# Madone frame size



## bjh1776 (Jan 12, 2012)

I am a relative inexperienced road biker and am looking currently looking at Trek Madones. I am 5'9" and buy pants with 30" inseam. The lbs guy measured me and kind of chuckled and said I measured for a 55cm. The Treks come in 54 and 56. The lbs owner said he is 5'8" and rides a 56cm. 

I did a very short ride on both the 54 and 56. I could tell the difference, but honestly could not determine which ride I preferred as both rides are so much better than my current mtn hybrid cheapie bike. I am 52 years young and not as flexible as used to be and it was easier to mount the 54cm. The lbs guy did not say directly, but I got the feeling he thought the 56 was a better fit. They had both 54 and 56 in stock so there was no incentive for them to recommend one over the other. 

Can anyone of similar size and or age offer advice on frame sizing? I know the first advice is ride the bikes to determine the best fit.


----------



## skh (Mar 4, 2011)

standover is just one part of the fit. how is your reach? you don't want to be stretched out to the point where your elbows are locked nor do you want your arms to be cramped up against you. i'm a stooping 69" w/30" inseam, 59 yrs old. i ride a 5.2 h2 in a 54. my lower torso is fine on a 56 but i'm too stretched out on top therefore i went with the 54. longer upper torso may warrant larger frame size, equal or smaller then the 54.


----------



## 55x11 (Apr 24, 2006)

bjh1776 said:


> I am a relative inexperienced road biker and am looking currently looking at Trek Madones. I am 5'9" and buy pants with 30" inseam. The lbs guy measured me and kind of chuckled and said I measured for a 55cm. The Treks come in 54 and 56. The lbs owner said he is 5'8" and rides a 56cm.
> 
> I did a very short ride on both the 54 and 56. I could tell the difference, but honestly could not determine which ride I preferred as both rides are so much better than my current mtn hybrid cheapie bike. I am 52 years young and not as flexible as used to be and it was easier to mount the 54cm. The lbs guy did not say directly, but I got the feeling he thought the 56 was a better fit. They had both 54 and 56 in stock so there was no incentive for them to recommend one over the other.
> 
> Can anyone of similar size and or age offer advice on frame sizing? I know the first advice is ride the bikes to determine the best fit.


did they come with the same stems etc.?

If you are truly right in between sizes @55cm, I would personally go with 54cm, and slightly longer stem.
You can adjust the saddle height (raise for 54, lower for 56),and compensate by the stem size, and so you can probably go either way and be Ok. But 54 will be slightly (only very slightly) stiffer and lighter than 56, and easier to mount. However, if 56 is truly a better fit (so you are closer to 56 than to 54), go with 56.
No matter what you choose, you will be slightly uncomfortable for first few weeks of riding, and no matter what, your body will slowly adapt to new position (road vs. mountain). You may want to keep adjusting positions/angles of saddle, stem, handlebars etc.


----------



## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

bjh1776 said:


> I am a relative inexperienced road biker and am looking currently looking at Trek Madones. I am 5'9" and buy pants with 30" inseam. The lbs guy measured me and kind of chuckled and said I measured for a 55cm. The Treks come in 54 and 56. The lbs owner said he is 5'8" and rides a 56cm.
> 
> I did a very short ride on both the 54 and 56. I could tell the difference, but honestly could not determine which ride I preferred as both rides are so much better than my current mtn hybrid cheapie bike. I am 52 years young and not as flexible as used to be and it was easier to mount the 54cm. The lbs guy did not say directly, but I got the feeling he thought the 56 was a better fit. They had both 54 and 56 in stock so there was no incentive for them to recommend one over the other.
> 
> Can anyone of similar size and or age offer advice on frame sizing? I know the first advice is ride the bikes to determine the best fit.


don't get too caught up in the 'numbers', pay attention to which one feels better. without seeing you on the bikes, it's impossible to say, but i would lean towards what 55x11 posted...if you're truly right between sizes, go small, as long as you can get the bar height correct. if you tried 5 bikes from different manufacturers, you'd probably end up on at least 3 different sizes. if you're on a 56 trek and it's a good fit, you'd be on a 53 bmc for example.


----------



## Munk69 (Mar 10, 2011)

A good general rule of thumb: If your in between sizes, go for the smaller frame as it is easier to fit a smaller frame. 

Good luck!


