Finding the perfect bike size can be a real challenge if you don’t know what to look for.
With so many styles and brands of bikes, it’s hard to find one that fits your needs. Whether you are looking for a mountain bike, BMX bike, hybrid bike, kid’s bike, or road bike, we have all the charts, tips, and tools you need in this bike size guide.
Ready to find out your perfect size? Let’s go!
Know your height
Begin by measuring your height. To do this, take off your shoes, stand against a wall, feet together, and measure from the ground to the top of your head.
Height by itself just works for BMX sizes because they are normally sized by wheel size.
For the other types of bikes like mountain or road bikes, height will play a role but it will not give you an accurate reference by itself when choosing your perfect bike size.
Bikes have different geometries that can affect sizing even if two people fall within the same height range.
This is why you’ll need to determine your inseam length and standover height as well.
Let’s look at them!
Measure your inseam
The most important measurement you need to know is your inseam.
This will give us the reference we need for standover height and bike fit as well so that we are able to choose a proper bike size.
Taking inseam is almost as simple as measuring your height you are only going to need these little extras:
- A friend or someone to help you.
- A hardcover book.
- Cycling shorts or equivalent.
- A pencil.
Now,
- Shoes off and shorts on, stand with your feet shoulders width apart against a wall.
- Place the hardcover book with the spine of the book firmly against your crotch (simulating the bike seat) and hold it straight.
- Have your friendly or not so much helper to draw a line on the wall on top of the spine of the book.
- Finally measure from it to the ground.
And boom that is your inseam measurement!
What is standover height and why is it important?
Standover height is measured from the center of the top tube to the ground.
A bike that is your right size will need to have a standover height of 2″ – 4″ shorter than your inseam measurement.
This measure comes very handy specially if you are buying your bike online cause virtually it is as if you were standing on it 😉
Tip: If you don’t see this measure directly on the manufacturer’s bike size chart, look for it on the specs of the bike or flat out ask the seller.
That is all you need to know to place yourself in a bike size chart and choose the right one.
Let’s get to it!
Finally! All bike size charts for men and women are here…
Ok, I’m sorry I tricked you a little bit but there is one more thing to note before racing to the size charts.
Most probably you’ll find your measurements place you in more than one size.
What the…?
Yes, it is completely normal, if this is your case my advice is to go for the shorter one as it is easier to tweak your bike to make it bigger than the other way around.
No more tricks, here they are:
Road bike size chart for men
| Height | Inseam Leght | Frame Size | Bike Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4’10” – 5’0″ 147cm – 152cm | 26″ 66cm | 18″ – 19″ 47cm – 48cm | XXS |
| 5’0″ – 5’3″ 152cm – 160cm | 27″ 69cm | 19″ – 20″ 48cm – 51cm | XS |
| 5’3″ – 5’7″ 160cm – 170cm | 28″ 71cm | 20″ – 21″ 51cm – 53cm | S |
| 5’7″ – 5’9″ 170cm – 175cm | 30″ 76cm | 21″ – 22″ 53cm – 55cm | M |
| 5’9″ – 5’11” 175cm – 180cm | 31″ 79cm | 22″ – 23″ 56cm – 58cm | L |
| 5’11” – 6’2″ 180cm – 188cm | 32″ 81cm | 23″ – 24″ 59cm – 61cm | XL |
| 6’2″ – 6’5″ 188cm – 196cm | 34″ 86cm | 24″ – 25″ 62cm – 64cm | XXL |
Road bike size chart for women
| Height | Inseam Lenght | Frame Size | Bike Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4’10” – 5’1″ 147cm – 155cm | 26″ 66cm | 16″ – 18″ 44cm – 46cm | XXS |
| 5’1″ – 5’3″ 155cm – 160cm | 27″ 69cm | 18″ – 19″ 47cm – 49cm | XS |
| 5’3″ – 5’5″ 160cm – 165cm | 28″ 71cm | 19″ – 20″ 50cm – 52cm | S |
| 5’5″ – 5’8″ 165cm – 172cm | 30″ 76cm | 20″ – 21″ 53cm – 55cm | M |
| 5’8″ and up 172cm and up | 31″ 79cm | 21″ – 22″ 56cm – 57cm | L |
Learn more: Road bike size guide for men and women
Mountain bike size chart for men
| Height | Inseam Lenght | Frame Size | Bike Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4’11” – 5’3″ 147cm – 160cm | 25″ – 27″ 63cm – 68cm | 13″ – 15″ 33cm – 38cm | XS |
| 5’3″ – 5’7″ 160cm – 170cm | 27″ – 29″ 68cm – 74cm | 15″ – 17″ 38cm – 43cm | S |
| 5’7″ – 5’11” 170cm – 180cm | 29″- 31″ 74cm – 79cm | 17″ – 19″ 43cm – 48cm | M |
| 5’11” – 6’2″ 180cm – 188cm | 31″ – 33″ 79cm – 84cm | 19″ – 21″ 48cm – 53cm | L |
| 6’2″ – 6’4″ 188cm – 193cm | 33″ – 35″ 84cm – 89cm | 21″ – 23″ 53cm – 58cm | XL |
| 6’4″ and up 193 and up | 35″ and up 89cm and up | 23″ and up 58cm and up | XXL |
Mountain bike size chart for women
