Bike fitting query.

colblimp

OK folks. I was in my LBS today looking to buy my first bike in 30 years. Blokey showed me a Giant Defy 3 for €649, down from €719.

Thing is, when I tried it, the soles of my feet were on the floor and he said it fitted me. It was a medium frame and I'm 5'11", is this right? When I was on the saddle just my toes touched the floor, but when I was over the top tube, my soles were making contact with terra firma. he also showed me a Trek 1.2 for €789, which seems a bit pricey?

Any comments/advice? Thanks in anticipation.

Lumen

It's generally considered safe to have a bit of clearance between your reproductive organs and the top tube, with both feet flat on the floor. Top tube to floor = standover height.

This seems a stupid criteria in itself, since you're never going to fall on to your crossbar like that.

More critical is the top tube length and saddle-handlebar drop, both of which are related to frame size. You can compensate for top tube length with a different length stem, and for drop with a taller stack and a riser stem (eek).

colblimp

Hmmm, there was about half an inch between my 'organs' and the top tube.

As for the rest of your post, it's all foreign to me lol! When I was on the saddle, my toes could touch the floor. Blokey advised me to lower the saddle until I was used to riding again, but this meant the saddle was lower than the handlebars, which even I know is wrong.

I don't know what to do now...

AstraMonti

I found these two clips very helpful for me, they might help you too

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zK0PDGSQe5c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAl_5e7bIHk

Lumen

colblimp wrote: »

Blokey advised me to lower the saddle until I was used to riding again

What kind of advice is that? Are you 9 years old?

AFAIK your optimum saddle height (above the bottom bracket) is dependent on leg length, basically as high as possible whilst avoiding locking out the knee or rocking your hips. That's it. Once you have it right, don't change it as your body will get used to it.

Read this to get an understanding of the fit issues.

DirkVoodoo

Yeah I think a good tip from here was raise the saddle as high as you like, while still reaching the pedals and lower it in small increments until your hips stop rocking from side-to-side.

Go to a different shop, if a bike fitting is as simple as that then they are not doing it right. Ideally they should stick you up on a turbo and check your back, hips, knees, see where you are sitting on the saddle and how the reach is before deciding. After finding the right size you will need to move the saddle, maybe get a new stem, etc.

colblimp

I think I agree with going to a different shop, to me he was more interested in getting rid of as much stock as possible. The bike was in the sale which is only on for a week, which says a lot IMO.

Thanks for all your advice, I really do appreciate it.

petethedrummer

I'm 5'10" and ride the Medium size in the Giant SCR range which is what the Defy range was called up until this year. On my bike there is a sticker that says M for riders 5'7" - 5"11. It's down near the pedals. I dunno if the geometry of the Defy will be exactly the same as the SCR, but I imagine it would be similar.

I'm relatively short-limbed for my height and have a very unflexible back, so a different size may suit you better. I found originally that it was more comfortable to ride with saddle as high as I could. I've lowered it quite a bit in the last while as I've gotten stronger.

alfalad

Astra good links for the bike fit. It was something I was thinking about over the last week and will be paying attention to what it says!