Yet Another Cycling Forum

General Category => The Knowledge => Topic started by: Gandalf on 11 April, 2008, 07:05:41 am

Title: New Speciliazed Roubaix sizing concerns, or maybe just me being paranoid.
Post by: Gandalf on 11 April, 2008, 07:05:41 am
So I got my new bike on tuesday, Specialized Roubaix Expert.

I have a horrible feeling they may have sold me the wrong size.  I am 5' 10" with a crotch to floor measurement of 34".   On this basisThey have sold me a 56 cm bike.  I have always thought that with road bikes there should be a mininmum standover clearance of 1" between crotch and the top tube.  It is quite clear that the old undercarriage is actually touching the top tube, not tightly though.  If I bend my knees music hall policeman stylee I can readily bounce up and down.

The top tube seems pretty long at 56.5 cm, but strangely enough that is identical to my 18" MTB which seems to fit me OK.

I'm going to ring them later, but I thought I'd canvas the opinions of the learned folk on here first, just in case they go into Mandy Rice Davis mode.

I suspect that although the bike is a compact and they are quoting a virtual 56 Cm it's actually more akin to a 58.
Title: Re: New Speciliazed Roubaix sizing concerns, or maybe just me being paranoid.
Post by: Sergeant Pluck on 11 April, 2008, 07:21:19 am
Quote
The top tube seems pretty long at 56.5 cm, but strangely enough that is identical to my 18" MTB which seems to fit me OK

For a given person's needs, MTB's have a relatively long top tube - road bikes have shorter top tubes as there is more distance from the head tube to the normal positions on the bars compared to the straight bars on a MTB.

Title: Re: New Speciliazed Roubaix sizing concerns, or maybe just me being paranoid.
Post by: MSeries on 11 April, 2008, 08:02:14 am
You should try to sit on the saddle and place your feet on the pedals and hold the handlebars to judge if it is right or not, after all that is how you will use it. FWIW i don't know how much stand over I have on my bikes, it isn't relevant. It also depends on how well your 'old under carriage' is supported and thus how much it hangs down !!! :-)
Title: Re: New Speciliazed Roubaix sizing concerns, or maybe just me being paranoid.
Post by: Paul Smith SRCC on 11 April, 2008, 10:31:51 am
So I got my new bike on tuesday, Specialized Roubaix Expert. I have a horrible feeling they may have sold me the wrong size.  I am 5' 10" with a crotch to floor measurement of 34".   On this basis. They have sold me a 56 cm bike. 

Well with out seeing you on the bike all I can go on are your measurements, as such it is hard to give an accurate opinion. For example a 34" inside leg is quite long for someone 5' 10", I am reasonably in proportion at 5' 11 ½” with a 33" inside leg, so it sounds like you are shorter in the body, longer in the leg than Mr Stereo typical 5' 10" man, although longer legs could often mean that you have longer arms as well, so that evens things out; but I can't tell that from the data I have, which is why I mentioned that it is hard to give an accurate opinion.

We are Specialized dealers and we do stock that bike so I am familiar with what you have bought though. If you had sent me an email asking sizing advice I would have said probably 56 cm, although if you were a customer in the shop I would have also tried you on a 54cm.

Most can ride one of two sizes, at 5' 10" your are borderline 54cm, although your inside leg is definitely more 56cm, which is why I would have tried you on both to see what you looked like and how you felt about them.

Paul_Smith (http://www.bikeplus.co.uk/graphics/Paul_Smith_Home_Page.jpg)
www.bikeplus.co.uk (http://www.bikeplus.co.uk/)
.
Title: Re: New Speciliazed Roubaix sizing concerns, or maybe just me being paranoid.
Post by: rafletcher on 11 April, 2008, 10:39:56 am
As Paul said, it's all relative - I'm very similar to you - 5 10 1/2", 34 inseam, and years ago I would ride a 60cm frame. Fashions change, now I generally ride a 54cm, or a 56cm with a shorter stem - thats another variable. And I've not ridden for 8 months, so when I eventually get back on my bikes it'll feel strange.  I don't think it's necessarily too big, but it depends on you, your riding style, and what you're doing with the bike. All you can really do is try it and see.
Title: Re: New Speciliazed Roubaix sizing concerns, or maybe just me being paranoid.
Post by: Gandalf on 11 April, 2008, 12:38:28 pm
Thanks for the replies.   I guess that if I were to have a 54 cm because the saddle would have to be raised there would be a slightly greater difference in the saddle to handlebar height.  At the moment the saddle isn't much higher than the bars.

