# how to know a bike is too small



## micycle mike (Dec 28, 2009)

ok so i know about what size bike i should be on, based on my inseam.
i know that it's just a general size and that the most important thing is you should feel comfortable on the bike.

i have a bike that my dad gave me, just a crappy old 10 speed that i know is a little too small for me. my dad is a little smaller than me.
the frame is 53.5 cm from center of bb to top of seat tube.
everything i have read and known says i should be on a 54-56cm bike.
so my question is, how do i know this bike is too small?
today i rode it 12 miles and it felt strange (first ride over .5 miles long)
i know the strangeness is cause i'm used to beach cruisers and mtn bikes, but could some of it been cause the bike is a little too small for me.
i have everything fitted to me the best i can so it felt comfy. i need to move the seat back just a hair, but everything else felt good.

so for us noobs out there, how do we know a bike is too small.

i plan on riding this bike till i can stay serious about riding then i'll buy myself a newer bike. i want to make sure i know exactly what is wrong with this bike before i buy my new one.

thanks for the help so far and thanks in advance for a good answer on this one.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

When you are out of the saddle climbing, do your knees hit the handlebar?


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## micycle mike (Dec 28, 2009)

i didn't notice them hit it, but it felt really weird out of the saddle.
i thought it was just the different handle bars that made it weird, but it might have been cause i was close to hitting them.
i'll have to ride around the block and see if they come close.
gotta run out right now so i won't be able to ride the bike tonight. i'll post up tomorrow if they hit or come really close to hitting


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

Besides the comfort issue you mentioned, one thing that could tip you off to a (too small) sizing issue is running (or needing to run) an excessively long stem to compensate for short reach/ cramped cockpit. Another is noting where the saddle is positioned on the rails. Some riders, out of necessity, disregard KOPS and (again) compensate for a cramped cockpit/ short reach the other way - by moving the seat back. Not so indirectly, both relate back to what Dave mentioned about knees hitting the bars. An excessively high saddle (relative to frame size) is another tip off. 

You don't mention any pain, so feeling weird or strange is hard to quantify. It may just be because you're not accustomed to road bikes. Also, this ride was 11.5 miles longer than your others, and fit deficiencies are more apt to show up the longer you're in the saddle.

As far as wanting to make sure you know exactly what's wrong with this bike before buying a new one, I wouldn't sweat it. Unless you current ride offers optimal fit (and indications are this one doesn't), when it's time to buy new, it's best to leave this one behind and start clean, working with a reputable LBS and experienced fitter to determine what'll work best for you.


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## micycle mike (Dec 28, 2009)

PJ352 said:


> You don't mention any pain, so feeling weird or strange is hard to quantify. It may just be because you're not accustomed to road bikes. Also, this ride was 11.5 miles longer than your others, and fit deficiencies are more apt to show up the longer you're in the saddle.


yeah no pain at all, well my butt hurts a little, but i already expected that. i think part of it is cause the seat was a little far forward, maybe 5-8mm. my balance was off a little, too much weight on my hands.

the weird and strange feeling was only when climbing out of the saddle.
on my mtn bike (only bike i'm used to really) i never have to stand up. i have a killer granny gear
the only bike i stand up on is my bmx bike (no longer have)
so i think it felt strange for a few reasons, but all cause i'm not used to the road bike.
when standing up i'm used to wider bars on my bmx bike and the small frame.
on the road bike it felt like my hands were really close together and i kept smacking the inside of my leg on the toptube

overall the ride was great, by the time i was 3/4 way done with the ride i could pedal in the drops no problem. on all my other half mile rides i couldn't do it. 
also the bike felt a lot less twitchy, i posted in my other thread that it was really twitchy.

i just want to keep an eye on things that i don't like about the bike so i know what i do like.
like i said in my other thread it's gonna be a year or so before i buy a bike, but i'm a research kind of guy. i like to do as much research as i can and will probably start test riding at least 3 months before i'm ready to buy.


