59 means I'm going for a shorter stem. There's also the effect of greater variance between head and seat tube angles. On my 60 cm (to top) Gitane with 72 seat/73 head, 58 cm top tube is just right; on my 62 cm Liberia with 72 seat/74 head, 58 cm top tube really pushes for a shorter stem extension.

John Damm

I'm a believer that frame fit is more important than the quality of the frame. There's a bike that fits you out there and worth looking or spending a little extra.

John Damm

Also, it's not just the cm size. Some bikes have longer top tubes than others for the same size bike. Needs to fit with seat tube and top tube.

MDR629

Oh I'll definitely buy stuff that isn't the right size if it's something I'm looking for and the price is right. I wanted an Ironman, and one came up in Miami Vice colors for $100, so I had to have it. Never mind it ended up needing a chain, bottom bracket, and cables/housings and that it's 62cm and I'm 5'8". I have to stand on my toes to stand over the top tube hahah but it really doesn't bother me much, and I have to stretch out to get the brake levers but I get used to it over the course of a ride. I don't regret buying it at all, but would like to find one more in my size.

On the flip side, I've had a 54cm vintage bike that was definitely too small. Maxed out the seat post (which was short) and still would have liked to go higher. But I put 400 miles on that bike before selling it so I made it work. I dunno, I guess it comes down to the person, but I've been able to make "wrong" size bikes work just fine. And to me it's more important to own, fix, and ride a bunch of different bikes than wait forever for "the one".

MDR629

Biggest (when I first got it, the stem is lower now and seat a tad higher) vs. smallest

dg5228

I got another, 6'2" , with 30" legs. It's tough to get a fit. I have to get a med frame then totally rework the front geometry to get the bars higher. I have even not cut the front suspension tube to get it higher, lots of spacers. But, I love riding. P.S.- I DO look normal with the short legs.

berkeley23

I am also vertically-challenged, and I feel like all I find are bikes for taller people, too! My most comfortable fit is a 19-1/2" (48.5) Miyata 610. Before I found that one (here - in the "are you looking for one of these" threads), I was riding a 21" (53) that I thought fit; after getting the 48.5/19.5 realized how much better the smaller bike fits my body - feels like I can generate more power, etc. Before being bitten by the C&V road bike bug, I rode a much-to-big 18" mountain bike - even with the sloping top tube it was still up into my undercarriage. What used to be my daily rider now feels much too big.
How does your bike feel when you ride it? It is a very nice looking bike - looks fast!
I would recommend paying attention to the "are you looking for one of these" threads, as the C&V crowd seems to come up with some awesome bikes. YMMV, but I sent cash to a random-internet-stranger from Bike Forums, and actually got a bike shipped to me in return(!)
Have you looked into Terry bikes? They re-worked bike geometry to fit us smaller riders - very interesting youtube video about how/why the geometry changed:

RobbieTunes

Actually, a 5'9" statuesque redhead, 40 years ago.

She ended up getting into cycling, too.