Lira

Hello all!

After riding a mountain bike for 3 years, mostly on road, I've decided to get a road bike but I never thought it would be so difficult to find the right size for me. I'm 5'4'' and my leg inseam is 31 inches (measured with cycling shoes).

After looking at many models I decided that I want a Trek Lexa SL.
Lexa SL Women's | Lexa Women's | Endurance race | Road | Bikes

In my country bike shops don't have many models/sizes in stock so I could only try one bike so far, a Trek 1.2 on size 47.
1.2 | 1 Series | Performance race | Road | Bikes

Other than that other bikes were just simply too big I didn't even bother trying them.
The first time I tried the 1.2 it felt like it was a good size but the saddle height was not set at the right height because the owner of the shop didn't bother measuring my inseam. I went to the shop a second time and they took my measurements and set the saddle to the right height and I could feel that something wasn't quite right. I felt the weight of my body on my hands a little, like the drop from the saddle to the handlebars was a bit too high.

The shop thinks the Lexa on size 50 is the best size for me considering that on size 47 I will probably have a big drop between saddle and handlebars. However I can't stop thinking the Top Tube might be too big and I will end up feeling stretched on it. From what I read it is a bit of a problem for people with long legs to find a bike that fits well. I would like some suggestions as to what size I should get, 47 or 50?

Unfortunately there is no way for me to try any of the sizes. The bike will be ordered for me and the shop says they can't send it back to the supplier once they order it.

Would really appreciate any help and ideas. Thanks

oldbobcat

Your leg length is about average or a little longer than average for your height. A 50 cm Lexa would be my first guess for you, too.

The reach and stack of the 50 cm Lexa are 36.8 and 54.5 cm, respectively. The reach and stack of the 47 cm 1.2 are 36.9 and 52.2 cm. That means the horizontal reach of the Lexa is 1mm shorter, and the vertical height at the the top of the head tube is 2.3 cm taller. The Lexa will also be equipped with a narrower and more compact handlebar. I think you'll be happy with that.

Remember that the initial sizing is just a baseline for a good fit. Most shops will adjust saddle height before sending you out the door. Have them evaluate the saddle setback and handlebar reach and height, too.

deex

What size stem does it come with? You can always get a shorter or longer stem, but you can't shorten the top tube. at 5'4" I would probably think the 50 is a good fit, and you can probably get a shorter stem. I also just got into road biking after many years of MTB riding and it takes a few rides to get used to the position.

Good luck with your purchase.

Lira

Thank you for your answers so far.

One of the main reasons that made me think of a Lexa was that some of the components seem really good for women, specially for women with small hands as myself.
I never understood what stack meant on a bike, if the Lexa has 2.3 cm higher top tube that's great, it probably mean that the drop from the saddle to the handlebars wont be too high.

And both sizes of the Lexa and the 1.2 Trek I tried come with a 80 mm stem.

TiHabanero

Sounds like you have set your mind on the Trek, however please explore the Cannondale Synapse. The Synapse 48cm frame has a TT actual measurement of 67cm, head tube of 13.4cm, and stand over height of 67cm. It should accomplish the fit you need. The Lexa 50cm has 1.2cm longer top tube along with a steeper head angle than the Synapse which effectively pushes the front end away from the rider. The Lexa also has a taller stand over height by 4.3cm. The head tube on the Synapse is 4mm shorter than the Lexa, however that should not present an issue, especially with a shorter top tube and stem options if needed. You owe it to yourself to look at the Cannondale Synapse Woman's Claris.
FYI, I am not a Cannondale employee, but I do work at a shop on the weekends selling Scott and Cannondale bikes, and know them well. Picked one up for my daughter last year, and she is riding it bone stock as there was no need to change the stem or bars. She even likes the seat! How is that possible?? Might be her iron butt from riding horses? She is on the 50cm as she needed the length in the top tube.

trailangel

My suggestion... You have long legs for somebody 5' 4".... meaning you have a short torso. So smaller frames with a short top tube would fit you better.... just move the seatpost higher.
But 47 might be too small. look for 48.

