fit

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by Mac_Biker [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

I've ridden two road bikes in my life.
While I was still in school and poor, I bought a 56cm Specialized, which was too big. 2 years later I ended up buying a 54cm Orbea Roadstar on ebay, which was better.

I'm 5'8" with a 30-31" inseam with I believe an above average flexibility. When standing straight up, I can touch the ground with both palms flat.

I'm relatively comfortable on my bike. But currently I find it slightly difficult to ride in the drops because it feels slightly too far away. I'm finally buying myself another bike. This time a supersix cannondale.

I'm tempted on getting a 52cm Cannondale and getting a longer stem. Or should I go with a 54cm and with the 90mm stem that I have now.

Thanks.
Enclosed is an old picture of me on the bike from a couple of years ago. I would say that y saddle is a bit too high. And that I'm stretched out a bit...

[IMG]cyclingforums.com309Open ↗[/IMG]

Well, it's difficult to say anything about someone's fit from a photo, but it could very well be your saddle's a touch high. Are you comfortable/happy with the amount of saddle setback you have? How long is the top-tube, center to center? If you're happy with your fit other than the reach, you'll likely want to find a frame with a shorter top-tube. Take all this with a grain of salt, though.

Agree with alienator's remarks. Before you settle on a Supersix, you could check out bikes with different frame geometries. C'dale and the other major brands now make bikes in several difference geometries, using different head tube heights and TT lengths. The ones labeled "Pro-Fit" or something similar will have the longer TT and lower headtubes than the middle-ground "Road Performance" or "Century" fit. You've tried a couple of frames which didn't feel quite right; now's the time to shop for the perfect fit. That's more important than the brand name or gram weight.

measured my 54cm orbea, it has a TT length of 55cm.
The cannondale 54cm has a top tube of 54.5cm.
Using the same stem I should be just about right on the 54cm cannondale.

Thanks for the help.

Are you buying a new bike or a used bike? If you are buying new from your LBS, have them throw in a fitting as part of your purchase deal. If you are buying used, then pay the $100 or so to your LBS for a fitting. This way you will know what size you need.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by kdelong [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

Are you buying a new bike or a used bike? If you are buying new from your LBS, have them throw in a fitting as part of your purchase deal. If you are buying used, then pay the $100 or so to your LBS for a fitting. This way you will know what size you need.

What he said.