You can play around with an online fit calculator such as:
http://www.competitivecyclist.com/
I'm a smidgen under 6 feet tall and find that I can ride bikes 56, 57 and up to 58 cm center to center. Most of these bikes are "square" with the TT being equal to the seat tube. Often bikes aren't square with either shorter or longer top tubes; something else to factor in.
"Fit" is very personal...I see people all the time that are shorter than I riding the same size bike I do, and people that are the same height riding much larger frames.
Angel Garcia Long Valley, NJ Rob Goughary wrote: This is a good one for all you with more experience than me - particularly those of you that have built frames or sized people up in shops, etc...
when buying a vintage frame sight-unseen, how do you know if the frame will fit? Not - what would be the perfect fit - but let's say you run across a Richard Sachs from the seventies and the only thing you know is seatpost height - what do you do?
I am 5'11" or so - normal build and size - how do i know what are the fitting extremes? - what is to small, way too small and too big and way too big? Example - can a 6' guy fit on a 54" frame? Or a 60cm? (seatpost C-C)
I have a couple bikes that fit - so i'm more concerned about the random find online or maybe at a flea market, etc... ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Last time this was discussed, I think there was a bit of a consensus, with exceptions: If the top tube is the length you like, and if you can straddle at all, it's gonna work ok. I tend to ride fairly large frames, up to 62 cm ctc seat tube, in part because they give a fairly high handlebar position. But, that 62 cm (Cinelli) had the sweet spot for me: a 57 cm. top tube. I rode it on Ragbrai, with comfort.
harvey sachs mcLean va _______________________________________________
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