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I thought it might be helpful for those interested in purchasing a cyclocross frame to start a thread like this. Cyclocross frames are different sizes for obvious reasons but also some manufacturers do weird things with their sizing. Who wants to start?
This is an archived thread, you can find the full version of this thread, with images, links and more content
here.
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I'll start. 2005 Lemond Poprad 55cm with 100mm stem. My height = 5'10.5", my inseam = 34". Fits perfectly.
I also have an '05 Poprad, but I'm 5'11" with ~32" inseam (30" pants). I feel like I could actually use a tiny bit more standover and that the frame is large for a 55, but it does fit and I've gotten used to the fit.
5'10" (barely) with a 32.75" inseam
2005 55cm Bianchi Axis 110mm stem.
fits great..
Custom steel Marinoni Fango 63.5. I'm 6'6" with a 35.5 inseam. Bike fits so good I put 12,000km on it this year.
I'm 5'7" and have a 52cm Specialized Tricross.
5'9"; 30" pants; just got 2005 55" Bianchi Cross Veloce demo bike. 90mm stem.
Feels perhaps tiny big on me, but we'll see.
5'7" Specialized Tricross 52cm. This frame has a slightly sloping top tube. The bottom bracket is also a bit lower than most other cross frames.
5'10", 54cm Fuji Cross, 100mm stem. Non-sloping top tube. I have about a 34" inseam. The fit is nice, a smidgeon on the smaller side but I prefer it that way, a bit more agile for the riding I do.
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=138316
The upshot is that you have to know what your road bike top tube length is supposed to be. Then subtract an inch or so from the road measurement. You should grab a cyclocross bike that has that top tube length as long as you have a couple of inches of standover.
5'4" w/ 28.5 inch inseam. 50 cm Cross Check that just barely fits.
This is a great thread. My big concern is standover, especially if I'm gonna try racing next year.
I'm 5'7" and have a 52cm Specialized Tricross.
What's your inseam? I'm 5'7" too, with a 31.5 inch inseam.
6'1", inseam about 33.75", ride a 60cm Surly Crosscheck with a 100mm stem. If I were going to use it for racing, I might consider a 58cm with a longer stem for more standover, but this bike doubles as a touring bike for me.
5'9" with 30" inseam. Ride 54 cm S-Works Tri-cross (the '06 model) with 100mm stem. Fits perfect.
I'm 5' 6". I ride a Cannondale Cyclocross 52cm. Don't take this to be a rule, though. I have the upper body of somebody who would ride a 50cm, but the inseam of somebody who needs a 52cm frame. I've switched out the 100mm stock handlebar stem for a 110mm. Let the fitting expert with a ruler at your LBS help you decide the size frame you would need, not just a thread on a website.
What's your inseam? I'm 5'7" too, with a 31.5 inch inseam.
My inseam is 79.5cm which is around 31.3". I like the way the 52cm tricross fits me and I have sufficient standover clearance.
So on bikes w/sloping top tubes is the frame size the seat tube length or the effective length, i.e. if it had a level top tube?
5'8" w/ 30.5 cycling inseam. 49cm Felt F1X w/100 mm stem. Fits *perfect.*
5'9" with 30" inseam. Ride 54 cm S-Works Tri-cross (the '06 model) with 100mm stem. Fits perfect.
I looking at building one of those in March. Care to derail the thread and tell us a bit more about it?
:beer:
I looking at building one of those in March. Care to derail the thread and tell us a bit more about it?
:beer:
Sure! All in all I'm very happy with it - even use it for street training rides now. I can pop on a set of skinny street wheels and it rides like a decent road bike. Handling is very good, fork is rugged and light weight, absorbs bumps well. The fork and rear triangle have lots of clearance for fat tires and mud. Tubing is Columbus E5 (same as S-Works road bikes), so the bike is very light but climbs and accelerates well. Weighs about 20 lbs with mid-range components and tires. If you went all out, you could probably get it close to 17 lbs.
The bike has a shortish wheel base and mildly sloping top tube, so be careful about going any smaller on frame size, you might find your toes interfering with the front tire on sharp turns, or not enough room in the main triangle for shouldering. The flat top tube is nice. For shouldering, I take my right hand, flip it over (palm facing up) and hoist the bike to my shoulder, and leave my hand there while running. The bike is facing more front-to-rear instead of draped across my back. This seems more natural with this bike and keeps the left crank arm and pedal from banging against your spine.
