rivendell rambouillet sizing question

[tlawnsby]

Howdy -- I've been wanting a blue rambo for several years and there is
a 58cm nice one for sale locally.
I "test rode" it today and and it felt good -- although I'll need a
shorter stem as the current owner has a much longer
torso.

My question is in regards to standover height -- I'm hoping for some
insight to determine if this is a good fit.
My PBH is 83.8 (used an "inches" measuring tape at 33inches exactly
and converted to cm.)
According to the Riv website chart I should look at 58cm-60cm frame.
This bike is a 58cm -- and it does slightly press into my groin as I
straddle the bike. I can lift the bike up slightly into my pelvic
bone and the tires come maybe 1cm off the ground. Is it normal to
have basically zero clearance between the nether-regions and the top
tube? I'm sure 60cm frame would be too big -- maybe I should wait for
a 56cm frame unless I'm overreacting? There's not a lot of seatpost
showing either -- maybe four fingers worth.

My wife is actually cooperative on this purchase if it's a good fit --
I just don't want to get a "one-size" too big and half to try and sell
it in the near future with buyer's remorse.

Thanks for any help -- Tom in Seattle.

[David Faller]

I have a fairly new Ram.  My PBH is 85 and I went with a 58cm frame and I would no way have gone larger.  A 57 would have been perfect for me if such a Ram size existed.  I'm touching the top tube, too, but I can lift the front up a few centimeters without discomfort.  I was dead set on a blue one, too, but I ended up with green because there were no 58's to be had (complete bikes).  Now I love the green and haven't looked back.  What I'm saying is, get the one that fits regardless of color.  You'll love the fit and the feel more than you'll ever love the color, and that's how it should be.  Besides, in a few years, if you love the bike to death by riding it a lot you can justify getting the frame repainted any color you want!

 

 

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[naw...@comcast.net]

I have a 60 blue Rambouillet.  My PBH is 87.  The standover with Rolly/Ruffys is close.  I can lift bike up some before top tube hits flesh.  Test rode a 62 before getting the 60, it felt great to ride but did not like being super snug when straddling top tube.  Tom, it sounds like the 58 is a good size for you. 

I did not like the blue when I got this bike.  I did not like the lamb on the headbadge.  After 3 years and thousands of miles I LOVE THIS BIKE!  It cannot be improved upon in my opinion.  Road usage is best and often my rides will take me onto dirt roads and it laughs and sings over them too.  Oh, and I now love the blue and the lamb. 

 

Dave Nawrocki

Ft. Collins, CO

 

E>

[Lisa -S.H.]

Tom you don't say how long the previous owner's stem was and how short a
stem you'd be having to put on this 58cm in order to have a comfortable
reach.
People often say get the biggest frame you can ride comfortably and
stand over.
My blue Rambouillet is a 54 and ideally it should be a 53 for me. The
reach is a bit of an issue, even though I have an inch of standover
clearance. I've done a buunch of things to compensate for the long
reach thing and the bike is *mostly* quite comfortable now.
Personally, I would advise you to get the 56 if on the 58 your private
parts are touching the top tube and you are having to put a short stem
on because of the top tube length vs. your torso/arm length.
If you get the 56 you will have maybe an inch crotch clearance (nothing
bad about that) but better yet you could maybe put a less short stem
than you'd need to put on the 58, which would make steering nicer for
you. It might also mean your center of gravity will be less far forward
and that will take weight off your hands and give you more leg power to
get behind your pedaling...all good things in my mind.
Just my own 2 cents.
Lisa

tlawnsby wrote:
> Howdy -- I've been wanting a blue rambo for several years and there is
> a 58cm nice one for sale locally.
> I "test rode" it today and and it felt good -- although I'll need a
> shorter stem as the current owner has a much longer
> torso.
>
> My question is in regards to standover height -- I'm hoping for some
> insight to determine if this is a good fit.
> My PBH is 83.8 (used an "inches" measuring tape at 33inches exactly
> and converted to cm.)
> According to the Riv website chart I should look at 58cm-60cm frame.
> This bike is a 58cm -- and it does slightly press into my groin as I
> straddle the bike. I can lift the bike up slightly into my pelvic
> bone and the tires come maybe 1cm off the ground. Is it normal to
> have basically zero clearance between the nether-regions and the top
> tube? I'm sure 60cm frame would be too big -- maybe I should wait for
> a 56cm frame unless I'm overreacting? There's not a lot of seatpost
> showing either -- maybe four fingers worth.
>

[tlawnsby]

Just an update -- I'm actually shorter than I previously thought. My
wife and I took another measurement of my PBH and it's actually 83cm
instead of 84cm. That puts me at 57.5 to 58 recommended at the Riv
website for a 700 tire. Since they didin't make a 57 that puts me
either at 56cm or 58cm for the Rambo. I think I'm just a tad tad too
short for the 58, which is a shame. The one for sell here in Seattle
is loaded -- matching berthoud bags, brooks saddle and bar wrap, honjo
fenders, racks etc -- and it's all pretty new just 4 months old. I'll
keep looking for now. Does anyone in Seattle-area have a 56cm I could
take for a spin around the block? I'd love to see how it feels -- and
if you want to sell it even better!

