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-   -   New gravel road type bike size help (https://www.bikeforums.net/cyclocross-gravelbiking-recreational/1153727-new-gravel-road-type-bike-size-help.html)

bikingtotown 08-26-18 01:20 PM

New gravel road type bike size help
 
About to drop a good percent of my net worth on a bicycle https://www.bikeforums.net/images/smilies/biggrin.gif Now I'm super analyzing it, and fit is of course very important next to bike type. It's gonna be a wet weather, rough road, gravel road type bike. Last time I went way too big and clunky on large giant any road with rack and just ended up selling it. I had to put a 75 mm stem on and don't want to do that again as I do most my riding on non technical roads. I'm 5'9 with 32 inseam always seem to be between 54/56 or medium, and large I have always felt comfortable on larger frames. My regular road bike is a 56, trek domane with stem flipped and as far down as it goes. Planning on this bike to be more upright for comfort in adverse conditions. Im been between the specialized diverge, giant revolt, trek checkpoint possibly smaller carbon version of giant anyroad...those are pretty much my options without traveling too far. so is it feasible sizing down for a more nimble ride on bumpier messier roads? Will this effect the abily to ride longer distances comfortably? Any known models come in a 55?!? Or other models I should be considering? thanks any help would be great or if u just want to talk about other bike stuff that's coo too. It's wet out and in need of my rainy day gravel bike.. https://www.bikeforums.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

Spoonrobot 08-26-18 02:26 PM


so is it feasible sizing down for a more nimble ride on bumpier messier roads?
This is a very road-centric sentence, a "more nimble ride" is very good marketing puffery that doesn't mean anything. In the off-road space this sentence doesn't make sense and really I'm having a hard time understanding it myself. Not trying to be rude, trying to explain. If someone came to me and said "I want a more nimble ride" I would need to ask "What problem are you trying to solve?" to get a grasp on what they meant.

Sizing down as a concept for off-road bikes does not exist. Nimbleness comes from the handlebar width, stem length, amount of trail and the technique of the rider. Not the size of the bike, as most sizes are engineered to have close to the same steering angle so they hypothetically handle the same across the size range. You want to be on the right size bike, to give a good recommendation we would need to know your current stack and reach and then spitball how that translates to an off-road position. Some people are fine in the same road position but most need higher stack, less reach and wider handlebars. Especially when riding anything with significant elevation changes as descending on a bike off-road that has too much saddle to bar drop is a hair-raising experience. The bikes you have chosen are all extremely different. To go through pros/cons of each one would take a while to say nothing of geo differences.

Anyway, make your life easy and just get the Trek Checkpoint. If you like the 56 Domane you'll like the 56 Checkpoint. Giant only come in M/L and I don't like that compared to Trek/Specialized. Diverge has future shock so that's a non-starter.

bikingtotown 08-26-18 02:51 PM

I was acually looking at the 2016 specialized diverge without the future shock. I'm not trying to do anything off road just rough and gravel roads in nastier weather. by more nimble ride I meant easier to manuever and control over harsh roads. Some shoulder-ability per say. When your over stretched on large frame that is harder to do and seems to wear you down quicker.

shoota 08-27-18 06:53 AM


Originally Posted by bikingtotown (Post 20528750)
It's gonna be a wet weather, rough road, gravel road type bike. I'm 5'9 with 32 inseam always seem to be between 54/56 or medium, and large I have always felt comfortable on larger frames. Planning on this bike to be more upright for comfort in adverse conditions.Any known models come in a 55?!? Or other models I should be considering? thanks any help would be great or if u just want to talk about other bike stuff that's coo too. It's wet out and in need of my rainy day gravel bike.. ;)

https://www.bikeexchange.com/a/cyclo...hoCmLMQAvD_BwE

The pre-2017 54cm SuperXs are 55.5 ETT, not too racey, have clearance for 40mm tires, and pretty much fit your description.

I would also take a close look at the new SuperX SE, it's an amazing bike. https://www.cannondale.com/en/Intern...c-f2d512c40c42
https://www.bikeexchange.com/a/cyclo...hoCmLMQAvD_BwE

Roger Ramjet 08-27-18 08:18 AM

For reference, I am 5'9" and 30 inch inseam. Trek's website says that I should take a 56 cm Checkpoint. I went in to a shop to look at them, found that a 56 cm was too big, but a 54 cm fit me perfectly. I bought the 54 cm last week, seems perfectly fine for me so far.

shoota 08-27-18 10:04 AM


Originally Posted by Roger Ramjet (Post 20530143)
I am 5'9" and 30 inch inseam. Trek's website says that I should take a 56 cm Checkpoint.

That's insane.

I remember when I got sized at a Trek shop for my first bike and they wanted to put me on a 58cm. I now ride a 55-56cm. Trek oversizes I'd say.

bikingtotown 08-27-18 02:46 PM

I'm a firm believer of sizing up or down depending what kind of riding you intend to do I think I'm looking to size down on this one with similar measurements to my road bike different geometry.or maybe just get another domane and set it up differently hard to find a good one to size down on. New giant revolt is sticking out to me.

bikingtotown 08-27-18 02:50 PM

I agree with trek sizing high if your in 5'9 range depending on your inseam/ arm length. they are always set up as comfortable as possible in the shop too which makes it worse. My domane is extremely close to being too large.

Sully151 09-01-18 10:42 AM

If I remember correctly, Trek measured from the center of the bottom bracket to the top of the seat tube, when most other companies measure center to center. That’s why my 58cm Trek was more like other companie’s 56.



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