Damien09

Never knew you were supposed to measure inseam with shoes on. That may be why it seems her legs are even longer than they are.

Lira

Thanks again for the answers!

I have checked Cannondale Synapse online and think it looks even prettier than the Lexa, however there is no bike shop nearby that sells them so I decided to forget about it. Do you think a Scott Contessa size 48 would also have a better fit than the Lexa?

I don't understand one thing about all these bikes, their seat tube length seems so small and it worries me that, because I have fairly long legs, the seat post will end up being too high.
When I tried the Trek 1.2 size 47 to get the right saddle height the seat post was at it's maximum height but some of the WSD bikes seem to have an even smaller seat tube than the 1.2.
It's really hard to know without being able to see the different bikes models and sizes but there is no way for me to see them
The only reason I don't consider buying online and thus having a greater range of choice is because I have no idea how to setup a road bike etc

I also thought that inseam length was measured without shoes, it might be I don´t know, but it doesn't seem like a bad idea considering you also wear shoes when cycling and they count for the saddle height too.

oldbobcat

[QUOTE=Lira;18430525]Thank you for your answers so far.

One of the main reasons that made me think of a Lexa was that some of the components seem really good for women, specially for women with small hands as myself. /QUOTE]

Exactly.

Stack and reach are virtual measurements that give you the distance from the bottom bracket to the top of the head tube. Stack is the vertical and reach is the horizontal. This just gives you a more accurate picture of what you try to get by looking at the top tube and head tube lengths.

Disclaimer: I work for a Trek dealer. We have a lot of happy female customers riding Lexas.

The actual seat tube length of the 47 1.2 is 7 mm taller than the 50 cm Lexa. Regarding saddle height, if we subtract the sum of the seat tube and crank length (43.7 + 17) from 108 percent of your leg length (85), we get 24.3 cm. The 108 percent formula is a 40 year-old "rule of thumb" that still works as an approximation for total stretch from top of saddle to pedal at bottom of stroke. The saddle and clamp add a few centimeters. Even discounting this, a 300mm seatpost will have 5.7 cm in the frame. Ask the dealer to measure a Lexa seatpost.

Lira

Thank you for taking the time to explain this and go through the different measurements!

Is 5.7 cm in the frame safe? I guess I could always get a longer seatpost anyway. I don't know what's the size that comes with the bike and the dealer has no way to know it either as they don't have any Lexa in stock.
I'll try and ask on Trek's website, they have been helpful and answered some of my questions maybe they will know. It was from them that I found out the stem size from the different frame sizes.
EDIT: So according to the Trek assistant the seat post has only 25 cm :/

Do you think the drop from the saddle to the handlebars wont be too high?

oldbobcat

25 cm for a compact geometry frame seems extremely short. I'll measure a 50 and a 52 cm Lexa at work tomorrow, and get back to you later. I'll look at seat post length, total extension, and where that puts the saddle relative to the range of handlebar height.

Lira

Thank you so much!
That will surely help me make my decision. I really like the Lexa for it's compact and women specific components and, in my mind it's already my future bike, but not being able to see one and try it before buying is terrible.

I wish people on bike stores here were so helpful they didn't even bother comparing the geometry of the Lexa with the 1.2 I tried and other shops I called don't have small sizes and insisted that my size should be a 52.