Thanks! Tom.

[Angus]

Tom,

I have an 89cm PBH (79cm saddle height) and ride a 64cm Rambouillet
and a 64cm Quickbeam. Too big according to RBWs sizing and I have NO
clearance when straddling the top tube. The Rambouillet has been my
most ridden (and most comfortable) bike since 2003; the size has never
been a problem.

Angus

> > > Thanks for any help -- Tom in Seattle.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

[BobD]

I am not a Ramouillet owner (yet). However, I did just recently
purchase a beautiful AHH. Your sizing situation caught my eye because
I too struggled with a decision concerning frame size. I also have a
similar PBH measurement of 84(ish) cm. Before the AHH my previous road
bikes were any where from 52 cm to 56 cm. I was planning on a 57 cm
AHH (thinking that would be pushing my maximum size limit) but after
taking advice from the shop where I purchased it, I ended up with a 59
cm. When I straddle the bike with my cycling shoes on, the boys are
pretty-well seated on the top tube. If I lift up on the handle bars
and pull the top tube [tightly] into my PB the front wheel comes up
off the ground an inch or so. I have just over 100 miles on the bike
and I am loving it. It is the most comfortable ride I have ever had
and I have no concerns whatsoever when it comes to stopping,
dismounting, straddling or whatever. I have also noticed other people
I talk to with classic frame geometry bikes wish they had "the next
size up". Four fingers of seat post is perfect. If you're planning on
standing around "straddling" your bike for long periods of time, a
smaller frame might be more comfortable but if you are planning long
comfortable rides go with the larger frame. It sounds to me like the
58 Rambo fits you fine.

[Bruce]

There is an old maxim about a "fistful of seatpost."  It doesn't look like a TdF set up, but it sure rides nicely.

----- Original Message ----
From: BobD <b...@cox.net>
 Four fingers of seat post is perfect.

---

Be a better sports nut! Let your teams follow you with Yahoo Mobile. Try it now.

[tlawnsby]

Update again:

I've received a few emails from lurkers and lots of help here -- it
seems a lot of folk ride the frames on the "large" side. The seller
lowered the price some so I can't refuse. I'm picking it up tomorrow
morning and going right to the bike shop to swap out the 12cm stem for
a 10 or 9. The bike currenlty has the leather brooks tape on it, I
hope I can still reuse it once the new stem goes on. Thanks to all
for the great advice, I hope to get some picts taken soon.

[BobD]

WOOHOO! Congrats! Can't wait for the pictures.

[Doug Van Cleve]

If you can ride it with a 10cm stem it is probably fine for you. If
you had to go to something like a 7cm, then IMHO the bike is too big
or not good geometry for you.

Doug

[tlawnsby]

Picked it up today -- it's now at the bike shop getting tweaked for my
fit. Ending up going with an 8cm nitto stem, new cloth tape & hemp
twine. Plan to pick it up Saturday since the holiday is now in the
way -- then off for my first ride. I was probably a little over-
worried about the fit, but just wanted to make sure I wasn't wasting a
lot of time and money on a bike that wouldn't fit. I've only ever
ridden skinny 700 tires on my older Trek so going to the Schwalbe
Marathon is gonna be great -- I could tell just on a brief test ride
prior to purchase that this bike really rolls over these seattle
roughed-up roads.

On Nov 20, 8:07 am, "Doug Van Cleve" <dvancl...@gmail.com> wrote:
> If you can ride it with a 10cm stem it is probably fine for you. If
> you had to go to something like a 7cm, then IMHO the bike is too big
> or not good geometry for you.
>
> Doug
>

> On 11/19/07, tlawnsby <tlawn...@clearwire.net> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > Update again:
>
> > I've received a few emails from lurkers and lots of help here -- it
> > seems a lot of folk ride the frames on the "large" side. The seller
> > lowered the price some so I can't refuse. I'm picking it up tomorrow
> > morning and going right to the bike shop to swap out the 12cm stem for
> > a 10 or 9. The bike currenlty has the leather brooks tape on it, I
> > hope I can still reuse it once the new stem goes on. Thanks to all

> > for the great advice, I hope to get some picts taken soon.- Hide quoted text -

[Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery]

Sounds like you made a good choice Tom.
Jim

[Will]

Tom, thanks for the original thread. (As one for whom 62 vs 64 cm Ram
is not an obvious choice, I have been enjoying this discussion.) I
hope you'll reflect and post your thoughts related to your original
question (56 vs 58 cm) after a few weeks/months of test rides. :-)

On Nov 21, 5:50 pm, Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery <thill....@gmail.com>
wrote: