Vintage carbon GIANT Cadex 980c help with sizing
05-15-16, 12:30 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 171
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 24 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
Vintage carbon GIANT Cadex 980c help with sizing
I`m pondering this bike that came up for sale. Price is right, seller is helpful (sent a lot of detailed pics), everything good except a measurement problem. I though I had a rather good eye for telling the size of a bike but I`m lost on this one. Seller claims it is a 60 cm c-t with a 15 cm head tube. To my eyes it looks more like a 57 especially considering the head tube length, in which case is too small fro me. I`m 6`2 btw.
Would anyone take a guess? Thank you
Would anyone take a guess? Thank you
05-15-16, 05:41 PM
#2
Senior Member
Is the bottom bracket extra low? While most bottom brackets fall into a fairly small range, if this one has a lot of drop, the seat tube will be long but it may have the standover of a smaller bike. Ask the seller for standover height and top tube length. If those sound reasonable, you can probably make it fit just fine.
05-16-16, 12:08 AM
#3
Shifting is fun!
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: South Holland, NL
Posts: 11,021
Bikes: Yes, please.
Mentioned: 283 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2202 Post(s)
Liked 4,638 Times
in
1,777 Posts
I have one of those. Looks smaller than it is. Which is one of the things I like about it. My saddle top is at 80cm:
Cadex 980
Cadex 980
05-16-16, 12:08 PM
#4
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 171
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 24 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
I have one of those. Looks smaller than it is. Which is one of the things I like about it. My saddle top is at 80cm:
Cadex 980
Cadex 980
Likes For estebe:
05-16-16, 11:39 PM
#5
Shifting is fun!
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: South Holland, NL
Posts: 11,021
Bikes: Yes, please.
Mentioned: 283 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2202 Post(s)
Liked 4,638 Times
in
1,777 Posts
Can't get to the bike right now, as it's in storage. I know it has a 62cm seat tube.
05-17-16, 01:35 AM
#6
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 171
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 24 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
This is what I feared, so Giant measured frames the italian way c-c? What the hell! So mine will be a 58cm best case scenario with either 57 or 58 TT (c-c)....
05-18-16, 01:43 PM
#7
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 171
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 24 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
So mistery solved (sort of). Seat tube is 59 cm c-t, TT is 56 cm c-c and head tube is indeed 15 cm. Bike felt good for the 5 minutes i rode it after a few basic adjustments. Question is how the hell did Giant measure bikes in the 90s and what size would this equate to? I sold a Bianchi which was 57 cm ST/TT c-c (59 cm ST c-t) with a 14,5 cm head tube which felt too low and small with a 11,5 cm stem, but this one surprisingly feels more comfortable with a 12 cm stem though is basically shorter...
05-18-16, 01:59 PM
#8
Shifting is fun!
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: South Holland, NL
Posts: 11,021
Bikes: Yes, please.
Mentioned: 283 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2202 Post(s)
Liked 4,638 Times
in
1,777 Posts
Couldn't let it go, so I just went to dig out the bike and measure it. The results are as follows.
Seat tube (C-T):62 cm
Top tube (C-C): 58 cm
Head tube: 17 cm.
My inseam is 35", BTW.
Seat tube (C-T):62 cm
Top tube (C-C): 58 cm
Head tube: 17 cm.
My inseam is 35", BTW.
05-18-16, 02:11 PM
#9
Shifting is fun!
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: South Holland, NL
Posts: 11,021
Bikes: Yes, please.
Mentioned: 283 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2202 Post(s)
Liked 4,638 Times
in
1,777 Posts
(...) Question is how the hell did Giant measure bikes in the 90s and what size would this equate to? I sold a Bianchi which was 57 cm ST/TT c-c (59 cm ST c-t) with a 14,5 cm head tube which felt too low and small with a 11,5 cm stem, but this one surprisingly feels more comfortable with a 12 cm stem though is basically shorter...
05-18-16, 02:16 PM
#11
Shifting is fun!
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: South Holland, NL
Posts: 11,021
Bikes: Yes, please.
Mentioned: 283 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2202 Post(s)
Liked 4,638 Times
in
1,777 Posts
I think you're right, and that the TT slopes slightly forward. Only logical explanation.
05-18-16, 02:20 PM
#12
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 171
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 24 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
Much appreciated! But don`t you mean they measured C-T? Otherwise yours would be a 59 not a 61? So I guess then mine would be a 59 with a 56 TT? Still find it strange though, too short TT...BTW, what is that thing between the head seat and stem? Ornamental spacer? Thank you again for taking the time to measure
05-18-16, 03:39 PM
#13
Shifting is fun!
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: South Holland, NL
Posts: 11,021
Bikes: Yes, please.
Mentioned: 283 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2202 Post(s)
Liked 4,638 Times
in
1,777 Posts
I can only assume that mine would officially have been a 61, as it seems to be one size up from 'yours'.
The head tube extender is there to compensate for TT slope, I (again) assume. It seems to have been standard issue.
Anyway, owners like them. And, you can join the Bikeforms Cadex 980c Club!
The head tube extender is there to compensate for TT slope, I (again) assume. It seems to have been standard issue.
Anyway, owners like them. And, you can join the Bikeforms Cadex 980c Club!
