You are not alone.

I currently ride a 58cm tribike with 650c wheels. I'm also running some significant seat post. (Probably in the 10" range)

It looks kind of weird, but I'm really comfortable with the fit, so I'm hanging on to it for the foreseeable future.

(I think you can see the pic in my profile)

Brad

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3SIXTY5cycling.com

Thx hillier, even thought I think mine looks way longer than your seat post...

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http://www.easyendurance.wordpress.com

I'm about 6 ft tall and am riding a 2007 Specialized Transition Pro in the "medium" size, a 54 cm frame.

I have the seatpost extended all the way and am actually cheating by about a 1/8 of an inch. The seatpost which is specific to this frame is pretty long. I don't see nothing wrong with it, I've always believed in riding the smallest frame possible.

Hey, if you're happy/comfy w/ it, knock yourself out... The only real concern with a frame being possibly too small is that the front end is proportionally shorter and closer; so if you need a really long and/or hi-rise stem to keep your upper body from being too scrunched up, that can compromise your handling by putting too much weight ahead of the front wheel.

Sounds like the way my bikes fit me. The only problem this could create is that the drop from seat to handlebars can be so great that your hip angle is wrong. Then you are uncomfortable. But it doesn't pose any handling/geometry issues other than your personal fit.

It's mainly important that you have the right distance from the seat to the handlebars. If your body dictates a certain size frame then you have tons of seatpost showing (long legs, short torso) then so be it...but you might also need spacers and a flipped up stem to get the right drop.

This sounds about like me. I'm just shy of 6' and I'm riding a 52 QRoo Kilo. Lots of seatpost, lots of drop, but I still have quite a few spacers and flipped up stem. May not look the sexiest but it sure fits better than anything else I tried when shopping and I've been more than happy with it.

Isn't it proper etiquette to hang your bike by the brakes anyway to minimize your footprint in the transition area? By the saddle takes up room on both sides...

I do not think it matters as long as you are in your most efficient and aerodynamic combination.

At one point in my tri career, I was riding a 52cm Tiemeyer custom frame. Thats no big deal except I'm 6-3 with a 37" inseam. The frame was so small that my knees never got below the level of the top tube. When descending I "pinched" the top tube with my calves : ) The drop from seat to elbow pads is over 18cm and I'm not even near flat.

There were races in Florida where you were required to hang your bike from the seat, so I had to get an exemption from the ref to hang mine from the handlebars. My seats are well above the level of all bike racks.

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Paul

the problem is you guys are all riding 54 and smaller frames and you are over 6 feet, I'm 5'11'' and riding an XL 58 isn't that big enough? I've had lots of people telling me the 58 is too big for me, and I still have the post almost all the way out. will post pics later!!!

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http://www.easyendurance.wordpress.com

It's not only your height that matters. The proportion of the torso to leg length also. The length of the top tube gets longer as the frame gets larger. This makes the larger frames not fit with my short torso. The geometry of the frames must be taken into consideration when fitting a bike , not just the "size" of the frame.

On the other hand, my road bike is a 62cm Trek. I've also ridden a 63cm Cannondale, a 58cm Kestrel, a 52cm Tiemeyer, an XL Softride, a L Titanflex and a Large/large extended seat bracket Zipp 2001. Oh, and medium Trek mountain bikes. The frame "size" really doesn't matter.

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Paul

Other then the custom frame I had I've not ridden anything under a 58. I'm a tad shorter then you but with the same leg length, well OK, on the right side I'm a 36" and the left leg is 37".

This is one of the reasons I ride bikes with long head tubes. With the short torso and long legs, its tough to get low, unless you ride really steep (I'm 5cm in front of the BB) and still not close to flat.

My new bike has a long head tube, yet has a stem with multiple positions so I can get lower. The proprietary stem can be adjusted with positive or negative rise and two vertical positions.

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Paul