Plz check my math-bike size vs inseam

[leguerre]

Greetings
I did the calculations as per other sites to calculate what the correct size bike I should use.
My inseam is 31.5" my height is 5'9" and I want to buy a hybrid.

The calculated size bike for the road is 21", but for a
Mountain or Hybrid it should be 16"-17".
IS this correct?
The hybrid bike seems a little small on paper.
If you are around 5'9", what size hybrid or mountain bike are you using
Thanks for your help

[Rudy]

uumm...I'm about your size. The 21" road I'm not sure...but I know that for road bike, a top tube length of 54 cm is a good fit. If you're looking at TT bike then you would need a sorter top tube, like 53 cm.
But then again it also depends on whether you have a long or short torso. Bike fit's most important measurement is the top tube, NOT the seat tube.

[drewjc]

have u considered sitting on a bike in a shop (or a friends bike) and fitting yourself to it. Trial and error is by far the easiest method of fitting. I would tend to think that a hybrid would be similar size to a road bike due to there being no need to throw a small frame around in the bush like on an MTB. But as Rudy mentioned, the top tube is much more important than the seat tube when it comes to size. Good Luck.

[swimmeronwheels]

Originally posted by leguerre
Greetings
I did the calculations as per other sites to calculate what the correct size bike I should use.
My inseam is 31.5" my height is 5'9" and I want to buy a hybrid.

The calculated size bike for the road is 21", but for a
Mountain or Hybrid it should be 16"-17".
IS this correct?
The hybrid bike seems a little small on paper.
If you are around 5'9", what size hybrid or mountain bike are you using
Thanks for your help

I'm 5'8.5" w/ an inseam (pants 32-33") and very happy on a 20" Fisher hybrid.

You gotta ride it first!!!! I tried a bunch of 19, 19.5 and 20 inch bikes and the dimensions all felt a little different (Trek, Giant, whatever) ... and the LBSes played around with seat height and handlebar position for me. The hybrid handlebars can be all over the place (they are adjustable and then a good store would also swap out the stem for a different size) ... I found that to be a huge variable in my position on the bike.

Good Luck!