craveone

so first off, about to purchase my first fixed gear bike from an individual...i am told that the bike is 52cm, i stand 5 9 and have read that w/ my hiehgt that a 52 or 54 would work...while speaking w/ the guy on the phone, found out that he is 5 6 or 5 7, and says that the bike might be alittle to small for me...but i have read someone on the internet amongst the pages and pages of cycling forums and blogs that a small bike is kind of ideal when dealing w/ a track bike...is this true? or should i not even waste either one of our time? have been super stoked on getting this bike for 200 bucks and to find out it may be too small kinda bums me out...ne way, i won't be seeing the bike for another 3 - 4 days thats when we can get together...so, insite please for all you veterans...thanks in advance

seejohnbike

there are plenty of resources here, and elsewhere on the web to help determine what size bike is best for you. for a full, comprehensive fit guide, check out here:
competitive cyclist

for a less comprehensive guide, but still way better analysis than "how tall are you?", try here:
e-bicycles

if youre measurements put you within the range of that frame, then go nuts. keep in mind, minor fit issues with a smaller bike can be remedied by any combo of: more seatpost, longer stem, seatpost with setback, longer cranks, etc.

if you want to really do some math, do the competitive cyclist fit, and you'll be able to see if you can get components with proper setback, reach, etc. to fit you on that frame.

dsh

If you're just riding it around the city, don't sweat it. I'm 6'2 and both of my "city" bikes are 56cm.
Fit matters most if you're going to be in the saddle for long periods, or you are really trying to maximize efficiency.

For now, just do the basic stuff: adjust saddle height until you're getting comfortable extension on your legs, saddle fore-aft to get proper knee position through the pedal circle, and if you wanna get really ambitious you can play around with positive/negative rise stems or different lengths to tweak the cockpit.


If you're not riding that bike within an hour of picking it up, I'm gonna be disappointed.

Dr. Banzai

I'm 5'10" and ride a 54. Bikes are classically sold too big.

bleedingapple

I found for me with track bikes that larger than what i ride road it better... usually i ride a 56cm, but the cannondale capo 61cm was perfect and my new leader 722ts is a 58cm and very comfy... my motobecane team track is a 56cm and is on the small side for me... so yea take from this what you will. Go see it, ride it (more than a block, more like 15-20min if you can) and if it fits buy it... like dsh said also consider how long your gonna be on the bike and what its use is for...

clink83

Height has little to do with size, reach does. Get measured, buy a frame that fits you. /end thread.

cg1985

I think bike fit is important, even if you're not doing longer rides, not for comfort, but for joint health. if you're bike is too small, and your knee over pedal is too far, than you'll be hurting yourself over time.

dookie

it's not about your height, it's about your leg and arm/torso length. i'm 5'11 and i ride 52cm(ish) because i have crazy short legs. but with stock frames, i end up looking for slack seat tube angles and/or running long stems to make the reach work...the alternative being to buy bigger frames (longer top tube) and run a normal(ish) stem, but have no seatpost showing. the best answer would be to shell out for a custom frame that was 52x56, but i'm cheap. what's your pants inseam? i wear 30in, with an actual inseam measurement of 29in.

oldfixguy

Many people here are hitting it. It is not expensive to go to your LBS and get a professional fitting. There is no need to explain yourself or pretend you are there for any other reason. It is a "pay for" service. You want to be fitted. Take your clipless shoes if you have them. Some of the best money you will ever spend. They'll write everything down for you. I think it's typical to measure you with 120mm stems (worth keeping in mind). Be pro-active with your fitting. Ask questions. Try different setups. Be honest with yourself when it comes to what is comfortable. You can always make yourself uncomfortable if you decide you want a specific setup for whatever reason but the whole idea behind a fitting is to discover what is naturally comfortable for you. It's a baseline not an edict. Do it. Do it. Do it.

Capocaccia

This is wrong. height does have to do with size. While size does vary, all size is relative and usually related. Da Vinci figured this out when he thought up this drawing. While it is deemed the "perfect" man the idea is everything is exactly proportionate to the other.

With this said, you will probably fit a 54cm. However, you could have a longer reach than most or higher/lower inseam, Or a back that doesnt allow you to be comfortable on certain frames. So yes, go get fitted. You wont know its comfortable till you do.

squeegeesunny 

Yo bro, that pic is NSFW.

oldfixguy

This is not a correct usage or explanation of the concept of proportional. The concept was concerning architectural beauty (proper proportions). The circle/square thing is geometric proof of our perfect design. Something like that - it's been a long time. The perfect human form is incredibly beautiful. None of us are perfect. We all have anomalies. No one has 2 legs that are exactly the same length or ears that are exactly proportionally placed on their head, etc., etc.. We are generically symmetrical. Not truly symmetrical. Thank goodness. I for example happen to enjoy disproportionately long legs and big butts. It also does not take into account human frailty - injuries, limitations, personal preference, etc. which are critical to bike fit. Anyway, bicycle frame manufacturers do not find themselves locked into any know standards. If you know YOUR proportions and allow your body to tell you what it prefers (listen to what it says) you can then look at the proportions of the item you are considering and make a reasonable judgment if it works for you.

Quoting DaVinci is nice. So is quoting Beevis and Butthead. "He, he. He said load." Same contextual relevance to this thread.