Seat height on 58cm bike frame.

1) 58cm is almost guaranteed to be too large of a frame for you.

2) can't tell high high seat should be...it depends on if it's a sloping top tube and how flexible your hamstrings are.

Do you think I should go with a 54cm bike frame instead, since I am 5'11"?

The top bar is straight across and does not slope.

Edited by calbears28 2009-06-18 4:26 PM

Or a 56. Or you could go in and have the LBS fit you, rather than guessing.

I'm confused - do you already have the bike or not?  I assumed you did, but if not then it's a strange question...  Your seat height depends on your inseam.

Going with the assumption you have the bike, you can do what the rest of the world does to start.  Put on your regular cycling clothes and shoes.  Keep putting the seat up until you are "rocking" your hips to pedal or it feels wrong (or if you can tell if you're straightening your legs) then put it back down a bit.  If that feels okay you're good to go. 

A bike fit may not be a bad idea in the future, as it will cover seat height among other things.

Edited to add:  Just to be clear, you should NOT be rocking.  That's how you know you've gone too far.  You want a slight bend in your knee at the bottom position.

Edited by BikerGrrrl 2009-06-18 4:43 PM

I do not have the bike yet. My wife bought me the bike and it is a 58cm bike frame. I am just starting out in all of this and was just looking for a starter bike. I guess I will get on the bike and see if I can make the appropriate adjustments. We will see.

Competitive Cyclist has a fantastic bike fit calculator available online, also. I'd give this a try if I were you, to see what your body geometry indicates.

58 is usually just a little big for 5-11 ... I am 6-1 (but not too flexible) and ride a 58 Specialized (with 582mm effective top tube) with a 90 mm stem. 6-0 is about the shortest rider who fits normally in a size for a 58, although a flexible rider might want a longer top tube on a 58 versus a 56....so you are not that far off, and can probably fit on the bike ... though if you think you can get it swapped for a 56, I might look into that. Certainly look into a 70 mm or a 90 mm stem, though. Another advantage of a 58 is a higher handle bar height, which might be more comfortable for you.

As far as seat height.... conventional fit wisdom is that you want about a 20 degree angle on your knee at full extenion on the downstroke. This is stretched a little more than most noobs think is "right", so be careful not to set your seat too low. A little to low is better than a little too high.... 20 degrees is about the minimum angle you want.

After you set the seat height, find a comfortable arm stretch .... or go for a custom fitting at a reputable bike shop. I got fit and it was the best $100 I ever spent on bike upgrades.

Edited by jsselle 2009-06-20 4:09 PM