TiHabanero

I agree with not ordering a bike on line if you are unfamiliar with fitting a bike to the body. Think of the cockpit of the bike as where the upper body resides. Then I think about the upper body as forming a triangle. The sides of the triangle lay along the arms from the palm of the hands to the shoulder joint, from the shoulder joint to the groin, and from the groin to the palms of the hands. The angle of the upper body from the groin to the shoulder joint for most touring type riders, not racers, is anywhere from 45 to 55 degrees. The angle between the arms and upper body is about 90 degrees. This is a generalization, and works well for many, but not all people.
Another general rule is the handlebar needs to be level with or above the level of the seat when riding. The higher the seat post comes up out of the frame to accommodate leg length the greater the chance the handlebar will be below the seat level, and proportionately so. The higher the seat is out of the frame, the more the handlebar will likely be lower than the seat level. As this occurs, the stem must be raised up ever higher to achieve the seat level.
I have a friend that is 6 foot 3 inches. When we stand next to each other he is 4 inches taller than me, however when we sit next to each other on a bench, he and I see eye to eye. Yes, the fella has long legs! Fitting him to a stock bike was a matter of getting a tall bike, and a very short stem. It seems the same is with you.
You really need to consult with a dealer that knows how to set you up in a comfort/touring/endurance road position. Top tube length and head tube length will greatly affect comfort, and the dealer needs to be comfortable in fitting for this position. Travel to a store outside your area just to experience a different brand be it Giant, Specialized, Cannondale, or other. You owe it to yourself to be thorough. Whether you end up with a Trek or not is not the point, but to be exposed to someone who knows what they are doing is.
One more thing, do not buy the bike without a test ride of 10 miles or more, or without sitting on a trainer for 30 minutes on the bike you will buy set up the way the dealer thinks your fit should be. You want to find the problems before you own them.

oldbobcat

I apologize. Things got a little crazy today and I shuffled it aside. I'll have your info for sure tomorrow.

Lira

In the ideal world it would work like that however I'm seriously disappointed by bike shops in Portugal. Everything I have for cycling, from my mountain bike to all cycling clothes etc was bought online because shops here usually don't have what I'm looking for. I wish I could go to a store and have a huge selection of bikes and women's clothes etc, that would be like a dream! Well I might get that if I get in a plane and fly somewhere else From what I know the best shop for women related gear in this country is 220 miles away and it's a Specialized shop in the capital and for some reason I dislike Specialized.

I totally agree with you though but it seems like such a pain to go through even more shops just to end up disappointed as always. They don't have small sizes let alone women's bikes and most shops have lots of mountain bikes on display and only 2-3 road bikes. I already called a few shops that are in a bigger city that's not too far away but they just said "We don't sell those small sizes" or "a size 52 is ideal for you" just by my height and inseam. Another one I called said they do a lot of measurements in a special system they have but they forgot to mention it costs almost 100 euros... I wonder if I went there unaware of that, they would measure me to sell me a bike and then ask me to pay for the measurements!

There might be a shop around where someone knows how to fit bikes but I'm at a point where I lost trust that's why I'm trying to figure this out by myself and with help from people who have more experience than me. If I figure out the Lexa I like doesn't have the best geometry for me then I'll look for something else for sure. I don't want to buy online this time, a road bike is something very different from a mountain bike but in the end I might resort to it. Thinking about it, it's like I'm already buying online because they are ordering a bike for me that they can't return if it's not the right size. I would feel sorry for the shop owners if this happened, I mean there is not many girls riding road bikes here and they would be stuck with the bike for a very long time.

You guys don't imagine my frustration when I wanted to buy my first cycling shoes. It should have been simple but it was a nightmare! I hate pink and that's my problem apparently! Of course for buying shoes I thought the best idea was going to shops and try them... too bad none had my size. The guy at the LBS told me to go online and chose the model I liked that he would order the right size from their dealer for me to try, sounded great! So I found the most amazing Shimano shoes that had the exact color scheme of my bike and my bike clothes but, when telling the LBS they found out the supplier didn't sell Shimano shoes for Portugal on sizes under 40 unless it was the women's model. I didn't want a women's shoes as they were pink or white with pink and silly colors. So after trying other shops and getting the usual pink/ purple shoes suggestions I ended up buying online and taking the risk of the shoes not fitting, luckily that didn't happen, and buying another model because the one I really wanted was not available.

