Confused with bike sizing.
#1
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2020
Posts: 3
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Confused with bike sizing.
Hi, Can you help me out with bike sizing, I'm 5' 8" – 171cm, inseam 32” - 81cm I been told I need a medium size , most medium size frams are 21” - 54cm, on canyon’s built insizing tool on their web site I put in my height and inseam and it told me I'm a XS 18.5 47cm can you advise thanks
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Nor-Cal
Posts: 3,767
Bikes: lots
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1958 Post(s)
Liked 2,932 Times
in
1,489 Posts
Medium or around 54cm should be good for you. Mtb? 17.5-18.5" ish. XS? No way.
#3
I'm good to go!
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 14,988
Bikes: Tarmac Disc Comp Di2 - 2020
Mentioned: 51 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6193 Post(s)
Liked 4,810 Times
in
3,318 Posts
You buying a new bike? You really need to go by the manufacturer's suggested size for the particular model you are looking at when you lack your own experience. Even for older bikes you can sometimes find the sizing recommendation from the maker.
Just because you fit a certain size of one model doesn't mean that's the size you fit on another model.
Just because you fit a certain size of one model doesn't mean that's the size you fit on another model.
#4
Full Member
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: Greer, SC
Posts: 344
Bikes: GR300, Grail, Live Wire, 5010
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 189 Post(s)
Liked 241 Times
in
121 Posts
Hi, Can you help me out with bike sizing, I'm 5' 8" – 171cm, inseam 32” - 81cm I been told I need a medium size , most medium size frams are 21” - 54cm, on canyon’s built insizing tool on their web site I put in my height and inseam and it told me I'm a XS 18.5 47cm can you advise thanks
B. When I input the values you listed, it shows small, not XS.
C. My height and inseam is the same as what you listed, and my Canyon is a small and fits great.
#5
n00b
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 1,397
Bikes: Surly Karate Monkey, Twin Six Standard Rando
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 428 Post(s)
Liked 466 Times
in
273 Posts
this is not the first that I have heard of Canyon's fitting calculator giving whacky recommendations. I just plugged in your numbers on the Canyon site and it says you should be on a XS frame in the Grail 7 (I picked a bike at random). That's really weird.
I also just looked at their geometry and their sizing is weird. at 5'9", I would need a "small." my wife is short and she's a full 10 centimeters shorter than what their smallest bike should fit. why are they making their bikes so large?
I also just looked at their geometry and their sizing is weird. at 5'9", I would need a "small." my wife is short and she's a full 10 centimeters shorter than what their smallest bike should fit. why are they making their bikes so large?
Last edited by mack_turtle; 02-22-21 at 01:10 PM.
#6
Full Member
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: California
Posts: 211
Bikes: 2020 Lynskey GR300, 1987 Diamondback Ascent, 1991 Skykomish Marble Point, 1994 Specialized Stumpjumper FSR, 1996 Specialized Stumpjumper M2 FS, 1992 GT Karakoram
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 69 Post(s)
Liked 226 Times
in
84 Posts
Always test ride several bikes when you can, even two sizes of the same model. I found that I preferred the smaller size even when the manufacturer said I should go a size larger. In the case of manufacturers like Canyon that only sell direct, you might consider plugging them into bikeinsights.com https://bikeinsights.com to compare against other bikes you’ve actually thrown a leg over.
#7
Full Member
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 226
Bikes: 1991 Diamondback Apex, 2015 Trek Verve 3, 2020 Specialized Diverge
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 143 Post(s)
Liked 116 Times
in
58 Posts
I agree with those who suggest test rides. A friend of mine and I both have a 56 cm frame Specialized Diverge. He is 6' 2", I am 5' 10". I believe manufacture recommended size is a good starting point but you may be plus or minus based on personal preference.
#8
Senior Member
Knowing your preferred stack is a good starting point here. I largely ignore t-shirt sizing and seat tube or top tube sizing and just focus on stack and reach. To determine the stack and reach, find a bike that fits you well and either look up or measure the stack and reach on that bike.
