"Brink" <
[email protected]> a écrit dans le message de news:
[email protected]...
> I have a pubic bone height of 37.5 inches(2.54 x 37.5 = 95.25 cm.) I am 6 feet 5 inches tall. I
> live in a small town. The bike shop near me has few high quality ($1000) road bikes to even try,
> and the bikes there definitely do not fit. they all seem quite small.
>
> Should i just order online or make a trip to a large city and find a good bike shop which will
> probably have only a couple of bikes in my size anyway. Thanks a lot for your help Matt
There are few good bikes available by mail (at least officially), and I think they are good:
- if you order one from a shop that really deals with fitting over the phone or the net (like
Rivendell, Bruce Gordon, etc.), instead of a large-surface or a retail outlet;
- if you really know what you want and how to measure it (if it's your second or third road bike,
for instance). BTW, Rivendell offers 68-cm frames...
I'm 5' 11", with PBH of 35.5", so even the "large" 25" touring frame (63.5
cm) still leaves me with 100 mm of exposed seatpost _and_ stem showing. Finding long seatposts isn't
a problem nowadays, but finding long stems, uncut threadless forks, etc. is a real problem.
Another aspect to consider is bike geometry. Unless you are very lightweight, you probably weigh
more than 200 lb. You need a frame that would be rigid enough, especially if you like to stand on
your pedals. Typical road bikes also use short- or mid-reach sidepull brakes which barely leave
clearance for 700x25 or 700x28 tires _without_ fenders. 700x23 tires are great for a 100-lb woman,
but provide a very harsh ride for a 200-lb or 250-lb man unless you roads are perfect (ours are
NOT). So you might be better with a "lightweight touring" bike that would be more rigid and
especially allow for 700x32 tires with fenders.
In terms of special ordering a bike, I don't think you will be able to find a frame taller than
63-cm (except maybe Rivendell or IF), but trying a bicycle with a 63-cm frame would give you a
good idea of how the bike rides, even if you conclude that it would be much better to order the
larger one.
Regards,
Michel Gagnon