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## Lelandjt (Sep 11, 2008)

Since you didn't say otherwise I assume you have enough seattube and seatpost length to raise the seat so that your leg is almost straight at the bottom of the peddle stroke. So that leaves top tube length. My feeling is that longer is better until you feel too stretched out. When you're in the drops does it feel like your hands are under you with a lot of weight on them, or out in front of you? When you stand to sprint would you have more power and stability if your bar were farther out in front of you so it doesn't feel like you're holding onto the bike down by your knees?
Whatever place you heard that you should be on a 54-56 seattube frame, did they recommend a toptube and stem measurement?


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## micycle mike (Dec 28, 2009)

my seat is at the correct height.
my bars feel like they are in a good spot, but i feel like when i'm riding on the hoods i have too much weight on my hands.

when standing to sprint or climb hills i had my hands on the hoods. i didn't try to stand and have my hands in the drops. 
when i'm sitting and have my hands in the drops it just felt like too much weight was placed on my hands. not that they were too far out or too low.

also my stem is at the max height, my seat to bar drop is 1 5/8"

no place recommended the size. doing research online i found that a good place to start is with that size frame. obviously the toptube length is going to affect stem length and all that good stuff.

i measured my bike and it was 53.5cm that seems really small so i decided to do some research to see if it was going to be too small for me.
every place i found recommended a 54cm or 56cm frame that's what got me wondering how i could tell the 53.5 is too small.


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## Hank Stamper (Sep 9, 2009)

If inseam is all you've factored in I'd take anything you read with a grain of salt. It it wasn't in the ball pack, yeah, but having a 53.5 and reading on the intrawebs you need a 54-56 based on inseam isn't necessarily anything to get worked up about.
Too much weight on your hands isn't necessarily an indication it's to small either. I can't explain how this happened but I shortened my reach with a shorter stem and that resulted in LESS weight on my hands. I did that at a time when my core strength was increasing so it could be that coincidentally it was a time when my back was ready to take some load off my hands and it wasn't the shortening that did it. And that could be your issue, just starting out maybe you're letting your weight rest on your hands because you haven't developed the core yet.
For what it's worth most of the stuff I see on the internet has me on a size bigger than myself and a very experience fitter has me on (for most bikes). 
Sounds like you should just give it some time at this point.


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## FINEMNT (Sep 14, 2009)

OP mentioned that he was used to wider handle bars. Can there also be a possibility that his current road bars are too small for him? How about the positioning of the handle bars? That may also contribute "a wierd" feeling IMO.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

Some thoughts on what you've offered thus far... 

If you're legs are hitting the TT, you either have some strange knee issues/ pedal stroke habits (and I doubt both) _or_ you have to smooth out your cadence/ pedal stroke and riding style in general. Understandable, since you've only ridden this bike a few miles. 

I don't recall what type of pedals you're using, but even clips and straps are better than just platforms. I know you don't want to invest much in this bike, but a clipless pedal system can be transferred to a new bike. Something to consider. Also, there's no rule that you _have_ to be out of the saddle when climbing. I never am. But either way, do what works best and feels best to you.

Excessive weight on your hands could be caused by a couple of things. One, and the most obvious, is excessive reach which would be remedied by using a shorter stem. But before changing that, I'd suggest moving the saddle back 5mm's (no more, because it's extending reach) and tilting the tip up slightly. The latter is easier said than done with some older posts, so use care and do the best you can with that. And if you can't attain that _slight_ upward angle, level is better than down. The idea behind these saddle adjustments is to shift your weight slightly towards the rear. And re; saddle setback. Ideally, you should measure for KOPS. Not because it's a cast in stone measurement, rather it would be good to know where your starting point is. 

Make these adjustments and put some saddle time in to give your body time to adapt. If the frontal weight issue persists, consider hunting down a .5 - 1 cm shorter quill stem.


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## micycle mike (Dec 28, 2009)

ok i'll try to address everything...



hank stamper said:


> If inseam is all you've factored in I'd take anything you read with a grain of salt. It it wasn't in the ball pack, yeah, but having a 53.5 and reading on the intrawebs you need a 54-56 based on inseam isn't necessarily anything to get worked up about.


not really worked up on this, just want to know (learn) what to look for when deciding a bike fits or is too small/large. having only ridden bmx and mtn bikes i already know my sizes on those, this is the first road bike i've ridden.