Even knowing your stack and reach don't solve all problems. For example, my Giant Defy has a very tall measured stack. However, Giant has taken almost 15mm out of the fork length on the bike when compared to similar endurance models like the Domane. This makes the Defy actually have a more aggressive front end than a Domane or Roubaix despite what the stack measurement might lead you to believe. Similarly, a reach measurement doesn't account for the effect of the stem length and bar reach of a given complete bike. Stem length and bar reach can vary widely. For that reason, I also measured and memorized my preferred "true reach" from the nose of the saddle to the center of the lever hoods which allows me to determine if the stem and bar on a bike I'm considering are going to work for me. Snub nosed saddles have now screwed up even that measurement. Gah.
One note: Canyon's sizing is unorthodox, their bikes are generally significantly larger than the same t-shirt size on another brand. This is annoying given that Canyon is a direct sales brand and you can't try before you buy. BMC also has wacky sizing.
Even knowing your stack and reach don't solve all problems. For example, my Giant Defy has a very tall measured stack. However, Giant has taken almost 15mm out of the fork length on the bike when compared to similar endurance models like the Domane. This makes the Defy actually have a more aggressive front end than a Domane or Roubaix despite what the stack measurement might lead you to believe. Similarly, a reach measurement doesn't account for the effect of the stem length and bar reach of a given complete bike. Stem length and bar reach can vary widely. For that reason, I also measured and memorized my preferred "true reach" from the nose of the saddle to the center of the lever hoods which allows me to determine if the stem and bar on a bike I'm considering are going to work for me. Snub nosed saddles have now screwed up even that measurement. Gah.
One note: Canyon's sizing is unorthodox, their bikes are generally significantly larger than the same t-shirt size on another brand. This is annoying given that Canyon is a direct sales brand and you can't try before you buy. BMC also has wacky sizing.
Last edited by Hiro11; 02-24-21 at 09:35 AM.
#9
n00b
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 1,397
Bikes: Surly Karate Monkey, Twin Six Standard Rando
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 428 Post(s)
Liked 466 Times
in
273 Posts
Hi, Can you help me out with bike sizing, I'm 5' 8" – 171cm, inseam 32” - 81cm I been told I need a medium size , most medium size frams are 21” - 54cm, on canyon’s built insizing tool on their web site I put in my height and inseam and it told me I'm a XS 18.5 47cm can you advise thanks.
I just checked the sizing for an Exceed hardtail and Canyon says I should get a small. I am 175cm tall with a 84 cm (actual) inseam and they say I should ride a bike with a 415mm reach, 597 stack, and 575 ETT. The 75° STA is on the steep side of a XC hardtail. that geo is consistent with "old school" XC sizing for a small bike designed for someone a few inches shorter than me. the only way that bike would fit me would be with a 100mm+ stem. I like a fairly compact fit on my mountain bike, so I don't know what Canyon is doing. I'll cross Canyon off my list of bikes I would ever buy because I can't see their sizing as anything other than totally whack.
Last edited by mack_turtle; 02-24-21 at 10:20 AM.
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Chicago, IL, USA
Posts: 2,880
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1461 Post(s)
Liked 1,485 Times
in
870 Posts
I concur about Canyon sizing being different than most manufacturers. When I was thinking of buying an Inflite last year, I assumed I needed a medium (which would align with most other manufacturer's sizing), but when I ran through the Canyon bike fit calculator, it recommended a Small.
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Paradise, TX
Posts: 2,087
Bikes: Soma Pescadero, Surly Pugsley, Salsa Fargo, Schwinn Klunker, Gravity SS 27.5, Monocog 29er
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 186 Post(s)
Liked 234 Times
in
166 Posts
You are the same height and inseam as me. A lot of manufacturers have us in the overlap area between med and small. I go for mediums now, years ago I would go small for a "race fit".
#12
Full Member
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: Foothills of West Central Maine
Posts: 410
Bikes: 2007 Motobecane Fantom Cross Expert, 2020 Motobecane Omni Strada Pro Disc (700c gravel bike), 2021 Motobecane Elite Adventure with Bafang 500W rear hub drive
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 174 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 143 Times
in
94 Posts
True that. Lots of new frame designs are being rolled out, and geometries vary, especially between bike type (road, mtb, hybrid, etc.) Not something you want to get wrong, if you can't try the bike you're considering.
