Bicycle sizing for my girlfriend..

[1150A]

Unfortunately, the Surly has a 54cm TT..

[VeloVT]

It might be OK. As I said, my Axis (which is a CX bike) has a 53.9 tt -- I don't think that 0.1 cm would make that much difference . What kind of stem do you have on it?

[1150A]

It might be OK. As I said, my Axis (which is a CX bike) has a 53.9 tt -- I don't think that 0.1 cm would make that much difference . What kind of stem do you have on it?

A 120 at the moment.. I'll put the 90 from my current bike onto that one to see how she likes it.

[Cataboo]

I think you want a bit more than half an inch for a cross bike and definitely more for a mountain bike.

Hower, road bikes I think standover height is somewhat overrated - as long as I don't feel like I'm racking myself, I'm fine with whatever on road bikes.

[Biciclista]

the bike feels too big for her. The top tube is 54cm. That might just be too long for her reach!
what's wrong with the smaller bike you bought her?

[1150A]

the bike feels too big for her. The top tube is 54cm. That might just be too long for her reach!
what's wrong with the smaller bike you bought her?

It has track ends and not enough clearance to run knobby tires.

[Andrea]

I'm 5'6" w/a 30" inseam and I ride a 46cm crosscheck. I was trying to decide between that and the 50cm, but went with the 46 because the standover on the 50cm is 30.3" (yeah, I'm mixing my metric & imperial units ) The reach on it is definitely shorter than my road bike (surly TT: 52.8cm Blue Rc7 TT: 54cm), but it doesn't bother me for CX racing.

In other words, the Surly's 50cm standover was barely too big for me, but the TT was OK, and I'm a little bigger than your GF, so the 50cm is likely going to be too large for her.

[ilima]

I'm 5'4.5" and normally proportioned, although I have long arms.

My road (Merlin Atreus) and cross (LeMond Poprad) bikes are both 49cm, with ca. 52cm TT and I use short (80 and 90 mm) stems and short-reach handlebars.

My sister is a tad taller and rides and Airborne 54cm, which I don't get, but she likes.

[uforgot]

Unfortunately, the Surly has a 54cm TT..

Yup! The Surly Cross Check sizing is mis-leading. I have a 46cm Cross Check and it is larger than my 53cm Burly was. Has 52.8cm top tube which is perfect for me, and your effective top tube is actually 54.7. I also have about a 31.5" inseam which is somewhat long for my height, 5'5" on a good day. Mine has a 29.6" standover whereas your 52cm has a 30.6". Not sure I'd like it that close.

[roguedog]

use this: http://www.competitivecyclist.com/za...LCULATOR_INTRO

it'll get ya into a decent ball park and then you'll know how you might play around with stems and what not to get the fit in the ball park or.. if it jsut outright might not be a good fit.

though this is more road oriented fit. i dunno if cross might have a slightly different fit since typically the bb are higher than road bikes.

again, this'll probably get you in the ball park and reduce your guessing range ..?

anyway, it'll be fun and interesting. did this with a friend.. and we had lots of laughs and "argued" over the measurements, requiring 2 or 3 measurements. i measured myself and then had an lbs fit and it put me in the general ballpark. your results may differ.. depending on who wins the argument