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Im not really into cycling, never have been, but i want one now as its the best way to get around the city i moved to, and i drive 3 miles to work but get stuck in traffic for half an hour. So a bike will be a piece of cake. I could do that in ten minutes!

The only issue is, like everything these days, nobody gives me an easy answer, if you ask "what size bike?" they start talking about posture and weight and inside leg measurements and all this garbage. Im physically fit, and every bike i ever took anywhere (loaning them usually) i just got on it and cracked on.

So no BS, in a nutshell, im 5 foot 9. What frame size bike do i get?

Any? Seriously, I have never looked at a bikes frame before, just make sure you can position the seat and handle thats all you need really... And this is coming from a guy who bikes about 30 kilometers a day... because I can.

Actually, I've never heard anyone utter the words Bike Measurements together before... And everyone cycles here.

Yeah, first I've heard of any kind of measurements beyond kid or adult.

I think he was talking about a real bike, in which case I'd give my standard response of recommending a 650 or 750cc.

hi mattyrm,

do i get it right that your height is about 1,70 meters give or take the od centimeter?

well then i´d suggest a bike size about 16`` to 18``.
depends what size your actualy are. well go for a bike size of 17`` is my guess. and i think that for a good driving you should get the right size otherwise you are wasting a whole lot of energy by not getting angeles in the reight position of legs and arms so this might result in cramps and so on...

good luck in the bike hunt

20 inch frame. I am 6'3 and I ride a 24 inch. 20 inches are for people 5'8-6'0

you guys are silly. bike sizes are very important.

Amsterdam disagrees. All you need is quantity.



In all seriousness though, most young people here are either on misfit mountain bikes or crappy old bikes dubbed "grandma bikes" (oma fiets in Dutch). Only the 40+ crowd actually buys bycicles, others just visit a local trainstation to find a "shared" bike.

I love this country.

You see Amsterdam's system is all well and good but t wouldn't work in the Uk due to something called a scouser and another thing called ebay.

Heh.. you find them IN the water too

I'm sure the average british youth could find a lot of things to do with a free bike, riding it like a civilised dutchman being last on the list.

Theres a lot of m... somehow... folded... around streetlights and such too... It's just part of the Amsterdam scenery.

But I'm completely derailing this topic so i'll leave you alone now

When I was bike shopping years ago I was told by the salesman at my local Trek bike shop that you don't want a bike frame so tall that with the seat at it's lowest you can't touch the ground flat footed.

If you have to get on tiptoes to touch the ground with the seat at it's lowest the frame is too high. If you have a longer upper body you want a frame that allows handlebars to rise high enough to never force you into being stooped over at more than a 45 degree angle (for mountain bikes anyway, I know road bikes have you lying practically parallel to the ground).

Most good bikes come in enough frame sizes and handlebar configs to comfortably seat most people. It's only when you get into cheaper Walmart/Target/Kmart bikes that you run into problems with size and comfort.

Am I the only one who wants to 'ride around like a civilised Dutchman'? It sounds fun.

mattyrm wrote:Im not really into cycling, never have been, but i want one now as its the best way to get around the city i moved to, and i drive 3 miles to work but get stuck in traffic for half an hour. So a bike will be a piece of cake. I could do that in ten minutes!

The only issue is, like everything these days, nobody gives me an easy answer, if you ask "what size bike?" they start talking about posture and weight and inside leg measurements and all this garbage. Im physically fit, and every bike i ever took anywhere (loaning them usually) i just got on it and cracked on.

So no BS, in a nutshell, im 5 foot 9. What frame size bike do i get?

I used to ride for fitness and "commuting" around campus. If you're going to be bike commuting, then I'd suggest the following:

1. secure (i.e. locking) bike storage at office

Spend $500 on bike & stuff, and have it stolen / vandalized would really suck

2. office clothes locker and shower

Should fit in office drawer. Have clean changes of clothes at the office, drive once a week to refresh / laundry.

3. helmet, reflectors & lights

Getting hit by a car or truck would *really* ruin your commute.

4. bike shoes & cycling shorts

Blisters, foot pain, chafing are not good. Bike shoes exist for a reason, same with the shorts. There are "normal"-looking shorts available.

So far, I haven't said squat about the bike itself, so far. That's intentional.


Assuming you're getting the bike for long-term commuting, not general use (no trails, fitness secondary, blah blah blah), then you're looking for something similar to a "racing" bike. You want:
1. 12-14-16 speeds -- for hills & smoothest power delivery
2. lightweight frame -- no need lugging extra weight around
3. standard drop handlebar -- varying hand positions = good
4. 700c wheels -- high-speed version of the old "adult / 27-inch" bike
5. "relaxed" geometry -- no need for super-quick handling
6. Shimano gearset -- industry leader, industry standard
Sometimes, they're advertised as touring bikes, sometimes as communting bikes.


