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52cm TT, 49cm ST for 5'7"

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52cm TT, 49cm ST for 5'7"

Old 08-08-13, 12:25 PM
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Ride or Die
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52cm TT, 49cm ST for 5'7"

Hi I'm looking to get into road biking, so I don't know very much and need some help. I've been looking at used bikes and found a 1998 Bianchi Veloce with a 52cm top tube and 49cm seat tube. I am 5'7" with a 31" inseam (without shoes on). I was wondering if this particular bike would fit me. I've been trying to read as many things as possible on fitting, but it seems that measurements are arbitrary, so I thought it best if I ask here. I also visited my LBS, and the guy suggested I'm around a 52-53cm top tube I believe. He got me onto a couple of Giants and said that I fit best on the small frames.

I just started to look at road bikes, so I'm not quite sure what size would be comfortable for me. My experience with biking in general has mainly been the mountain bikes that I rode as a kid which are much different in seating position. At the LBS, I tried two different sizes, but I couldn't really tell the difference because I really wasn't used to the more aerodynamic position of the road bikes.

Here's the bikepedia link for the bike: https://www.bikepedia.com/quickbike/B...i&model=Veloce

Thanks in advance!

Last edited by Ride or Die; 08-08-13 at 05:35 PM.
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Old 08-08-13, 09:55 PM
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Someone please help me.
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Old 08-09-13, 07:54 AM
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Entirely possible that it fits you, but it's hard to say more than that. For me, I wanted to like the ride and the measurements had to make sense. So if you like it and you fit on a 52 tt, then you aren't going to learn anything more about a used bike before you make a choice.

i just went through this process and had 4 shops fit onto different sized bikes ranging from 59cm to 54cm. In the end, I'm on a 54cm CX bike with 54.5cm tt. I'm 5'9" with about 33" inseam. Oddly, I liked the smallest and largest of what I rode and didn't like the middle sizes. In the same make/model of bike, I also found that I couldn't tell much difference from one size to the next. I chose to buy new after I found a shop that answered my questions at the technical level I wanted.
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Old 08-09-13, 10:51 AM
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Seems like that bike would be within the "margin of error" and you could be dialed in with stem length and saddle position.

I'm 5'7" with a 30" inseam (so slightly longer torso and shorter legs than you). I ride a bike with a 52.8cm TT and a 47cm ST (c2c) with a 74º ST angle. My stem is 90mm.
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Old 08-09-13, 07:48 PM
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Thanks guys! I appreciate all the help/advice you've given me. I'll inspect the bike in person and hopefully it'll fit. Thanks again!
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Old 08-09-13, 09:12 PM
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I am also 5'7" but with a 30" inseam. I like my frames a little larger, more like a 52-54cm. The larger frames allow me to get my bars higher without resorting to a super long quill stem/high stack of spacers. It all depends on what you are most comfortable with. If you want a large drop from your saddle to your bars for a more aero position, a smaller frame will allow that. If you want a more relaxed upright position where the bars are slightly below/level with your saddle, a larger frame is better. My experience is that it is harder to raise my bars on a small frame than to lower them on a larger frame. With my 52cm frame, if I slam the stem, I can still get about 4" of drop.

One thing to be aware of, is that there are a few schools of thought on fitting. The competitive, Eddy, and French fit philosophies are the 3 main ones. Bottom line, bike fitting philosophy is a very personal thing that evolves with experience. I think everybody has gotten the wrong bike at one point or another in their cycling life, it happens. Just make sure you get a good deal, you can sell it and hopefully not lose if it doesn't work out.
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Old 08-15-13, 08:30 AM
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Hi,

A bike that is a little too small for you is way better than one a little too big for you.

Opinions do vary, but IMO with traditional geometry its hard to get a 700C wheeled
road bike that is effectively too small for someone who is 5'7" with a typical inseam.

As its a traditional geometry bike with a level toptube the old "standover
adage" can be applied. You want 2 to 4 cm standover clearance, ideally
3cm. If its 5cm you probably want the 51cm model, 7cm the 53cm etc ...

rgds, sreten.

For this bike model I don't think it is any more complicated than the above.

Last edited by sreten; 08-15-13 at 08:41 AM.
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