Cycling UK Forum

Hi all,

Totally new to this - previously just had mountain bikes.

Anyway, purchased a Boardmans road bike comp 2014 with a 55.5 frame. I'm unsure whether it's too big, or I just need to get used to it.

My height is 178.5cm (5'10)
Arm span 180cm
Inside leg 32"

I can stand over the frame fine, bar touches my padded shorts, but I can stand comfortably.

I wonder if I'm reaching too much though. The size down is a 53, which I felt might be too small. Bit lost with what to do...

According to the size chart your about right, Ans If you are commingfrom an MTB it will seem strange just give it a try, you'll probably get used to it

Riding on drops can take some getting used to. Especially the aggressive sort of position designed into road bikes.

I'd say give it some miles to get used to it. If you still aren't happy with it, see the thread on bike position viewtopic.php?f=5&t=74985

Maybe it is just the massive difference. Cheers for your help...

A link to the bike in question would help.
Is it horizontal or sloping top tube?
How do they measure the "size" ?

The trade-off is usually this.....
A "big" frame gets the bars higher, but further away. (but sometimes the extra length in a big bike is mainly a longer stem)
A "small" frame gets the bars closer, but lower. (but in really small bikes, you can't get the bars close enough without risking kicking the front wheel)
.........however, changing the stem for a shorter one, or a high-rise one (or shorter and higher) will often make as much, or more difference, than having a different "size" bike.

Personally i'd put you on a @54cm with those body dimensions. You shouldn't be spending more than 5% of your time on the drops so you need to size things up on the hoods where you will spend a lot of time. Bigger frame, longer reach, less comfort.

My current road bike is 54cm compact and i'm very similar to you dimension wise. My winter bike is 56cm - i can ride it okay but i'm a lot more stretched even though the bars are set higher!

My dimensions are similar to yours and I have a 56 cm road bike. I previously had a 54 cm bike and for size that was probably about right. However, the head tube is quite short on my current bike and it feels very similar to the previous one.

I think it depends on what kind of riding you are doing, if it is leisurely fitness riding then this probably is the right size for you, it would probably have a better balance than a smaller bike too. However, if you are racing or doing hard fitness rides, you'd want a more aggressive riding position and with an optimum saddle height of 72 cm from crank to saddle (Lemond method) a smaller frame is probably what you need.
If you feel you are too stretched reaching for the bars then check the stem length of the Boardman, is it 100mm? You could maybe try a shorter stem if the stem is longer than this. To check this when you are riding put your hands on the brake hoods and look down and the front wheel axle should be obscured by the handlebar if you are in the right position.

Obviously, these are general tips and everybody is different physically.

I am 6ft 2 in and ride a 54 cm frame and could probably ride smaller . I do have short legs. In the end you have to try it. I assume we are talking racing / sportif type bike , as touring and audax bikes are also road bikes with completely different angles.

First time I roads my race bike Giant TCR I found the angles a bit weird, but now I do most of my miles on it , I find it perfectly comfortable ( more so than driving) for a 5 hour ride. I now find it strange to go back to other bikes. So you have to get used to it. Although I use it for road races as well and don't adjust the position , I don't have a super aggressive position , probably saddle only 3 inches above the bars if that . Just race on the drops and otherwise sit on the tops.

Hey, thanks for all the responses.

This is the bike in question:

http://www.boardmanbikes.com/road/road_comp.html

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/road-bikes/boardman-road-comp-bike-2014

Bit confused about the difference of how it's sized between the two websites. I have the 55.5 according to halfords and the next one down would be the 53...

Hi,

foxyrider wrote: You shouldn't be spending more than 5% of your time on the drops so you need to size things up on the hoods where you will spend a lot of time.

Why's that then

Put your shoes on and swing your leg over it to stand astride the top tube with legs parallel.
If there is an inch to two inches between the top tube and the crotch of your shorts, its OK.
Try inserting two fingers in the gap. Success means success.

The other method is to assess your Leg Length using the Sitting Height Ratio method by subtracting your ‘sitting’ height from your full height.
Once you know the height of your perineum off the floor when stood straight up, it should be 30 to 40 mm further from the ground than the top of the weld where the top tube meets the head tube.
If this is true, all other dimensions on the bike to make it fit you can be adjusted.

I'm looking at the "geometry" you get here....http://www.boardmanbikes.com/road/road_comp.html
I guess we are looking at the "LG" where the seat tube (ST) measures 555mm from the centre of the BB shell to the top of the tube....this is pretty conventional.
Then they list "conventional seat tube" as 58cm. I think this means the top tube slopes up by 25mm....(25 + 555 = 580).....it would be a 58 if it had a horizontal top tube. Head tube at 18cm is fairly tall for a road bike, top tube at 57 is fairly long.
I'm 5'10" with a 32" trouser, and I would probably go for the medium.....bit shorter top tube, bit more standover, you could make up the difference in head tube length with a riser stem if its a problem.
There again, you can shorten the "large" with a shorter stem.
(I would have thought 5' 10" is hardly "tall" these days.....if we ride a "large" what are the 6'4" guys going to ride?)

531colin wrote:I'm looking at the "geometry" you get here....http://www.boardmanbikes.com/road/road_comp.html
I guess we are looking at the "LG" where the seat tube (ST) measures 555mm from the centre of the BB shell to the top of the tube....this is pretty conventional.
Then they list "conventional seat tube" as 58cm. I think this means the top tube slopes up by 25mm....(25 + 555 = 580).....it would be a 58 if it had a horizontal top tube. Head tube at 18cm is fairly tall for a road bike, top tube at 57 is fairly long.
I'm 5'10" with a 32" trouser, and I would probably go for the medium.....bit shorter top tube, bit more standover, you could make up the difference in head tube length with a riser stem if its a problem.
There again, you can shorten the "large" with a shorter stem.
(I would have thought 5' 10" is hardly "tall" these days.....if we ride a "large" what are the 6'4" guys going to ride?)

If that isn't large, what are you going to call someone 5' 1/2" tall with a leg length of 25" like me?
Orang-utan, I supoose..... But you try getting a frame to fit anyone that size.

531colin wrote:I'm looking at the "geometry" you get here....http://www.boardmanbikes.com/road/road_comp.html
I guess we are looking at the "LG" where the seat tube (ST) measures 555mm from the centre of the BB shell to the top of the tube....this is pretty conventional.
Then they list "conventional seat tube" as 58cm. I think this means the top tube slopes up by 25mm....(25 + 555 = 580).....it would be a 58 if it had a horizontal top tube. Head tube at 18cm is fairly tall for a road bike, top tube at 57 is fairly long.
I'm 5'10" with a 32" trouser, and I would probably go for the medium.....bit shorter top tube, bit more standover, you could make up the difference in head tube length with a riser stem if its a problem.
There again, you can shorten the "large" with a shorter stem.
(I would have thought 5' 10" is hardly "tall" these days.....if we ride a "large" what are the 6'4" guys going to ride?)

Hey. I think it's the size down. It's really confusing looking at that and then the halfords sizing. The MD size on the boardmans site lists the seat tube as 530mm and I measured it as just under 21 inches. So I believe that's the one I've got....

I need to do a few more things that have been suggested. I've been into a few bike shops - one man told me it was fine, another that I need a shorter stem and another said the bike is too big. Probably my own fault for buying from halfords, but it was an affordability thing.

When I stand over it (it's compact and so the stem slopes) my shorts do touch the bar...

med/53cm/21" is probably better.