Frame Sizes.

[KellyT]

I am pretty tall at just under 6'2", my inside leg is about 34", a little less. According the usual sizing formulae, I probably ought to ride a 58 frame or thereabouts.

I actually have several bikes and in a few different sizes. The ones that I seem to cycle best on, by a pretty big margin, are size 63 Treks.

It puzzles me a bit that the bikes I get most power into and maintain the best speeds on, are borderline (at least theoretcially) for being too big for me.

Any theories?

[fauxpas]

Placebo? Maybe you feel more confident riding a larger bike cause of a small penis? :eek:

But seriously, I found height and the usual formula didn't work for me in the opposite way to you. I found I needed to go smaller than normal to get a good ride...

Other than the usual things like arm and leg length differences in everyone, I also noticed after watching the tour de france a thousand times that pro riders' backs arch differently to each other. Some come up straight from the pelvis and gently curve forward like a quarter of a circle. Others come out straight forward on an angle with little bend at all. So taking for granted their overall height and inside leg measurements are the same, the guy with the arching back may not have the same reach as the other guy and therefore require a shorter top tube...

[peet9471]

Also you might considder where you are planning to ride. Taller bikes have trouble with cross winds. Hillers are different than flat riders. Some people like to ball up, while others like to be stretched out. Try as many different shapes and sizes as you can beg, borrow or steal (well maybe not steal).

[531Aussie]

Taller bikes have trouble with cross winds. sorry, but I just can't see how this is possible. :) The bottom bracket is the same height off the road, the rider is still the same height (and still the same distance above the road), the wheels are the same height, and the fork blades are the same length

[531Aussie]

any theories?possibly the larger head-tubes has your bars higher than you realize, and you're therefore more suited to an upright position. Or, you may be more suited to being stretched out.

[KellyT]

possibly the larger head-tubes has your bars higher than you realize, and you're therefore more suited to an upright position. Or, you may be more suited to being stretched out.
I thought about these factors as well. I always feel most comfortable in the drops and only rarely on the brake hoods. (Which I think is going to give me some wrist ache problems possibly.) But, yes I seem to suit a fairly stretched out position, which is maybe the key.

I definitely don't like sitting upright much, as I also have a Kona Caldera and whilst I am sure it's a nice MTB, but I hated the riding position and decided to concentrate on improving my road riding after owning it for about a fortnight.