Getting the right bike size is crucial, there’s no doubt about that.
When you are lucky enough to test ride a bike, then the process is quite straightforward – it feels good or it doesn’t. It’s as simple as that.
But what can you do when you’re shopping online (bike shops, marketplace, Craigslist and so on)?
The answer is simple – use bike size charts!
We have various methods on how to find the right bike size based on your height and/or inseam, so let’s take a closer look at these below.
Method One: Bike Height Chart – The Easiest
This method requires your height and provides you with the proper frame size measured in inches. If you need the results in centimeters, then jump to step 2.
Mountain Bike Size Chart
Your height / Frame Size / Marker
- 4’11″ – 5’3″ = 13 – 15 inches = X-Small
- 5’3″ – 5’7″ = 15 – 16 inches = Small
- 5’7″ – 5’11″ = 16 – 17 inches = Medium
- 6’0″ – 6’2″ = 17 – 19 inches = Large
- 6’2″ – 6’4″ = 19 – 21 inches = X-Large
- 6’4″ and taller = 21+ inches = XX-Large
Road Bike Size Chart
Height / Frame Size (seat tube height) / Marker
4’10”- 5’2” = 47”- 48” = XX-Small
5’2”- 5’6” = 49”- 50” = X-Small
5’3”- 5’6” = 51”- 53” = Small
5’6”- 5’9” = 54”- 55” = Medium
5’9”- 6’0” = 56”- 58” = Large
6’0”- 6’3” = 58”- 60” = X-Large
6’3”- 6’6” = 61”- 63” = XX-Large
Voilà!
These two are very generic charts, so we recommend always seeking more information from brands that you’re interested in.
Method Two: Calculating the bike size
- Take off your shoes and stand with your legs about 6″ – 8″ (15 – 20 cm) apart. Measure the height from the ground to your crotch.
- Be sure of the type of bicycle you want: Mountain bike, city bike or road bike. You can read about the different bike types from here.
- Now you can take your calculator and calculate the right size:
City bike – Leg inseam (cm) x 0,685 = Your frame size
Mountain bike – Leg inseam (cm) x 0,66 = Your frame size
Road bike – Leg inseam (cm) x 0,70 = Your frame size
(If your leg inseam is 76cm, then your right mountain bike size is 50 cm (20”), road bike 53cm and city bike 52cm)
Method Three: Bike Size Chart (Advanced):
Mountain bike size chart
| Rider height | Leg inseam | Suggested Frame Size | |||
| Feet/Inches | Centimeters | Inches | Centimeters | Inches | Size |
| 4`10”-5`1” | 148-158 cm | 24-29” | 61-73 cm | < 14″ | XS |
| 5`1″-5`5″ | 158-168 cm | 25-30” | 63-76 cm | 15” / 16″ | S |
| 5`5″-5`9″ | 168-178 cm | 26-31” | 66-78 cm | 16” / 17″ | M |
| 5`9″-6`0″ | 178-185 cm | 27`-32` | 68-81 cm | 17″ / 18″ | L |
| 6`0″-6`3″ | 185-193 cm | 28`-33` | 71-83 cm | 18″ / 19″ | XL |
| 6`1″-6`6″ | 193-198 cm | 29`-34` | 73-86 cm | 19″ + | XXL |
City bike (Also commuter/hybrid bikes) size chart
| Rider height | Leg inseam | Suggested Frame Size | |||
| Feet/Inches | Centimeters | Inches | Centimeters | Inches | Size |
| 4`10”-5`1” | 147-155 cm | 24-29” | 61-73 cm | 14” | XS |
| 5`1`-5`5` | 155-165 cm | 25-30” | 63-76 cm | 15” | S |
| 5`5`-5`9` | 165-175 cm | 26-31” | 66-78 cm | 16” | M |
| 5`9`-6`0` | 175-183 cm | 27`-32` | 68-81 cm | 17″ | L |
| 6`0`-6`3` | 183-191 cm | 28`-33` | 71-83 cm | 18″ | XL |
| 6`1`-6`6` | 191-198 cm | 29`-34` | 73-86 cm | 19″ | XXL |
Road bike size chart
| Rider height | Suggested frame size | ||
| Feet/Inches | Centimeters | Centimeters | Size |
| 4`10”-5`0” | 148-152 cm | 47-48 cm | XXS |
| 5`0″-5`3″ | 152-160 cm | 49-50 cm | XS |
| 5`3″-5`6″ | 160-168 cm | 51-52-53 cm | S |
| 5`6″-5`9″ | 168-175 cm | 54-55 cm | M |
| 5`9″-6`0″ | 175-183 cm | 56-57-58 cm | L |
| 6`0″-6`3″ | 183-191 cm | 58-59-60 cm | XL |
| 6`3″-6`6″ | 191-198 cm | 61-62-63 cm | XXL |
To make it simple – Bicycle Guiders’ bike size graph.
