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6ft 5 and new to modern frames

by john kirk
Thu, Apr 09, 2015 20:11
3

1

Hi everyone.

25 year ago I rode a Peugeot bike... very much an entry bike
very heavy and very tall frame ....

Me and the good lady have decided to invest in 2 Merida bikes to keep fit.

Im going for a Merida Ride 100 (As I think I will probably work my way up to some pacy rides and want to use the upper body using the race bars, once said upper body is significantly less fat)
The good lady is very much a novice rider looking for health rides on cycle tracks hence a light hybrid the Merida Speeder 100 V

We went with this brand due to the excellent service/advice from a local Merida stockist and service deal.
I would personally be considering the B-Twin option had it not been for the good service at the Merida dealer..

anyway...
The frame on these bikes (especially the Ride 100) look very different to the frame I used to 20 year ago.

At 6ft 5 what size frame should I be looking at ?
Instinctively I assumed the largest frame size but the shop said it would be too big for me ?! Odd as I used to be the biggest man in the world 20 years ago... lol ... I guess generations are getting bigger. 39
I was recommended a 56 frame size... but their are 2 bigger frames available 59 & 62 ????

I know nothing about these bike types (although significantly more than I did a week ago)

Would a 56cm frame for this type of bike still be suitable for someone 6ft5 ?
I just need that feedback prior to placing the order.... its a lot of money (in my world it is anyway 1 )

thanks

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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3 comments

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john kirk | 9 years ago
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Thanks for all the replies...

Got back to the Merida dealer and after some more jostling we settled on a 59 frame.
Seems I had mistaken another type of frame I sampled in the Merida range as typical of any other in the Merida range.

Thanks for all the comments.
A combination of all the advice plus a video I found online pointing out the 'look at the wheel hub' test all came together to make my decision more confident at the shop, especially when the salesman started to fit us to frames using (in part) the 'look at the hub' rule of thumb calibration.

Additionally after viewing a you tube video made by a woman from a womens specific bespoke cycle company regarding road bars my other half became more interested in road bar bikes... and true enough, once in the shop trying road bars vs straight bar hybrids, we both ended up with Merida Ride 100's ... My better half the Juliet model.

So.. thanks once more for replying to the questions 1
Probably such a common line of questions, but the answers have got us onto two wheels 1

now for the big decisions...
Spiderman or Batman Lycra 4 105

39

Please see other duplicate forum thread (its got more replies)...thanks !

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CStar | 9 years ago
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Welcome back to cycling.
I'm 6'2" and I ride an XL 60cm Specialized Secteur. I like the slightly more relaxed geometry of the Secteur. I just found that this suited me well. I don't have particularly long arms, but find the reach works well for me.
Usual advice applies. Try a few and see if they are comfortable. If one is, then fine,. Don't stress! Easy to over-complicate things and spend/waste huge amounts of time on 'is it millimeter perfect?'. For most of us run of the mill riders, it's not going to make a huge difference.

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Simmo72 | 9 years ago
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Welcome to the mindfield of frame sizing and the daft approach of having every company doing things differently. A Ride 100 56 does sound a little small, looking at the geometry the top tube is very short and the head tube low (relatively), but, and its a big but...it all depends on your proportions. i'm 6ft4, with proportionally long legs and shorter torso. I would go for the 58 myself because I want the headtube height. I have a saddle height of 87.5 cm so even with a head tube of 25cm I am still riding with a largish bar drop. If you are of a similar proportion, the geometry of a 56 does not look right to me

Unfortunately the only way you will know is by sitting on them, For you, the 56 may well be a perfect fit but on paper and without knowing your physical build it does look a little short and small

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