I have got long arms but it feels as though I'm putting too much weight on my hands,  that could be because I'm not used to drops coming from an MTB. How can you tell if you are too stretched? The stem is 10mm longer than on my MTB at 120mm, maybe a shorter stem might be better.  I was mostly concerned about transgressing the standover rule really, but if that doesn't matter then fair enough.

Edit- I was talking nonsense, the stem is actually 100mm, I was measuring it all wrong.
Title: Re: New Speciliazed Roubaix sizing concerns, or maybe just me being paranoid.
Post by: JT on 11 April, 2008, 12:53:40 pm
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/JT808/SNC10819.jpg)

This is the same bike but in a 58cm (I'm 6'2").

As you can see the head tube is long so the bars are quite high compared to a traditional road bike. On my Roubaix there are two spacers above the stem, and as supplied by the LBS, the stem was above those spacers increasing the height of the bars even further.

Also, in my experience, the (virtual) top tube is slightly shorter than traditional geometry so the position on a Roubaix shouldn't be too stretched as it's designed to be comfortable on all-day rides.

So I would say that you'd probably be more comfortable with a 54cm.
Title: Re: New Speciliazed Roubaix sizing concerns, or maybe just me being paranoid.
Post by: Paul Smith SRCC on 11 April, 2008, 01:08:51 pm
Thanks for the replies.   I guess that if I were to have a 54 cm because the saddle would have to be raised there would be a slightly greater difference in the saddle to handlebar height.  At the moment the saddle isn't much higher than the bars.

Rouibax (http://www.bikeplus.co.uk/graphics/9083-23_l.jpg) is indeed set up to be slightly higher at the front end when compaired to their Tarmac (http://www.bikeplus.co.uk/graphics/9086-27_l.jpg) full on race bike, so the fact that the saddle and bars are more level is normal.

To an extent it is horses for courses, everyone is different which is why in all cases I like to see the rider on the bike myself, that way I can observe how the person is physically; some are rounder shouldered, stiff backed, long or short in the arms, all of which naturally effects the posture/position. Each rider has a personal style, I for example do long tours yet sit quite  flat (http://www.bikeplus.co.uk/graphics/Chat_01.jpg) where many touring riders prefer a more relaxed upright position,  Sean Kelly  (http://www.sdbc.org/photos/albums/userpics/10002/kelly_pr.jpg) sat upright/short,  Greg Lemond (http://media.rivals.net/media/jpg/2001011403841117.jpg) (next to Armstrong) had a long and flat position, it is only when I can see the rider and chat to them about their preferences that I like to give an accurate opinion regarding which size.

In conclusion a 56cm may still be the correct size especially bearing in mind that you have an inside leg of 34". As you have come from an ATB bike it may just be more a case that it simply needs time to adjust to the new feel more than because it is actually wrong for you. Did you actually try a 54cm at the time? Perhaps you could take a picture of you on it from the side to show us what you look like

Paul_Smith (http://www.bikeplus.co.uk/graphics/Paul_Smith_Home_Page.jpg)
www.bikeplus.co.uk (http://www.bikeplus.co.uk/)
Title: Re: New Speciliazed Roubaix sizing concerns, or maybe just me being paranoid.
Post by: Glosbiker on 11 April, 2008, 04:40:35 pm
I'm 5'11 with a 34' inside leg and when I tried various Specializeds I was far more comfortable with a 53-54cm top tube but then I've been told that my proportions are a bit weird ;)
Title: Re: New Speciliazed Roubaix sizing concerns, or maybe just me being paranoid.
Post by: Paul Smith SRCC on 11 April, 2008, 05:19:18 pm
I'm 5'11 with a 34' inside leg and when I tried various Specializeds I was far more comfortable with a 53-54cm top tube but then I've been told that my proportions are a bit weird ;)

Roubaix (http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCGeometryPopup.jsp?a=b&minisite=10028&spid=33546&language=US) and Tarmac (http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCGeometryPopup.jsp?spid=34084) have the same length top tube, although Roubaix will feel shorter as it has a slightly higher front end of course

Tarmac
Seat and top tube
54=548mm , Head Tube 145
56=565mm, Head Tube 170

Roubaix
Seat and top tube
54=548mm top, Head Tube 165
56=565mm, Head Tube 190

The Roubaix will by design also for most feel more comfortable as well, one the the main reasons being the slightly more relaxed head angle

Paul_Smith (http://www.bikeplus.co.uk/graphics/Paul_Smith_Home_Page.jpg)
www.bikeplus.co.uk (http://www.bikeplus.co.uk/)