What Is The Frame Size Of A Bike

When you lot are new to cycling the first question you enquire yourself is"What size cycle do I need?". It is not a circuitous question, merely it is one that tin crusade a lot of fear and sleepless nights! There seem to be a 1000000 bike frame sizes. In that location is a lot of communication, so we have decided to bring it all here for you lot in a simple format with a handy bike size chart to help guide yous.

Our easy-to-read size nautical chart will show you the bike size options for your height. Nosotros volition then requite yous a rundown on a few simple tips to assistance ease your mind nigh bike frame size. Finally, we volition suspension downward some myths and give you existent information and then you can go into any shop and know what you lot are being told is truthful — not only a sales pitch.

Bike Frame Size Chart – Check the Bike Size in an Easy Way
- Mount Bike Size Chart
- Hybrid Bicycle Size Chart
- Route Wheel Size Chart
- BMX Bike Size Chart
Does Wheel Size Affect Sizing? Is a Bike Bike Size Nautical chart Needed?
A Separate Women's Bike Size Chart is Not Needed
Kid's Wheel Sizing Tin Be Done in Various Ways
How to Measure out Your Inseam Length
Bike Fit Calculators
What to Do If You Got Your Bike Fit Wrong

Wheel Frame Size Chart – Check the Bike Size in an Piece of cake Way

The simplest way to find out if a bicycle is the correct size for y'all is to look at our handy cycle frame size charts. We have broken these down into the various types of cycle available.

man measuring the size of his bike frame

Mount Bike Size Chart

Mount cycle sizing tin can be affected by interruption and your tire choices. And so, make sure you look at a tire size chart and try a total-suspension mount cycle for size before buying. For standard hardtails, our mount cycle size chart should be a god ship.

Your height		Your leg inseam		Suggested frame size
Feet/Inches	Centimeters	Inches	Centimeters	Inches	Size
4`10"-v`1"	148-158 cm	24-29"	61-73 cm	14″	XS
5`1″-5`5″	158-168 cm	25-30"	63-76 cm	15" / 16″	Due south
5`5″-5`nine″	168-178 cm	26-31"	66-78 cm	16" / 17″	M
5`9″-6`0″	178-185 cm	27-32"	68-81 cm	17″ / 18″	L
half dozen`0″-vi`3″	185-193 cm	28-33"	71-83 cm	18″ / 19″	XL
half dozen`i″+	193 cm+	29"+	73 cm+	xx"+	XXL+

Not sure which mountain bike to buy? Check out our mountain bike reviews.

Hybrid Cycle Size Chart

A hybrid is your fastest way effectually boondocks and you'll notice their sizes sit down in-between road bicycle and mountain wheel sizing. We have fix this hybrid bicycle size chart in inches equally it is the most common manner to purchase hybrid bikes, some fast models will be measured in centimeters like road bikes.

Your tiptop		Your leg inseam		Suggested frame size
Feet/Inches	Centimeters	Inches	Centimeters	Inches	Size
4`ten"-five`1"	147-155 cm	24-29"	61-73 cm	14″	XS
5`ane″-5`5″	155-165 cm	25-xxx"	63-76 cm	fifteen"	S
5`v″-v`9″	165-175 cm	26-31"	66-78 cm	xvi"	K
5`9″-vi`0″	175-183 cm	27-32"	68-81 cm	17″	L
6`0″-6`3″	183-191 cm	28-33"	71-83 cm	eighteen″	Twoscore
6`1″+	191 cm +	29"+	73 cm+	19″	XXL+

Non sure which hybrid cycle to buy? Check out our hybrid bike reviews.

Route Bike Size Chart

Our route bicycle size nautical chart will work similar a very unproblematic route bike size calculator. Make sure your wheel sizing is spot-on with this chart. You no longer demand to wonder: "What size bike should I buy?"

Your elevation		Your leg inseam		Suggested frame size
Feet/Inches	Centimeters	Inches	Centimeters	Centimeters	Size
4`x"-5`i"	148-152 cm	24-29"	61-73 cm	47-48 cm	XXS
5`ane″-5`5″	152-160 cm	25-30"	63-76 cm	49-50 cm	XS
five`five″-v`9″	160-168 cm	26-31"	66-78 cm	51-54 cm	S
five`9″-6`0″	168-175 cm	27-32"	68-81 cm	54-56 cm	K
six`0″-6`three″	175-183 cm	28-33"	71-83 cm	58-sixty cm	L
6`1″+	183-191 cm	29"+	73 cm+	62 cm+	XL+

Not certain which road bike to buy? Check out our road bike reviews.