> Too much weight on your hands isn't necessarily an indication it's to small either. I can't explain how this happened but I shortened my reach with a shorter stem and that resulted in LESS weight on my hands. I did that at a time when my core strength was increasing so it could be that coincidentally it was a time when my back was ready to take some load off my hands and it wasn't the shortening that did it. And that could be your issue, just starting out maybe you're letting your weight rest on your hands because you haven't developed the core yet.


yeah i don't think the frame is too small cause of the weight on my hands, in my post i said that everything fit good except i felt too much weight on my hands. i was going to move my seat back a little to change my center of balance and take some weight off my hands.


> For what it's worth most of the stuff I see on the internet has me on a size bigger than myself and a very experience fitter has me on (for most bikes).
> Sounds like you should just give it some time at this point.


yeah i'm gonna give it some time, about a year.
even if the bike is two sizes off i will be riding it till i know i want a roadbike.
i just was wondering how to tell if the frame was too small. since most things are adjustable how can you tell if the _frame_ is too small.



finemnt said:


> OP mentioned that he was used to wider handle bars. Can there also be a possibility that his current road bars are too small for him? How about the positioning of the handle bars? That may also contribute "a wierd" feeling IMO.


the current bars i'm using are the width of my shoulders, by wider bars i meant 28" wide bmx handle bars. throw some of those on there and the road bike would feel normal. i just need to get used to the narrow bars that road bikes have.
also not used to having my palms facing eachother. i'm used to my palms facing me when riding a bike



PJ352 said:


> Some thoughts on what you've offered thus far...
> 
> If you're legs are hitting the TT, you either have some strange knee issues/ pedal stroke habits (and I doubt both) or you have to smooth out your cadence/ pedal stroke and riding style in general. Understandable, since you've only ridden this bike a few miles.


yeah the only times i hit the top tube i was not pedaling smooth, it was a really steep hill and i was using brute force (my weight) to push the pedals down. after i get in better shape and on the smaller hills i had no problems with that. normally i don't pedal like that, i'm pretty good at pedaling circles.


> I don't recall what type of pedals you're using, but even clips and straps are better than just platforms. I know you don't want to invest much in this bike, but a clipless pedal system can be transferred to a new bike. Something to consider.


yeah i'm using some pedals i don't like at all. they are platforms with clips and straps, but the pedal seems a little narrow, my feet actually hurt today from yesterdays ride. i've always ridden in the same shoes. they are made by DC and for BMX dirt jumping. they have a pretty stiff sole. now that my feet hurt i can remember feeling the outside edge of my foot wrapping around the pedal and just feeling like i was standing on spindles and not having a platform there.
i'm probably gonna swap out these pedals for some other platforms and different toeclips.
if i decide to go clipless with my mtn bike then i'll get some for the road bike too and just wear the same shoes riding both bikes.


> Also, there's no rule that you have to be out of the saddle when climbing. I never am. But either way, do what works best and feels best to you.


when i said i had to stand up, i meant that the hills were so steep that the gears i had would not allow me to sit and pedal. 


> Excessive weight on your hands could be caused by a couple of things. One, and the most obvious, is excessive reach which would be remedied by using a shorter stem. But before changing that, I'd suggest moving the saddle back 5mm's (no more, because it's extending reach) and tilting the tip up slightly. The latter is easier said than done with some older posts, so use care and do the best you can with that. And if you can't attain that slight upward angle, level is better than down. The idea behind these saddle adjustments is to shift your weight slightly towards the rear. And re; saddle setback. Ideally, you should measure for KOPS. Not because it's a cast in stone measurement, rather it would be good to know where your starting point is.
> 
> Make these adjustments and put some saddle time in to give your body time to adapt. If the frontal weight issue persists, consider hunting down a .5 - 1 cm shorter quill stem.


yeah i think i just need to move my center of balance back a little. it didn't feel like i was stretched out far so i don't think it was the stem being too long

also since i'm out of shape right now i think part of it might be my back muscles not being able to hold up my upper body.
today my back and shoulder muscles are a little sore


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

micycle mike said:


> ...also since i'm out of shape right now i think part of it might be my back muscles not being able to hold up my upper body.
> 
> today my back and shoulder muscles are a little sore


Yes, the soreness could be attributed to fitness/ flexibility (or lack thereof) and may subside with time. Just be aware that lower back and/or neck pain can be caused by excessive (for you) _saddle to bar drop_. Neck, shoulder, back and hand pain can be caused by excessive _bar reach_.


