The top tube and effective top tube length can differ because of the modern compact or semi-compact geometry bikes.
While we can’t offer a specific chart that will tell you exactly what size frame will be perfect for the dimensions of your body, what we can do is help to demystify the numbers on the geometry chart and show you how to use them to figure out the right size for you.Įffective top tube and top tube length can differ slightly. This means two people who are the same height might not fit on the same bike. What makes things even more complicated is that people are built differently some people have short torsos and long legs, while others have a long torso and short legs. This is especially true when riding one of the best road bikes because you will essentially maintain that same position for the duration of the ride, and if it’s wrong, you’re in for many hours of pain - the bad kind, that is. While minor adjustments can be made with stem length and saddle setback, ultimately if a bike frame is too big or small, the amount of available adjustment won't be great enough, and it will influence the bike's handling characteristics as well as cause issues when it comes to comfort.
