[gauravdgr8]

Originally Posted by stantheman

Hi Gaurav,
Triban RC100 and 120, both are great choice, I have ridden RC120 and that is quite decent for start. But since this is your son's first big bike may I say that you can try Hybrid bikes as well?

And he is 13 I am sure he would take the bike off the road (like I am sure we all did at that age ), at that time Hybrid would take that abuse much better than Road bike and he would have better control as well. (plus for added benefit you can change tire size according to your use). Try Riverside 500 or Firefox Roadrunner Pro D.

Thanks for the input my friend. I am sure he will venture out

[W.A.G.7]

Bike fit is a very personal thing, like a saddle. For example, my height is 177.8cm, which amounts to either M/L or M frames for me. One of the things I learned is that the sizing for hybrid and MTBs is different. If it is a road bicycle you are looking for, then the sizing will play an extremely important role because these bicycles cost an arm and leg and getting the wrong size will mean bad regrets later on.

Continuing with the example, in my case; although the website suggested an L frame, I was more comfortable using the M frame after I did a test ride of both sizes. If you are on the borderline case like me, I would suggest going in for the smaller frame to be on the safe side. For the record, I own Kelly's Phanatic 30 (cross hybrid). I am no expert in bikes - there are members out here who have ridden bikes more than I have done and have a whole lot of bike expertise than I do; the above suggestions are just two cents from my side.

However, as everyone here has already pointed out - the best idea is to try out the bicycles and then decide the one which you are very comfortable with. Don't be in a hurry to get the bicycle. Always try out every bicycle and then only put your money on the one which is the most comfortable.

[dearchichi]

I'm worried about the sizing of the bike I'm about to buy.

My height is ~182cm, inseam ~848cm and arm length ~59cm, weight 80kg.

I am looking to buy the Giant Content AR 2. The dealer is not in my city and has only size L, so I cannot try it out. As per Giant's sizing guide:size L applies to a height between 183 and 193 cm and size ML to a height between 177 and 187 cm.

I used Merida's sizing guide that accounts for the height, inseam and arm length to determine the bike size, which turned out to be size L.

Also, the standover height of the Giant Contend AR 2 is 829mm, yielding a clearance of 11mm. Is this sufficient, considering that the top tube is sloping and I'd wear shoes?

geometrygeeks lists the deltas between the Merida and size L and ML of the Giant as below. Are the tolerances enough for the size L of the Giant to work for me? Please let me know.

https://geometrygeeks.bike/compare/g...d-ar2-2021-ml/

Image: https://ibb.co/FmnGYRm

[amol4184]

Originally Posted by dearchichi

My height is ~182cm, inseam ~848cm and arm length ~59cm, weight 80kg.

I am looking to buy the Giant Content AR 2. The dealer is not in my city and has only size L, so I cannot try it out. As per Giant's sizing guide:size L applies to a height between 183 and 193 cm and size ML to a height between 177 and 187 cm.

I'm nearly the same height (184cms) and weight as you (78kgs give or take) and other proportions match too. I usually stick to size 56 which equates to L in most manufacturers. The thing with Giant is that they have unusual sizes like "ML" between M and L. The size L in their case equates to 58 or XL.

Personally I like somewhat smaller, cozy bikes and stick to bikes with 565-570mm top tube which is size 56. Making a small bike fit big is easy but making big bike small is not easy.

I would suggest you to ride couple of bikes in L/XL size and see what suits better. Dealers will try to push down your throat whatever they have in stock. In this case I do feel L would be a touch too big and ML is the right size to go for unless you go for Merida size L.

Get the frame size *mostly *correct and then adjust factory stem length, seatpost setback, saddle position etc to make it perfect. Chances are you won't need to change anything. Size 56 or equivalent bikes (ML in Giant's case) come with 100mm stem, 400mm wide handlebar and 20mm setback seatpost which fit for most average sized humans.

