Newbie Road Bike Advice

dave1697 said:

Hello,

... I am 6'1" tall and weigh 170. What frame size do I need ...

Dave

Dave, I'm afraid there is a lot more than height and weight involved in determining best frame size, including (but not limited to) leg and arm length. But as you're not planning on doing serious riding, a frame in the range of 58 - 60cm should suffice.

When you are ready to seriously invest in a road bike, a proper fitting by your Local Bike Shop would be recommended.

FWIW, I am 6' 2.5" with a 95cm inside leg measurement (quite long) and weigh 208lbs. I have been fitted for a 63cm frame.

ksteede said:

Dave, I'm afraid there is a lot more than height and weight involved in determining best frame size, including (but not limited to) leg and arm length. But as you're not planning on doing serious riding, a frame in the range of 58 - 60cm should suffice.

When you are ready to seriously invest in a road bike, a proper fitting by your Local Bike Shop would be recommended.

FWIW, I am 6' 2.5" with a 95cm inside leg measurement (quite long) and weigh 208lbs. I have been fitted for a 63cm frame.

Is there a website that you know of which has info on frame sizes, etc?

Shazanawoo said:

Is there a website that you know of which has info on frame sizes, etc?

Competitive cyclist, wrench science, and others have fit guides.

A pretty good starting point would be: inseam (measured NOT pants size) x 0.65 = frame cm (see bicycling apr ' 06 p.128). Starting with a bargain, used bike is a good idea. Finding the ideal is not easy.

Welcome to the ride 😄

a couple things...you seriously need to just check out some different brands at your local bike shop. guess, even educated guesses, can end up sucking later on. even if you don't plan on buying one there it can be very beneficial to get their advice.

the other thing is that i'm guessing you will be riding more than 10 miles/time. that's not hardly anything at all on a road bike. once you start riding you'll probably start stretching it out longer and longer once your butt gets used to the saddle! 😄

Thanks for all of your replies. So far in my research .65 x inseam and 1" clearance are some good rules of thumb. I feel bad getting schooled in a bike shop that I have no intention of buying from. That is why I posted. Ya, 10 miles is not much at all - perhaps those padded shorts are the way to go because that seat is definitely my weakest link.

Dave

you planning on getting a used one or mail order?

and YES, padded shorts are a must. seriously.