| Height | Inseam Lenght | Frame Size | Bike Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4’10” – 5’2″ 148cm – 158cm | 25″ – 27″ 63cm – 68.5cm | 13″ – 14″ 33cm – 36cm | XS |
| 5’2″ – 5’6″ 160cm – 170cm | 27″ – 29″ 68.5cm – 74cm | 15″ – 16″ 38cm – 41cm | S |
| 5’6″ – 5’10” 170cm – 178cm | 29″ – 31″ 74cm – 79cm | 17″ – 18″ 43cm – 46cm | M |
| 5’10” – 6’1″ 180cm – 185cm | 31″ – 33″ 79cm – 84cm | 19″ – 20 46cm – 53cm | L |
Learn more: Mountain bike size guide
Hybrid bike size chart for men
| Height | Inseam Lenght | Frame Size | Bike Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4’10” – 5’0″ 147cm – 152 | 26″ 66cm | 13″ – 14″ 33cm – 35cm | XXS |
| 5’0″ – 5’3″ 152cm – 160cm | 27″ 69cm | 14″ – 15″ 36cm – 38cm | XS |
| 5’3″ – 5’7″ 160cm – 170cm | 28″ 71cm | 15″ – 16″ 39cm – 40cm | S |
| 5’7″ – 5’9″ 170cm – 175cm | 30″ 76cm | 17″ – 18″ 43cm – 45cm | M |
| 5’9″ – 5’11” 175cm – 180cm | 31″ 79cm | 19″ – 20″ 48cm – 50cm | L |
| 5’11” – 6’2″ 180cm – 188cm | 32″ 81cm | 20″ – 21″ 51cm – 53cm | L |
| 6’2″ – 6’5″ 188cm – 196cm | 34″ 86cm | 21″ – 22″ 54cm – 56cm | XL |
| 6’5″ and up 196cm and up | 36″ 91cm | 23″ and up 58cm and up | XXL |
Hybrid bike size chart for women
| Height | Inseam Lenght | Frame Size | Bike Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4’10” – 5’1″ 147cm – 155cm | 26″ 66cm | 13″ – 14″ 33cm – 35cm | XXS |
| 5’1″ – 5’3″ 155cm – 160cm | 27″ 69cm | 14″ – 15″ 36cm – 38cm | XS |
| 5’3″ – 5’5″ 160cm – 165cm | 28″ 71cm | 15″ – 16″ 39cm – 41cm | S |
| 5’5″ – 5’8″ 165cm – 172cm | 30″ 76cm | 17″ – 18″ 42cm – 45cm | M |
| 5’9″ and up 172cm and up | 31″ 79cm | 19″ – 20″ 46cm and up | L |
Learn more: Hybrid bike size guide
BMX bike size chart
| Height | Race Size | Freestyle Wheel Size | Top Tube Lenght |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3’3″ – 4′ 99cm – 122cm | Micro | 12″ – 16″ | 15″ – 16.5″ |
| 4′ – 4’6″ 122cm – 137cm | Mini | 16″ – 18″ | 16″ – 17.5″ |
| 4’6″ – 4’10” 137cm – 147cm | Junior | 18″ – 20″ | 17″ – 18.5″ |
| 4’8″ – 5’4″ 142cm – 162cm | Expert | 20″ | 18.5″ – 19.5″ |
| 5’4″ – 5’10” 162cm – 178cm | Pro | 20″ | 20″ – 20.5″ |
| 5’8″ – 6′ 172cm – 180cm | Pro XL | 20″ | 20.75″ – 21.25″ |
| 6′ and up 180cm and up | Pro XXL | 20″ | 21.25″ – 22″ |
Learn more: BMX bike size guide
Kid’s bike size chart
| Wheel Size | Inseam Lenght | Height | Age |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12″ | 15″ – 18″ 38cm – 46cm | 36″ – 39″ 92cm – 96cm | 2 – 3 |
| 14″ | 15″ – 20″ 36cm – 51cm | 37″ – 44″ 94cm – 112cm | 2 – 4 |
| 16″ | 16″ – 22″ 40cm – 56cm | 41″ – 48″ 102cm – 123cm | 4 – 6 |
| 20″ | 19″ – 25″ 48cm – 63.5cm | 45″ – 54″ 114cm – 131cm | 5 – 8 |
| 24″ | 23″- 28″ 58.5cm – 71cm | 49″ – 59″ 124cm – 150cm | 8 – 11 |
| 26″ | 25″ and up 63.5cm and up | 56″ and up 142cm and up | 10+ |
Learn more: Kid’s bike size guide
If you just skipped your way out of the size charts without even trying to place yourself. I got you!
Either way, now that you are here you can also use this bike size calculator to speed up the process or to refer to it later.
How To Fix Wrong Bike Size?
To fix a wrong bike size you’ll need to change some or all of these components:
- Crank arms
- Stem
- Seat post
- Handlebar
If your bike is too short for you, you’ll want to make the components bigger and shorter if your bike is too big, always starting from the seat post.
Do you remember when I said to you that it is better to choose the smaller size when placing you on the chart?
Well, if your bike is too big for you, you can make components smaller to a certain point specially the stems and if the difference is too extreme you’ll find yourself cutting the seat post tube to try and make it fit.
If this is your case before you try to change or even cut anything perform a full bike fit.
A little bit of creativity will go a long way when it comes to fitting bikes properly so never fret about being stuck between sizes or having components too big or small because chances are they’ll just need some minor tweaking here and there instead of major adjustments which could get expensive over time.
Check out my full bike fit guide if you need a hand with that!
If after doing that you still can’t get it right, it is best to consult with an experienced mechanic at your local bike shop.
The finish line
Choosing the right bike size is crucial for your comfort on a bike, but it’s also important to ensure that you are still getting the correct fit.
The key takeaway from all of this is that most people will be able to find a proper bike size without too much hassle.
If you took your inseam measurement and calculated your standover height measurement correctly then there should be no problem finding the perfect bike size according to these two measurements alone.
The next time you’re looking around at different bike sizing charts be sure to bookmark our page as we’ve got everything covered!