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## micycle mike (Dec 28, 2009)

that's good to know info.
i'll get my KOPS measurement later today when my wife gets home.

i just rode around the block and my knees didn't hit the bars or come close really.


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## andulong (Nov 23, 2006)

*If it looks like this...it's too small.*

Or maybe his saddle is just a bit too low???


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## Lelandjt (Sep 11, 2008)

micycle mike said:


> I feel like when i'm riding on the hoods i have too much weight on my hands. I didn't try to stand and have my hands in the drops.
> when i'm sitting and have my hands in the drops it just felt like too much weight was placed on my hands. not that they were too far out or too low.


By now you can be almost sure that the top tube is too short. You certainly haven't said anything that makes it sound too long. For a final test take your bike with you to a shop and bring a tape measure. Measure your toptube and other bikes' and ride them back to back (even just a loop in the parking lot will let you feel the different bar positions).


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## micycle mike (Dec 28, 2009)

i'm not sure i understand your reasoning.
what shows that the toptube is too short?


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## Lelandjt (Sep 11, 2008)

Cuz everything you say sounds like your reach is too short, you're hands aren't out in front of you enough. Nothing you've said sounds like your reach is too long.
I can't be positive from such a brief conversation so that's why I suggested you bring your bike and a tape measure and do some test riding. 5 bucks says you prefer a bike with a longer toptube. However, first play with your seat position relative to the pedals so you know where to set the seats on the bikes you test.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

Lelandjt said:


> Cuz *everything you say sounds like your reach is too short*, you're hands aren't out in front of you enough. Nothing you've said sounds like your reach is too long.
> I can't be positive from such a brief conversation so that's why I suggested you bring your bike and a tape measure and do some test riding. 5 bucks says you prefer a bike with a longer toptube. However, first play with your seat position relative to the pedals so you know where to set the seats on the bikes you test.


That doesn't mean that it is. I'm sure the OP is, to the best of his ability, describing how he feels on the bike. But some other things he's mentioned (back and shoulder pain) indicate that reach and/ or drop may be excessive - for him. That doesn't necessarily mean that the TT is too long, just that the resultant reach may be.

Bottom line is we're offering our best guess based on a number of factors. IMO rather than the OP bringing his bike to a LBS and compare it to others, the better remedy would be a fitting using his bike. An experienced fitter would be able to determine if the bike could be fitted to him. I suspect it could.


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

Is it possible to post a photo of the bike with you on it? That'd give us a much better idea. Things like fit are hard to describe using words because so many things e.g. it feels too long, just a little bit, KOPS if off just a little, etc. In this case I'm not sure a photo would be worth a thousand words, but I bet it'd be worth a bunch of 'em.


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## micycle mike (Dec 28, 2009)

yeah i'll try to get a picture.
anything you request to see in the pictures?
i should point out that i'm not trying to get a perfect fit on this bike, if it is possible without buying anything then i'm all for it. i just would rather not have to buy a new stem or anything to get a perfect fit. just a close to perfect fit is fine.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

micycle mike said:


> yeah i'll try to get a picture.
> anything you request to see in the pictures?
> i should point out that i'm not trying to get a perfect fit on this bike, if it is possible without buying anything then i'm all for it. i just would rather not have to buy a new stem or anything to get a perfect fit. just a close to perfect fit is fine.


Full length, side shots (from a 90 degree angle) are good. Some with your hands on the hoods, then drops, maybe tops. Feet/ pedals in both the 3/9 and 7/1 positions. Also a side shot of just the bike. I'd be curious to see where the saddle is clamped on the rails.

