!!!! Roadie content !!!!

jdog said:
Thanks Pat!

I sell a ton of these and I could tell it was a LG from the pic.

The fit is much more critical on the Road since you will sit static in one position for so long.

I don't know the Trek Geometry by heart but I would guess that you might look for a top tube length of 56 -57.5 but not much bigger.


Perhaps Chris G will chime in..


If you want my help on positioning just ask.

J
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after this thread, Chris and I spoke, and it seems like the 58cm trek is the way to go, it has a top tube of 57.1cm

we kicked around the 56cm and 58cm

differences are..

madone top tube is 1.3cm shorter
wheelbase is 1.6cm shorter
standover is .4 inches taller, but I have room for that.

we'll see how this rides, but I have a feeling it will be alot better, then see a 56cm

the 56 top tube is 2.5 shorter
the wheelbase is 2.5cm shorter
the standover is .3 inch shorter than the giant
 
I would ride a 56 in that bike.

Of course i might melt if i were to ride a Trek..

j
 
jdog said:
I would ride a 56 in that bike.

Of course i might melt if i were to ride a Trek..

j
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I remember when comparing a bunch of road bikes while working back at bike line east brunswick, for most road bikes I fit a 56cm, when measured center to center.

trek however measures center of BB to top of top tube. so the 56cm was a bit small.

i rode the 58cm for a few thousand miles and it fit like a glove
 
Bike Line East Brunswick eh? You probably worked on my bike at some point. I don't really remember too much from those days but one of the guys there nicknamed me the Dirty Road Bike Guy.
 
the subtleties of bike fit

Some random thoughts:

*J, Pat, and I are all within .5 inch of height. On paper, we all would ride a "generic" 56. In the real world, some issues crop up. Both of those guys have significantly longer legs than I; my torso is longer in proportion. So standover is not worth too much as a guide to frame size. I am pretty much on the top tube when standing over my road bike. If I used standover as a guide, I'd ride a 54 in a traditional frame. But the TT would be way too short.

*I can't speak for Pat on this, but I'm very flexible at the waist and comfortable stretched out to the bike, so I tend to prefer a longer cockpit than Jason does. My road bike is a 56 c-t, with a 56.3 top tube, and I run a 120 stem. My fixie is designated as a 55, but the top tube is closer to 57, and I run a 110 stem.

*Trek's sizing is definitely on the small side. FWIW, that Armstrong guy is 5'10" and he rode a 58.
 
Nice!

I got myself a screaming deal on a Blue RC4 (size SM) last month. The build is nice, only the wheels weigh a ton but that will do for now.

Rode it three times:

- First ride 30 miles to adjust it.

- Second ride Watermelon Crit. last Sat., cat 4/5 race. Got me a cat 5 license. Still not quite the right position. Saddle hurt like hell.

- Third ride Tour of High Bridge Sun., still cat 4/5 race (have to start somewhere...). Put on old MTB saddle. Fit is pretty much spot on now, but saddle squeaks like a stuck pig.

I was amazed how the bike handles, it's extremely accurate and responsive. I was expecting boat-steering like handling but no, it turns on a dime.

Now I'm eyeballing the freaking road race calendar. I'm in trouble.

Maurice
 
Good thoughts Chris.

I would also second (and maybe third just for the sake of pounding it home) jdog's comment about road bike fit being more important than the mountain bike. And if you go on long road rides, it gets exponentially worse.

On stretching out, I found it took me years to really get comfortable with stretching out more and more on the road bike. I used to hate riding in the drops now I can more easily. I still don't prefer it but it used to be totally uncomfortable.
 
:hysterica ..he said "cockpit"

ChrisG said:
Some random thoughts:

*J, Pat, and I are all within .5 inch of height. On paper, we all would ride a "generic" 56. In the real world, some issues crop up. Both of those guys have significantly longer legs than I; my torso is longer in proportion. So standover is not worth too much as a guide to frame size. I am pretty much on the top tube when standing over my road bike. If I used standover as a guide, I'd ride a 54 in a traditional frame. But the TT would be way too short.

*I can't speak for Pat on this, but I'm very flexible at the waist and comfortable stretched out to the bike, so I tend to prefer a longer cockpit than Jason does. My road bike is a 56 c-t, with a 56.3 top tube, and I run a 120 stem. My fixie is designated as a 55, but the top tube is closer to 57, and I run a 110 stem.

*Trek's sizing is definitely on the small side. FWIW, that Armstrong guy is 5'10" and he rode a 58.
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normZurawski said:
I would also second (and maybe third just for the sake of pounding it home) jdog's comment about road bike fit being more important than the mountain bike. And if you go on long road rides, it gets exponentially worse.

On stretching out, I found it took me years to really get comfortable with stretching out more and more on the road bike. I used to hate riding in the drops now I can more easily. I still don't prefer it but it used to be totally uncomfortable.
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Definitely add my emphasis to Jason and Norm's on the importance of good fit on the road. You are locked in place much more than in the woods, and bad fit will lead to all sorts of issues, some of which may not be immediately apparent but will be bad when they finally manifest themselves.

I also totally agree with Norm on the observation that fit is a progressive process and one's flexibility will often take some time (years) to develop.

J. will support the idea that "stretched out" does not equate with "low". Far too many people set up their road bikes with ridiculous discrepancies between saddle and bar height because they saw some Italian guy on OLN riding that way. The bar tape on their drops is usually very clean, because they never get used. If you're an XC rider, the drop from saddle to bar should be pretty close between your mtb and your road bike. As should the reach, btw.

Maurice, you are so right: Road racing is a most potent adrenaline producer and another really cool way to have fun a bike. The fitness gains will definitely show in the woods as well.
 
jdog said:
You need a 57.
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Yeah, I know I guy who has a 57cm Colnago Master Light hanging on the wall in his basement.

But the top tube is damn short. Old-school Italian geometry and whatnot.
 
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