----------



## phs (Apr 19, 2011)

I am the same size and ride a 5.2 in 54. Like mentioned already, the stem can be adjusted by length and rise to dial in the comfort. The 5.2 will come with a 7 degree rise stem. I actually flipped my stem down after I became more flexible and comfortable on the bike. The 5.2 is a great bike and only deserves better wheels to really bring out the best of it. Great machine for the money.


----------



## Rage_Cycling (Dec 30, 2009)

Yes all ways go for a smaller frame you can fix it if too small.


----------



## fivekabob (Sep 16, 2008)

I'm your height with a 32 inseam. I went with a 56 in a 2012 Madone 4.7. A 54 would have required me to raise the seat and have me sort of diving on the handlebar. I like the more upright geometry but I am going to turn down the handlebar a bit and if I'm reaching, then I'm going to get a slightly shorter stem.


----------



## Phatboyg (Sep 22, 2011)

phs said:


> The 5.2 is a great bike and only deserves better wheels to really bring out the best of it. Great machine for the money.


Agreed. I have a 5.2 2012 and am thinking about a second wheelset. But honestly, moving up to a road bike from the hybrid (Spot Ajax) was such a huge change that I'm waiting to see what makes sense first (Ultegra Di2, wheelset, or saddle).


----------



## phs (Apr 19, 2011)

:thumbsup:


----------



## stabor (Nov 22, 2011)

Believe it or not, it's a good investment to spend up to $150 or so on a professional fitting. They'll look at your torso angle while riding, get the seat positioned front to back, evaluate the handlebar height and reach, and set many other parameters. They should take into account your experience, your plans for the future, and probable changes in fitness. You'll end up with a set of metrics that will be useful in fitting any model. Without some guidance, you can spend $2000 on a good bike and still have a nagging feeling that you should have done it differently. That was my case--luckily, after getting fitted a year after the fact, it turned out I'd hit it just about right. Shop around the stores that seem to know road bikes and find someone you trust.

Steve




bjh1776 said:


> Can anyone of similar size and or age offer advice on frame sizing? I know the first advice is ride the bikes to determine the best fit.


----------



## MoonHowl (Oct 5, 2008)

bjh1776 said:


> I am a relative inexperienced road biker and am looking currently looking at Trek Madones. I am 5'9" and buy pants with 30" inseam. The lbs guy measured me and kind of chuckled and said I measured for a 55cm. The Treks come in 54 and 56. The lbs owner said he is 5'8" and rides a 56cm.
> 
> I did a very short ride on both the 54 and 56. I could tell the difference, but honestly could not determine which ride I preferred as both rides are so much better than my current mtn hybrid cheapie bike. I am 52 years young and not as flexible as used to be and it was easier to mount the 54cm. The lbs guy did not say directly, but I got the feeling he thought the 56 was a better fit. They had both 54 and 56 in stock so there was no incentive for them to recommend one over the other.
> 
> Can anyone of similar size and or age offer advice on frame sizing? I know the first advice is ride the bikes to determine the best fit.


Maybe too late now; I am the same height; same inseem; a few years younger, and ride a 56 cm. It is the right size for me. The LBS where I bought the bike also concluded it was the correct size.


----------



## kendal (Feb 1, 2010)

I have a 56cm 09' 6.9 pro geometry and a 56cm 11' 6.9 h1 geometry. Madone's. 

I'm 5'10" and short legs ( I wear a 30 length in jeans). The 09' has a 90cm stem and the 11' has a 110cm stem. 

The bars are different the 09' has a xxx carbon classic bend and the 11' has a rxl anatomical bend. The reach is different. 

I've tried a 54 6.9 and the shop said and I felt it was too small. 

But I also ride a BMC slx01 and it is a 54cm ( they have strange geometry).


----------



## zakyma (Jan 25, 2010)

*Madone Gemoetry is Different*

That is an interesting discussion to me. I am 5 8" but with 85 cm inseam, 33+ inch.

I ride currently 6.9 SSL Madone 56 cm. drop to saddle is 10cm. I rode earlier 5.9 2010 model with 53.9 cm top tube but I was cramped.

I compared the geometry of 56 cm with Scott 54 and they are almost the same. Top tube for scott foil is 55cm for size 54 cm and madone is 56. Madone H1 Head tube is 14 cm and scott foil 54 cm is 14 cm. 

Seems that Madone run a bit small on the sizes. I have H1 geometry.

I was thinking of buying the foil and got fitted and the guy told me you can have a 56 or 54. 54 would be agressive for you and that is compatible to 56 Madone. I told him can I ride 52 scott, he said that is not advisable, it would be samll.

Hope this helps.


----------

