How to Get Measured for Proper Bike Frame Fit

Ride a bicycle for fun, exercise or as an alternative form of transportation. Make sure your bike fits for safety reasons and to remain injury-free. A properly sized bike frame should be the first thing you look at before making a two-wheel purchase.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Match your bicycle frame to your body size by straddling a bike. With both feet flat on the ground, there should be a distance of 1 to 2 inches between the top bar and your crotch.

2. Sit on the bike seat. A correctly fitting bicycle should allow the balls of your feet to rest on the ground when you are seated.

3. Adjust your seat height so that your knees are slightly bent. If you can't get your seat height high enough, then you need a larger frame. If your legs stay straight even when the seat is at its lowest, then you need to find a smaller bike frame.

4. Realize that today's proportional bicycles come in more sizes than they once did. The length of the seat tube often indicates the frame size, but don't base your fit solely on this measurement. Some bike manufacturers size differently.

5. Look instead at the length of the top tube. Taller people need a longer top tube for comfortably gripping handlebars. Shorter people may be stretched unsafely by a top tube that's too long.

6. Talk with someone knowledgeable at a bike shop about fitting a bike frame. They should know about the differences in size for different makes and models.

Tips & Warnings

• Many of today's bicycles come sized in centimeters, not inches.

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