Open me!
Got the right size?
Nice!
And now go cycling!
*Please note that frame sizes from XXS – XXL don’t have the same meaning for every manufacturer. Those sizes (like on clothing) show current model sizes.
Kids Bike Size Chart
Let’s consider several methods all at once of how to size a bike for a kid with more certainty.
If you want to make sure to choose the right kids’ bike size, you should take into consideration 1) Age, 2) Height, 3) Inseam, and 4) Tire Size.
We tried to gather all of this data into one kids’ bike size chart that you can see below. It should work for most kids, except for some exceptions.
| Age | Height | Leg Inseam | Tire Size | ||
| Inch | cm | Inch | cm | ||
| 2 | 2’9″ – 3’1″ | 85-90cm | 12″–14″ | 85-90cm | 10″ |
| 3-4 | 3’1″ – 3’3″ | 90-100cm | 14″-17″ | 35-42cm | 12″ |
| 4-5 | 3’3″ – 3’7″ | 100-110cm | 16″-20″ | 40-50cm | 14″ |
| 5-6 | 3’7″ – 3-8″ | 110-115cm | 18″-22″ | 45-50cm | 16″ |
| 6-8 | 3’8″ – 4’0″ | 115-120cm | 20″-24″ | 50-60cm | 18″ |
| 7-9 | 4’0″ – 4’5″ | 120-135cm | 22″-25″ | 55-63cm | 20″ |
| 9-11 | 4’5″ – 4’9″ | 135-145cm | 24″-28″ | 60-72cm | 24″ |
| 11-14 | 5’+ | 145cm + | 28″+ | 72cm+ | 26″ |
As a result: You can double-check the results. If you’re satisfied, you can choose the right bike based on these results.
If you find that some numbers don’t match and you’re getting different results based on different criteria, keep in mind that all kids are different. As they get older, the discrepancies between individuals become even larger.
Right Saddle Height (vs Standover Height) For Kids
Choosing the right saddle height is extremely important for all riders, especially for kids. If you place the saddle too low or high, your child is likely to feel a lack of control and lack of confidence.
So, let’s make it clear.
BONUS:
- Fourth Sizing method: Amazon Fit Guide
- Fifth Sizing Calculator: Competitive Cyclist Fit Calculator.
- Sixth – Jenson USA Bike Fit Calculator (Beta)
Voilà!
Read next: How to fit a bike
The right saddle height has a very important role. If it’s too low, you won’t have enough power in your feet. In mountain bike racing, I have experienced that when the saddle falls one inch down from normal, I lose about 25-50% of my force. I better stop and let the group go, then fix it and lose 15 seconds but I do catch the group and can even get the next group ahead. So the right saddle height plays a big role!
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The easiest way is to
- Lean to the wall with your elbow sitting on the bike (or let someone help you as shown on the picture)
- Put your leg to lowest point but parallel to the ground.
- Move your saddle up or down until you have a nice bend behind your knee. It should be something around 30 ° but don’t waste too much energy finding that exact angle.
Go out and ride. Does it feel good? If not, then adjust. Also, you can adjust the seat to front and rear.
But… which brand to buy? See our Best Bike Brands
TIP: If you got the right height, mark it down with some sharp object. That’s the best size chart ever 🙂 Some bikes have centimeters marked there, then keep this in mind.
What If I Got My Bike Size Wrong?
Then ask your merchant, if you can send your bike back to get the right one. If you don’t want to do that, then you can do the following things:
- Move your saddle to the front or rear
- Buy a longer or shorter stem. It changes your body position
- Buy a longer seat post
Give it time to get the feeling right. I remember when I got my first 29er mountain bike. It felt like a ship and seemed difficult to ride in narrow trails of the forest. Now I start laughing when I sit on a 26″ mountain bike because it looks so tiny.
I’m looking at a bike online I’m 5’8 and the bike a fahrrod tx400 speed hub the manufacturer says the 52cm frame is for 5’9” to 6’1” is this too big for me? Even though a medium sized frame is 52cm?
Hi Tony,
Did you check the Road Bike size chart? It says the range is between 5`6″-5`9″ (your height range) or 168-175 cm, and the suggested frames are 54-55 cm under Medium. There are overlaps and when this happens there are minor adjustments that you can do with the stem length, saddle fore and aft as well as other factors. These factors can only come into view when you get a proper bike fit because suggested frame sizes don’t cover other factors like body shape/geometry. There are people with longer legs vs longer torsos. According to the chart, a 52 frame is a bit smaller for you.
