Bike size



Tom55

New Member
May 6, 2020
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Hi all,

I bought a bike off someone who said it was a large frame. Turns out now to be small 17" an not 20"

Debating to sell the bike and buy a large. Does frame size matter that much? seems to fit ok

Carrera crossfire 2 hybrid it is.

Many thanks for help
 
IMO, yes it makes a big difference. As a test I rode a size 52 bike on a 20 miler but ride a 58. I could pedal ok throughout the ride but felt crunched in the legs and I had the seatpost at max height. OK for 20 but anymore my legs would more than likely fatigue faster.

But the biggest factor was the reach was too short. Felt like I was riding like a hunchback. By the end of the short 20 mile ride, I was seriously cramped in the upper and lower back areas. I wouldn't want to do any more than what I did.

Never felt the need to try it again, it was not nearly as comfortable compared to riding the correct size.

I'd definitely sell it.
 
Bike size does matter. A bike may fit you, but if you want to have a comfortable ride then you have to choose a bike with the correct frame size.

One of the things to remember is that there are different size chart for different bikes (mountain, road, hybrid).

There are many ways that you can calculate your bike size.

You can read 8 simple ways to calculate your bike size chart here.

Here is a simple bike size chart from our bike guide

Bike-Size-Chart-768x461.jpg
 
Frame size is important, but the more time you spend on the bike, the more critical it is to have the proper fit.

The distance from the center of the bottom bracket to the center (it sometimes top) of the top tube is usually used as the frame size and is typically related to a rider’s inseam.

Bicycle fit is a very complicated subject and can be liken to discussing religion. There are usually as many opinions as there are people in the discussion but basically involves balancing 4 primary measurements: stand-over height, saddle height, reach, saddle placement.

From my perspective, the bottom line is that as long as the frame is not too large (can’t comfortably stand over the frame), the other three measurements can be adjusted (within limits) to fit the bike to you.

If you like the bike you bought (I assume you do), I would try to adjust it to you. A good bike shop can help you with this.
 
Frame size is important, but the more time you spend on the bike, the more critical it is to have the proper fit.

The distance from the center of the bottom bracket to the center (it sometimes top) of the top tube is usually used as the frame size and is typically related to a rider’s inseam.
Normally the seat tube length pertains to the bike size
Bicycle fit is a very complicated subject and can be liken to discussing religion. There are usually as many opinions as there are people in the discussion but basically involves balancing 4 primary measurements: stand-over height, saddle height, reach, saddle placement.

From my perspective, the bottom line is that as long as the frame is not too large (can’t comfortably stand over the frame), the other three measurements can be adjusted (within limits) to fit the bike to you.

If you like the bike you bought (I assume you do), I would try to adjust it to you. A good bike shop can help you with this.
 
Frame size is important, but the more time you spend on the bike, the more critical it is to have the proper fit.

This is not true! I spend about 1/4 of what my friend spent on his bike. I have done about 35 centuries and he has never done one ride over 50 miles.

How is the fit on his bike more important because he spent more?
 
Hey! It's great to hear about your cycling experiences. Fit is crucial for both long and short rides, regardless of the bike's cost. Keep pushing those miles!