I am hoping someone on here is an expert in bike fit (who is willing to help me out). A friend of mine if giving up road cycling an offered to give me their bike. I am 5’7" and the frame in question is a 49cm Lemond. Is it possible to fit me to this bike? Please provide any information that would be helpful if you are willing to do so. Thank you.
Noit will not fit.
alright, can get a second opinion? or an explanation as to why it will not fit?
O.K. Although you may be able to raise the seat enough, and I say may, the cockpit will be too short unless you have some really weird perportions. What is your inseam? Arm length. You are asking a question without giving any specifics, while wanting a certain answer. Sorry. I am “NOT” a professional fitter. A49 cm is one of the smallest frames made, consequently to fit smaller people. You can make anything work, but it will not fit. The ratio of seat tube to top tube will not be correct.
thank you for the clarification/response. i am sorry i don’t have a tape measurer around to get all my measurements, but my inseam is 30. it appears as though a 49 will not fit me, what size would you suggest? 52? 54?
I’m 5’9" and rode a 53 cm Lemond which fit me very well.
I tend to think the 49 is a bit too small.
You can make it fit with a long upturned stem to compensate for the likley short top tube and head tube, but I’d suspect a 51 cm frame would be your ideal. Lemond road bikes tend to have slightly longer top tubes, so it really depends on your body proportions.
Can not answer that question. When all frames were diamond frames (straight top tube), not all measurements were the same, as in “center or top tube to center of bottom bracket” Different companies measured different. To confuse it more all bikes geomitry are different. If you have short arm some makes will fit you better than others, FYI, I have been pro fitted by one of the best guys in the country, I ride a 58 Klein, 58 trek, 59 aluminum Lemond and a 61 carbon Lemond. Wish I ould help you more, but it is justmore complicated than that. Here is a thread from yesterday…Lets not even go to tri fits:(
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?post=1943733;search_string=;#1943733
Convert your inseam to cm by multiplying by 2.54. Explained here:
Being curious, and wanting to learn. Long torso short arms legs? Or the opposite. Thanks
I have a long torso and short(er) legs.
The traditional Lemond geometries were always a little different due to Greg’s body proportions which influenced his bike design. Greg preferred a slack geometry and long top tube bike. If you read his classic book “Greg Lemond’s Complete Book of Bicycling” from his TDF days, now long out of print, he talks about this. A lot of roadies still love his old steel frames for their stability and handling.
Hey, I have one more question for you, another friend of mine is offered to sell me his old (07) Scott Addict R2. I test rode that bike on a trainer (because it was pouring rain outside) and it felt alright, but I have never ridden a road specific bike and don’t really know what feel good/bad so I don’t really have a reference. That frame is a 52. Considering I am 5’7" with about a 30" inseam and longer torso and short(er) legs how would I be on that bike?
Thats why I asked you if you had a log torso for the size you rode. I agree with you. When they went carbon (Lemond) it was actually designed by Trek. That is why in carbon I ride a 61 to a 59(I meant the difference in top tube lenght to frame size). I really wished they did more with the spine frames. The public just did not care. It will be interesting if after the breakup with Trek, if Lemond will survive as a bike line.
cerveloguy or kenney, any advice on the scott addict? i would greatly appreciate it because it sounds like you know a lot.
Get with you tomorrow. Going to bed. I will look up there geometry tomorrow.
Thanks a lot! No worries, you do not know how much I appreciate your help. I am a novice with bike and greatly appreciate the advice of an expert.
I am “NOT” an expert. More than happy to stear you in the right direction though. Many more people on this forum know more than me. Cerveloguy does and so does Tom Demerly among others.
well, you are helping me out none the less. thank you.
Lemond 49 and Addict 52 will fit nearly the same - Lemond would require a 10mm longer stem and 8mm fewer spacers. The big advantage to the scott is the longer front centre (from the BB to the fork tips) which reduces the likelihood of hitting your toes against the front wheel. Apart from that the handling will be pretty similar.
Best idea is to find a good fitter in your area and get set up correctly, then use the coordinates they give you to work out which bikes will fit. This enables you to choose a 2nd hand bike with confidence that it will work (assuming the fitter did their job right). A common mistake is for beginning road cyclists to buy a bike becuase it’s a good deal and have to repeat the process when they discover that it didn’t really fit. So it wasn’t a good deal after all.
It sounds like you are not really in a position to make an informed decision at this point - take the time to educate yourself a bit and get expert (preferably in person) assistance so that you get it right first time. Getting it wrong wastes time and money along with spoiling your enjoyment of road cycling when you force yourself to ride an uncomfortable bike.
where are you located?