Measure For Bike Frame Size

What Is My Bike Size

Finding your ideal bike size is essential to both the comfort and enjoyment of your new bike. A bike too small or too big will place extra stress on your body in places such as your knees and back, increasing the likelihood of injury.

It is important to note that different kinds of bikes also have different sizing, a mountain bike wont fit the same size as a road bike and a BMX wont fit the same size as a mountain bike. It is therefore essential to do your research and look up the specific sizing of the bike you are after, read reviews, use size-charts and ask questions on online forums/live-chats if possible. The more information you have the better.

If buying a bike in-store, trying the bike before you buy is the obvious option. This will allow you to see if it is the right fit if it is comfortable and if you actually like the bike and can see yourself riding it. Buying in-store often means you can invest in a professional bike-fit, allowing for your sizing and dimensions to be measured up whilst being walked through the entire process.

Seek Advice On Your Road Bike Size

Above all, when selecting a new bike or if you have fit problems or discomfort, wed recommend asking for advice from an expert. That might not come free, but it should be worth the expense to up your riding enjoyment, avoid injury and ensure that youre getting the most from your cycling.

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How To Measure Stack And Reach

Measure your bike from the center of the bottom bracket to the top clamp on a straight handlebar and then multiply that number by two.

The stack is how high your bicycles head tube sits above its seat, with shorter bikes having lower numbers and taller bikes higher ones.

The reach is measured from what point at which you should be able to comfortably touch usually this will be when gripping the hoods or right below them all the way back to where it meets up with axel for both front wheels.

Read More How To Measure Hybrid Bike Frame Size Chart

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What Is The Best Bike Sizing Method

The most accurate bike sizing method is done by a professional bike fitter or at your local bike shop using a few different bikes, saddles, stems, handlebars, and other components. This helps ensure you have the right tool for getting bike sizing measurements correctly. It is undeniable far more accurate relying on bike size charts and calculators.

A life without sportsrather not.Cycling inspires me every tour anew. As soon as I’m on the saddle, the thoughts become clear. The more you fall for the sport, the deeper it goes to the details. Therefore there was a bike fitting from a pro for me.#MondayInspiration

Falko Krismayr

A Couple Of Important Tips On Finding The Right Bike Size

When youre shopping for a new bike its easy to get excited by the look and feel of a new bike and the associated accessories, however the most important thing is that your bike is the right fit for you.

I learned this lesson the hard way when I first started riding long distances on a regular basis. When I bought my first road bike, the guy at the bike shop was very busy telling me how cool I looked on the bike and I now know that he didnt spend enough time on making sure the bike was the right fit for me.

I soon developed knee problems and extreme muscle tension in my quads because I was set up incorrectly. It cost me hundreds of dollars in physio treatments and sports massages to make my knee and muscle tension go away and I also ended up spending a few hundred dollars on new accessories for my bike to make it fit my body. Id recommend that you learn from my experience and keep the following tips in mind when youre shopping for your next bike:

1. Make sure it feels right

2. Other factors are also important

The frame size is not the only factor in finding the right bike size. Having the right frame size is fundamental to having the correct setup, but your saddle, handlebar and cleat positions also need to be right for you to enjoy your time on the bike. Make sure you understand whether your seat, handlebars and cleats set up correctly.

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Wheelbase And Chainstay Length

The wheelbase of a bike is the horizontal distance between both wheel axles. By learning how to measure the wheelbase, you will get a good indication of how a bike will handle. A long wheelbase makes the bike more stable but creates a bigger turning radius a shorter wheelbase makes a bicycle more agile, easier to turn, and fast-handling.

How is wheelbase measured?it involves taking your measuring tool and running a straight line between both axles, ensuring the front wheel is pointing straight ahead. Then, to double-check you have an accurate number, measure the other side of the bike and take the average of both numbers .

Chainstay length has similar effects to the wheelbase, short for agility long for stability. Additionally, a shorter chainstay can impact the stiffness of a frame, making the bike more responsive.

Even minor chainstay length modifications can make an enormous difference to the handling. Using your ruler, measure a straight line between the center of the crank bolt and the rear dropout center point this is your chainstay length.

The Importance Of Reach And Stack

Arguably, no matter what gender you are, a more important measurement over rider height is your reach and stack numbers.

These are key dimensions to get right sized bike frame. The reach measures how long horizontally the frame is from the middle of the crank pivot to the top of the head tube, while the stack measures the vertical distance between these two points.

