Bike Sizing?

Here is a little question for you Bill. Are you much of a believer of taller people longer cranks?

It seems correct intuitively as a longer crank helps move the pedal further forward when the crank is horizontal hence allowing more power to be applied by the longer femur.

That would be longer cranks for longer thighs then.

Yeah but all road bikes (when I read the specs) seem to commonly come with 170 mm of 175mm cranks, not a very wide choice.

Anyone fussy enough about crank length stuff will be speccing their own (so usually available in 167.5, 170, 172.5, 175). I just use 170s for everything.

If I was a serious hillclimber, I'd be getting some 180s, but clearly I'm not.

Longer femur and foot should = longer crank. And converse. But wasn't it Bobic or Gaul (pint-size frog climbers of the 40/50s) who rode 180s, which is the same as me riding 210s....

Not everyone has the same thigh to calf ratio, and this ratio is supposed to be an indicator of super-cyclist. Merckx Hinault both 1.2 : 1 thigh to calf. Me 1.09:1.

Uh, actually I meant that even though I ride 175s all the time, I have to ride 165s on my track bike - do I pull my sadlle up? or leave it where it is? I currently leave it where it is ie 780mm. Whatever, it changes the relationship of the legs with the bottom bracket axis.

That's what I was trying to get at.

I am looking for a NOS frame on e-bay. Frames are usually listed by seat tube and top tube length and I am not sure I am any closer to knowing what size frame I need. 60 cm for the seat tube ought to give me enough height to move the saddle up and down but how do you figure out the length? I am seriously going to consider giving Mosquito bikes a call I think a proper fittingmight help me nail this down. Thanks for all the advice gents I have printed this thread out.

While researching for part lengths etc for my new build. I found this very interesting article. Maybe its been posted before but worth a read if you don't know about this stuff. http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fitting.htm

I just sized myself up with this:

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/

it seemed extremely detailed, and gives you frame sizes for classic and modern bikes.

Thought it might be useful to some others as "what size" threads seem to appear with some frequency.

I came out as : 50.5 - 51.0cm for a classic "eddy" style bike.

Im only 5'8" but this really surprised me as I thought Id be something like a 56" at least, and had been considering 58's even, while looking for my new frame. Quite lucky I checked i out.

51" still sounds big for you

Eh? I'm 5'10 and ride 56 (at a pinch 54).
Unless your knuckles drag on the ground, no way you'd be 56cm+

i just measured myself up on that and it came out really short... i'm about 5'10" (+a little bit) and i've always ridden a 56cm frame, never had any problems

Did a search and decided to post here so hopefully won't be duplicating anything.

What are people's views on the difference of track frame sizes to road frame sizes? I've read that you should go for one size smaller than your normal road bike. The only basis for this I could find was that, because the seat tube is steeper, an equivalent size would be slightly higher. However, surely when you measure your seat height you measure along the seat tube, not along the vertical.

Also, with tighter geometry and a shorter wheel base, an equivalent track bike will already be 'smaller' than a road bike. The top tube will also be shorter. I imagine if I went a size smaller for a track frame I could have problems getting the seat far back enough, or have to put an extra long stem on.

...because the seat tube is steeper, an equivalent size would be slightly higher...when you measure your seat height you measure along the seat tube, not along the vertical.
therefore an equal size frame will be a little taller.

Also, the bottom bracket is higher on track frames, so to maintain comfortable crotch-clearance blah-blah..

If you have the money, it is worth going to Cyclefit:

www.cyclefit.co.uk

£200 for a fitting but really worth it particularly if you are challenged by age and need to ensure that your old joints are not stressed.

If you have the money you should go to bespoke cycling in Hoxton Square.

If you have the money you should go to bespoke cycling in Hoxton Square.

My pal's doing the identity etc for them - asked if they could pay him with a bespoke wheelset... needless to say he agreed.

Barry is a real nice guy and his motion capture system is awesome fun to play about with.

therefore an equal size frame will be a little taller.

Also, the bottom bracket is higher on track frames, so to maintain comfortable crotch-clearance blah-blah..
It will be taller, but the seat height will still be the same, because you don't measure seat height by how far off the ground it is, but in a line from c of BB to top of saddle (a non-vertical line).

It will be taller, but the seat height will still be the same, because you don't measure seat height by how far off the ground it is, but in a line from c of BB to top of saddle (a non-vertical line).

That was my thinking too - the bb height is almost, if not totally, irrelevant when sizing a track frame. I looked at seat tube and top tube measurements.

top tube is pretty much useless without seat tube angle though right?

If you have the money, it is worth going to Cyclefit:

www.cyclefit.co.uk

£200 for a fitting but really worth it particularly if you are **challenged **by age and need to ensure that your old joints are not stressed.

ennobled Clive, ennobled.

top tube is pretty much useless without seat tube angle though right?
I don't think it makes much difference as the angle difference between a standard road frame and a track frame is only a couple of degrees, which won't affect your position much.

I searched and searched on this when I was in the market for a track frame and never really found a satisfactory explanation.

just incase your lower penis is not level i guess ?

I don't think it makes much difference as the angle difference between a standard road frame and a track frame is only a couple of degrees, which won't affect your position much.

depends how picky you are. 2 degree difference on a 60cm frame is 2.09cm

ennobled Clive, ennobled.

Will, when you eventually reach my advanced years, which you will not for more than a decade, you will realise that there is nothing noble about it. All I have to look forward to now are incontinence and immobility. This is why I am living out my days aspiring to be a hipster.