# what to get....HELP...please



## chantal (Jun 9, 2012)

Hey,
somewhat new to the road bike scene, am 5'11 female 200 lbs.....had 60 cm trek bike years ago, felt it was too big. Now got advised to get a 58 cm frame...
any suggestions on this bike

2011 Fuji Newest 1.0 Road Bike
thanks chantal


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## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

Try to get a test ride and see how it feels.


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## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

KoroninK said:


> Try to get a test ride and see how it feels.


^^^^ This. Test ride it. See if it feels too big.


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## SkiRacer55 (Apr 29, 2005)

*There it is...*



il sogno said:


> ^^^^ This. Test ride it. See if it feels too big.


...to whit:

- Frame size is the start, and most important point, but it's not the only aspect of bike fit. You're probably a 58, but it depends on the specific frame. Someone who's experienced in fitting can take a bunch of measurements and give you a starting point for frame size...but it'll depend on the specific frame, and you really need to ride it.

The frame size and other dimensions kind of determine two things:

- Can you get your knee lined up over the pedal? I just got sized for a new frame, I've always been a 54, but the guy who did the sizing is smart, and he had me try a 52 on a trainer. Result: no way could we move the seat around to get my knee lined up over the pedal, the 54 is correct.

- For a specific frame size, what's the effective top tube length? Most of us end up with a 100 mm stem to get the proper reach to the bars. If you have to vary from that a whole lot (say, if you had to drop all the way down to a 60mm stem, or way up to a 130 mm stem), then you either need a custom frame or a different frame size. 

Once you've got the frame size wired, now you need to deal with:

- Crank length. Yeah, I know...crank length supposedly doesn't matter. However... I'm 5' 8", 30 inch inseam. I used to ride 170 mm cranks, but for whatever reason, the last two bikes I had (which I just sold) had 172.5 cranks. I just got a great deal on a (new frame) 2008 Specialized Roubaix. Great bike, but it came with 175 cranks. I'm getting a new Specialized SL3 Pro frameset to build up. The guy who did the sizing had me ride on the trainer with 172.5 and 170 cranks. Result: my pedaling stroke is much smoother, rounder, and less choppy on 170s. So in terms of power output, or whatever, maybe crank length doesn't matter. But for me, in terms of efficient, effective pedal stroke, it means a lot to me, and I'm going back to 170s.

- We talked above about stem length. There's also headset stack. A lot of race/crit frames will put you in a home position where you have a big drop from seat to bars. Not true for my new Roubaix, which is a big reason why I went to the new geometry. You can only do so much with headset stack and stem angle, but be advised that a good fitter will be able to check your flexibility, dimensions, etc., and come up with the right numbers for seat to bar drop and other measurements. 

- Then there's bar width, reach, and drop. There's been a trend to shorter reach and drop bars, which are great for older, less flexible athletes like yours truly. Bar width is also important. I'm relatively short, but relatively wide, and a 42 cm wide bar works best for me. Your mileage may vary...

So those are the basic fit considerations. The bike you're looking at is plenty good enough. The question is, Does it fit?


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## aureliajulia (May 25, 2009)

Test ride.  At your height, the lbs's (local bike shops) will have plenty to choose from.


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