Trek Domane Sizing

[TheThing]

I'm looking at getting another road bike for the commute. I have not ridden a Trek before so have no idea of their sizing. A second hand 56cm Domane has come up for sale that has caught my eye.

For reference, I am 183cm with a 88.5cm inseam and have owned a 55.5cm Boardman that was comfortable but had a 58cm Specialized that was uncomfortable.

I'm dubious of manufacturer size guides as I have bought bikes before based on them and have had discomfort/pain in my neck/shoulders from being too stretched out. Anyone got any idea if a 56cm frame Domane is worth looking at for someone of my size? Thanks in advance.

Edited by TheThing on Monday 7th August 18:26

[JEA1K]

TheThing said:

I'm looking at getting another road bike for the commute. I have not ridden a Trek before so have no idea of their sizing. A second hand 56cm Domane has come up for sale that has caught my eye.

For reference, I am 183cm with a 88.5cm inseam and have owned a 55.5cm Boardman that was comfortable but had a 58cm Specialized that was uncomfortable.

I'm dubious of manufacturer size guides as I have bought bikes before based on them and have had discomfort/pain in my neck/shoulders from being too stretched out. Anyone got any idea if a 56cm frame Domane is worth looking at for someone of my size? Thanks in advance.

Edited by TheThing on Monday 7th August 18:26

Trek are very much sized as shown. I am 181cm and have had numerous 56cm Trek frames ... presently an Emonda SLR and Madone SLR. So yes, chances are you will be fine as a starting point. The Domane is a slightly more relaxed geo but would guess from your size that a 58cm could also work. personally would always choose a smaller of the acceptable frame sizes and have a longer stem if required ... rather than a larger frame with a shorter stem. T

here are a few points to note as its a used bike.

Has the steerer been trimmed for the current owner, making it too low for you or is it full height still?
The stem length also should be considered as comfort can vary from rider to rider ... standard issue is around 100mm stem but you may require longer or shorter
With some Trek frames, they have a proprierory seat post which comes in longer and shorter lengths. If you are longer in the leg than the current owner and they have the shorter seat post, its something else you may need to supply to get the bike to fit.

[TheThing]

Thank you for the reply and advice. I don't mind spending some money too get the fit spot on as I'm well aware of the issues that can arise from an awkward riding position. 16 miles each way is no fun with an aching neck/knee/lowerback.

The bike in question has been sold now but I am looking at other bikes. I learnt some valuable lessons from my last bout of commuting through the winter. I need disc brakes as being my size and weight is impossible to stop in the wet on rim brakes, especially when going down hill. I want bigger tyre clearances as 25mm tyres were brutal on londons roads. Some extra grip would be nice as well. I also want something with a smaller frame and more relaxed geometry as riding whilst doing a plank is also not much fun.

I may even just treat myself to something new this time but I always seem to get lucky with secondhand bikes regarding price. I've always broke even or made a profit when selling them on.

[moonigan]

I had a Domane a few years ago it was also a 56. I’m 172cm with a 85cm inseam. They are short across the top tube and have a larger head tube. I suspect this will be too small for you. Just noticed in my picture that I have a shorter stem which IIRC was an 85mm one.

Edited by moonigan on Wednesday 9th August 05:53

Edited by moonigan on Wednesday 9th August 05:54

[K1909]

I had this exact same dilemma last month, I bought a second hand 2021 domane, took it for a test ride and felt felt okay, but still was concerned the 56cm was going to be to small for me. I’m 182cm so the top end for a 56 and a low end of 58 according to treks website.

The previous owner had fitted a shorter stem, but I was still a little concerned and started looking at 58 frames. I ended up with the 56 and stuck the original stem back on and it’s been perfect for commuting with no size issues at all.

My other bikes are also 56cm frames. Last time I bought a new bike the the fitter said it’s easier to make a small bike bigger, than it is make a bigger bike small.

Good luck with your search, I’m more than happy with mine,

[TheThing]

Thank you for the replies guys. Advice taken on board. Ill stick to searching for a 56cm Domane or Allez. I'll update with pics if and when I get my hands on one. I can't believe how strong the prices are these days though.