2023 Subscriptions David Thomson Posted October 3, 2011 2023 Subscriptions Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 Looking into buying a CX bike. Heard that it should be smaller than your road bike. Can anybody confirm this or what size I should start to be looking at. I ride a 58cm on the road. Cheers David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2023 Subscriptions martin Posted October 3, 2011 2023 Subscriptions Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 Hi David, If you can, go for 1cm shorter along the top tube / 1cm smaller. You tend to be a bit more upright on the crosser than on the road. If you can't find such a frame, you can drop the saddle and get a shorter stem. My made to measure size (18 years ago by Dave Yates in Wallsend) is a 54 x 54cm, and I've gone for that in road bikes since. I've just got a Crux Elite with a sloping top tube and a sticker size of 52cm centre to top, and 53.7cm along the virtual top tube. It feels right. Thew last CX frame I had was about 55 along the top. I could get a really good position on the road, but I was never happy with it off road. M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny Christie Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 Its a personal thing to be honest. There are those who would suggest a size smaller than your current road bike but this dependent entirely on your physiology. Having a little more stand over height to enable easier dis-mounts/ re-mounts with enough clearance for your crown jewels, but not at the expense of riding a shorter top tube, which would require a longer stem sacrificing handling not to mention toe overlap. I tried a smaller bike but it was too short and just felt small. Hence, I feel much more at home on a 55cm which is my roadbike frame size. I use a 100 mm stem, a bit shorter than my road bikes, I also have a compact/sloping top tube so it feels 'chuckable' So in theory I agree that you need a more tailored fit but you need to try the various options rather than just jumping in. Because of the issues above. Knowing your physique I would say you want a 57 top tube with a shorter stem than you currently use on the road. You would also benefit from sloping geometry to give you the stand-over height. This would be in the ballpark in the large size giving you the sloping geo with the right length tt; http://www.boardmanbikes.com/cx/cx_team.html Your welcome to try mine for size David, its a 56 but measures closer to 55. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Committee Alan McLean Posted October 3, 2011 Committee Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 I go road bike size, best for putting down power when you need it. Hate feeling cramped. Dismounts are hard anyway, assuming your saddle/pedal distance is preserved then you still have to hop up the same distance each time. Sloping TT might be nice though but I just fall off in a heap regardless. Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2023 Subscriptions David Thomson Posted October 3, 2011 Author 2023 Subscriptions Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 Cheers for the advice. Was very confused after reading an article on another forum . Both my road and winter bikes are sloping tubes so thats for showing me that, didnt know he made CX bikes, pretty good price for the equipment too. Disc brakes legal? Going to go look about the local bike shops in the next few days but now I have a much better understanding. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny Christie Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 Re discs; No more worn rims and expensive pads/brake shudder! Hooray! Only a matter of time before they're on road bikes. Not soon enough if you ask me. http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/uci-allows-disc-brakes-for-cyclo-cross-26660/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2023 Subscriptions Ramsay Posted October 3, 2011 2023 Subscriptions Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 David, Dooleys sell Ridley bike, which do a variety lovely cross bikes. OK, so they are pricey, but oh so lovely!! R P.S. - My crosser is the same size as my road bike and I find it no problems. Best fun you will ever have on a bike is on a crosser!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al yuille Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 Get a mountain bike. (I see it turns out canties are not that great this season Martin) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Committee Alan McLean Posted October 3, 2011 Committee Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 MTBs lovely but 10lbs heavier. Fun at Glentress, misery on hurdles, grassy slopes and steps. Get MTB AND cross bike! Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2023 Subscriptions martin Posted October 4, 2011 2023 Subscriptions Report Share Posted October 4, 2011 Get a mountain bike. (I see it turns out canties are not that great this season Martin) Just don't brake! Discs became legal last at the start of last season, but on Sunday's evidence vast majority of guys still using cantis. Fork mounted brake hanger eliminates judder, pleased to say. Re frame size - agree it's all personal, so best advice is definitely to have a try. I still think a slightly shorter frame is better. Smaller bike is easier to chuck around too. Oh and of course, I never have a problem with toe overlap.... (thought I'd say it before Al gets there ) Don't see how stand over height affects dismount / mount: I try to land on the saddle most times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Committee Alan McLean Posted October 4, 2011 Committee Report Share Posted October 4, 2011 Martin is right re. brakes. I braked at three points on the irvine course. Anyway David, I hope that is completely clear now. So go away and buy a bike in Dooley's and we'll see you in the mud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al yuille Posted October 4, 2011 Report Share Posted October 4, 2011 Wow Alan, your cross bike is only 15lbs ! Mountain bikes have the advantage that you can ride off-road not just in-field. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2023 Subscriptions Ramsay Posted October 4, 2011 2023 Subscriptions Report Share Posted October 4, 2011 Apart from super rocky and really steep technical, I don't think there is much a cross bike can't do that a MTB can. You will certainly be able to ride most trails at trail centres with a crosser. That said, it will be much slower on a lot of true off road sections and a bit more hair raising, but that's half the fun!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2023 Subscriptions martin Posted October 4, 2011 2023 Subscriptions Report Share Posted October 4, 2011 Hope those of you who braved the weather to ride round a muddy field in Irvine enjoyed it ! Wow Alan, your cross bike is only 15lbs ! Mountain bikes have the advantage that you can ride off-road not just in-field. Apart from super rocky and really steep technical, I don't think there is much a cross bike can't do that a MTB can. You will certainly be able to ride most trails at trail centres with a crosser. That said, it will be much slower on a lot of true off road sections and a bit more hair raising, but that's half the fun!! Ramsay! Don't feed the troll!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al yuille Posted October 7, 2011 Report Share Posted October 7, 2011 I represent that remark ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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