Based on your height, you're probably looking at a 50/52-cm frame, give or take. I'm 6-foot, and ride a 58-cm frame.

It'll be worth having the guy at the store "fit" you to the bike in terms of setting your saddle height and fore-aft position, along with handlebar height & angle, because you'll probably pedal more smoothly and comfortably that way.

Price actually does matter. The bikes with higher-end parts (up to $1k) are smoother-shifting and more comfortable (carbon fiber). If you go cheap, you'll learn a lot about what you like or don't like, and probably buy a second bike with the features you really like, but this is actually the more expensive route.

Feel free to ask more questions, maybe others can help, too.

Bicycle and comfort do not belong in the same sententce. The guy who invented the bicycle seat needs to be shot. Back on topic i would say as others have if you can reach the ground easy and are able to adjust the hadle bars so you are not to crouched forward you are good to go.

Vindicator#9 wrote:Bicycle and comfort do not belong in the same sententce.

The guy who invented the bicycle seat needs to be shot.

Back on topic i would say as others have if you can reach the ground easy and are able to adjust the hadle bars so you are not to crouched forward you are good to go.

Perhaps you need to learn to ride better? When properly-fitted, it's quite comfortable to ride for hours at a time, assuming the rider has the proper physical conditioning to do so.

It's a *saddle* (for position), not a seat (for your weight). There's a big difference between the two. When riding, your weight should be on the balls of your feet, not on your nuts.

Bike position will vary by rider and usage. When I was riding for fitness, I fitted aerobars, and rode very low & tucked-in.

I used to ride from Belseize Park to Bermondsey [40 mins through the heart of London] every day for work and it is a great idea but can be a bit inconveinient say if you don't have shower/changing facilities at work. No one wants to be smelly at work, but with only 3 miles you shouldn't get too sweaty and waterproofs should be good enough for any rain.

I'm fairly tall (6'4") and used the biggest frame I could lay my hands on, obviously trying them out in store is the way to go. I didn't follow the recommendations re size, everyone has differant height/leg length/gaite dimensions afterall. I found that I was most comfortable when I could get my leg straight when seated, this would enable me to touch down with my toes at the lights and allow me to maximise the energy used while cycling. It always makes me laugh to see people on small frames/low seats puffing away in a low gear wasting their energy.

For city/town riding get something rugged + cheap. I have always used a mountain bike and you don't need to pay more than £200 [should say I have not had to buy a new one for 5 years] and you should get shimano gears for this price as well. Bikes are too easily stolen and damaged to bother spending more on if you are using them for commuting and not worth insuring at this price. There are loads of discount cycle online stores to find something from.

Finally always buy a gel seat, ALWAYS! Pot holes and kerbs will be less kind to your tackle otherwise!

JohnHwangDD wrote:

Vindicator#9 wrote:Bicycle and comfort do not belong in the same sententce.

The guy who invented the bicycle seat needs to be shot.

Back on topic i would say as others have if you can reach the ground easy and are able to adjust the hadle bars so you are not to crouched forward you are good to go.

Perhaps you need to learn to ride better? When properly-fitted, it's quite comfortable to ride for hours at a time, assuming the rider has the proper physical conditioning to do so.

It's a *saddle* (for position), not a seat (for your weight). There's a big difference between the two. When riding, your weight should be on the balls of your feet, not on your nuts.

Bike position will vary by rider and usage. When I was riding for fitness, I fitted aerobars, and rode very low & tucked-in.

I laughed, that was funny.

Ive been a bike fan since I was a kid. Hell I used to collect oddball bikes. Had some trikes, a tandem, some that can fold in half. Anyways, I just recently restored an old ass Schwin and Im loving it. Not sure on the bike size but its go those big ass 26 inch tires. Its a great ride. And yea most regular bike seats suck big time. Im a big dude so I need something more comfy then metal with some plastic on it.

Good luck on the bike hunt mattyrm, I know I enjoy riding my bike around

Albatross wrote:Am I the only one who wants to 'ride around like a civilised Dutchman'? It sounds fun.

No, it does sound quite enjoyable.

Thanks for the advice guys, nice stright answer is 20".

I went to buy one off the website and it said "pick size - 16-18-20-22-24"

Thanks a bunch.

Tyyr wrote:

Albatross wrote:Am I the only one who wants to 'ride around like a civilised Dutchman'? It sounds fun.

No, it does sound quite enjoyable.

You'll have to learn to cycle without using your hands though :3 (even on the most ramshackle unstable bikes around)

My bycicle is like 10 + years old, rusty in all the wrong places, and the lights and such are held together with ducktape, yet it's a smoother ride then my mountain bike with spring suspension.. things.... whatever you call them.

But yea, here nearly every child cycles to school(outside of the cities), which for me was 13km, for 5 years, so I think that's kind of different from how it's done in America (or so i've heard).

You should totally ride one of these:


Sorry, just had to post it. I don't know anything about biking other than that it's impossible to forget how to do it.