You've been pretty clear about tempering your expectations re: this bike, but if you post describing possible deficiencies in fit, some remedies may require hardware changes. If you're not open to that option, just adjust your saddle setback and tilt as I outlined previously. I think you should do that anyway. It's free! :thumbsup:


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## LOUISSSSS (Dec 14, 2009)

Dave Hickey said:


> *When you are out of the saddle* climbing, do your knees hit the handlebar?


not only for climbing, but when you're out of the saddle accelerating or sprinting, are you supposed to hold the tops or the drops?


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## Lelandjt (Sep 11, 2008)

micycle mike said:


> I should point out that i'm not trying to get a perfect fit on this bike, if it is possible without buying anything then i'm all for it. i just would rather not have to buy a new stem or anything to get a perfect fit. just a close to perfect fit is fine.


Yeah, I'm just saying this and suggesting you try some others cuz it will give you something to think about while you're riding and contemplating a new bike in a year. I'm always critiquing my fit and the parts on my bike so I know what to change if I get something new.
You will be fine riding for a year on your Dad's bike even if it doesn't fit. That's exactly how I got into road riding.


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## micycle mike (Dec 28, 2009)

PJ352 said:


> Full length, side shots (from a 90 degree angle) are good. Some with your hands on the hoods, then drops, maybe tops. Feet/ pedals in both the 3/9 and 7/1 positions. Also a side shot of just the bike. I'd be curious to see where the saddle is clamped on the rails.
> 
> You've been pretty clear about tempering your expectations re: this bike, but if you post describing possible deficiencies in fit, some remedies may require hardware changes. If you're not open to that option, just adjust your saddle setback and tilt as I outlined previously. I think you should do that anyway. It's free! :thumbsup:


ok i'll try to get some photos tomorrow. no trainer so i'll have to go out side and lean up against a wall or something without leaning over too much to throw off the pics.

if i need a new stem cause this one is too long/short i'll buy one, but if the amount is minimal then i'd rather not spend the money on that. a perfect fit isn't what i'm looking for, a good fit will be just fine. now if the adjustment is way off then i'll spend a little money to get it better. :thumbsup: 
thanks for the help, in this thread and in the others.



Lelandjt said:


> Yeah, I'm just saying this and suggesting you try some others cuz it will give you something to think about while you're riding and contemplating a new bike in a year. I'm always critiquing my fit and the parts on my bike so I know what to change if I get something new.
> You will be fine riding for a year on your Dad's bike even if it doesn't fit. That's exactly how I got into road riding.


this is exactly why i posted this thread. just so i know what to think about as i'm riding and figuring out what i need different or want different.
thanks for the help


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## Camilo (Jun 23, 2007)

Mike - it seems that this thread is just picking through random thoughts without any comprehensive understanding of bike fit.; Have you even looked at material on bike fit - either in a book or on line to see how seat tube, top tube, head tube length saddle position over the pedals, etc. should be set up and how your own body measurements (cycling inseam, arm length, torso length, etc.) relate to bike dimensions?

That's my advice. Stop right here and do some research of general bike fit, your own measurements, the bike's measurments and then re-start this thread. 

Good luck and have fun.


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## micycle mike (Dec 28, 2009)

Camilo said:


> Mike - it seems that this thread is just picking through random thoughts without any comprehensive understanding of bike fit.; Have you even looked at material on bike fit - either in a book or on line to see how seat tube, top tube, head tube length saddle position over the pedals, etc. should be set up and how your own body measurements (cycling inseam, arm length, torso length, etc.) relate to bike dimensions?
> 
> That's my advice. Stop right here and do some research of general bike fit, your own measurements, the bike's measurments and then re-start this thread.
> 
> Good luck and have fun.


yes i understand bike fit. i've been riding bikes since 1984.
my question is how do i know if a frame is too small.

stems come in different sizes, seats can move up,down,forward,back and cranks come in different lengths.
handle bars come in different sizes and can be angled different.

so i'm trying to under stand how to know a frame is too small if all those things are adjustable it seems like you could fit on a huge range of frames.

i didn't start this thread to figure out if i fit my bike or what i need to adjust to fit perfect.

my question is stated as the thread title.
"how to know a bike is too small"
my bike feels like it fits me great, but everything i've seen or read tells me that the bike is too small for me.
the most important part of "fit" is if it feels good.

so it would be great if i could get an answer to my question instead of focusing on my fit on the bike. this thread isn't about me, it's for beginners so they know if the frame is too big or too small and what to look for to know this info.

i'll have pics up of me on my bike in a short while, but i really just want to know how to know if a frame is too small.

i see people say they bought a 57cm bike and it's too small so they went back and got a 58cm bike. that is a 0.39" size difference. how does one know that they need less than half an inch bigger frame and not just move the seat or get a different stem.

i guess i should have been more specific in my first post, but i wanted to put some back story in to the thread to explain WHY i was wondering this.