05-18-16, 04:10 PM
#14
Senior Member
Nice buy. Love to get one of those. Congrats
05-18-16, 10:17 PM
#15
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 171
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 24 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
Right, so they measured c-t not c-c then and yours would be a 61 not 62 c-t under these circumstances...
Btw, how long is that extender approximately? Mine doesnt have one...thank you again, shall post a pic once the bike is cleaned
Btw, how long is that extender approximately? Mine doesnt have one...thank you again, shall post a pic once the bike is cleaned
05-18-16, 11:50 PM
#17
Shifting is fun!
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: South Holland, NL
Posts: 11,021
Bikes: Yes, please.
Mentioned: 283 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2202 Post(s)
Liked 4,638 Times
in
1,777 Posts
Might take a couple of days before I'm able to measure the ring. But you'd better measure what you need on your bike, as the headset may have been exchanged for one with a different stack height, in which case the original might not fit.
05-19-16, 01:57 PM
#18
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 171
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 24 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
No rush. Headset is a Campagnolo Athena (i think) so it definitely aftermarket. I was just curious how did the extender attach to the fork... I could probably use the 2-3 cm in extra height but probably is impossible to find something similar aftermarket. In other news while riding the bike today the right side chain stay came undone from the lug while I was on the bike....the joys of vintage carbon I guess
05-19-16, 03:12 PM
#19
Senior Member
youch. you ok? can it be fixed?
05-19-16, 03:31 PM
#20
Shifting is fun!
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: South Holland, NL
Posts: 11,021
Bikes: Yes, please.
Mentioned: 283 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2202 Post(s)
Liked 4,638 Times
in
1,777 Posts
The ring is just a spacer, AFAIK, similar to those used on threadless headsets.
WRT the chainstay: nasty! Did it 'just' become undone, or did it break?
WRT the chainstay: nasty! Did it 'just' become undone, or did it break?
05-20-16, 07:23 AM
#22
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 171
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 24 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
Yep, the carbon sleeve came out from the aluminium lug and jammed the wheel into the chain stay. I`ll see a guy latter on today to see if it doable or not. Funny thing is that once I removed the rear wheel the carbon thingy went just right in, you wouldn`t even know it was out...wheel is straight in the rear triangle etc and no visible sign of the separation at the joints
07-06-16, 04:02 PM
#23
Junior Member
That bike looks pretty beat up I'd never buy it in this shape, I got one of these but it looks almost mint and it was a bargain too best not to jump into deals like this.
12-04-18, 04:49 PM
#24
Newbie
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 1
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
help with sizing
Hello everybody
i'm considering buying a Cadex cfr-1. i need some help with sizing though since i wont be able to visit the buyer until im sure that i want to buy.
i am 168cm tall, inseam 75, riding a 51cm track bike(kind of small but fits like a glove), a 53cm caad5. The bike is supposed to be 54 ST and 53TT. How do these bikes feel? smaller or true to size?
any piece of info would be great.
Haris
i'm considering buying a Cadex cfr-1. i need some help with sizing though since i wont be able to visit the buyer until im sure that i want to buy.
i am 168cm tall, inseam 75, riding a 51cm track bike(kind of small but fits like a glove), a 53cm caad5. The bike is supposed to be 54 ST and 53TT. How do these bikes feel? smaller or true to size?
any piece of info would be great.
Haris
12-05-18, 09:26 AM
#25
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Portland OR
Posts: 7,639
Bikes: 61 Bianchi Specialissima 71 Peugeot G50 7? P'geot PX10 74 Raleigh GranSport 75 P'geot UO8 78? Raleigh Team Pro 82 P'geot PSV 86 P'geot PX 91 Bridgestone MB0 92 B'stone XO1 97 Rans VRex 92 Cannondale R1000 94 B'stone MB5 97 Vitus 997
Mentioned: 146 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 392 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 49 Times
in
31 Posts
Glue and pin the chainstay? Then pin the other tube to lug joints? How much thickness does the carbon tube have at the lug?
This would be an opportunity to learn about DIY repairs of carbon tube/alloy lugged bikes. Research adhesives, of course, don't just grab Gorilla Glue :-) As for the pin, maybe cut short lengths of stainless steel rod (available at hardware stores), drill frame, pin to have a friction fit plus adhesive. Could be multiple pins in a radial pattern around the tube?
Some will say you should retire the bike, but I wouldn't. Yes a frame separation could lead to a crash, but so could many other things we accept as part of cycling - wet pavement, slimy leaves, sand on road, pavement cracks, cars, people, etc etc.
I'd inspect the frame construction, post pics here, if you see a logical way to repair then do it!
This would be an opportunity to learn about DIY repairs of carbon tube/alloy lugged bikes. Research adhesives, of course, don't just grab Gorilla Glue :-) As for the pin, maybe cut short lengths of stainless steel rod (available at hardware stores), drill frame, pin to have a friction fit plus adhesive. Could be multiple pins in a radial pattern around the tube?
Some will say you should retire the bike, but I wouldn't. Yes a frame separation could lead to a crash, but so could many other things we accept as part of cycling - wet pavement, slimy leaves, sand on road, pavement cracks, cars, people, etc etc.
I'd inspect the frame construction, post pics here, if you see a logical way to repair then do it!
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
estebe
Classic & Vintage
21
03-25-18 11:52 AM
Niskyspy
Road Cycling
37
09-02-10 09:25 PM
