If you are looking for more information on bike sizing then, you’ve come to the right place.
A Guide To Bike Sizing
It is very important to make sure that you choose the right frame size when you are buying a new bike. Why because with the right fitting, your bike will be more efficient to ride, more comfortable and fun to ride. Determining the correct frame size for your bike can also be tricky. So, we are going to share some tips on how to determine the right frame size that suits you.
Frame Size Measurement
You see, selecting the correct size bike for you can be very confusing. This is not only true for beginners but experienced cyclists as well. The correct frame size that suits you depends on your height (inseam), the type of bike and your riding style.
Bike Components
Inseam
The 6 Steps To Bike Sizing
So below, I’m going to share with you a general guide on how to determine the correct bike size for you.
1. First you’ll need to measure your inseam barefoot (refer diagram). You can stand straight against the wall and make a mark on the wall with a pencil. After that, just measure the distance from the mark to the floor (in centimeters).
2. Once you have the measurement of your inseam, you can use it to get a rough idea of your bike size. Now bear in mind that there are quite a few types of bikes out there like road bike and mountain bike for instance. There’s a slight different way of measuring each of them.
a. Usually for road bikes, you first need to convert your inseam to centimeters and multiply it by 0.65. This will give you an estimate of the size of road bikes that are measured center to center.
For example, if your inseam is 34 inch, then multiply it by 2.54 to get your inseam in centimeters. 35 x 2.54 = 86.36 cm
So road bike fit is = 86.36 x 0.65 = 56 cm (center to center)
For road bikes that are measured center to top, you’ll have to multiply your inseam by 0.67 instead of 0.65.
So in this case = 86.36 x 0.67 = 58 cm (center to top)
b. To get mountain bike frame size, just subtract 10 cm and convert this measurement to inches. For instance, based on the example above, if you fit a 58 cm road bike (center to center), then you will fit 48 cm (48 cm / 2.54 = 19 inch) or 19”.
4. The top tube length is considered as one of the most important aspects of sizing a bike. A 53 cm and a 55 cm road bike may have the exact same length top tube. The length of the top tube may be different on two 17” mountain bikes. If the top tube lengths for two bikes are the same, the bigger bike may be a little bit more comfortable because it allows you to get the bars up higher.
5. Most bikes are designed for men, since women tend to have longer legs thus shorter top tubes than men, so women might find it hard to get a bike that fit them well. Fortunately, many manufacturers have started to make specific models for women.
6. Once have you gotten a rough idea of your fit, then just test ride some bikes to determine what is most comfortable for you.
