Bike Sizing

[Dogmama]

Road a Surly touring bike - very sweet. My problem - I need a 48 & Surly makes a 50 and a 46. My road bike is a 50 but could be a tad smaller & be OK. I road a 52 & the standover height was too tall - I could stand but not comfortably (if you know what I mean...)

Should I go with the 50? Or size down to the 46? I've read that smaller is better with touring bikes but I'm not quite sure why.

[Sky King]

Have you read the surly website yet. I fit between a 52 and a 54, I am leaning toward the 54 disc trucker and I plan to shorten the stem so I am not too stretched out. Go to the site and read the top tube length. My Rivendell which is a 54 has a shorter top tube than the Surly 54. I would tend to lean to the 50 if the standover is okay. Did you measure your PBH? here it the bike hermits blog post on fitting your touring bike (http://biketouringnews.com/what-size-touring-bike/)in case you haven't. And here is Grant post on how to measure your PBH (http://www.rivbike.com/kb_results.asp?ID=39). OHHH I am excited to hear what you do. The idea behind my getting is a disc trucker is so I can have some wide tires and good braking for back country adventure touring.

[Dogmama]

Hey Sky - great minds gravitate to the same websites (ha!) I've been to both of them. I'm leaning towards the 46 after reading the bike hermit website. The cool thing is, if it doesn't fit the bike shop will just order another. No deposit required & no downside - although I hate to stick a LBS with a bike.