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: se MIch.
Posts: 2,312
Bikes: 1938 claud butler,1983 Basso,teledyne titan,teocali super,nrs,1993 stumpjumper fsr,Paramountain,Paramount Buell(sold),4 banger,Zaskar LE,Colnago Master Ibex MTB,1987ish,.etc....
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 803 Post(s)
Liked 2,985 Times
in
1,498 Posts
mtb chart/
#14
Senior Member
Both the SM and XS will fit.
171cm, I would go for the XS. SM will work but you may not be able to get your position correct on it.
171cm, I would go for the XS. SM will work but you may not be able to get your position correct on it.
Hi, Can you help me out with bike sizing, I'm 5' 8" – 171cm, inseam 32” - 81cm I been told I need a medium size , most medium size frams are 21” - 54cm, on canyon’s built insizing tool on their web site I put in my height and inseam and it told me I'm a XS 18.5 47cm can you advise thanks
#15
Klaatu..Verata..Necktie?
Join Date: May 2007
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 17,962
Bikes: Litespeed Ultimate, Ultegra; Canyon Endurace, 105; Battaglin MAX, Chorus; Bianchi 928 Veloce; Ritchey Road Logic, Dura Ace; Cannondale R500 RX100; Schwinn Circuit, Sante; Lotus Supreme, Dura Ace
Mentioned: 41 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10425 Post(s)
Liked 11,899 Times
in
6,094 Posts
Unless you have a good handle on bike fit, buying a bike by mail is a dodgy proposition. I bought an Endurace from Canyon this summer. Given my height and inseam (6', 34.5"), Canyon would have had me on a Medium. I already have 3 bikes set up within a few mm of each other that all work great for me, so I measured them carefully and worked with the Canyon geometry table to determine what would fit - a Large. When I got it, I set it up as close to the other bikes as I could, and it's perfect. The Medium would have had the bar much too close for me.
So, I'd only order by mail if I knew exactly how I wanted to set it up, and determined what size would allow that. Otherwise, it's kind of a crap shoot.
So, I'd only order by mail if I knew exactly how I wanted to set it up, and determined what size would allow that. Otherwise, it's kind of a crap shoot.
__________________
"Don't take life so serious-it ain't nohow permanent."
"Everybody's gotta be somewhere." - Eccles
"Don't take life so serious-it ain't nohow permanent."
"Everybody's gotta be somewhere." - Eccles
Likes For genejockey:
#16
Full Member
Knowing your preferred stack is a good starting point here. I largely ignore t-shirt sizing and seat tube or top tube sizing and just focus on stack and reach. To determine the stack and reach, find a bike that fits you well and either look up or measure the stack and reach on that bike.
Even knowing your stack and reach don't solve all problems. For example, my Giant Defy has a very tall measured stack. However, Giant has taken almost 15mm out of the fork length on the bike when compared to similar endurance models like the Domane. This makes the Defy actually have a more aggressive front end than a Domane or Roubaix despite what the stack measurement might lead you to believe. Similarly, a reach measurement doesn't account for the effect of the stem length and bar reach of a given complete bike. Stem length and bar reach can vary widely. For that reason, I also measured and memorized my preferred "true reach" from the nose of the saddle to the center of the lever hoods which allows me to determine if the stem and bar on a bike I'm considering are going to work for me. Snub nosed saddles have now screwed up even that measurement. Gah.
One note: Canyon's sizing is unorthodox, their bikes are generally significantly larger than the same t-shirt size on another brand. This is annoying given that Canyon is a direct sales brand and you can't try before you buy. BMC also has wacky sizing.
Even knowing your stack and reach don't solve all problems. For example, my Giant Defy has a very tall measured stack. However, Giant has taken almost 15mm out of the fork length on the bike when compared to similar endurance models like the Domane. This makes the Defy actually have a more aggressive front end than a Domane or Roubaix despite what the stack measurement might lead you to believe. Similarly, a reach measurement doesn't account for the effect of the stem length and bar reach of a given complete bike. Stem length and bar reach can vary widely. For that reason, I also measured and memorized my preferred "true reach" from the nose of the saddle to the center of the lever hoods which allows me to determine if the stem and bar on a bike I'm considering are going to work for me. Snub nosed saddles have now screwed up even that measurement. Gah.
