Frame size for a Short ar*e!

[jon w]

I know this is a difficult question and a matter of some judgement, but I looking for a retro road bike and am wondering what the best frame size for my 5'8" stature is?

PS: If anyone has anything is the Bath area I am interested.....

 

[Hillwalker]

Hi John. It is a matter of judgement as you say, and also how flexible your torso is (and how upright vs crouched you prefer to ride). That said, I'm also 5' 8" and have 54/55cm frames (CTT measurement). I'm in my 50s so a shorter top tube and shorter stem are more comfortable for me these days than any heroic 'horizontal spine' position.

HW

 

[Jonny69]

I'm 5'10 and ride a 54cm frame. I have long legs and short body for my height and ride that size frame with a 70mm stem. You'd probably want a 52cm like the tatty Bob Jackson frame I've got in the loft that I'm looking to sell because it's a bit too small for me

I guess for you it'll be down to whether you think you're long legged, long armed or about average, but a 52cm would be about right and give you space to tweak.

 

[predki]

I'm 5'8" as well, about 31" leg inseam, and the frame size that suites me the best is 54-56cm (although I have 57cm and even one 60cm frame that I ride and don't feel bad on it). Almost all the time I'm in the drops and and I need to have my leg completely stretched during pedalling, so I have saddle quite high. If my seat is too low my legs are getting tired very quickly.

 

[Hillwalker]

Isn't it strange how we are all mixing imperial (for height and inside leg) and metric (for frame) measurements? :shock:

HW

 

[mattsccm]

I am going to make the assumption that as its a Retro bike forum you are buying an older bike. If so fashions changed through the ages.
My Raleigh, sized to fit me by the Special Products people is a touch over 22" on the top tube. That 56cm, with a 21" seat tube( a bit over 53cm. Nowadays that would be long and stretched out and I would be keeping a seat tube about the same or shorter with a TT of around 54cm.
Of course age, familiarity with drop bars, type of bike will all throw the spanner in the works.
Why not use a retro sizing method eg 10" less than the inside leg to the ground or 2" between crutch and TT.

 

[Jamiedyer]

I wouldn't say 5'8'' is short a*rse
I'm 5'4'' and generally take a 48cm c to c seatube, 52 to 53cm top tube for European frames.
British frames vary but anything from 19'' to 21'' is tryable for me.
My Merckx is a 48cm as was my Concorde Strada.

Jamie