Bike Fit Database

Triathlon Forum
1

Folks - is there an online database that can help us with rough fits? I ask for two reasons

  1. I am 6’2" with a 36" inseam and a big head, making me a bit of a freak with my short torso. This means I am “tall and narrow” and was wondering which brands might be better for me - ie short top tube vs. others. It was difficult to get a good fit on my road bike and would imagine a tri bike might be even tougher.

  2. My wife just had the conversation with me - I want to try a tri, which means she needs a bike. I want to buy her a used bike. Based on her specs - height, leg length, etc. - I want to figure out what size frame I should be looking for on the used market. Once I buy her a bike, I will get her properly fit.

Yes, I’ve been fitted on my road bike but want to avoid $$$ to help me get in the ballpark through the used market.

Mike

2

Road bike or tri bike?

3

Both!

  1. Tri bike for me.
  2. Road bike for her.

The big question is “how you get in the ball park in order to buy a used bike?” For me, I have a 58cm s2 that I love as a road bike but how does it correspond to sizing on a tri-bike? Or, for my wife - she is 5’6" with an inseam of x - what would be good road bikes for her to start on and in what sizes?

I’ve read the ST fist methodology and believe in it but I feel a bit trapped. I want to confidently buy a used bike without having to spend $300 on a fitting first. Or am I crazy to think that I could do that?

Mike

4

Both!

  1. Tri bike for me.
  2. Road bike for her.

The big question is “how you get in the ball park in order to buy a used bike?” For me, I have a 58cm s2 that I love as a road bike but how does it correspond to sizing on a tri-bike? Or, for my wife - she is 5’6" with an inseam of x - what would be good road bikes for her to start on and in what sizes?

I’ve read the ST fist methodology and believe in it but I feel a bit trapped.** I want to confidently buy a used bike without having to spend $300 on a fitting first.** Or am I crazy to think that I could do that?

Mike
Why? $300 doesn’t buy too many stems, aerobars, and saddles, which is what you’ll need to buy in order to make that used bike fit. Or rather, you’ll spend the money on a fit at some point, so why not spend it first?

  1. If you must – http://www.slowtwitch.com/Bike_Fit/Devising_a_static_tri-fit_system_890.html – but I don’t recommend it

  2. there are lots of acceptable options here, but again, I don’t really recommend them. But if you need to, you can probably use fit kit or anything like that. Again, the cost of a fit is way cheaper than new bars, new stems, new saddles, etc.

5

Folks - is there an online database that can help us with rough fits? I ask for two reasons

Competitive cyclist has a fit calculator that seems to get good reviews.

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/za/CCY?PAGE=FIT_CALCULATOR_INTRO