BMX Wheel Size Chart

If yous want to get rad downward at the skatepark or race runway, this is a quick guide to getting the right BMX size. BMX, unlike other wheel sizes, can be changed past preference. The size volition not biomechanically impede on you.

Your Tiptop		Suggested Race BMX Size	Suggested Park BMX Size
Feet/Inches	Centimeters
<4'4"	<132 cm	Micro	16" Wheel
4'ii″ – four'10"	127 – 148 cm	Mini	18" Wheel
iv'six″ – v'ane″	137 – 155 cm	Inferior	20" Bicycle 18 -19.5" toptube
5'0″ – v'4″	152 – 163 cm	Practiced	20" Wheel nineteen.5- 20.25" toptube
5'2″ – v'half dozen″	157 – 168 cm	Expert XL	twenty" Cycle 20.25 – twenty.5" toptube
five'3″ – five'8″	160 – 173 cm	Pro	20" Wheel twenty.5 – xx.75" toptube
5'7″ – 6'0″	170 – 183 cm	Pro XL	20" Bike 20.75 – 21" toptube
6'+	183 cm+	Pro XXL	20" Wheel 21"+ toptube

What you will run into in these charts is that adult bikes are generally measured by their bicycle frame size. Wheel size is a very important metric if y'all are a child because y'all need to be able to stand up over your bike if you desire to ride it, and wheels that are as well big won't permit yous practice that.

Does Wheel Size Affect Sizing? Is a Bike Wheel Size Nautical chart Needed?

On road bikes and hybrids, no, equally these bikes will all take a similarly sized wheel. However, on a mountain cycle, the answer is yes. Mountains bikes now come up in three different bicycle sizes. You lot tin can detect them with 26" wheels, 27.five" wheels, or 29" wheels. If all three have a fifteen" frame, in that location volition be a height difference between them due to their wheel size. Bike frames are measured from the middle of their bottom bracket to the end of their seat tube. Your wheel axle tiptop sets your bottom bracket pinnacle.

If we have the 26" wheel as the base pinnacle, the axle top for a 27.5" bike volition be 0.75" college. If we then look at the 29" bicycle, its beam will be 1.v" higher. This is considering the axle sits in the middle of your wheel. We and so divide the difference in wheel top by one-half to become information on how much higher the axle sits.

A 15" frame will be 15.75" on a 27.5" or 16.v" on a 29". Some manufacturers have worked on the mathematics and geometry to keep the differences closer than this. Others accept not.The good news is, we have the choice of knowing stack and reach, and this will tell united states of america how close the fit is for yous. We have more on stack and attain below.

A Separate Women's Bike Size Nautical chart is Not Needed

You might not believe information technology, but the charts in a higher place also work for women. They are all the perfect women's wheel sizes. Nosotros have been fed so many tales near how women need specific bikes and kits. We take all heard the stories of women having a smaller torso than men, therefore needing smaller acme tubes.

If you lot take a woman and a man of the same height, the man will have longer legs, and the women will have a longer torso. Themythis purely anecdotal and is non helped by high heels and the cut of women'south trousers. Information technology is a prevalent myth, and one that needs to dice. There are references below if y'all want to know more.

The secret to a women'south fit is a women's specific saddle. There is a caveat to this though: ten% of women have a pelvis shaped like a homo's pelvis. What women need is a bike that fits, so don't exist taken in by the "shrink it and pink information technology" marketing. Expedition, for instance, has sizing charts that don't change due to gender, but they do pink bikes with a women'due south specific saddle.

The bicycle size charts are non the cease of the story. Y'all can further dial your bicycle fit and size needed by knowing how to calculate your bike's saddle height. Your saddle summit is the well-nigh important contact signal that yous have with your bike.

Child'south Bike Sizing Can Be Washed in Various Ways

Getting the right sized bike for your child does non demand to be a complicated process. Nosotros recollect this topic needs its own post so we wrote this kids cycle size chart article that covers all aspects.

How to Measure Your Inseam Length

Measuring your inseam is pretty easy, and it is the first step in how to measure yourself for a wheel. Y'all volition demand four things: a hardback book, a tape measurer, a friend, and yourself.