Anyway sorry for the wall of text I just wanted to give you a better idea of my situation

That's alright don't worry and thank you again

TiHabanero

Let us imagine that you walked into the shop I work in on the weekends. You explain to me your needs, the type of riding you like, and what you aspire to. I then show you a bike or two, and explain the bike. Any shop can go this far. No big deal, however when we talk about fitting the bike to you, that is when things become interesting, and is when the wheat is separated from the chafe.
Have the shop set you up on a 50cm, and put it on an indoor trainer or stand so that you can ride it as a stationary bike. Here you make the calls. Tell the sales person what you like about the bike, and what has to be changed if you are to purchase it. Remember the 50ish degree angle of the upper body while doing this. Show him how you would like to sit on the bike, how tall the seat should be, the angle of your back, and where your hands should be for you to find comfort. If they can change the bike to your specifications, good, if not, find someone that can.

About seat height and fore/aft position must be done first because it is the one thing that cannot be modified to accommodate fit.

I am looking for a good, easy to understand, simple to practice online tutorial for self fitting a bike. When I find one I will post a link to it.

jyl

This is completely wrong. She is getting a road bike, not a beach cruiser.

TiHabanero

Not getting into a shouting match. The above information is intended as a guide for someone who is coming from non-competitive riding on the streets with an ATB and moving to non-competitive riding on the streets with an entry level road bike. To set the bike up as if it were a "serious" road bike, what ever that is, would be a disservice to her. I want her to enjoy riding with as little discomfort as possible. I do not recommend riding with a stem below the seat level for most entry level riders. If they object to it, then they will say so, and I will explain to them why I start out that way. It is easy to lower a stem, but more difficult to raise it. Incidentally, my personal bikes all have the stem equal to the seat level, and most every tourist I know is set up the same. Not that it matters, however there are a number of local fellas I have ridden with at 20+mph speeds that are set up this way. Comfort can help speed.
The upper body angle is preference. I raced for many years and was laid out nicely on the bike, but no longer. I suspect this person would object to it as well. If one were to draw a vertical line from the ground up through the seat, the upper body would cant forward from that vertical line 30-35 degrees or so. Again, it is personal preference. I have a bad back, lower and upper, and two bad wrists from mountain biking, and the best place for me to be is closer to 30 degrees.

Again, everything is personal preference. If you were to pay for a "professional" fitting, most of the fitting, after finding saddle height, saddle fore/aft position, and cleat position, is positioning based on personal preference. The point of all this is that since the person does not trust the shops to provide her a quality guidance, she must take it upon herself to figure it out, and this is a good place to start.

oldbobcat

OK, Lira, I did my homework. The 50 cm Lexa has a short seatpost (about 290 cm) and the the total stretch (top of saddle to top of extended pedal) with seatpost fully raised is about 82.5 cm. At this position, the handlebar at its highest position is about 1 cm lower than the saddle. This is short of my 85 cm rough estimate, and although it might work it gives you no wiggle room.

So I looked at the 52 cm Lexa. This size raises stack by 1.6 cm, is equipped with a 350 mm seatpost, and stretches reach by only 3 mm. It's shipped with an 85 mm stem, while the 50 comes with an 80. The total stretch is 89 cm, which amply covers the wiggle factor.

Some months ago I looked through the online catalogs of the major brands to compare WSD geometries. I found Trek's Lexa and Silque to have the tallest stack dimensions relative to the reach dimensions. That is, these cockpits are the tallest shortest you can buy without going custom. So Lexa seems to come the closest to addressing your priorities.

My recommendation is to order the 52. Your leg length requires the stack height, 3mm of reach is almost trivial, and it can be accommodated with a stem swap. Keep an open mind about the 85 mm stem, but if it isn't right, have it swapped for something shorter. Get a commitment from the dealer to get this to fit. He sells Trek so this shouldn't be too hard. This stem comes as short as 60 and 70 mm (which are currently out of stock at Trek). Regarding initial setup for beginners, I recommend setting compact flat-topped road bars level with to a couple centimeters lower than the saddle. Proportionally longer arms indicate going lower, and I'll go higher if the rider has physical limitations or simply insists on it.