Hi, My son is 11 years old , 5’3 tall. Should we choose 26 inch or 27.50 inch trail bike for him?
Thank you!
Hi Xin,
26-inch-nimble and easy to manoeuvre.
27.5- Very popular in today’s MTB size and bigger wheels allow for a smoother ride.
However, the wheel size has nothing to do with comfort. Pay attention to the frame size in relation to his height.
Hi I’m 4.11 feet, inseem 29 inch. Is a 24 inch women’s bike (without crossbar) a good idea?
Hi Salma,
I assume you are talking about the wheel size. It is ok. However, you need to pay attention to the frame size. The 14” XS is your recommended frame size. You can do the bike fitting on top of that to make an adjustment to the proper seat height, stem length etc.
Hi….
I’m planning to buy a bike for ride and got a good deal for a road bicycle. But frame size is 52 and my height is 5’10.
Please let me know is it the correct size and worth of buying?
Thanks.
Hi Thanushka,
You need to get a frame size around 56-57-58 cm. This range falls under Large. Then get a proper bike fit to ensure comfort on longer rides.
What if you are in-between sizes? If you’re 176 cm? I guess what I’m really asking is, what if you choose a bike that is smaller or larger? Should I go for the larger?
Hi Jack,
It doesn’t matter. Find the nearest frame size; then, you can make micro-adjustments with your stem length, etc. We need a proper bike fit because our body shapes are different. The frame size is just the general indicator of what you should have. The rest is up to proper bike fit. For example, people who have a longer stem length will have lower back pain due to overextending. Looking into this can make a big difference.
No, you should go smaller if anything. There is lots of room to fine-tune up from the ideal. Precious little to fine-tune down. IMO, the most important indicator is when you are seated firmly on the saddle do you bottom out the stroke with your heel on the pedal? If so, you will be delivering max force when your toe is clipped in. I’m speaking from road-bike experience only, if you’re mountain biking, ignore!
I am having issues trying to find a trike bike for my husband. He has BIG feet, size 14 that hits the front tire! Another issue is his right foot has been cut into half. He wears a shoe with an insert. What is your recommendation?
Hi Sandy,
This is common with bikes that are bigger than the recommended size. What’s his height? What type of riding does he prefer?
I’m 6″2 which would be a 61cm or XL, but I have a 34″ inseam and long arms, I have two Specialized road bikes 61cm fit like a glove after adding carbon rims and profile bars plus a longer stem for long fast rides, just bought a Canyon Ultimate SL CL DB ei2 power meter Crank, Renolds Carbon AR41, bike at first it felt like riding a real light school bus? Was thinking of sending it back, then I figured it’s a different style of riding, not comfortable, get low and forward bent down and it will get up fast, still don’t know if I should of got a XL, or it’s just slower than all the hype?
Hi Katie,
I suggest you stick with the recommended frame size and make adjustments on the stem length, handlebar sweep, fore & aft of the saddle etc. These are things that influence your quality of riding.
Hi,
My problem is that I am 4’11” and am having a hard time finding a true gravel bike to fit my size. A local bike dealer recommended a Trek Domane AL 4 but it does not have the 40CM tires. I believe they were only 35 or 37. I have a mountain bike and we ride some pretty rocky/rough gravel and do a lot of climbing. I feel like they are just selling me a road bike (which I have as well) with a little larger tires. Do you have any suggestions?
Hi Tracy,
I believe you fall into this category: 4’11” – 5’3″ = 13 – 15 inches. Now if you can find a frame like that then we will move to the tires. Even if the original bike has a 35 or 37c tires, do check if the tire clearance is wide enough to fit up to 40mm tires. If you want a gravel bike that can accommodate a mountain bike size tire then you probably need to check out muster cross bikes. Gravel bikes are still road bikes after all..There are gravel tires that go up to 40mm. Look for brands like Continental, Maxxis, Kenda etc…
Great Guide! thanks
My only problem is the mixture of Imperial and Metric measurements – is sooo confusing. I am constantly converting.
Hi , I am looking to purchase a road bike . I am 5′ 6.5″ , inseam measurement is 75cm . Would I be looking for a medium frame ? Thank you , Owen
Hi Owen,
Generally yes, that’s your recommended frame size. However, don’t forget other things to take into consideration: stem length, saddle angel, saddle fore & aft etc. A change in a basic adjustment can also affect the overall ride experience. It’s like the spiderweb principle where moving a saddle fore or aft can impact your handlebar reach etc