Just how important is that 1 inch of clearance anyway?

[mimitabby]

why don't you just make him put some pedals on the bike so you can see whether or not you can reach the bottom of the pedal stroke?

[GirlWonder]

why don't you just make him put some pedals on the bike so you can see whether or not you can reach the bottom of the pedal stroke?

Well, at the time I didn't think of it and thought he just "knew"...but at the next store this weekend I will. He just eyeballed it and felt it was way too long a reach for me. I can also go back there as well....maybe he was just a new guy....

[Cassandra_Cain]

I know bike fitting can be tricky and there are a million theories. My experience with it though is that the method of using the top-tube height as the primary factor in fit - isn't right.

Ask yourself this question - during your average ride, what will be more important - your body/shoulder/torso/hand/pedal position or being able to stand over the top tube? How often are you going to put both feet down and straddle the bike down the exact center of your lower body?

For me anyway, I'd rather have a bike that fits my upper body and pedal position first, and have the top tube height be a secondary factor. Remember that this (height) is also an issue with motorcycles and many people happily ride with no problem even when the seat (or top tube in a bicycle's case) is a bit high.