And here comes my disclaimer. I'm a mechanic in a shop that primarily sells Trek, so I feel some responsibility for your satisfaction if you do end up buying the Lexa. Good luck.

jyl

I understand and appreciate that a new rider might feel more comfortable with the bar tops higher than the saddle, but if they ride diligently, they'll soon outgrow that beginner position. If they buy a bike with that beginner position in mind, they may find that it doesn't adapt well to the fit that they will likely want, which is bars level with or below the saddle. Head tube too high, stack too large, top tube too short, etc. That would be an expensive choice. I think even a beginner, assuming they are of normal fitness and flexibility, should get a bike that fits properly in a normal road bike position. They can always get a short, tall, or adjustable stem for the first few months.

Lira

Thank you so much for that information!
I'm surprised the seatpost is 29 cm and not 25 as the trek assistant told me, perhaps they were telling me the max length of seatpost that can be out of the frame. Wouldn't the size 50 work with a larger seatpost though?
I'm really afraid of ordering a size 52. What you pointed out makes a lot of sense and I was reading more about stack and reach and there are some brands that had less reach in bigger frames than in the smaller ones due to the seat tube angle. Sounds crazy!
Anyway I decided to call a few more shops that are a bit more distant from where I live and one said they might get a Lexa size 47 that I can try without any commitment, trying that and knowing the measures of the 50 and 52 that you got for me seems like a good situation to find the best size in the end. Another shop, this one really far away, is going to try and see if their dealer can lend them a Scott size 48 for me to try too. So things are getting a little better

Again thank you so much! You have been a huge help really


Thanks to everyone else too. This process of getting the right bike has been very complicated and frustrating, and it's so important for me to read other people's ideas and what they think works or not. It has made me think and learn a lot about bikes geometry and that will prove valuable if I get to go try the Lexa and the Scott bike.
I do want to feel comfortable in my new bike, my main concern though is feeling confident and in total control of the bike. I'm always a little scared of descents and want to know I can have full control of the brakes etc. not having to stretch myself to reach them. On the other hand I'm still young and flexible so I think I can handle different positions on the bike, so I think a bit of both worlds is what I'm looking for to start with.

jyl

Do you have a good sense of what you should be looking for in a fit?

There are various videos and guides. Worth some watching and reading.

My brief summary:
- Saddle height: when pedal is at lowest position, your foot should be roughly flat (some people have the toe down, some have the heel down, but either way the deviation from horizontal shouldn't be too much, like max 20 degrees or so). Your knee should be flexed a little (20 to 30 degrees). There should be enough adjustment left in the seatpost to let you vary the saddle height from this position by an inch or so either way.
- Torso angle: with hands on brake hoods and arms pretty straight, your torso should be around 45 degrees from horizontal. More aggressive fits will have this a little lower.
- Reach: with hands on brake hoods and arms pretty straight, the angle between your torso and your upper arms should be around 90 degrees. Then lower yourself until your forearms are horizontal and pedal; your knees should not overlap your elbows by more than an inch or so.
- Standover: with both feet flat on the ground, you should be able to stand over the top tube with a bit of clearance between top tube and crotch. This isn't strictly necessary, but it is convenient to be able to stand over your bike without contact.
- Balance: place hands on brake hoods, then lift them off; you should be able to hold yourself in that position without exerting your back/core muscles much, meaning you should be able to hold that position for a minute without difficulty. If you have weak core muscles this might not work, but most reasonably fit people should be able to do it.

The above describes a typical road bike fit for the typical rider.

jyl

Like this

dim

send Trek and email with your sizes and ask them

I contacted Bianchi, and received an answer within a day .... had I not, I would have bought a frame too small.

check this thread:

https://www.bikeforums.net/general-cycling-discussion/1043836-eddy-fit-bike-size-calculator.html

give Trek the following sizes (which can be seen how to measure in the link):

[TABLE="class: cms_table_ecximageblock, width: 270, align: center"]
[TR]
[TD]Your Measurements[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Inseam:
Trunk:
Forearm:
Arm:
Thigh:
Lower Leg:
Sternal Notch:
Total Body Height:[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

TiHabanero

Lots of good info out there. Remember to include your peculiarities when reviewing the fitment. Back, neck, shoulders, etc. Joint pain, muscle damage from the past, etc. all have a bearing on the way you and the bike get along.