What Size Road Bike Should I Get?

For many people new to riding a road bike it can be rather overwhelming as to which one to get. Not only are we looking at the color and the components but more importantly, we want our investment to fit and be comfortable. There are SO many options though, where do you start? Endurance, Climbing and Aero. Small, Medium or Large. 52, 54, 56. Not to mention that each manufacturer has different geometry that can slightly impact the fit of the bike. There are SO many options and each of them means something different to each rider.

First and foremost, let’s keep it basic and help guide you along the way.  Here is a simple chart that can help you roughly find the size of bike that you should be looking for if you are in the market. Many people will find one size bike that fits and feels best to them, but for some you can go between two different sizes of bikes and make slight adjustments to parts that will make that bike fit you like a glove. So, if you are looking for a quick reference here is one for you:

FRAME SIZEFRAME SIZEMIN. RIDER HEIGHTMAX. RIDER HEIGHT
48cmX-SMALL4’10”5’ 2”
50cmSMALL5’ 1”5’ 5”
52cmSMALL/MEDIUM5’ 5”5’ 7”
54cmMEDIUM5’ 7”5’ 10”
56cmLARGE5’ 10”6’ 1”
58CMLARGE/XL6’ 0”6’ 3”
60CMXL6’ 3”6’ 5”