Carbon Fork on Merckx Alu Cross?

[wheel_house]

I'm about to purchase a new Merckx Alu Cross and have a question for the community. Trying to decide if I should have the shop replace the stock Alu fork with an Easton carbon fork while they are builiding it. Or should I give the Alu fork a chance before I make the switch?
Also does anyone have any experience with the fit on Merckx bikes? I'm 6'0" tall but have short legs and long torso. The shop suggested a 54 cm but that seems to small to me.

Thanks!

[Lectron]

54 sounds to to small. I don’t know the geometry of the Eddie Mercxx frame,
but even with a very steep seat tube angle (meaning you can easier use a set back seat post)
I’d recon it would mean a very long stem, maybe at least 13-14 cm.
That’s a pretty long stem to be crossing around with.
My selves being 6’1 with a 90cm inseam and a 64cm trunk, witch means a rather short torso so
I'd guess we’re about the same there, am on a 58 frame with a 12 cm stem.
A 54 frame and a 16cm stem wouldn’t exactly be recommendable. At least go up on a 56.


Does Easton make a Cross carbon fork ?

[wheel_house]

Not sure if Easton does. I guess more of a general quesiton about alu vs. carbon forks. Should I straight away replace the alu with carbon or give the aluminum a chance first?
Thanks for the sizing info. The 56 sounds more like it. The 58 may be a stretch...

[Lectron]

A good alufork like Kinesis Crosslight etc., is probably much better than a cheap ($200)
carbon fork. This is also a place where you really feel the weight (at least I do),
but that’s not really an argument here since they’re both probably goanna be around 750g.
Unless you are considering forks like TrueTemper AlphaQ CX that is, but then we’re talking $500.

[ZenNMotion]

I'd get a second opinion on that frame size- it might be right, but sounds small to me for a six-footer. I ride a 54 at just over 5'10" with long legs. Is this mostly a race bike? The fork material doesnt matter much, stick with the cheaper Aluminum fork. The bumps on a cross course are big enough that it really doesn't matter much which fork you use, you can't really feel the diff, plus your big squishy tires make it all moot anyway. There's a little difference in weight between an Al fork and high end carbon but its an expensive way just to shave a little weight. If you are planning on riding mostly on the road, a carbon fork may feel a little more comfortable over a long day than Al, but a carbon cross fork is tons stiffer and less compliant than a carbon road fork, so its going to feel harsh.

[darkmother]

Keep the fork. There is absolutely nothing wrong with an aluminum fork-I have one on my X bike, and I like it just fine. It's even relatively light.

54 is WAY too small for you. Sounds like they are trying to get rid of some stock at your expense. I am 6'2" and my inseam is around 34". I ride a custom 57cm with a 61.5cm top tube. Personally, I like bikes with a long front center and short stems in the rough stuff, maybe because of the way my mass is distributed-otherwise I just get pitched over the bars a lot, and I am never comfortable. Fit is tricky, and everyone has a different preferance, but I would be very careful-54 is a small frame, and you are not a small guy. I would look at a 58.

[wheel_house]

Went back to the shop yesterday and tried a few different sizes and to my surprise the 54 will work perfect. I'll need to go with a longer stem for the top tube but that's no problem.

[Lectron]

OK. So you’ll end up with a 54. CX frames very often have longer toptubs, but sorry, it still sound to small to me.
You’re saying you’ve got short legs so I’m guessing your arms are rather short too right? But with a long torso you still have a long reach.
With long torso/short arms it might not be the best combination with a stem length >= 20% toptube length.
I have to agree with Darkmother. It Sounds like they are trying to get rid of some stock at your expense.
Anyway though. Of course I hope it fits you, but you pick the frame for it’s TT/angels.
You don’t make it longer with a stem. You’re just doing the fine adjustments.
I’m using a 12cm stem, but my arms are 75cm.

But if it fits you. Well nothing’s better. :)

[wheel_house]

They're definitely not trying to stick me with the 54. I have to get the frame ordered and it won't be in for 5 weeks. Boooo.
I definitley thought that it would be too small intil I sat on a few 54's. The top tube was at a height that is was right to my crotch with only about 3-4" of seat post showing. It felt like the right size, if I went with the 56 I think the frame might be too tall?
I guess I just have an odd sized body for my height!

[jfmckenna]

What is the TT length? Don't forget cross bikes have a higher BB so that makes sense that you think 54 on the seat tube is too small.

[wheel_house]

Top tube is 54.5 on the 54. It's 56 on the 56