How to Determine the Right Size Bike

Your comfort is key.

People often overlook the importance of riding a bicycle that fits. As Joe Lindsey, a writer for Bicycling Magazine, points out, there is no one size fits all method in the bicycle world. Just because the sticker on the frame says the bike fits people between 5'-1" and 5'-4" does not mean it will definitely fit you, even if you are 5'-2". You must consider the way your body (torso versus legs) is proportioned when sizing up a new bike.

Instructions

1. Stand over the top tube of the bicycle. The top tube is the portion of the frame that extends from the seatpost to the handlebars. As you straddle the top tube, you should have about an inch of room between it and your crotch.

2. 

   Too much knee bend

   Adjust the seat height to the point where your knee bends slightly at the bottom of each pedal stroke when seated. The person's knee in the photo accompanying this step is bent too much. Too much knee bend or overextension can lead to knee and even back pain. Obviously, you can adjust seat height, but if you need to lower the seat so that it is below the handlebar, you probably should move to a smaller frame size.

3. Assess your reach to the handlebars. As Lindsey notes in Bicycling Magazine, aim for a slight elbow angle when your hands are positioned above the brakes of the bicycle. If you feel scrunched up or too stretched out, you might have a long torso. In this case, you can get a longer or shorter stem (the part that clamps the handlebar) or move to a different size frame altogether.

4. Test ride several bikes. Often, frame geometries differ from bike to bike. A small in one bike can fit differently than a small in another. Ride the same bikes multiple times. Make comparisons. You must be comfortable and feel confident on the bike, regardless of what a sales person or other bike expert tells you.

Tips & Warnings

• For women--and some men--who are short (less than 5 foot, 2 inches or so) and have short torsos, consider a women's model bike. Women's bikes have shorter top tubes to accommodate the fact that women, on average, tend to have shorter torsos than men. This option might solve any handlebar reach issues you run into.

References

• Bicycling Magazine: If the Bike Fits, Buy It

Resources

• Bicycling Magazine: Gear & Bike Review Finder