5' 7" - would a 17.5" be right? Or a 19.5"?

Question

I just purchased a new bike. My old bike is a Target special that I picked out on my own. After bringing my new bike home my husband mentioned that it looked small. I looked at my old bike and it is a 19.5"!

I talked with a salesperson who helped me size a bike. He originally had me trying a 16" but said it was too small. I was told the 17.5" fit me much better.

So was I wrong when I purchased my Target bike? Or is the salesperson who helped me wrong? I always worry about salespeople trying to sell me something just for a sale.

Answer 1

I have been shopping around for mountain bikes lately and have found that the 15.5" and 16" fit me best. I am also 5'7" but mostly leg. I went into a bike shop to get fitted and because my legs are long, one of the guys said I could possibly fit on a 17" or even a 19".What he failed to do was consider my torso length. If I had bought a larger bike I wouldn't have been as comfortable as I am on the 15-16". There are more adjustments that can be done on smaller bikes so your shoulders don't fatigue as quick- it's not only about your stand-over height.

Go for the smaller bike and make adjustments as necessary. I HIGHLY recommend buying a high quality bike over a Target/Walmart quality bike. If money is an issue, buy used. You will enjoy the sport much more on a better bike because there are so many differences you may not even realize yet. Get one then take it to a bike shop and upgrade parts as needed. Cheap bikes can be a waste of money if you really want to get into the sport.

Good luck, have fun, be careful, and stick with it.

P.S. Do a little research by checking ebay for current prices and also read some mountain bike mags. You can learn a lot that way.

Answer 2

I'd hate to say it...but I think you made a mistake. From your previous questions it seemed that you were getting some good advice from shops. Unfortunately, I think you may have gotten a bike that is of lesser quality and maybe the wrong size.

For a mountain bike, 17.5 sounds a little large if you are a woman of average build. I am a male about 5'9". I ride a 17.5 mountain bike. My father is 5'8" with shorter arms. He ride a 16". Perhaps if your arms are long, it would be ok, but it sounds to me like it may be a bit big. The guy in the bike store may have been right.

Answer 3

Like anything, it makes good sense to do your research ahead of time, regardless of where you purchase. First start with "standover" height. This is the height from the ground to the top tube of the bicycle. Essentially (conventional wisdom) you want to be about an inch over the top tube to the crotch of the rider straddling the frame; for a comfort / hybrid bike (road riding) and at least two inches above the top tube on a mountain bike. BUT, everyone is different, so comfort and physical ability should be taken into consideration. For example, I like larger frames so I barely have clearance from the top tube. Now you know how to make an informed decision based on your riding comfort.

Answer 4

Let's face it - at the BIG BOX STORES, you don't get to choose a size. Furthermore, who said the bike from the big box store was the right size for you..?

17.5" for a 5'7" person is pretty much right. Coincidentally, a lot of women are around your size, and we have to stock according to the people in the world vs. what we think we want to sell... For men, it's the 20" for them being 5'9" ~ 5'11" and I ride a 22.5" and I'm 6'1" tall. I hope that makes sense...

http://www.bikesrnottoys.com/

EVERYONE LOOKING FOR A NEW BIKE SHOULD READ THIS!!!

Sorry for the rant, Enjoy the link!

Answer 5

It all depends on how long your legs are. Better too small than too big. You can always raise the seat. And sorry to tell you, quality wise, and bike from Target, Walmart, K-mart, ect. , isn't very good.

Answer 6

go to your local bike shop and get fitted
never go to Walmart, Kmart, etc. for a real bike

Answer 7

im 5"8 and i use a 26'!!!!!