I currently have 3T Strada 51cm. It is an amazing bike however it’s a big size for me. I am 163cm with 69cm inseam which is shorter leg than 5foot females. So I have to lower the saddle and push as forward as possible which cause hand numbness after long ride. and somebody was offering exact price I got the bike for so my question is should I sell my bike and go to size 44cm which is correct for my leg length? But I will be down grading to mechanical 105 from sram rival axs. I was considering either super six evo 3 or tarmac sl7 sports. Both with mech 105. Or should I keep the bike and just get a new one later and ride both?
As a fitter, I consider a great bike in the wrong size as the “wrong bike”, period.
- One of the worst phrases I hear leading into fits is “I got a great deal on this bike…” usually followed with something like “from my buddy” or because “it was on sale”.
- Point being that even a free bike that is poorly fit is less than optimal if an option for the right size bike is within reach (even at lower specs).
- From a pure look at that setup (and with the prior discussion about it in mind) you are at least one size too big as you know, but could be two sizes off depending on the brand and desired fit. I highly recommend a proper sizing evaluation prior to the next purchase to avoid another misstep.
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This is the set up I should be going for. Do you think it’s good deal for this bike but with mechanical 12spd 105 at 3800$ Canadian?
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I have not kept up on current bike pricing (especially not in CD$) so I will leave that discussion to others.
At the risk of bring up both the mechanical vs electronic and Sram vs Shimano debates…I think you’ll be happy with 12 speed mech 105. Shimano braking is great and 105 shifts beautifully.
I personally would take a properly fitting bike with mech 105 vs the wrong size with electronic shifting, especially if you won’t lose too much selling the current bike.
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Switching to a mechanical groupset will not make you any slower.
Having a properly sized bike will almost certainly have a positive impact on your performance. It could be across on or more several aspects…aero, excess / early fatigue due to a poor fit, etc.
Your current bike is definitely the wrong size and almost certainly a contributing issue to your question re: why you are so slow on the flats (other thread).
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Sell it ASAP and get a bike that fits.
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Ok someone is coming in 2 days to buy it. Now which bike should I get? I am contemplating between these two bikes both at same price and same size (44cm). Please help me decide thanks…
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Which color do you like better? 
I’m biased since I just bought a SuperSix. I will say it’s a fantastic bike…lots of tire clearance (for a road bike), super comfy, and very fast 
You should look at the stack and reach on those two bikes and figure out which one fits better. You don’t even really fit bikes by inseam other than in a general way. Stack and reach is way more important. I’d consult some experts even if it’s just the local bike shops to make sure what size they would put you on.
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I would spring for a proper bike fit before purchasing to help you decide on the right bike. It appears you’ve chosen 44 just based on inseam, but there’s a bit more to the picture. Regardless, I think you’ll be better off than your current bike, but would hate to make that mistake again.
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Yes, you definitely should replace your bike with one in the right size — but only once you know your size. Don’t go by sizing charts, test ride bikes and get a bike fit.
By sizing charts, I should often get 54 cm, but I have test ridden lots of different bikes by lots of companies, both endurance road bikes and racier road bikes. In all cases, size 56 cm felt better with the default stem length. In addition, I got bike fits by several experienced people that made smaller tweaks to the setup.
Here’s what I would do:
- Test ride lots of bikes in several sizes. Listen to recommendations, but override them if you feel they are wrong.
- Find out what geometry and feel you want. Don’t go for image or what looks good, but by what feels good to you. Maybe you want to own a bike with an aggressive geometry, but that just isn’t compatible with your body. There are also bikes which are “in between”, e. g. BMC’s Roadmachine is a more aggressive endurance bike.
That should narrow down the choice to a few types of bikes, models and sizes.
- Get a professional bike fit. Explain in what way your current bike does not suit you well, but be prepared that they will do things you might not expect. (A few years ago I got physio due to knee pain. The physio looked at me walking and said, yup, it’s your shoulders, they are asymmetric, we need to work on those.)
No. Don’t buy another bike before you haven’t figured out what you want or need.
Fit >> components, weight of the bike, electronic vs. mechanical shifting, carbon wheels, etc.
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I would go out and test ride those bikes at your LBS and then decide. That way you can get on the bike itself and wont second guess your purchase.
Last time I bought a bike I did that and ended up sizing down. Sometimes the size guides are off.
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Just another person chiming in to say “don’t make the same mistake twice”, but add that if you don’t have a way to test ride the bikes first, you can still pay a fitter to tell you which size to buy in any bicycle. You get a professional fit and they will write down all your personal specifications, and then they can look at the geometry for all the bikes you’re considering and make recommendations. It’s going to add a little extra to your final price, but it’s absolutely worth it to ensure you’re getting something that works well for YOU and not just a generic recommendation.
I’ll give you a real example of why this matters. I am 6ft tall. Based solely on that, some people will tell you which size I should ride. But, here’s the catch, I have short legs and arms and a long torso. This means I almost NEVER fit a generic fit chart. I need a bike size, but I also need to ensure the saddle height and position, along with the crank and stem length. To add to the dilemma, I have one leg that is slightly longer than the other, so I need shims on one side of my shoes. This is all stuff you would never figure out if you didn’t see a good fitter.
Good luck, and again, congrats on selling for what you paid! Hope you land a great deal on a great bike.
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Hey just to update I ended up getting specialized tarmac from this extremely good lbs where they did my bike fit for free after hearing my story. They said bike size be based on reach and size 49 tarmac will fit me best rather than size 44cm. I compared all the bikes and this felt most comfortable with 165mm crank length. Here is the video of my bikefit, I thinks it’s much better fit even though it has mechanical groupset. Thanks everyone for advice
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Congrats on the new bike and I’m glad you found a good shop!!!
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Awesome! Congratulations! Love that color.
Nice bike. I was secretly rooting for the Tarmac. Such a nice looking ride, enjoy!
Nice choice! Tarmac is a solid bike, have enjoyed racing with it.
I just got back from my second ride on the new bike, and the difference is remarkable. The knee pain I’ve had since I started cycling is completely gone, along with the hand numbness and lower back pain. I feel much stronger on the shorter cranks, especially during climbs, and I can ride much longer without getting fatigued early. I think the geometry of the Tarmac is perfect for my body. Also shimano brakes are just so good compared to sram (SRAM was worst than Claris groupset) And power saddle is best saddle I ever sat on. Also easy 40km/h on 300W now
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