{"id":19650,"date":"2021-02-12T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-02-11T23:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.siroko.com\/blog\/c\/how-to-choose-the-right-bike-size-faq\/"},"modified":"2021-09-15T13:07:18","modified_gmt":"2021-09-15T11:07:18","slug":"how-to-choose-the-right-bike-size-faq","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.siroko.com\/blog\/c\/how-to-choose-the-right-bike-size-faq\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Choose The Right Bike Size? &#8211; Faq"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first questions a person who wants to start cycling asks are: What size bike do I need? What size should I get for my daughter? In some cases the answer is simple, but other questions are more difficult because, as with clothing or shoes, <\/span><b>there isn&#8217;t one standard size guide for all brands and we\u2019ll run the risk of making a mistake unless we double check it.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Bike sizing can vary even within the same brand, depending on the design and geometry of the bike and the discipline it&#8217;s designed for.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The good news is that <\/span><b>all brands provide their size guides <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to help you find the right fit. Moreover, some online sellers offer personalized help based on specific body measurements\u00a0 for people looking to buy a bike.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even so, <\/span><b>let&#8217;s answer some frequently asked questions about bike sizes:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>What size bike do I need?<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The rule of thumb is that <\/span><b>your height determines the size you need<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and is your point of reference when checking the brands\u2019 size charts.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most brands determine the frame size by the length of the seat tube. <\/span><b>They can be shown in cm (48, 50, 52&#8230;), inches (17, 19&#8230;) or as sizes (XS, S, M, L&#8230;). <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Inches are more common in mountain bikes, as the first MTBs were made in the USA. However,<\/span><b> nowadays most brands choose to use letters instead of numbers <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in order to standardize the sizes among their own models and not to confuse the user.\n<p><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>There is one classic way that can help you choose the bike size: by measuring<\/b> <b>a standover height<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It is the clearance between the top tube of the bike and your crotch when standing in front of the saddle. The clearance should be between 2 cm and 5 cm.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>What measurements do I need to find my size?<\/b><b><br \/><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We have already mentioned that height is important but <\/span><b>if you want to know your size more accurately you must measure the length of your inside leg: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">take off your shoes, stand on your feet and, with your legs straight, measure the distance from the floor to the crotch. To make it easier, place a book between your legs.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To get your size on a mountain bike, multiply this measurement by 0.21 to obtain a size in inches or by 0.54 to obtain a size in cm.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For a road bike, multiply this measurement by 0.665 to obtain a size in cm.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>What if my measurement is between two sizes?<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this case you can<\/span><b> measure your arm span<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (the length from the fingertip of one hand to the other with your arms raised parallel to the ground at shoulder height at a 90\u00b0 angle). If it\u2019s longer than your height, choose the bigger size, if it\u2019s shorter, choose the smaller one. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Luckily, this can be &#8220;easily&#8221; solved using a longer or shorter stem or a seatpost with or without a setback.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Is bike sizing different for women?\u00a0\n<p><\/b>The size will also be based on your height and you should follow the general recommendations mentioned here above.<\/p>\n<p><b>The frame sizes of women&#8217;s bikes are the same as unisex ones. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are women who feel more comfortable on a women&#8217;s bike because of its specific components, geometry and slightly smaller wheels, while other women choose unisex models.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>How to choose the right size of a kids&#8217; bicycle?<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are three things to bear in mind: <\/span><b>the height and age of the child,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and the fact that on kids&#8217; bikes <\/span><b>the wheel measured in inches determines the size of the bike.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> In a nutshell:<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For the youngest (children between 2 and 4 years old with a height between 85 and 105 cm) it will be a 12\u201d wheel push bike.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Then, there are the 14&#8243; bikes, with pedals and optionally with training wheels, designed for children between 3 and 6 years old and heights between 95 and 115 cm.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2 inches more and we have the 16&#8243; bikes, practically the same as the previous ones but a little bigger, to be used up to 7 years old and heights around 100-135 cm.\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The next step will be the 20&#8243; bikes for 6-10 year-olds, at most 140 cm tall. They no longer come with training wheels.\u00a0\n<p><\/span>The last specific size is a 24&#8243; bike for children older than 9 and over 135 cm tall.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>What does a 26-inch bicycle mean?<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><b>A 26-inch bike refers to the wheel size, not the frame size. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Therefore we are not talking about the size of the bike. The same goes for 27.5&#8243; or 29&#8243; bikes. In all three cases we are always talking about mountain or hybrid bikes.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Does frame size matter?<\/b><b><br \/><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><b>Yes and no<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The size of the frame defines the size of the bike and while it\u2019s crucial to use the right one to ride comfortably and handle the bike well, it is also true that <\/span><b>we can use other components to adjust a slightly undersized or oversized bike. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Only slightly though. If you\u2019re a size L it makes no sense to choose an S bike, or if you\u2019re between a S and M, it would be a bad decision to choose an L.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Where do I find the size of a bicycle?\n<p><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The bike size is usually painted or glued on <b>the top tube or the seat tube<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> where you will see a number in cm or inches, or a letter. <\/span><b>If there isn\u2019t any, use a tape measure to check the length of the seat tube: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">that\u2019s your bike size.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Do I have to be able to reach the ground with my feet?<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><b>If you&#8217;re a beginner then YES<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, it is recommended to be able to easily put your feet on the ground while on the saddle. <\/span><b>It\u2019s not the optimal position but it is the safest.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Later, with more confidence and skill, you can raise the saddle and only reach the ground with your toes.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>I feel confident on a bike. How high do I set the saddle?<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You should use your inside leg length as mentioned above and multiply it by 0.88. You&#8217;ll get the distance between the bottom bracket (the center point where the cranks rotate) and the highest point of the saddle.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can also do it old school. Get on the bike, put your heel on the pedal at its lowest position. At that point your leg should be <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">almost <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">completely straight. If you can&#8217;t reach it, the saddle is too high and if the leg is bent, you&#8217;ll have to raise the saddle.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<p><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>I can&#8217;t figure it out, I don&#8217;t have a measuring tape, it&#8217;s too confusing, I need help&#8230;\n<p><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Go to your local store.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Describe your physical condition (fitness, flexibility, injuries, etc.) to the salesperson and tell them what you\u2019ll use the bike for. They can give you some advice and, depending on the store, you might be able <\/span><b>to try out several models and sizes before you choose the perfect one.<\/p>\n<p><\/b><\/span>If you are going to spend a lot of money on a bike, it\u2019s crucial to get the seller\u2019s advice or have a biomechanical analysis carried out. Seller\u2019s assistance and bike testing in a store are free, and the price of a biomechanical analysis starts from 100\u20ac.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finally, <\/span><b>it\u2019s important to get the frame size right but bikes are not tailor-made<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. With use and practice you can fine-tune the bike to your measurements or needs by moving or changing the height and\/or length of the stem, handlebars, seatpost and saddle. After all, it\u2019s the bike that should adapt to you and not the other way round.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The first questions a person who wants to start cycling asks are: What size bike do I need? What size should I get for my daughter? In some cases the answer is simple, but other questions are more difficult because, as with clothing or shoes, there isn&#8217;t one standard size guide for all brands and&hellip;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more-wrapper\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.siroko.com\/blog\/c\/how-to-choose-the-right-bike-size-faq\/\" class=\"button button-secondary\" rel=\"bookmark\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">How To Choose The Right Bike Size? &#8211; Faq<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9797,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","neve_meta_reading_time":"","_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[229],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19650","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cycling-for-beginners"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.siroko.com\/blog\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19650","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.siroko.com\/blog\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.siroko.com\/blog\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.siroko.com\/blog\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.siroko.com\/blog\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19650"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.siroko.com\/blog\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19650\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.siroko.com\/blog\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9797"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.siroko.com\/blog\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19650"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.siroko.com\/blog\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19650"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.siroko.com\/blog\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19650"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}