So these are defined measurements that you can use to compare different bikes and select the right sized frame for you. Weve a lot more detail on in the road bike geometry page mentioned above, including why this measurement effects how a bike will fit and ride.

A size chart for Cannondale SuperSix Evo bikes includes the stack and reach at the bottom of the table.

Your optimum reach and stack will depend on the type of riding youre doing. A race bike frame will typically have a longer reach and a lower stack, to put you in a lower, more aero position, while a bike geared towards endurance riders will have a shorter reach and higher stack, so that you ride in a more upright position.

If youve had a professional bike fit , youll have an idea of the optimal range of reach and stack to look for, which you can use to shortlist models and sizes that should fit you.

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How To Get The Appropriate A Road Bike Frame Size

The process is simple, but you have to give attention to every detail. There are three types of road bikes. They are kids, ladies and unisex. But the measurement process is the same for all of them. Before you go shopping, measure your height and call someone for helping you out. Follow the below steps:

Bike Frame Size Chart

You can find gazillions of bike frame size charts on the Internet. The problem is that they can vary a lot. Here we propose some conservative estimates of mountain bike frames and road bike frames.

We hope that after reading that short article and using our bike size calculator you will no longer wonder what size of bike frame/wheel you need. If this sparked your curiosity and you want more thorough information, a great place to find it on the bike size chart by Rinasclta bike. Just remember that all of these kinds of calculation should be taken with a pinch of salt – all in all, the best method is to try on different bikes. With professional bike fitting or even a simple trial and error process, you can find the perfect bike for you.

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What If You Get The Size Wrong

As far as your cycling health and fitness are concerned, its best if you ride a bike that fits you.

A bike thats extremely smaller or excessively big is a safety and health risk. Health-wise, youll strain your back, knees, and shoulders, and that could result in severe pain.

Safety-wise, it will not be easy to maneuver the bike safely. You are likely to struggle and could easily crash.

Overall, if you cannot stand over the bike, the bike is too big. And if you cannot bend the knees, then its too small.

So, what should you do in either case? Heres my advice:

Is the bike frame too small?

Consider these possibilities:

• If the seat is low even after pulling it up, consider getting a longer seat post
• If the stem is smaller, replace it with a longer one
• Move the saddle slightly back to create more leg extension room

Is the bike frame too big?

If yes, then consider these possibilities:

• Get a shorter seat post if what you have is longer
• Swap the stem with a shorter one if thats longer
• Tilt the saddle slightly forward to give you a more comfortable handlebar reach

The Effect Of Head Tube Length

Tangentially related to how well youll fit on a bike is the length of the head tube. This is simply the length of the front part of the frame that the fork fits through. Although this increases or decreases with frame size, its other function is to dictate the ‘personality’ of the bike.

Even if it is otherwise similar in size, a bike with a shorter head tube will be more aggressive, forcing the rider into a lower, head-down position and requiring more flexibility in their back and shoulders. Generally, endurance bikes have longer head tubes for a more upright rider position, while race bikes have shorter ones for a lower and more aerodynamic profile.

Now, while its simple to measure a head tube, the number and type of spacers above the frame, plus the length of the fork and size of the tyres can all distort how this number manifests itself when considered as part of the complete bike. It’s another example of how just because two numbers on a chart are the same, their effect on the final position of the rider may not always be identical.

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Bike Seat Fore/aft Position

Proper position: When your right foot is at the 3 oclock position of the pedal stroke, your knee should be aligned over your forefoot. A plumb line dropped from the bottom of your kneecap should fall straight to the ball of your foot and through the center of the pedal. In this position, your shin will be tilted forward slightly.

Adjusting the fore/aft position: Make adjustments by loosening the saddle binder bolt and sliding the saddle forward or backward as needed. This generally applies to road, mountain and hybrid bikes, but remember, this is just a starting point. As you become more experienced you may find you like to position your saddle a little differently.

Now check your saddle tilt. With few exceptions, the saddle should be parallel to the ground. To make saddle tilt adjustments, simply loosen the saddle binder bolt at the top of your seatpost and adjust as needed.

Retighten the saddle bolt before riding.

Kids Bike Frame Size Chart

Kids bikes are not sized like adult bikes. While adult bicycles are sized according to the frame size, kids bikes depend on the wheel size.

