Choosing the right size bike involves a series of questions. A bike that's too big or too small, discomfort and poor handling – the consequences of choosing the wrong size often bring their share of uncertainties.
Through this article, discover the specifications related to choosing a bike size as well as the particularities for each type of riding.
There you have it, you've finally chosen your bike ! After poring over catalogs and analyzing all the existing brands, your dream bike is finally within reach. But it's not quite over yet, because you'll still have to go through the tedious step of choosing the right size, which can be quite complex for a beginner. Don't panic, we'll explain how to choose the right size bike and also help you understand the different frame sizes depending on your riding style.
First, it's important to understand that choosing the right size bike is quite similar to choosing the right size jeans; you sometimes need to try them on and then analyze the available options and brands to understand the characteristics of the products offered. And if there's one expectation that prevails, it's comfort.
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Indeed, just like your favorite jeans brand, a bicycle manufacturer can make ergonomic choices when designing its product range. It's not uncommon to see two brands, even with similar features and product lines, offering different frame geometries, either longer or taller. For those wondering, bicycle frame geometry has nothing to do with mathematics; it simply refers to all the dimensions that make up a bicycle (e.g., saddle frame height, wheelbase , head tube height).
| Sizes (cm) | Inseam (cm) | Road* | Practical | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MTB | Hybrid Bike | |||
| > 150cm | 64cm | 47 | XXS | |
| 152 – 160cm | 68cm | 47 | XXS | |
| 161 – 162cm | 73cm | 49 | XS | |
| 163 – 164cm | 74cm | 49-50 | XS | |
| 165-166cm | 75cm | 50 | between XS and S | between XS and S |
| 167 – 168cm | 76cm | 50 | S | |
| 169 – 170cm | 77cm | 50-52 | S | |
| 171 – 174cm | 79cm | 52 | between S and M | between S and M |
| 175 – 178cm | 82cm | 53 | M | M |
| 179 – 180cm | 82cm | 54 | M | M |
| 181 – 182cm | 84cm | 54-55 | M | M |
| 183 – 184cm | 86cm | 56 | between M and L | between M and L |
| 185 – 187cm | 87cm | 56 | L | L |
| 188 – 189cm | 90cm | 57 | L | L |
| 190-191cm | 91cm | 60 | between L and XL | between L and XL |
| 192 – 194cm | 92cm | 60 | XL | XL |
| 194 – 198cm | 93cm | 60-62 | between XL and XXL | between XL and XXL |
| 198 – 2m and over | 94cm and over | 62 | XXXL | XXXL |
It's therefore important to remember that each bicycle brand is different and incorporates ergonomic choices considered to be its core identity. Since we're discussing cycling philosophy, we can also talk about the bicycle's origin. It's common to see that, for the same riding style and frame size, an English brand might be longer, a German brand taller—the examples are numerous.
Furthermore, it's worth remembering that these differences are more significant in MTB , Hybrid Bike , and city Bike . Rest assured, we're talking about a few millimeters of difference here; however small these differences may be, they can impact the angle of your neck, the position of your hands on the handlebar , and even the tilt of your pelvis.
Regarding road Bike , which is more demanding, we recommend carefully reviewing what brands offer and making a thoughtful choice of size. The hours spent in saddle and the repetitive pedaling motion create biomechanical constraints that, combined with poor posture, can lead to chronic pain well-known to road cyclists (e.g., lower back pain, neck pain, iliotibial band syndrome, etc.).
You will then need to take the necessary time to find the model and size of bicycle that will suit your body type.
Conseils pour entretenir sa transmission de vélo
Conseils pour entretenir sa transmission de vélo
*hauteur du cadre en cm
Informations complémentaires:
Les données présentes dans ce tableau sont également pour les pratiques d’endurance en Gravel, Triathlon et Cyclocross. En ce qui concerne les données proposées pour la pratique du VTT, celles-ci sont compatibles avec le choix d’un vtt tout suspendu ou semi-rigide.
*hauteur du cadre en cm
Informations complémentaires:
Les données présentes dans ce tableau sont également pour les pratiques d’endurance en Gravel, Triathlon et Cyclocross. En ce qui concerne les données proposées pour la pratique du VTT, celles-ci sont compatibles avec le choix d’un vtt tout suspendu ou semi-rigide.
Conseils pour entretenir sa transmission de vélo
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