These sizes come from the same table our bike size calculator uses: a rounded consensus of the size guides from Canyon, Giant, Orbea, Trek and Specialized, checked in October 2026. Every brand measures differently, and where a medium starts can vary by 1.5 to 2 inches (4-5 cm) between them, so treat the letter as a starting point and check it against the chart of the brand you’re buying. When a second size appears in parentheses, you’re within about half an inch (1.5 cm) of the cutoff and either one can work. Heights are rounded to the nearest inch, with centimeters alongside.
Bike size by height for each type of bike
| Height | Road | Gravel | Mountain | City and e-bike | Triathlon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 ft 11 in (150 cm) | XXS | XXS | XS | XS | XS |
| 5 ft (152 cm) | XXS | XXS | XS | XS | XS |
| 5 ft 1 in (155 cm) | XXS | XXS (or XS) | XS | XS | XS |
| 5 ft 2 in (157 cm) | XXS (or XS) | XS | S (or XS) | S (or XS) | XS |
| 5 ft 3 in (160 cm) | XS | XS | S | S | XS |
| 5 ft 4 in (163 cm) | XS (or S) | S (or XS) | S | S | XS |
| 5 ft 5 in (165 cm) | S (or XS) | S | M (or S) | S | XS (or S) |
| 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) | S | S | M | M (or S) | S |
| 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) | M (or S) | M (or S) | M | M | S |
| 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) | M | M | M | M | S (or M) |
| 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) | M (or L) | M (or L) | M (or L) | M | M |
| 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | L | L | L | L (or M) | M |
| 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | L | L | L | L | M |
| 6 ft (183 cm) | XL (or L) | XL (or L) | L | L | L (or M) |
| 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) | XL | XL | XL (or L) | L (or XL) | L |
| 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | XL (or XXL) | XL (or XXL) | XL | XL | L |
| 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) | XXL | XXL (or XL) | XL | XL | L (or XL) |
| 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) | XXL | XXL | XXL (or XL) | XXL (or XL) | XL |
| 6 ft 5 in (196 cm) | XXL | XXL | XXL | XXL | XL |
| 6 ft 6 in (198 cm) | XXL | XXL | XXL | XXL | XL |
| 6 ft 7 in (201 cm) | XXL | XXL | XXL | XXL | XL |
If you’re exactly on the line between two sizes, the chart gives you the larger one.
Road bikes
| Size | Height | Height (cm) | Frame |
|---|---|---|---|
| XXS | up to 5 ft 2 in | up to 158 cm | 47-48 cm |
| XS | 5 ft 2 in–5 ft 5 in | 158-164 cm | 49-50 cm |
| S | 5 ft 5 in–5 ft 7 in | 164-170 cm | 51-52 cm |
| M | 5 ft 7 in–5 ft 9 in | 170-176 cm | 53-54 cm |
| L | 5 ft 9 in–6 ft | 176-182 cm | 55-56 cm |
| XL | 6 ft–6 ft 2 in | 182-188 cm | 57-58 cm |
| XXL | 6 ft 2 in and up | 188 cm and up | 60-61 cm |
For more detail, including size by inseam, see the road bike size chart.
Gravel bikes
| Size | Height | Height (cm) | Frame |
|---|---|---|---|
| XXS | up to 5 ft 1 in | up to 155 cm | 47-48 cm |
| XS | 5 ft 1 in–5 ft 4 in | 155-162 cm | 49-50 cm |
| S | 5 ft 4 in–5 ft 7 in | 162-170 cm | 51-52 cm |
| M | 5 ft 7 in–5 ft 9 in | 170-176 cm | 53-54 cm |
| L | 5 ft 9 in–6 ft | 176-182 cm | 55-56 cm |
| XL | 6 ft–6 ft 2 in | 182-189 cm | 57-58 cm |
| XXL | 6 ft 2 in and up | 189 cm and up | 60-61 cm |
Gravel bikes are numbered like road bikes, but the small sizes start a little earlier because they usually have more stack (a taller front end).
Mountain bikes
| Size | Height | Height (cm) | Seat tube |
|---|---|---|---|
| XS | up to 5 ft 2 in | up to 157 cm | 13-14 in |
| S | 5 ft 2 in–5 ft 5 in | 157-165 cm | 15 in |
| M | 5 ft 5 in–5 ft 9 in | 165-176 cm | 16-17 in |
| L | 5 ft 9 in–6 ft 1 in | 176-185 cm | 18-19 in |
| XL | 6 ft 1 in–6 ft 4 in | 185-193 cm | 19-20 in |
| XXL | 6 ft 4 in and up | 193 cm and up | 21-22 in |
The inches are the approximate seat tube length, the old way of sizing mountain bikes; today almost every brand sells by letter. There’s an expanded version in the mountain bike size chart.
City, hybrid and e-bikes
| Size | Height | Height (cm) | Frame |
|---|---|---|---|
| XS | up to 5 ft 2 in | up to 157 cm | 41-44 cm |
| S | 5 ft 2 in–5 ft 6 in | 157-167 cm | 45-48 cm |
| M | 5 ft 6 in–5 ft 10 in | 167-177 cm | 49-53 cm |
| L | 5 ft 10 in–6 ft 1 in | 177-186 cm | 54-57 cm |
| XL | 6 ft 1 in–6 ft 4 in | 186-193 cm | 58-61 cm |
| XXL | 6 ft 4 in and up | 193 cm and up | 62-64 cm |
City and commuter e-bikes follow this same chart. Pick an e-MTB with the mountain bike chart.
Triathlon and time trial bikes
| Size | Height | Height (cm) | Frame |
|---|---|---|---|
| XS | up to 5 ft 5 in | up to 166 cm | 48-49 cm |
| S | 5 ft 5 in–5 ft 8 in | 166-173 cm | 50-51 cm |
| M | 5 ft 8 in–6 ft | 173-182 cm | 52-54 cm |
| L | 6 ft–6 ft 3 in | 182-191 cm | 55-56 cm |
| XL | 6 ft 3 in and up | 191 cm and up | 57-58 cm |
If you’re between two sizes
Height doesn’t tell the whole story: two riders who are both 5 ft 9 in can have inseams 3 inches (8 cm) apart. Measure yours barefoot, with a book pressed up between your legs, as explained in the guide to finding your bike size. With long legs for your height (an inseam above 47.5% of your height), go for the smaller size and raise the seatpost; with a long torso (an inseam below 44.5%), go for the larger one. The bike size calculator does that math with both measurements.
Some brands run small: Canyon calls a small what others call a medium, so always check the brand’s own chart. There’s one for Canyon and a side-by-side of other brands in the size chart by brand. If you’re still deciding what kind of bike to buy, start with types of bikes. To compare two specific frames by stack and reach, use the bike geometry comparison. For kids, size goes by wheel diameter: see kids’ bike size by age.
Frequently asked questions
What size bike do I need if I'm 5'9"?
At 5 ft 9 in (175 cm), a medium on road, gravel, mountain, city and triathlon bikes. You're within about half an inch of a large on road, gravel and mountain bikes: if your legs are long for your height, stay on the medium; if your torso is long, try the large.
What size is a 54 cm bike?
On road and gravel bikes, a 53-54 cm frame is a medium, for riders about 5 ft 7 in to 5 ft 9 in (170-176 cm). On city and hybrid bikes a medium runs 49-53 cm, so a 54 is already a large (5 ft 10 in to 6 ft 1 in, 177-186 cm).
Do e-bikes use different sizes?
No. An e-bike uses the same ranges as the regular bike in its family: pick a city or commuter e-bike with the city chart and an electric mountain bike with the mountain chart.