Bicycle fitting nightmare

[TK421]

Helllo world!
I have a slight technical hitch. I think that I am on the wrong size cycle for me, but don't hold me to that.
If I go by height (166cm) alone, different sizing charts say that I should be on anything from a 50cm to a 54cm frame. If I go by my inside leg measurement (74cm), then I should be on a 48 or 49cm frame. And I haven't been able to figure out what effect my span (173cm) would have on the recommendation .
I know that I can't be the only short legged long armed would-be pedelestrian trying to ride a bicycle, so, any advice?
I'm currently riding my custom itsabitsa Boardman Road Sport which is a small frame with a 51.5cm C2T seat tube, but the effective tube length is more like 54cm I would say although I haven't measured it yet.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Spiderweb]

So 5ft 5 1/2 and a 29” inside leg. The size small Boardman would seem about the right size imo.
What is the problem?
Does it feel wrong/uncomfortable?
You can make adjustments if needed ie. longer or shorter stem or sliding the seat forward or back.
A side on pic of you sat on the bike would be good.

 

[notmyrealnamebutclose]

A side on pic of you sat on the bike would be good

 

[cougie uk]

No way should you be on a 54 cm frame.
Small sounds about right.
Photo from the side of you on the bike in kit and extending the leg to the bottom would give us an idea.

 

[biggs682]

Sounds like the frame is too big for you unless you are still growing and in which case you might grow into it.

 

[HarryTheDog]

I am 5ft 5, 29 inside leg and in a road bike ( drop bar) I look for a 50/51 cm effective top tube as I find a 52cm a little stretchy, with a 50, I can be a little more upright. However 50cm top tube bikes are usually hard to find, 52 a lot easier . 54cm defo too long.
With a flat bar around 55cm effective top tube. I am 60 and dont like to be too stretched out.

 

[davidphilips]

As the sound advice above, seems that your bike may well be the right size, perhaps just spend a bit of time setting it up for your self, saddle height etc lots of videos on utube and can make a big difference to the way a bike feels ?

 

[vickster]

Sounds too big a frame given your height,
yes your legs are short but given your height, your torso can’t be that long.
I’m 5’9.5, long legs but I ride a 54/55cm top tube with a 100/90mm stem. Yes my torso is relatively shorter but it won’t be shorter than yours and my arms are still in proportion to my height

 

[Jody]

I'm almost exactly the same size as you @Aluminum Falcon and a small road bike feels stretched.

 

[TK421]

@notmyrealnamebutclose , how on earth did you get hold of that picture of me?

 

[Alex321]

Helllo world!
I have a slight technical hitch. I think that I am on the wrong size cycle for me, but don't hold me to that.
If I go by height (166cm) alone, different sizing charts say that I should be on anything from a 50cm to a 54cm frame. If I go by my inside leg measurement (74cm), then I should be on a 48 or 49cm frame. And I haven't been able to figure out what effect my span (173cm) would have on the recommendation .
I know that I can't be the only short legged long armed would-be pedelestrian trying to ride a bicycle, so, any advice?
I'm currently riding my custom itsabitsa Boardman Road Sport which is a small frame with a 51.5cm C2T seat tube, but the effective tube length is more like 54cm I would say although I haven't measured it yet.
Thanks in advance.

You haven'y got short legs for your height.

I'm 5" taller than you with the same inside leg. I DO have short legs for my height, but still no so far off the norm to make it particularly hard getting a bike that fits. Currently riding a 53cm Cube Attain model.

You definitely don't want to be on anything as big as a 54cm at your height and leg measurement, but nowadays, frame sizes are not standard enough between manufacturers to be able to say you definitely want a 51cm or a 49cm - it will depend on the brand and sometimes model.

Most recommendations I have seen say that if you are on the cusp between two sizes, you are usually better off going for the smaller of the two.

 

[rogerzilla]

With steeply sloping top tubes on modern bikes, it can often be a balance between an unavailably long seatpost and an unavailably short stem! On my old On-One Inbred, I needed a 450mm seatpost and a 30mm stem. A smaller frame would have needed a seatpost that doesn't exist. A bigger frame would have been too much of a stretch. I am very average-sized but there are some bizarre bike geometries out there.

 

[the_mikey]

So 5ft 5 1/2 and a 29” inside leg. The size small Boardman would seem about the right size imo.
What is the problem?
Does it feel wrong/uncomfortable?
You can make adjustments if needed ie. longer or shorter stem or sliding the seat forward or back.
A side on pic of you sat on the bike would be good.

I'm in a similar boat as the OP, boardman frames (and Halfords Carrera frames) are just out of proportion for me, I try to aim for a top tube length of 50 to 52cm, with a 90mm stem (edited as I had originally typed 90cm!!) , sometimes I can go outside this but if the top tube is too long the bike can become difficult to handle in some situations, for example I can fit on a medium sized Giant Defy, and it will ride fine until I encounter a long twisting descent which is where the geometry no longer works, the right Giant frame for me is Small, maybe XS will fit but then the handlebars will be too low for comfort. Unfortunately Halfords and Boardman frames are always a little too long, the bike I'm riding most of the time right now is a 2016 Ribble CGR size small, with a 52cm top tube, the geometry tends towards endurance/gravel and isn't super sporty but I don't experience anything troubling about the ride.

 

[cyberknight]

I'm a smidge taller and I can only get away with the small baordman with a 90 stem.next step maybe a compact reach bar ?

 

[vickster]

I'm in a similar boat as the OP, boardman frames (and Halfords Carrera frames) are just out of proportion for me, I try to aim for a top tube length of 50 to 52cm, with a 90cm stem, sometimes I can go outside this but if the top tube is too long the bike can become difficult to handle in some situations, for example I can fit on a medium sized Giant Defy, and it will ride fine until I encounter a long twisting descent which is where the geometry no longer works, the right Giant frame for me is Small, maybe XS will fit but then the handlebars will be too low for comfort. Unfortunately Halfords and Boardman frames are always a little too long, the bike I'm riding most of the time right now is a 2016 Ribble CGR size small, with a 52cm top tube, the geometry tends towards endurance/gravel and isn't super sporty but I don't experience anything troubling about the ride.

90mm presumably