In that case, you have to consider the riders height and the inseam length.

The inseam length, in particular, gives a more conclusive bike size. But still, most manufacturers use the age to measure kids bikes.

If I were you, Id consider both the riders age and height. But overall, the riders height is more accurate than the age.

Its essential that your kid can touch the ground with both feet, and thats where the inseam length comes into play.

Heres a sizing table to use in that case:

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Choose A Bike To Fit You

You can now use these measurements to find a bike frame that fits you. The seat tube height and the inseam will correspond to the manufacturers bike size chart, usually found on the bike manufacturers website.

While looking at the size chart, check out the reach. This figure determines where youre positioned on the bike and how big it feels.

If you want a racy feel to your road bike, you may want to choose a bike with a longer reach. On the other hand, if youre a beginner, you might want to opt for a shorter reach, giving you a more upright riding position.

Your reach should balance comfort, control, and pedal efficiency.

Follow The Road Bike Frame Chart

Finally, you can now proceed to the chart for knowing the exact size of the bike. And, the frames are generally measured from C-T size. The top point at the seat clamp and the bottom corner of the frame are calculated accordingly. This indicates the size. The chart below shows the relation between these two measurements.

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Bike Frame Size Chart A Bike Frame Size Guide

When buying a new bike, the frame size is one thing you should get right. If you dont, the bicycle just wont fit, and thats why you need a bike frame size chart.

As most of us like to order online, you should also consider the kind of bike you want because manufacturers size their bikes differently, and you will find frames varying from mountain bikes to road bikes. Mens and womens bikes are sized differently, not to mention kids bikes.

This guide will look at the available methods to help you size your bike correctly before making the order. I will also provide the various frame size charts you can use when buying a specific bicycle.

Lets get started!

Complete Bike Frame Size Chart For All Bikes

Every buyer wants a bike that fits, and therefore consulting the correct bike frame size chart is critical.

If the frame is too big or too small, the chances are that youll strain. Thats when you start complaining of backache and knee pain, and thats not all.

Youll also have a low-performing bike, and that sucks away the joy of cycling. So, to avoid all that, you must pick the frame size correctly.

Note that bike frames vary among different bike types.

For example, the sizing guides for road bikes and mountain bikes are different. The same goes for kids cycles and adults bicycles.

So that you can understand my drive, Ill offer you the ultimate sizing guide .

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Measure The Front Center

Measuring a bikes front center is important because, as with any frame size, the shorter the front center of a bicycle, the more maneuverable it becomes. A longer front center will add stability when riding uphill or over challenging terrain.

The front center is measured by getting the distance between the axle and the bikes front dropout.

How To Measure A Bike Frame

Biking is not a feeling of pleasure if your bike isnt the right sized one.

Riding bicycles may be the healthiest of transportation, both for us and nature. Also, biking can be the reason of creating severe health issues only because of the problem of its measurement.

We all are not of the same height or size every individual of us are different in height and measurement. As we all are not of same size, how can be all the bikes are the same in size?

Bikes come with different sizes and measurements also for different sized people. Manufacturers, by taking their responsibility seriously for their customers, are making these different sized bikes.

Now, its our duty to choose the right one without having the proper knowledge, which is nearly impossible to do.

So, we are with the techniques and formulas to help you out to measure your bike frame and to make you buy the perfect sized bike for you. The manual way and the ready data charts both are included to help you to go on your way.

Dive down!

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How To Measure The Bottom Bracket Height

The distance between the center of the bottom bracket shell and the distance from the ground is the bottom bracket height. Its comparatively easy to measure, the only thing to keep in mind is that your bike should be kept straight upright, only then the readings would be precise.

In contrast to the bottom bracket drop this would be slightly influenced by the tires too, so the tires should be inflated to the accurate running pressure.

So now you know everything to measure the bike correctly. Now you know perfectly to size up your frame. You should always keep your numbers safe. As losing them would mean that you have to repeat the whole process again, which I am sure you would not like.

Peter Nguyen

Peter Nguyen, a professional cyclist & a qualified gear expert has been exploring the world with two wheels and a drop bar for a very long time. During him exploration, he has experienced almost all sorts of bikes like cruise bikes, mountain bikes, lightweight bikes, road bikes, etc. Also with him vast knowledge of necessary cycling equipment, he knows the steps to meet comfort and sportiness in a perfectly balanced way.