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Hey everyone, I'm Dustin. I've nearly 20 years of experience in the bike and e-bike industry, and today I'm going to talk to you about bike sizing charts, how to use them, whether are they worth it, and how to make sense of them. Stick around.
All right. Today I'm going to talk to you about bike sizing charts, how to find the right size bike for you, and how to understand a bike sizing chart. Before I do, hit subscribe below, and stay in touch with us here at sixthreezero. Be the first to know about all new content we're putting out, and of course, giveaways for bikes, e-bikes, and accessories, and in addition to that, new product releases. All right, you're in the market for a new bike or e-bike and you're looking at a bike sizing chart, trying to figure out what size is right for you. I can tell you, it's a little bit confusing because there are different methodologies to sizings, how to fit you, and how to find the right bike. Let me get into it a little bit and why I also want to talk to you about a new method that we at sixthreezero have, which is our proprietary body fit algorithm, which is a little bit different than a traditional sizing chart methodology.
When you look at a sizing chart, it's going to give you maybe a height range, maybe an inseam range, and tell you, "Okay, this bike is right for you." Now, one thing I will say when it gets to e-bikes, the sizing charts to an extent are out the window because for e-bikes, unless you're talking about mountain bikes, the sizing is not as complicated as it is for regular bikes. When you talk about mountain bikes and road bikes, non-electric, the bike sizing is way more complex in terms of there being a lot of sizes. In road bikes, it's going to be every two centimeters. You can have a 50, a 52, a 48, and things like that.
On the e-bike side of things, it's not really at the point where it's that many frame sizes per model. In addition to that, when you talk about hybrid bikes or comfort or a cruiser bike, something like this, the sizing is not size the way of road bikes. Typically in cruiser or comfort bikes, it's a wheel size, in this case, 26 inches or 24 inches. Now, there are different frame sizes, but the frame size is also kind of out the window in some regards because it's dependent on a lot of things. You can see the shape of the bike here. This is a forward-pedaling design, so the seat is kicked back. Now, the way you size this bike is not necessarily going to be true to the way you would size a traditional triangle-frame bike.
I know I'm getting confused, and you're probably wondering, "Okay, so what does this mean? How do I get sized?" That's what brings me to the sixthreezero body fit tool on our website. We've developed a proprietary algorithm that's going to ask you about your height, your weight, and actually how you ride the bike, and the algorithm will suggest the perfect bike or e-bike for you based on not only your body type but your riding habits as well.
This is why I was saying the complexities of a bike sizing chart are not always the right way because it's also not taking into account how you're going to ride the bike. You may size yourself smaller for a bike or you may want the bike smaller if you want to be safe. There are other elements that I say would play into choosing the right size bike other than just, "Okay, is this a correct fit?" Now, let's go to shoes as an example, right? There is an industry standard of how a shoe should fit. You need this much space on your thumb, et cetera, et cetera. Then sometimes the shoes just don't feel right, so you go with a bigger size or you do something like that. This is exactly how I relate it to a bike sizing chart and how I say it's not always the right way of fitting.
Now, I think it's a general tool to give you a general ballpark of where in the vicinity you could be, but our proprietary algorithm is going to do a better job of encapsulating so many elements to get you on the right e-bike or bike that is perfect for your body. Now, in addition to that, let's go back to what I was saying about being safe. If you mention in our Body Fit quiz something about how you want to be safer or something about your body type, we could recommend a smaller bike to ensure you can balance appropriately. Now, these are the things, again, with bike sizing charts, like I said, that they don't take into account.
In addition to that, something that's really changed if you're in the market for an e-bike and you're searching for an e-bike, e-bikes now are coming with tons of different wheel sizes and different frame sizes. It's not like a traditional bike, as I said. It gets a little more complex to get fitted appropriately, which is why our algorithm is going to do a much better job of looking at all the factors and coming back and saying, "Okay, this is the right wheel size. This is what you should use."
When we talk about a traditional road or mountain bikes and sizing for those and fitting for those, there is a more traditional system that will work a little bit better if you're looking for performance, and I think that's the key. If performance is the number one element you're looking for, a bike sizing chart can be a better guide in that regard because there are certain measurements for your legs and things like that, that are going to match the frame size for the output you're looking for. It is a more mathematical equation in terms of, "Okay, your height is this, you should be on this bike because that's going to be the best for your legs and your pedal strokes and things of that nature."
Again, we at sixthreezero are more about incorporating comfort in the overall fit and feel of the bike, and we are not necessarily fitting everyone just for performance. That's where the complexities come in. That's where the algorithm comes in. That's where there's a lot more to think about, which is why to some extent, bike sizing charts are a little bit antiquated, but they can help guide you in the right direction.
If you have any questions about bike sizing charts at all or anything else, comment below or shoot us an email, the team at sixthreezero.com. You can call us at (310) 982-2877. If you're in the market for a bike or an e-bike, visit our website sixthirty.com. Take our proprietary body fit tool questionnaire. In under two minutes, we'll recommend the perfect bike or e-bike for you, and we have a test drive of your bike or e-bike policy for 30 days. If you don't love it within 30 days, send it back, no questions asked, no money out of your pocket. In addition to that, be a part of our community, our Facebook Pedalers group, and download our app. Great places to go prior to purchasing because you can see how existing riders are riding their bike. You can also talk to them in our Pedalers group. Once you have your bike, you can make new friends in the Pedalers group and track your rides on the app. It is a ton of fun, so thank you for sticking around, and don't forget, it's your journey, your experience, enjoy the ride.