Notice a dainty wall.
Stand with your back against the wall, as flat as possible and with no shoes or socks.
Place your feet shoulder width apart
Take your book and run it upwards to the acme of your inner legs.
Become your friend to measure from the top of the volume to the floor.
You accept your inseam length, and it will more than likely not be the same as your trouser leg measurement.

These steps volition not only allow y'all to calculate your frame size, they will also permit y'all to measure your saddle height. The Greg LeMond method has been shown to be pretty accurate here. What you do is accept your inseam measurement in centimeters and multiply it by 0.833.

You then take this measurement and get up your bike'due south seat tube with your tape. Once y'all have reached the magic number, this is where the top of your saddle should be. The number for your saddle pinnacle is one of the near critical metrics for bike sizing and fit.

You can and then use your inseam to calculate frame size by using some sums, or you tin can use one of the various online wheel fit calculators. If you desire to know the sums then to discover your route bike frame size, take your inseam length in centimeters and multiply information technology by 0.70. For a hybrid cycle, take your inseam and multiply it by 0.69. For mount bikes, have the same measurement and multiply 0.6, you lot will then need to change the centimeters into inches.

The adding here will requite y'all your bicycle's frame size. Bike frame sizes are measured in the same mode for all styles of bicycle. To measure your bicycle'due south frame size, take a measuring tape and place the tape in the center bolt of your bike'southward cranks. If it is just the frame, this will be the heart indicate in the bottom subclass beat out.

Now run the measuring tape up your seat tube. When you lot reach the end of the seat tube, you take your frame size. It is fairly uncomplicated.

Bike Fit Calculators

When searching online for advice almost bike sizing, you lot will come beyond cycle fit calculators. The simplest bike size calculators will use your meridian and inseam length. The frame size they give you lot volition and then just exist taken from the bike size charts we accept posted above.

The more complicated versions of this figurer will inquire a lot of questions, including such questions every bit "what is your arm length?" To measure your arm length, y'all will need your friend and record measure again.

Stand straight, with i arm out to your side level with your shoulder.
Clamp your fist.
Get your friend to measure out from the commencement of your collarbone to the centre of your clenched fist.

The measurement you take just taken volition exist your achieve. Y'all will see many manufacturers now quote their wheel's size in stack and accomplish. Some will even accept stack and reach on their bikes instead of frame size stickers.

Stack and reach is a smashing tool that can tell you how a cycle will fit. It enables you lot to escape the limitations of but using a single number for sizing purposes. It means you can tell the difference between one manufacturer's "Medium" and another manufacturer'south "Medium."

Your stack is the distance from the center signal of your lesser subclass to the middle betoken at the top of your wheel frame'south headtube. Your reach is the horizontal version of this distance. It is a much more technical bike sizing method, merely information technology is slowly becoming the preferred method, especially amidst higher end bikes.

Stack and accomplish is the perfect number for how to determine bike size.

What to Do If You Got Your Bike Fit Wrong

As a rule, if you sit between two sizes on a road or hybrid cycle, go smaller. For a mountain bike, go larger. That will make whatever time to come role changes easier.

Your bike comes fabricated from many parts, and all of these parts tin be changed to brand a bike fit you better. 1 of the cardinal ways to know if y'all have a problem is to listen to your body.

There is an old cycling rule that knee pain at the back of your leg means your saddle is also high. If you are having pain in the front end of your knee, so your saddle is besides depression. You volition discover that road cyclists generally have their seat too high. As with all rules, remember that these are just guides and not gospel.

When you are setting your saddle peak always retrieve that you tin change seat posts. Some seat posts supplied may exist likewise small, and some may be too long.

If your seat post is as well short, it is a trip to a bike store to sort the result. If your seat post is besides long, all you need to practise is hack off a bit. Wear a mask if you're cut carbon fiber.

If you feel the accomplish is too much or also cramped to your handlebars, then y'all can move your saddle frontward or backward. Look at your saddle rails, every bit they volition have maximum lines for movement. Going beyond these lines will probable cause your saddle to snap.

If you need to go beyond these lines, it might be worth irresolute your stem. You can change your stem to either a longer or a shorter stem. In that location will be an upshot on the way your bike handles, though. A shorter stem will make your bike feel twitchier, and a longer stem volition make your bike feel more lethargic.