54cm CX for 6'2" Male

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by milkman1080
New to the serious cycling community. Why doesn't a 54cm CX frame fit a 6'2" male?

Because it's too small. Ride it and see. If you think it works, who am I to say it doesn't?

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by milkman1080
I recently decided to invest in my first +300 bike and got a used Surly CrossCheck off craigslist. Really like riding the bike but recently became aware of sizing in bicycles, and realize that my bike is 54cm. I am a 6'2" male and have a great time riding, but feel as if I am riding a ridiculous size because of unanimous ridicule amongst more knowledgeable cyclists I talk bikes with. I now feel that I am missing something and could be much more comfortable with a larger frame size and bigger tires.

TL;DR:

New to the serious cycling community. Why doesn't a 54cm CX frame fit a 6'2" male?

While oldbobcat is correct that a 54cm CX frame might not be THE size that would be typically recommended for a casual rider who is 6'2" tall -- and especially, for a ROAD frame -- it is probably not an atypical size for a very competitive CX racer ... probably, even a very competitive Road racer ... or for a rider who is not handicapped by a chronic injury OR age ...
Ryan Treborn is 6'5" and his CX frame (actual size unknown ... besides, they are undoubtedly custom made for the rider) looks small to me ...
Geoff Kabush is 6'2" and his CX frame (also, probably custom) looks smaller than one might normally expect based on the amount of exposed seatpost on his bikes ...
FYI. Here is a picture of Kabush's 2004 CX bike ... [CENTER] [/CENTER]
[CENTER][IMG]cyclingforums.comLLOpen ↗[/IMG][/CENTER]

You'll have to imagine horizontal top tube & shorter head tube ...

Without stating what YOU already know (this information is for others), your frame's top tube is ~56cm. THAT may be at the short end of the typical range for someone who is your height, but it is NOT out of the plausible frame sizing.
FWIW. I am 5'9" tall. Here is my probably just one-size-too-large 54cm for me (?) [who can remember, now?!?] FORT CX frame (about a 55.4cm top tube if I recall) ... [CENTER] [/CENTER]
[CENTER][IMG]cyclingforums.comLLOpen ↗[/IMG][/CENTER]
And, THIS is altered picture is how I estimate my FORT would have looked if it were set up for someone who is 6'2" whereby the seat is about 3" higher to allow for the 5" difference in our heights ... [CENTER][IMG]cyclingforums.comLLOpen ↗[/IMG][/CENTER]
If the approximate proportions of YOUR Surly's setup looks similar to the second/amended picture, then it doesn't look as though it is either too small or too far out of the (aesthetically acceptable to the cognoscenti) norm to me ... So, if you are currently comfortable, then the 54cm Cross Check may be the perfect size for you!
BTW. Different width & drop on the handlebars could have positive-or-negative effects as far as how a bike might feel to you.
Wider handlebars will have a similar effect as a longer stem-and/or-top-tube, and vice versa.
the advantage of wider bars is more open breathing ...
on the other hand, narrower bars allow the rider to be more aerodynamic ... A taller head tube (as on Kabush's bike) more-or-less has the same effect as a shorter stem would have. The bottom line is that depending on how your bike is actually setup, you may-or-may-not want a different stem and/or handlebars at some future point of time.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by oldbobcat
Because it's too small. Ride it and see. If you think it works, who am I to say it doesn't?

Agree it's too small for you. I'm 6 feet tall, and consider a 56 frame to be too small for a road bike. My previous bike was a 56cm, bought when I was doing some local crit racing. To fit, I had to run the seat post up to the limit, with about a 6" drop to the handlebars. The LBS salesman convinced me it was perfect for race days, it was on sale, and of course he didn't have any 58's to test ride, so I bought it.

With that extreme drop to the handlebars, I rarely rode in the drops. When climbing out of the saddle, it always felt like my knees were too close to the handlebars, and lower back and neck problems seem to always be an issue. Switching up to a 58 frame solved those issues.

For your height, I'd suggest starting with a 58cm frame. You might try to test ride a 60cm to check out the fit. In general, larger frames should be more comfortable and stable, so for normal road riding, advise you go to the larger size that fits, not the smaller.