Simon Mason said:"Pete Biggs" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
Quoted message said:I mail ordered a frame that turned out to be slightly too big for my
liking. Couldn't return it because I didn't realise the mistake
until I'd built up the bike and actually rode the thing. Fit can be
that subtle.
Funny that :-) I ride a 60 cm hybrid and a 54 cm road bike and can
adapt to both quite easily.
I can adapt to any old size as well, but bikes are more enjoyable for me
when they're "just right". And perhaps different sizes don't matter so
much when the bikes are completely different sorts of bikes -- you don't
expect a hybrid to feel like a race bike, etc.
Quoted message said:As you know, my road bike is "too small"
for my 6ft 2ins, but I can't see where I'm losing out. I get no
adverse pain anywhere, so I'm somewhat non plussed as to the benefits
of getting a bespoke fitting, although there must be some otherwise
people wouldn't bother.
On the conrary to loosing out, you personally might be even better on that
small bike, which must be lighter and more aero than a larger one. (That
average moving-speed for your century was very impressive, I thought).
However, I think you're unusual in being a tall person comfortable on such
a bike. Many cyclists would not be.
Actually, I do enjoy riding bikes that are too small for me -- it's a good
laugh throwing them round corners with such ease -- but for the longer
runs, I like to have my bars up quite high and the saddle setback
somewhat. I also like the way a relatively short stem feels. All that is
difficult if the bike is too diddy.
The other way round is worse, though. Too large and you might not be able
to straddle the bike and it'll handle like a barn door. The frame I
mentioned was almost like that, and it's now dawning on me at long, long
last that my old 25" touring bike is really too big for me (as was my
previous racer). My road bike is a 60cm job: feels much, much, better
than the 62cm version.
~PB
