Roubaix/Tarmac, 54 or 56???

[rinconryder]

Dilema. I ride a 55 Moots compact with a 55.5 TT and 140 HT. I am keeping that bike but want to get a carbon bike as it has been about 5 years since I was on one.

The Tarmac 54 just seems like it will be too much ass over hands for me and the 56 could feel too big. 54 Roubaix though sounds like a nice compromise.

I am 5'10" with a 30 inch inseam. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks!

Wes

[John H.]

What is your saddle height and bar drop on current bike?
What fork, headset and spacer stack is on current bike?
King headset is 31.4mm- so already up to equivilant of 17.1
I think I am of similar dimensions to yourself and I fit well on a 54cm Roubaix.
I have ridden both 54cm and 56cm Tarmac. Bars oare too low on a 54cm, 56cm Tarmac is borderline too low but just feels like a big and funky bike for me.
New Roubaix is sweet- stiff but comfy. Not giving anything up to a Tarmac unless racing crits is your thing.

[beeatnik]

Go with the 54.

[jds108]

Check out the head tube lengths, as they're going to be quite a taller than your Moots. I would think that would be the deciding factor if you're in between sizes.

[rnhood]

All the comments above are good and in addition, I would encourage getting a 3D fit from your dealer. This will ensure you're on the right size, the right bike, and of course with the right set-up. Both the Tarmac and Roubaix are top tier bikes. They are both very comfortable.

[christian]

54 Tarmac will have the same length HT, though HT is a derivative measurement, so you should account for drop. 56 Tarmac seems like it would be way too big.

I suggest you find a bike offered in 1cm increments. Colnago, perhaps?

[carlucci1106]

Seems really short for someone 5'10". That is my inseam at 5'6", and I even have apelike arms. So you must be all torso.

I am a personal mechanic for a friend with a 56cm Tarmac. I can just barely clear the top tube on that thing. The bike feels huge, but the 56.5cm TT doesn't seem all that long with a positive rise stem.

Go with the 54 like others have said. Just for $hits/Giggles, consider Alberto Contador who stands 5' 9.5" tall. He rides the 52cm Tarmac with a 120mm stem. His bar drop is not ridiculous by pro standards. So you can go somewhere in the middle of those two extremes, not too upright or "long and low." I hypothesize you will need a slightly longer stem than stock.

I was just contemplating the fit of the Tarmac (and other similarly geo'd slopers) the other day, and think it's quite interesting how you could justify fitting 3 different people of the same height to the S, M, and L. With a level top tube this just isn't possible. So I guess it is a double-edged sword for shop fitters because they could sell you any one of the three sizes with the accomodating standover.

I would like to see my friend on the med. 54cm, and slam the stem. But probably when he bought it, he was fairly inflexible and needed a more upright position, hence the 56 with the stem flipped up. But now that he is a better rider, I would definitely have him on the 54.

Sorry for the ramble on, but I hope those arguments reinforce what others have said.

[rustychisel]

54, but only because that's what I would do.

I'm 1/2 in taller than you and have a 32in inseam, nearasdammit, my current geared bike is a 55cm TT with 120mm stem.

Oh, and a smaller frame can be compensated (to a point) but a big frame will always kick you in the bollocks.

[pcxmbfj]

FWIW I ride a 61 level toptube frame and a 58 in the Tarmac.

The effective tt length is nearly the same and I use the same stem on both.

[shovelhd]

The Tarmac and the Roubaix are two completely different bikes. The Tarmac is an all around race/fast ride bike. The Roubaix is a tall comfort cruiser. It can be raced, many do, but most I know find them lacking at speed and replace them with a race bike. A properly fit Tarmac will put you in an aggressive race position. A properly fit Roubaix will put you in a more upright, comfortable position.

If you are thinking about getting a Tarmac and loading it up with spacers and an upright stem, I'd rather see you on a Roubaix.

[oldpotatoe]

Dilema. I ride a 55 Moots compact with a 55.5 TT and 140 HT. I am keeping that bike but want to get a carbon bike as it has been about 5 years since I was on one.

The Tarmac 54 just seems like it will be too much ass over hands for me and the 56 could feel too big. 54 Roubaix though sounds like a nice compromise.

I am 5'10" with a 30 inch inseam. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks!

Wes

Inseam means almost nothing. 2 main components of bicycle frame 'size'..seat tube angle(femur length) and top tube length(Torso/arm length and flexibility). Assuming your saddle is in the proper position on the Moots, which size most closely matches the Moots? The other really important length is headtube length as it relates to your top of saddle to top of stem distance.

[54ny77]

fwiw, i'm just a tad over 5'9" w/30" inseam and have a 54 tarmac, with about 8cm of drop on a 110 stem. there's around 1.5cm of spacer under the stem. fun bike, i highly recommend 'em.

55 moots compact? hmmm.....nice. :cool: