WT160

I'm often between sizes on road bikes at 5' ''11". Generally, I like a larger-framed bike.
I picked up very nice Kabuki DFD yesterday. I knew it was big. The seller told me it was 57cm frame, but I find it's actually 63cm, which I wouldn't have entertained had I known.
I have no real gap between my crotch and the top tube. The bike rides quite well, though, with the seat all the way down.
Am I asking for trouble with the standover height?

Iride01 

Stand over height is not something I'm really concerned with. I found out a long time ago that on the really too large for me frames I was riding that I could simply lean the bike to the side when I dismounted the saddle and that made the top tube lower.

For over 35 years I rode a 25" Schwinn Varsity. That's about the equivalent of a 63 to 64 cm bike with old style vintage geometry. I could dismount it and stand flat footed. However it was way way too big for me. I probably would have been better served by something a size or two smaller. The Schwinn dealer that sold it too me almost refused to sell it to me because they thought it too big. Wish I'd let them talk me into that Paramount that was a more proper size, but I was looking for a cheap bike back then.

Frame size isn't exact science or standardized from one brand to the next brand or even from one model to the next model of the same brand. On that old bike you got the size may have been measured from the center of the BB to the top of the seat tube, or along the seat tube to the apparent intersection of the top of the top tube or to the apparent intersection of the centerline of the top tube. Different manufacturer's measured it differently.

WT160

I had a 63cm Fuji that I liked and rode for a while, but I found that it was just unwieldy for me.

I'll give this bike a go. It's big, but it might work. It's got Suntour Superbe components that I really like.

Iride01 

I'm also 5' 11" . While I was able to ride all those over size bikes for century rides and other things comfortably, I do now enjoy my new and more properly sized bike more than any other bike I ever had. My '78 Raleigh Competition GS was the second most fun bike I ever rode. And that was just about 10 years ago when I first got it. It was a 59cm frame. My '91 Schwinn Paramount I got a few years later was a 60cm size, but while great riding and comfortable, never quite as fun to ride as the Raleigh and certainly not as fun as my Tarmac.

Sure it might work. But I think I saw you posting in the old peoples forum, so you too might enjoy rewarding yourself with a new more modern bike.

Carbonfiberboy 

On our tandem, I have to have the boys over on one side to put both feet on the ground. Works fine. Otherwise, the fit is fine for a tandem. I have the saddle clamp right down on the slammed stoker stem and the reach is perfect for me with an 80mm stem. The next size down would have been too small. I think reach is the most important measurement as long as the saddle can be adjusted to the proper height.

Bearhawker

I have a 27-28" inseam.

SOH doesn't exist in my world.

rumrunn6

can you return it?

WT160

No.

rumrunn6

the only time standover height affects me is on my mountain bike if I get stalled on a steep rocky rooty climb when I can't support my feet adequately. I guess ride it for a while & see how you like it. you can always flip it to someone taller, later

WT160

I'm going for a longer ride on the bike today.
What I like about the larger road bike size is that it puts me more upright while riding. I have found that the supposedly more correct size ends up stressing my neck and trapezius muscles as I'm hunched over more.

rumrunn6

I found that to be true on my Trek FX XL

Iride01 

Don't be hunched over and you won't have to crane your neck so far to see ahead and down the road. Straighten your back some which will require you to roll your pelvis forward. A straighter back will let you not have less angle between your head, neck and shoulders. This might have you using parts of your sit bones and other structures of your pelvis that you haven't used before and there might be some getting use to it. And you might find out your saddle isn't quite right for you any more.

Also on your neck issue, make certain your helmet isn't blocking your view requiring you to lift your head more. Sometimes there is adjustment that helps keep the helmet from being so low on your brow. Some helmets just cover too much of your brow and you'll have to get another.

The one bad thing about sitting more upright for longer rides is that it puts more weight on your butt. Being more aero allows the the physics of putting power into the pedals to lighten your weight on the saddle more.

oldbobcat

No, but you might find that the top tube and head tube are too long. I'm 5'11.5" and I can straddle a 64, but I'd rather not. When I was a beginner I used to think that stretching out the torso on a larger frame would make me more powerful, but I soon learned it just makes the bike less maneuverable. I like a 57 cm top tube with a 12 cm stem, and a handlebar that's at least a few cm lower than the saddle.

philbob57

Emergency stops scare me on a bike that's too big. It's no fun to come down hard on the TT. My reco is to sell or make sure you don't need to do an emergency stop.

oldbobcat

It's funny. A long time ago, a triathlete buddy and I went shopping for a road bike for him. One shop had a nice midrange Bianchi that he looked OK on all mounted up. but when he stood up over the top tube he had to "dress himself" to one side. We ended up ordering a smaller bike from Performance.

WT160

While I can ride the bike, I think I'll look to sell it, and get something smaller.