The fork has a mounting hole for accessories such as a fender or a fork-mount brake cable hanger. I might add the fork-mount hanger next season since it would make cable tension adjustments easier and prevent the straddle-cable bracket from banging against the head tube. Some people don't like the routing of the derailleur cables (under the DT and BB), but I use teflon cables and haven't had any problems.
I recommend the Fizik Arione saddle. It gives you lots of fore-aft room to play with, is pretty comfortable and easy to slide on and off for dismounts. Bars are of course a personal matter, but I really like the Salsa Bell Laps.
I highly recommend this bike, especially if you plan on more general-purpose riding, such as commuting, road rides, and moderate single track/gravel paths. It's light and stiff enough for the road, rugged enough for cross racing, and nimble enough for single track. My Colnago and Orbea (and even my Mt. bike) have been gathering lots of dust since I started riding the Tri-cross!
Thanx for the info. I'm looking for a fast urban assault/commuter rig/poor weather road bike/and WTH maybe even try it on a 'cross race or two.
What did you build it with? I'm looking towards Ultegra with a compact drive arrangement and hand built wheels. Pretty vanilla.
6'1" with 36" inseam. 58(c-c) cm Specialized S-works CX and 58(c-t) Airborne Carpe Diem
The Carpe Diem has a better standover height due to a sloping geometry.
The Specialized has a 0deg stem. The Airborne with it's longer HT has a - deg deg.
Due to the different STAs I'm given the same saddle - handlebar length.
They both fit very good. That's why I build them that way ;)
Thanx for the info. I'm looking for a fast urban assault/commuter rig/poor weather road bike/and WTH maybe even try it on a 'cross race or two.
What did you build it with? I'm looking towards Ultegra with a compact drive arrangement and hand built wheels. Pretty vanilla.
TruVativ Rolleur compact crank (36/47 chainrings), Ultegra 9-spd shifters, 105 derailleurs, Shim LX cantilevers. Wheels are Ritchey Aero - nothing special, but seem pretty rugged. I like the SRAM 970 cassette and chain.
I'm 5' 8.5" and I have a 31.5" inseam. I ride a 49cm Lemond Poprad with a 90mm stem and it fits perfectly.
I'm 6'2 with a 34 inseam. I've been looking at the Bianchi San Jose which comes in 55 (56 virtual top tube) and 58 (58.1 virtual top tube).
I like bikes on the small side. My road bike is a 57 with a 12cm stem and to me it fits very well. I've test ridden the 58 San Jose and it seems pretty huge. The conventional wisdom I've always heard about cross bikes is you should go a size or two smaller than your normal road size because the top tube tends to be longer, but this doesn't seem to hold true with this model.
Unfortunately I have not had a chance to ride the 55 yet, but would I be nuts to consider it? A little extra standover doesn't seem like a bad thing, and I tend to keep my bars pretty low anyway. Would running a 130mm stem on a 55 be a bad idea in terms of handling, or would running a shorter stem on a 58 be smarter?
Your torso's about 3" longer than mine and you consider a 1" smaller bike?
I'd say go for the 58. The 55 is way to small for you.
Your torso's about 3" longer than mine and you consider a 1" smaller bike?
I'd say go for the 58. The 55 is way to small for you.
I checked out your bikes and actually they seem to be proportioned a lot like mine - similar saddle-to-bar drop, stem length, bar height, etc... I'm really not sure where my height comes from, but I don't think it's all in the torso. I do have kind of a long neck ;) Anyway... on paper I agree with you, but riding the 58 felt a little funky.
I'm 5' 8.5" and I have a 31.5" inseam. I ride a 49cm Lemond Poprad with a 90mm stem and it fits perfectly.
wait. what?
49cm?
i'm 5'7" on a good day and i ride a 52cm poprad. i'm also all torso and i'm currently running a 120mm stem (though i think i'd be better served by a 130)
wait. what?
49cm?
i'm 5'7" on a good day and i ride a 52cm poprad. i'm also all torso and i'm currently running a 120mm stem (though i think i'd be better served by a 130)
I tried the 52. Too big. 49 fits me perfect. 53 cm top tube is just right. If you're all torso, then maybe the 52 is a better fit. I'm proportioned differently... but all i know is the fit feels perfect.
I'm 5' 8" with about a 33 inch inseam. I run a 54cm Salsa with a 90mm stem. It fits me well, and I also love the bike! :)
http://www.bikegreenecounty.com/bac/Salsa.jpg
180cm.
82cm inseam.
54cm soma double cross (effective toptube 57.2cm).
I'm 5'8" with a 31" inseam, and I ride a 52cm Ridley Crossbow. It fits great!!
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