wayold

I'm sure this has been addressed before so bear with me... I am an older rider with various bulging/torn cervical discs. This limits the time I can spend in any kind of tucked position and makes me favor as upright a riding position as possible. To that end I've done lots of experiments and settled on riser stems/bars on my flat bar bikes and am pretty comfortable on them. I have less experience in fitting drop bar bikes.

My current road bike is a size 58 Trek Domane with the stock 100mm/6deg stem replaced with a 120mm/25deg (same cockpit reach, about 2" higher cockpit stack). The bike feels OK to me - though I honestly wouldn't mind another inch of cockpit stack if I could get it as my neck really starts to bother me after 3 or so hours in the saddle. I'm wondering if I should consider a 60-61cm size for my next road/gravel bike and compensating by decreasing stem length. Would the handling consequences be objectionable or probably OK? I'm 6'1" with a 34.5" inseam. On my current bike with my feet flat on the ground there's a good 3 inches between my shorts and the top tube, so there's some standover room work with.

I realize that this depends a lot on specific frame geometry so let's just assume we're talking Domanes of various sizes for now.

PS. I went exactly the opposite way with mountain bikes. Started with XL sizes based on manufacturers recommendations and found the slow speed handling atrocious. Reducing the frame size and going with longer stems and high rise bars violates the gospel of "modern MTB geometry" but worked for me. I would consider doing the same on a road/gravel bike, but the options for adding rise to handlebars seem more limited so I may need to get my extra stack from the frame. The handling problems I had with overlong MTBs related to maneuvering through tight switchbacks - a situation I think less I'm less likely to encounter on a road bike.

Iride01 

If you go bigger in frame size on most bikes you will get a higher frame stack that will give you higher bars, but you will also get a longer reach to the bars. So you might still wind up with the same body angle.

You really should look and compare the geometry specs of the models you are interested in and especially try the ones that have the highest frame stack of all your choices. But don't just go by stack alone. Or else you might be stretched way out there by reach. So if reach is given in the specs, use it too. If no reach given, then top tube length sometimes will be close enough if the bikes are similar geometry.

If you are at a shop looking at various models then just have them put the same size bikes side by side. Stand back and view them from the side and see which has the higher head tube. As long as the head tube is about the same distance from the saddle, then that'll be the one to give you more upright seating.

Whether it's comfortable will be something you'll have to try out for 10 or so miles if the shop will let you.

wayold

I'm assuming I can compensate for any increase in reach incurred by sizing up with a corresponding decrease in stem length. For most stem angles I'm considering the result is an increase in bar height without any increase in cockpit reach. What I'm asking is whether there will be any significant deleterious effects on handling from sizing up in this fashion where my body position either stays the same or, hopefully, gets more upright. The obvious differences will be increases in wheelbase and standover. I believe I more or less understand those. I'm just wondering if I'm missing something that might make me regret a decision to size up beyond the usual range recommended for my height.

PeteHski

The obvious check is to make sure there is enough seatpost adjustment with the larger frame. They usually have a pretty wide range of adjustment, but depends where you are currently. How much seatpost adjustment do you have on your 58 Domane? If you are close to the minimum height then you could have a problem sizing up. But if you currently have loads of exposed post, then it probably won't be an issue.

PeteHski

Also for a future bike I would take a good look at the Specialized Roubaix. It has a particularly high stack and the bars also have a step up, effectively adding a further 20 mm or so to the stack

Iride01 

Nothing that is going to sound the death bell for you on your first ride out! <grin>

If you make the changes immediately on a new bike you've not ridden much you probably won't even notice that it made a difference. I made a stem change from 100 to 70 mm after having my bike for most of the year. The effect going down twisty trails and encountering strong gusty winds when going from wooded areas to open areas was almost scary. However a few rides later and everything is normal feeling again.

I've ridden bikes way larger than I should have been on, and all I can say that adequately describes the difference in handling is that the bigger bikes felt like very stable smooth riding luxury sedans on the road. The bikes smaller and more the correct size handled more like a small and nimble sports car that can get in and around traffic easily or avoid sudden obstacles and hazards that appear out of nowhere.

I like the sports car handling since I don't own and drive a sports car myself! But neither is necessarily wrong depending on what you prefer and what the actual riding is you intend to do with the bike.

Don't know what Domane model you have, but a few other bikes in the Trek line actually have a higher stack height and roughly the same reach. And the Specialized Roubaix easily beats the Domane of the same size with about a 39 mm higher stack depending on exact size compared and year model selected.

oldbobcat

A 60 or 61 is going to have a longer top tube, requiring a shorter stem. The combination of a shorter stem and more upright position will put your center of gravity in the back seat, and a road bike doesn't handle right with all the weight on the back wheel. The 58 is really in your fit pocket, and the head tube of a Domane is not especially short. Also, sitting more upright may tend to compress your lower back discs even more. I recommend seeing an orthopedist or chiropractor and experimenting with a riser stem before buying a new bike. It's more economical, and if a more upright position is what you need then that's a better way to do it than to buy a bike that's too big for you.