Most of those formulas have some basis in reality and are a good starting point, but consideration of shoe/cleat/pedal type and make of saddle can affect saddle height/frame size. When I set up my 56 cm Ciocc, I used the recommendations in my 1979 edition of "The Custom Bicycle Book" by Michael Kolin and Denise de la Rosa as a starting point and then fine-tuned based on my own experience/preferences. I'm a hair shy of 5'11" tall, btw.
Steve Whitting
Prairieville, Louisiana USA
http://ciocc-cat.angelfire.com/
From: Hon Lee <lejosun@sbcglobal.net> Subject: [CR] Sloan's 1.09 measurement To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Date: Tuesday, June 16, 2009, 7:20 PM
Sloan's recommended setting for seat top to pedal top at lowest point of a pedalling stroke at 1.09 times one's inseam was indeed akin to gospel in the early '70's when I was a mech in northern California. Sloan based this calculation on proper ankling technique and supported this sum using a study that measured energy output for various adjustments of this seat-pedal distance for a fixed crank length. The 1.09 adjustment had the highest energy output. As John Strizek pointed out, there are a number of other variables, such as the bb height, that will significantly affect the bike's "fit." At 5-4 with boring proportions, my favorite rides were a 52 cm. Mondia Special off the rack cyclocross and a 54 cm. Cinelli GC from Spence Wolfe set up with that 1.09 configuration, both 1971.
Hon Lee Stockton, California where being number 1 on Forbes.com misery index is dynastic USA