# fit position



## shotojs78 (May 20, 2008)

HI, I am 5'10'' and about 32'' inseam.. always had a 54 cannondale, according to you is it possible to ride a 52, cause I have a really good deal on a system six... I know everything is possible (54 vs 52) but I (still) want to be able to do a century with a 52cm frame without to much pain....

thanks


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## aengbretson (Sep 17, 2009)

You're about an inch shorter than with an identical inseam. I ride a 56 SystemSix with a 110mm stem slammed down to the head tube. I could also fit a 54, but no way in hell would want to ride a 52.

Looking at the caad9 in your avatar, I might not go any smaller, and that is mostly related to stack height. You'd likely be using every available bit of the steer tube and possibly resort to an upturned stem to get the right stack height. If you were using no spacers and a 73deg stem I might suggest otherwise...


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## shotojs78 (May 20, 2008)

no currently on my caad 9, my fitting has been changed.. now I have a 110mm stem - 10 degre.. .. and about spacers I use just 20mm now


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## zakyma (Jan 25, 2010)

aengbretson said:


> You're about an inch shorter than with an identical inseam. I ride a 56 SystemSix with a 110mm stem slammed down to the head tube. I could also fit a 54, but no way in hell would want to ride a 52.
> 
> Looking at the caad9 in your avatar, I might not go any smaller, and that is mostly related to stack height. You'd likely be using every available bit of the steer tube and possibly resort to an upturned stem to get the right stack height. If you were using no spacers and a 73deg stem I might suggest otherwise...


I am 1 inch shorter 5 8 and also ride 56 after trying 54. 54 is OK but I felt better stretched and aero on 56.

52 will be too small for you.


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## a_avery007 (Jul 1, 2008)

depends, am 175cm and felt great on the 52cm, like how it handled...


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## aengbretson (Sep 17, 2009)

shotojs78 said:


> no currently on my caad 9, my fitting has been changed.. now I have a 110mm stem - 10 degre.. .. and about spacers I use just 20mm now


20mm of spacers? Or 20mm from headset cap + spacers? There is a difference...

Here are the numbers: 
Size 52:
stack: 52.9
reach: 38.2

Size 54:
stack: 54.6
reach: 38.3

That's a difference of 17mm in stack and 1mm in reach. If you feel like you want a lower position then go for it! I would refrain from buying a bike simply because it is a "great deal on a great bike". Is this a NOS bike on a factory floor or something a friend is selling? Can you demo the bike? The only way to really know if it is comfortable is trying it out.


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## shotojs78 (May 20, 2008)

on my super six I have 1.5cm.. spacers..(headset + sapcers = 1.5cm) from the top of the head tube.

and on my caad more relax.. total is 3 cm (including headset and spacers)


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## shotojs78 (May 20, 2008)

from a guy... far away..:cryin: cant try...


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## AvantDale (Dec 26, 2008)

zakyma said:


> I am 1 inch shorter 5 8 and also ride 56 after trying 54. 54 is OK but I felt better stretched and aero on 56.
> 
> 52 will be too small for you.


I'm 5"8" with a 30 inseam. I ride a 52 with a 100mm -6 stem with the 1.5cm head set cap. I can't imagine even riding a 56. I'd have to run a -17 stem with my saddle all the way down.


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## zakyma (Jan 25, 2010)

AvantDale said:


> I'm 5"8" with a 30 inseam. I ride a 52 with a 100mm -6 stem with the 1.5cm head set cap. I can't imagine even riding a 56. I'd have to run a -17 stem with my saddle all the way down.


Fit is a very personal thing, check this PDF on the following URL and you see that 173 cm can ride 54 55 or 56 and possible sizes is 57 58.

When I talk to Trek people they told me you can ride 56 or 58, and other trek shops in UK told me you can ride 54 or 56, no one told me 52.

http://www.ebicycles.com/article/bicycle-frame-size-charts.html#road-bike-frame-sizes 

I rode 2010 Trek Madone 5 series 54 cm earlier with 53.9 cm TT and it was fine but felt not stretched enough, I did not change the stem but I went for 56 6.9 straight with 56 cm and 100mm stem and it is fine till now.

Best regards,


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## AvantDale (Dec 26, 2008)

That generic calculator puts me on a 53cm.

Standing over my 52 (with no shoes on) put my crotch pretty close to the top tube. 

I'm very curious on what your bike looks like.


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## zakyma (Jan 25, 2010)

AvantDale said:


> That generic calculator puts me on a 53cm.
> 
> Standing over my 52 (with no shoes on) put my crotch pretty close to the top tube.
> 
> I'm very curious on what your bike looks like.


That's correct for 30 inch inseam or 30.5 it is 53, but did you measure your inseam correctly, you have to put a book between your legs and hold it firmly aganist your crotch to mimic the seating position on your bike. That may be the reason that you did not see 30" inseam length in the drop down menu in the calculator.

My inseam is around 32 inch, and most people in my height ride 54 not 56, but I feel better on 56.

Second standover height is not the only thing, the reach must be there when sizing the bike.

I have two videos here the black is 54 and the green is 56 and I use the same seat and seat post on these.

My current bike is 56 H1 geometry and the reach is little far than the green one but I got used to it.

The only thing is that may be the fore aft position of the knee to the axle may not be correct as the book says, but many people ride 1 or 2 cm front or rear.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErLgR...e_gdata_player

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oq91d...e_gdata_player

Best regards,


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## aengbretson (Sep 17, 2009)

shotojs78 said:


> on my super six I have 1.5cm.. spacers..(headset + sapcers = 1.5cm) from the top of the head tube.
> 
> and on my caad more relax.. total is 3 cm (including headset and spacers)


Well again, it appears the only real difference between your 54 frames and a 52 SystemSix is a 17mm lower front end. Try lowering the stem on either one of your C'dales and ride it for a while. That would give a reasonable idea of how the a size 52 would fit, given the stack and reach numbers I posted, since the CAAD, SystemSix, and Super Six all have the same geometries.


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