Quote Originally Posted by venacava View Post
Interesting (and very different from any conventional "wisdom" I've heard/read on the topic). Thanks for pointing that out; I hadn't seen it before!
If you were asking about a mountain bike or a cyclocross bike, I'd say you definitely need clearance.

But for a road bike, as long as you can make that top tube and the other gemoetry fit you, then you'll probably be fine. If you wanted to race the bike and needed to get down into an aero tuck, then you'd want something smaller - but for a more upright type posture a bigger frame generally will work.

I tend to ride the largest frames that I can still fit - just because I don't like the 73.5 or 74 degree seat tube angles they put on smaller bike frames. So typically my seat's about even in height with my handlebars, and I'm sitting fairly upright. But I don't race.