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## micycle mike (Dec 28, 2009)

well here are the pics
when i have one foot down and the other up the cranks are parallel with the seat tube.
when the pedal is at 3 o'clock my knee is over the spindle, maybe .5" behind it.
so if anything i need to move the seat forward a little
when i'm in the drops with my hands on the brakes i have to scoot my butt off the saddle just a little, 1/4-1/2 inch.
oh and i'm not as fat as the pics make me look, i was wearing a very loose shirt :blush2: 
right foot at 3, 5, and 9 o'clock
on top

























on hoods

























drops

























drops on the brakes

























here is the seat in relation to the seat post. 
it's back as far as it will go. i have not moved it. this is how it was on my ride


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

Good job on the pics, Mike! :thumbsup:

Picture angles can deceive, but judging from the saddle position (and my best guess), your KOPS looks close. I think the bike is on the small side for you, but it's close enough that it should work reasonably well for a year. 

I also think if you were contemplating a stem change, I'd suggest going _ longer_ if possible because you look somewhat cramped in the drops - and maybe higher because you mentioned back and neck pain. But again, given your circumstances, IMO your position is close enough that it's workable for a year. 

After seeing you positioned on the bike, I'd attribute the back and neck pain to a need for core strength training, along with getting accustomed to road riding, but the higher stem position may lessen the discomfort in the interim. Overall, given your current set up, you look much more comfortable on the hoods than the drops, especially the last couple of pics where you went 'aero'. 

Hope this helps, but I'm sure you'll get some opposing viewpoints. Pics tend to generate them.


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## Lelandjt (Sep 11, 2008)

The pics confirm what I was guessing. The toptube looks a little short. The handlebar is fairly low but that's good for aero once you get used to being down in the drops. Have fun with it and just think this all over when you're grinding along on a long flat straight.


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## micycle mike (Dec 28, 2009)

PJ352 said:


> Good job on the pics, Mike! :thumbsup:
> 
> Picture angles can deceive, but judging from the saddle position (and my best guess), your KOPS looks close. I think the bike is on the small side for you, but it's close enough that it should work reasonably well for a year.


yeah the KOPS is very close. the bike feels good, but a little small. that is why i was wondering how to tell if it was too small or not.
i'm hoping i don't need to replace too much stuff on it over the year. the wheels ended up being fine.(other thread concerns)



> I also think if you were contemplating a stem change, I'd suggest going _ longer_ if possible because you look somewhat cramped in the drops - and maybe higher because you mentioned back and neck pain. But again, given your circumstances, IMO your position is close enough that it's workable for a year.


sounds good. i am a little cramped in the drops. some of that is from my gut getting in the way. i was thinking about going a little less drop from saddle to bars. i'm gonna keep an eye out for a stem cheap, but i think this will work.



> After seeing you positioned on the bike, I'd attribute the back and neck pain to a need for core strength training, along with getting accustomed to road riding, but the higher stem position may lessen the discomfort in the interim. Overall, given your current set up, you look much more comfortable on the hoods than the drops, especially the last couple of pics where you went 'aero'.


