How to Work Out Your Size

Step 1

Measure and note down in cm or feet and inches

  • your height
  • your inside leg (bare feet and feet apart a bit) and
  • your total arm span (finger tip to finger tip)

Step 2

Determine if your body has a short, average or long reach.

  • If your arm span is less than 98% of your height than you have a slightly short reach.
  • Between 98% and 102% of you height you have an average reach.
  • If your arm span is more than 102% of your height you have a slightly long reach.

Step 3

If you are riding a bike currently and if it is OK for you then there is no need to change.

Work out the reach on the bike. Measure the distance from

  • where your sit-bones are supposed to sit on the saddle to
  • the centre of the top of the handlebar

We call this “bike reach”. There is an area, not an exact point, where the sit bones are supposed to rest. Look for the approximate centre of that area.

You are aware of how comfortable this bike is for you as far as its “length” goes. This number represents a good comparison between bike sizes as it takes into account the frame top tube, the saddle and the handlebar stem length, angle and height.

Step 4

Using the measurements you now have, look up this table.The sit-bone to centre-of-handlebar measurement is called “bike reach”.

Height range

Inner leg range

Bike reach

Size

158 - 166cm

5'2" - 5'5"

73 - 82cm

27" - 31"

655mm

25¾"

S

167 - 175cm

5'6" - 5'9"

77 - 87cm

29" - 32"

710mm

25"

M

176 - 184cm

5'9" - 6'

79 - 91cm

30" - 34"

730mm

28¾"

L

185 - 193cm

6'1" - 6'4"

85 - 96cm

31" - 36"

780mm

30¾"

XL

194 - 201cm

6'4" - 6'7"

89 - 99cm

35" - 39"

820mm

32¼"

XXL

202 - 210cm

6'8" - 6'11"

93 - 104cm

37" - 41"

840mm

33"

XXXL

You might be right in the centre of a size range meaning this size will suit you. Or you might be seeing two possible sizes. If you’re not represented in this table, you might want to look at options for under 157cm.

If you have a long reach, go for the larger of the two. If you have a short reach, go for the smaller one.

Step 5

Take into account that there is flexibility/adjustability within each size.

  • Vivente Bikes come with long fork steerers meaning that you can have the handlebars up quite high. We recommend you use the bike for a while before finally settling on a stem height and then consider having any surplus steerer tube cut off. It is easy but the star nut inside needs to be pushed in further with a special tool. We find that a lot of people like to have their bars high. But being able to lower them may become desirable.
  • Seatposts can be moved up and down allowing any bike size to cover a range of inner leg lengths. In the geometry details table above you can see the stand-over height at the center of the top tube. Wearing shoes and standing over the bike with one foot on a pedal raises you up a bit from there.
  • The right bike size is as much about length as it is height. The saddle may be moved forward or back 20mm. Also, VWR stems are available in lengths ranging from 60mm to 130mm in the three bore sizes. So there is ample scope for changing the bike reach.