Frame Size Question

tommyh1977

Hi, i recently purchased a bike from Halfords - An Apollo Slant. I know its not a high end like a Boardman but it will do for recreational cycling for myself. Basically the guy in the shop said i needed a 17" frame, im 5' 8" with a 29" inside leg measurement. I am now wondering is this frame too small for me and should i have got the 20". Basically i have to raise the saddle about 3" to 4" from the top of the frame to make it seem some bit comfortable. However in the shop the 20" seemed a bit big. Out of curiosity i got fitted in another Halfords and she immediately said to go for the 20". Any thoughts on this appreciated.

petethedrummer

It's normal to be that much out of the frame. In the publicity picture its about 4" above.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_762075_langId_-1_categoryId_165499

Whitehawk

Frame size is about right, im 5.9 and use a 18" frame and really not too much of a diff from 17" to 18" just may take some getting use to.

Greyspoke

..not sure what an Apollo Slant is but if it's a mountain bike then 17" would be fine for your height. If it's a road bike you'd probably want a 54cm maybe a 52 whatever that is in inches. Really though the top tube measurement is more critical as this determines how much you have to reach forward to the bars.

tommyh1977

Thanks for replies, sorry i should have been clearer, the Apollo Slant is a MTB so maybe the 17" will take getting used to. Also as my wife may have the occasional spin on it the 20" might be too big for her even though she is also 29" inside leg. Basically Halfords have given me the choice to exchange it for a 20" if i want but i cannot decide which would be best.

Whitehawk

ya i was talking about a MTB its deffo a good size in terms of what the charts say - however in the end its up to you on what you like more - tho id stick with the 17" frame you may find on a 20 you would extend you leg to much and if it was smaller say 16 for example you would not extend it enough!

GT_TDI_150

I was told in a local bike shop today that when you stand over the top bar there should be a small gap(a few fingers) between the bar and your vegetable patch.

macnab

Be careful what you believe from sales assistants in bike shops, particularly in Halfords. I bought a "Small" roadbike there a few months ago only to realise after a few hundred miles that it was actually a "Medium"!! I also had a salesman in another shop tell me that a 52cm bike would be perfect for me...even though I am 5'5". Do your homework on frame sizes and as mentioned take all dimentions into consideration ie reach to the bars as well as seat height.

macnab

GT_TDI_150 wrote: »

I was told in a local bike shop today that when you stand over the top bar there should be a small gap(a few fingers) between the bar and your vegetable patch.

that is a loose rule that only really applies to standard road frames, it wont work with MTB or compact frames as they will be much lower.

coolbeans

It's a pity you bought such a crap bike to be fair. Your best bet would be to go back and exchange it for a Carerra plus the obvious cash difference. Honestly, Apollo bikes are filth. Get out before your sucked into sh!t bike frustration. I can't press home enough the mantra that with bikes you need as much efficiency as possible owing to the fact that you are the engine. This takes certain standards of design, engineering and cost. Spend an extra hundred fifty and buy a decent bike from Halfords. Also be aware that you will encounter staff there with often minimal levels of training and knowledge so it would be better to be sceptical when you ask for advice from them. Some are fine but many are shamelessly ignorant of their product.

coolbeans

macnab wrote: »

that is a loose rule that only really applies to standard road frames, it wont work with MTB or compact frames as they will be much lower.

...as I said, Halfords should be able to advise you on this but clearly, they can't.

raindodger

Was in Halfords twice once to buy a bike for a teenager the next for myself.On both times failed to be able to get any attention from the staff.Must have spent a half an hour in front of an assistant who just answered the phone and worked on the computer.Never before came across such bad service,left in the finish thinking if you buy a bike and have a problem what kind of hassle you would go through to get it fixed.