Bike sizes

[Tanis8472]

I recently got back into cycling (Aug 2012, no not because of olympics ) and bought a Carrera Virtuoso.

The problem I have is that I am unable to find a seat/handlebar position that is comfortable.
If i put seat too far forward or backwards i get knee problems. I am finding that I am also putting too much weight on the handlebars which is also causing numb hands etc.

I've tried shorter stems and also flipping them.

I am 6ft with an inside leg of 33".
I've found a tool that works out a good bike fit from measurements and used these measurements.
http://www.competitivecyclist.com

Inseam: 87
Trunk: 65
Forearm: 34
Arm: 63.5
Thigh: 63.75
Lower Leg: 58.5
Sternal Notch: 158
Total Body Height: 183.5

these are the results.
Seat tube range c-c: 57.6 - 58.1
Seat tube range c-t: 59.3 - 59.8
Top tube length: 53.9 - 54.3
Stem Length: 10.1 - 10.7
BB-Saddle Position: 77.3 - 79.3
Saddle-Handlebar: 53.7 - 54.3
Saddle Setback: 7.1 - 7.5


Now, having done quite a lot of trolling on websites it seems i need a bike of 550 ETT or so.

Would you agree with that?
Halfords advised me to get the large which I have since found out has a ETT of 585mm.
Their website didn't mention any sizing info until this year. Their other guide is totally useless.

Have i been sold the wrong size judging by my above measurements?

Thanks

 

[festival]

While its important you get a bike the right size and set up correctly its also very easy to get bogged down with some of the finer details.
You may suffer from a lack of customer care when buying a Carrera road bike, but they are decent and have a standard geometry that shouldn't cause problems when setting up the fit.
This would be the size for someone of your height, assuming you are of roughly normal proportions you should have little trouble ensuring this bike, with its semi compact frame design fits properly. The ett length may be a fraction long for the non racer and they probably fitted a 110mm stem which is correct but you could try a 100mm.
To be honest there are too many unknown issue's without seeing you on the bike to advise anymore but I would guess its more about your fitness, flexibility, what you perceive as the correct positioning of hands,feet, bottom and how you ride generally than the size of the bike.

 

[Tanis8472]

I've tried 3 different stems down to 60mm and find all of them to be uncomfortable.
I'm nearly at full stretch even on the shortest stems when on the tops.
It feels like i am stretching too far to the bars.

 

[vickster]

A bike that is too big is not a good thing (I know, ended up with chronic tennis elbow and having surgery which I blame on a too big bike)

If you really can't get comfortable, best sell the bike, do plenty of research and get one that fits. A bike that is a bit too small can be made bigger, if the bike really is too big, it can't easily be made small enough. It does sound like it is far too big, even on the hoods or drops you should still have a good bend in the elbow really

 

[Tanis8472]

Yes, arms are nearly straight.

Just found a pdf on the halfords site with suggested frame sizes.
http://www.halfords.com/wcsstore/libraries/document/road_bike_size_guide.pdf

It seems they suggest that the large one will fit anyone from 5'9" to 6'2" which seems to be quite a large difference from other sites i've looked at with measurements.

Thanks for the replies so far.
They are much appreciated.

 

[vickster]

Have you been back to Halfords to discuss with them? Often there are quite big ranges of height by frame (Specialized aren't much different say, 5" tolerance within each size), we are all built a bit differently. Maybe your height is in your legs rather than torso (or you aren't fully 6ft?), less usual for a man, so maybe that's the issue. Have you tried a flipped stem to bring the bars up?

 

[cyberknight]

Without seeing you on the bike its impossible to say but you should be setting your seat height and saddle set back 1st then getting your reach and drop from there.
Try some of this and then come back to us.
http://www.jimlangley.net/crank/bikefit.html
The knee pain can be a sign of your effective seat height being wrong as moving the saddle forwards or backwards alters your total leg length to the pedal .

 

[Tanis8472]

Just measured myself against a wall and come out at 5'11.5".
@cyberknight
yes i've done all that already as mention in OP.

No i've not been back to halfords as they are bloody useless. A lad in there couldnt even fit some SPD-SL cleats to shoes.

Seems i am looking at selling it and getting a different one. I guess having done a lot of research now on sizes i really need to go and try some for size. Halfords are right at the bottom of my list now, although the Boardman carbon bikes look good and with a 10% British cycling discount, its even better.

My biggest problem is we dont have a LBS near me. Nearest is about 30 miles away

 

[vickster]

No where sells bikes other than Halfords? Could buy online from Wiggle with their 30 day guarantee?

 

[Tanis8472]

Yes, looked there and evans and chainreaction etc. i would rather try one first to make sure now
I didnt know they did that. The only problem with that is the maximum discount is 15% which leaves a lot of the bikes out of my price bracket
This buying lark is a pain
I think i will take a trip out tomorrow and try a few for size.

 

[vickster]

Sounds sensible, 30 miles really isn't that far in the general scheme of things if you live in a remote area with little traffic (which you must do)

 

[Tanis8472]

Yes, i do. I'm in the Lincs Fens

 

[cyberknight]

I have looked at competitve cyclist and i did go through a full fit on the site and TBH there measurements were way out for a comfortable fit .Every fit had the seat a good 1-2 cm to high and the seat way to far forward which can put to much weight on your hands.
I am not saying that the bike is the right size but i take their measurements with a pinch of salt.This make interesting reading ,particularly point of balance.
https://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/blog/2011/05/seat-set-back-for-road-bikes/#
http://bikedynamics.co.uk/guidelines.htm

 

[Tanis8472]

Ihaven't used any of the measurements on my bike.
I did that to try and find the right bike ett.
that first link made interesting reading :-)
thanks

 

[Tanis8472]

Here's another problem.
I notice that some sites seem to measure in-seam and others inside leg.
Now to me and most things I've seen, in-seam is to the floor and inside leg is to the ankle bone.
A difference of 2-3" for me, which changes the frame size.

Arghhhhh