Do take a couple of rides on different sized bikes as I said before. There are expert bike fitters too which will charge you for finding the right fit if you can't decide or find a good fit. In my opinion bike fitters are necessary if your body proportions aren't usual e.g very long arms but short torso or long torso but short legs or long torso and legs but short arms etc.

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by dearchichi

I'm worried about the sizing of the bike I'm about to buy.

My height is ~182cm, inseam ~848cm and arm length ~59cm, weight 80kg.

I am looking to buy the Giant Content AR 2. The dealer is not in my city and has only size L, so I cannot try it out.

Please do not do this. Bikes are not like clothes. Every manufacturer has an appropriate sizing guide but the way frame are designed, one should try the cycle out before finalizing it. There's a reason bike shops offer bike sizing as an additional service. One can get a bike as per the website sizing guide and then find out the bike isn't good for his/her riding posture and other aspects. Even different models offered by the same manufacturer can feel different. Test riding is the way to finalize. Figure out alternatives locally to get an idea before you give the order.


P.s. If you are still intending to go for it, yes L size or 56 cms would be the most ideal (I'm 179 cms and that fits me).

[dearchichi]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

Test riding is the way to finalize. Figure out alternatives locally to get an idea before you give the order.

Ideally, this is the way (perhaps preceded by a bike fit that yeilds ones ideal stack, reach and other measurements). But, at least in Bangalore, this is isn't practical for those close to 6' and above. My experience follows:

1. The 2025 version of Giant Contend AR 2 isn't available in the Giant company owned show room (and other Giant outlets AFAIK) yet. The 2024 models are sold out. The Giant Contend is available, but none in size L for a test ride. Moreover, their geometry differs from that of the Contend AR and thus won't help anyway. However, I took a test ride on a Contend L only because a customer had bought it in for service.

The Contend AR 2025 might be available in a week's time in Bangalore, but the store cannot match the discounts I received from the one out of town. Moreover, I very much doubt that they would have a size L for a test ride.

Giant does not import size ML for the Indian market for the Contend AR variant. It's either M or L.

2. The Meridia Scultura Endurance 300 (or 400) is out of stock at dealers in Bangalore. Moreover, since this is not a fast selling brand, Merida bikes are seldom available for a test ride, let alone one of size L of this variant.

3. My sizing for Trek bikes yields size 58, with no bikes of that size for test rides. I was eyeing their AL4 Gen4 (at par with the Merida Scultura Endurance 300 and the Giant Contend AR 2), but not only are none available for purchase throughout India in size 58, they aren't even in the cargo ship slated to land in India late-Jan. It's a size not imported often, and the latest I can get it would be 6 months form now.

If I need to stick to Trek, I'd need to go for AL5 Gen4 costing Rs. 30K more, of which 4 models of size 58 are available across India.

These are the 3 brands/makes I'm looking at since only they satisfy my criteria:

- (at least) a 10-speed group set
- endurance geometry
- hydraulic disc brakes
- ability to fit 32c tires, if not 35c

Now, please let me know how am I to follow your advice, well meaning as it is.

[dearchichi]

Originally Posted by amol4184

...unless you go for Merida size L.

Do take a couple of rides on different sized bikes as I said before. There are expert bike fitters too which will charge you for finding the right fit if you can't decide or find a good fit.

Would you suggest I go in for the Merida Scultura Endurance 300 in size L, though I haven't test ridden it and am unlikely to get one to do so?

Also, I wonder how test rides help, unless the size is clearly off. Even if the correct size is chosen, the fit may be off leading to discomfort. On the flip side, dealers opine that any issues with smaller (or bigger) sized bikes could be fixed through the process of a bike fit.

Discomfort that emerges after long rides seldom show up in short test rides. I test rode a Cannondale Synapse 105 and felt fine, but was in intense lower back and shoulder pain after a 50 km ride. I then rode a rented Silverback Strela (after undergoing a 5-min fit) for 100 and 200.km rides with no such pains.