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Riding the wrong size bike is like trying to play basketball in Shaquille O'Neal's size 22shoes-when you've got size 9 feet. You can do it, but it will be awkward and not a lot of fun.Shopping for a bicycle is a lot like shopping for clothes-it's best to go to the store and tryone on. To figure out which size bike you need for yourself or your child, just look  below:Fitting the rider to the bicycle
1.
at least 1" of clearance
2.
minimum leg lengthdimension
3.
highest part of the top tubeChoosing a bike for yourself If you're a man, you'll want at least 1-2 inches of clearance between your crotch and the bicycle's top tube, when you stand straddling the bike flat-footed. If you're going to bedoing some more aggressive riding, 2 or more inches may be better. Make sure thehandlebar is within easy reach-you don't want to have to stretch, or feel too cramped.If you're a woman, the amount of standover clearance will be the same as it is for a man.But since women's bikes often have sloping top tubes you'll want to measure theclearance from an imaginary top tube-pretend the top tube extends horizontally from thefront of the bike, and measure from there. Again, you'll want to be sure you can reach thehandlebar easily, without feeling "crowded."Choosing a bike for a childOne of the most common mistakes people make when buying kids' bikes is getting a bicycle that's too large, so the child can "grow into" it. This might sound like a good idea, but it's not. A child will have a hard time controlling a bike that's too large, and won't feelconfident as a result. A properly sized bike will be safer because it will be easier tocontrol, and a lot more fun.You size kids' bikes just as you size bikes for adults, meaning you are looking for 1-2inches of crotch clearance over the top tube. Give at least 2 inches of room if the bike isgoing to be ridden over rugged terrain, as you would with a mountain bike or BMX bike.It's best if you can bring the child with you to the store to size the bicycle. If you'reshopping for a bike as a surprise, you can use a tape measure to measure the child'sinseam (distance from the crotch to the ground, when standing), subtract an inch or twoand then use that as the standover height (distance from the ground to the top tube) for the bicycle. Make sure you measure to an imaginary, horizontal top tube on girls' bikes, just as you do for women's bikes.

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kbrandleft a comment

Of course this is simplistic. But, it does get the job done. This is all the information that 99% of new bike buyers need. Most new bike owners are only going to use their bikes for occasional on or off road riding. In those cases this type of sizing is adequate.