 Fat people can't get very 'aero'
much more aero than sitting straight up though, i'm like a brick wall riding down the road  
20lbs off and about 50 more to go :thumbsup: 



> Hope this helps, but I'm sure you'll get some opposing viewpoints. Pics tend to generate them.


helps greatly, thanks for your opinions and views



Lelandjt said:


> The pics confirm what I was guessing. The toptube looks a little short. The handlebar is fairly low but that's good for aero once you get used to being down in the drops. Have fun with it and just think this all over when you're grinding along on a long flat straight.


yeah it confirmed what i thought too. about the top tube being a little short.
i would like the handle bars up a little, maybe 1/2-3/4 inch, but i'll get used to where they are. 
thanks for your help too

as soon as my gut disappears a little more it will be much better.
like i said above, i'm down 20lbs already.

i just started doing the active things i liked again. surfing/bodyboarding, hiking, mtn biking and now cycling.

i'd really like to get a trainer so i can get in a ride everyday. i'm a stay at home dad and can't get out for rides all the time. it would be nice to set up the trainer in the living room and toss in a good cycling movie or something.

i told myself if i enjoy riding a road bike and i can get down to 200 lbs i'm gonna buy myself a newer roadbike.
i'm at 243 lbs right now.
the pics make me look a lot bigger than i am, it's amazing. i had to look at other pics of me to see if i look that big in all the pics, but it's just the ones on the bike.


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

I think it looks about one size too small overall. It's especially short front to back. I don't know what length stem you have, but I'd suggest you try a longer one...maybe a couple of centimeters.


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## Hank Stamper (Sep 9, 2009)

Your position on the bike actually looks really good to me.

The bike is probably to small if you had a more a modern bar shape. But with those bars that go way out there and what appears to be an already long stem it appears to have you in a good position. 
Another guess is that if the frame was too small it would result in you having more seat post exposed than you currently do.


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## micycle mike (Dec 28, 2009)

Hank Stamper said:


> Your position on the bike actually looks really good to me.
> 
> The bike is probably to small if you had a more a modern bar shape. But with those bars that go way out there and what appears to be an already long stem it appears to have you in a good position.
> Another guess is that if the frame was too small it would result in you having more seat post exposed than you currently do.


well i've ridden the bike a little more since i posted and it feels good, but maybe a little too small. i think it's on the small end of what fits. it's 53.5cm center-top i think a 54-55cm would be perfect, if everything maintained it's ratio when the frame size went up that 1cm


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

micycle mike said:


> well i've ridden the bike a little more since i posted and it feels good, but maybe a little too small. i think it's on the small end of what fits. it's 53.5cm center-top i think a 54-55cm would be perfect, if everything maintained it's ratio when the frame size went up that 1cm


For future reference, in this world of compact frames (sloping top tubes), it's better to focus on effective top tube measurements/ requirements, because (as an example) a size 54 Specialized Allez has a c-t seat tube measurement of 50 cm's (too small at face value), but a ETT of 54.8 CM's. So indications are that length is close to fitting your needs.

Just keep in mind that a fitting is necessary to_ literally _determine your requirements. I just wanted to point out the importance of TT length over ST length, and given that you seem to lean towards shorter legs/ longer torso, compact geo may work well for you.


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## micycle mike (Dec 28, 2009)

PJ352 said:


> For future reference


cool, i'll keep that in mind. 


also i went on a semi easy mtn bike ride the other day and didn't have to use my granny gear. usually there are 2 spots on the trail i need to use my small front ring.
riding the road bike has improved my mtn biking


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## Jrmccain (Apr 11, 2007)

Mike,

Your pictures tell a similar story to my own. I ride a 56 R3 but I recently got a 54 in the same frame (a long story not worth relaying). I have longish legs and a short torso so the 56 initially gave me reach issues which I resolved with a 90mm stem over the standard 110mm. When I got on the 54 with a 110mm stem, I got the reverse effect: short tt but longer stem = reasonable fit. 

However, whenever I take the 54 off the flats and start to climb, the size difference really shows up. My legs practically hit the bars and the front end feels really sketchy since I'm all over the top of the bars.

I said all that to say that I think that you can get away with riding that frame as long as you appreciate it limitations. I can ride the 54, it doesn't cause me any pain or significant issues (other than maybe looking/feeling like a gorilla on a tricycle), but I have to be a little bit more diligent when climbing or descending at speed. I live in a hilly area so for that reason alone I don’t ride it, otherwise I might consider keeping it. 

I'm a stay-at-home dad too. Don't worry, eventually they start school! :smilewinkgrin: 

Good luck with the training.


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