One note: Canyon's sizing is unorthodox, their bikes are generally significantly larger than the same t-shirt size on another brand. This is annoying given that Canyon is a direct sales brand and you can't try before you buy. BMC also has wacky sizing.
#17
Guest
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 2,888
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1346 Post(s)
Liked 3,270 Times
in
1,439 Posts
I'm 5' 9" with a 33" inseam. I ride a 54cm road bike and a 54cm gravel bike. That's "my size," just as it has been since about 1979. But on an All City Nature Boy, I'm a 49cm. On a Breezer Radar, I fit a 51cm. On a Black Mountain Road Plus, it's a 47cm. In general, the top tube length, stack, and reach are the measurements you need to pay attention to; these days, you can pretty much ignore the seat tube measurement, and any S, M, L, XL designations.
Likes For Rolla:
#18
n00b
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 1,397
Bikes: Surly Karate Monkey, Twin Six Standard Rando
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 428 Post(s)
Liked 466 Times
in
273 Posts
I'm 5' 9" with a 33" inseam. I ride a 54cm road bike and a 54cm gravel bike. That's "my size," just as it has been since about 1979. But on an All City Nature Boy, I'm a 49cm. On a Breezer Radar, I fit a 51cm. On a Black Mountain Road Plus, it's a 47cm. In general, the top tube length, stack, and reach are the measurements you need to pay attention to; these days, you can pretty much ignore the seat tube measurement, and any S, M, L, XL designations.
Likes For mack_turtle:
#19
Advanced Slacker
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 6,210
Bikes: Soma Fog Cutter, Surly Wednesday, Canfielld Tilt
Mentioned: 26 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2762 Post(s)
Liked 2,537 Times
in
1,433 Posts
I'm 5' 9" with a 33" inseam. I ride a 54cm road bike and a 54cm gravel bike. That's "my size," just as it has been since about 1979. But on an All City Nature Boy, I'm a 49cm. On a Breezer Radar, I fit a 51cm. On a Black Mountain Road Plus, it's a 47cm. In general, the top tube length, stack, and reach are the measurements you need to pay attention to; these days, you can pretty much ignore the seat tube measurement, and any S, M, L, XL designations.
Now that I know my exact fit on a bike, with Reach, Stack, Head Tube Angle and a good calculator, I’ve been able to nail within +/- 10mm how I am going to fit on a bike (assuming I use my same bars).
Of course, you are trusting that they have the measurements right. But most of the time if they are going to bother giving reach and stack it is an indication that they take sizing accuracy seriously.
Likes For Kapusta:
#20
Senior Member
Start with saddle height. From that and some idea of desired saddle to bar drop, a proper stack can be determined. Reach will be in the 370-380 range.
Size numbers and letters mean little. I also look at seat tube length because I have long legs for my for my 5'-6" height. My saddle height is 73cm and I set my bar height to produce a 10cm saddle to bar drop.
I normally look for a stack that's no more than 527mm. I now have an XS or 46cm Cinelli superstar with a 509mm stack. It requires 15mm of spacer on top of 15mm headset top cover, with a -17 stem, or a 30mm headset top cover. A -6 stem would raise the bars by about 2cm. The 46cm seat tube is on the short side, but anything in the 45-48cm range will work.
Size numbers and letters mean little. I also look at seat tube length because I have long legs for my for my 5'-6" height. My saddle height is 73cm and I set my bar height to produce a 10cm saddle to bar drop.
I normally look for a stack that's no more than 527mm. I now have an XS or 46cm Cinelli superstar with a 509mm stack. It requires 15mm of spacer on top of 15mm headset top cover, with a -17 stem, or a 30mm headset top cover. A -6 stem would raise the bars by about 2cm. The 46cm seat tube is on the short side, but anything in the 45-48cm range will work.