• Its difficult to say what's the right size frame for any individual because of the everyones different body shapes.

    The whole 'you should be able to just touch the floor with your toes whilst sitting on the saddle' is not the best advice tbf.

    There are many systems for bike fitting. Here are a couple of points which will make sure you dont buy something unsuitable.

    Standover height; Its important that your crotch isnt resting on the top tube obviously. But traditional and compact frames mean standover height is now a minefield. The point made earlier is a valid one re; jeans/lycra. For example on my road bikeat standover with cycling shorts I have around and inch clearance between my ballsack and the tube. The general consensus is this is ideal. Its a 56cm.
    on my fixed gear, also a 56cm the top tube slopes alot more and I have a good couple of inches clearance! Its all down to manufacturer geometry.

    The bike your talking about is old skool geometry like a track frame so the tope tube is horizontal, I think.

    Its important not to get too hung up on that point, as long as you can stand flat footed over the top tube without your pubic bone/balls touching the bar its ok.

    The most important factor imo is top tube length. Unless its your first ever bike you will know if you are stretched or hunched when you are riding, fine adjustments can be made via seat fore and aft and stem length and height.

    Hope you get the right one.

    Thanks man. I'm checking out the size 49 on monday in Brixton cycles and see how that goes. Hopefully that'll be the perfect one. Some are saying the 53 is the right size and some say its too big. Now my problem's reversed, Is there a something wrong with having a frame that's too small? 4 cm seems like a huge difference to me, why is there such a big gap in the surly sizing??

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