mmckinley33

Good afternoon all,

As the title says, I am new to the sport and would really appreciate some help with some details on a bike as I am currently looking to buy one used.

My first and main question is guidance in frame size.

measurements:
height: 6’1”
inseam: 32”
arm: 21”

if you could give me your input on frame size so i know where to begin, it would be much appreciated. I am wanting to ride 15-20+miles in comfort

berner

There is quite a bit to know in fitting a bike. I began 8 years ago by going to a bike shop. They put me on just the right bike. Whether you buy at a bike shop or not, it is a good place to begin your search and see what they have.

Maelochs

This helps some folks and not others .... https://www.competitivecyclist.com/S...latorBike.jsp?

Viich

If you're looking at a drop bar road bike, I'd say a 58cm / L-XL is a reasonable spot to start - I'm just a hair shorter than you with a slightly longer inseam. I would say if you can get a bike in good working order, that would be my first purchase. It sounds like you have a longer torso than I do, so you might fit better on a 60 than I do - I can get away with a 56 pretty easily.

I began 15 years ago by picking an old road bike out of a pile at the LBS's bike swap - paid $40 for an '88 Bianchi Strada (road bikes were NOT in vogue in that area at the time) I got lucky as it fit fine, although the old quill stem style allowed me easier adjustment than the modern threadless setups. I rode it as is for a few years, and have rebuilt it in several ways since - it's been my most-used bike ever since, including a 20km each way commute in the warmer months.

Paul Barnard

Which sport are you going to compete in?

MRT2

Do you want drop bars or flat bars? The good news is, at 6'1", you are on the tall end of average, so you should be able to find something that fits. If you are looking for a road bike with drop bars, I would guess you are about a 58 cm frame size. But there is some variability among brands, so check with the brand's website as some brands just size their bike frames like T shirts (S, M, L, XL, XXL).

DaveSSS 

A 32 inch pants inseam and a 32 inch cycling inseam are very different. A cycling inseam is measured from the floor to firm saddle-like crotch contact. I'm 7 inches shorter and my cycling inseam is 32-5/8 or 83cm, so my saddle height is in the 72-73cm range. I ride a frame with a stack of 520-530 and a reach in the 375-383 range. These days stack and reach have replaced top tube length and head tube length as size indicators. Virtually all new frames have stack and reach listed in the geometry chart. When you figure out the proper stack and reach, then the frame size number is meaningless. My current Colnago sloping top tube frame is called a 48cm, but it's like a 52cm traditional frame. I've owned as large as a 55cm frame.

If your cycling inseam is really that short, you'll need a smaller than normal frame, with a long stem, but that's no problem. It's much easier to add reach with longer stems and longer reach bars than it is to correct a stack height mistake (and not look dorky).

ramzilla

With old style horizontal top bar vintage road bikes you would want a 56 to 58cm size. I have no idea how they currently measure bikes.