How to Measure a Road Bike Frame

The quickest and easiest way to determine if you should even be interested in buying a particular road bicycle is through its standard bicycle size. At a bike shop this information will be readily available, but that is not often the case when it comes to used bicycles. You may find it necessary to take your own measurement, or to instruct the seller how he should take the measurement for you.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Tape measure
Calculator or pad and pencil (for conversions)

Step 1

Put the bike in a stable, convenient position, such as on its kickstand or against a wall.

Step 2

Measure from the central hub of the bicycle, where the pedal wheel is mounted, to the top rim of the seat tube with a tape measure. This measurement should not include the telescoping tube that can be raised or lowered with the seat, but only the permanent tubing of the bicycle frame. This is the size, in inches, of the road bike frame.

Step 3

Convert from inches to centimeters if necessary, as may be the case for imported bicycle frames. Multiply your inches measurement by 2.54 and round off. For example, 22 inches times 2.54 equals 55.88, which should be rounded up to 56 cm.

Tips & Warnings

Always inspect the bike frame before you measure it. The size is often stamped onto the frame or denoted with a sticker. You can save yourself the time and trouble of taking your own measurement this way.

Article Written By Edwin Thomas

Edwin Thomas has been writing since 1997. His work has appeared in various online publications, including The Black Table, Proboxing-Fans and others. A travel blogger, editor and writer, Thomas has traveled from Argentina to Vietnam in pursuit of stories. He holds a Master of Arts in international affairs from American University.

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