This might be a daft question but hey, this is STW so I’ll be in good company! 😀

I recently built up a new cross bike but am having trouble getting the distances etc right. Maybe the best off road bike I have is a Swift, it is comfortable (like an old pair of slippers) and I can ride it flat out for short rides, or settle down to do 80 milers and upwards on it without a problem. It fits like a glove and I love it. Ideally then, I’d like to replicate this setup on the crosser however…different angles etc seem to make this more complicated that simply getting the tape measure out and reproducing reach, bar height etc.

Is there a simple method so I can get into the right ball park quickly and do the micro adjustments as and when they become necessary?

Alternatively, have I simply allowed myself to over complicate things? The way it is set up at present, I can’t put any meaningful power down and I have too much weight on the bars. I have got a lay back post to replace the in line one that is in there at present but otherwise, I’ll be relying on fiddling with the saddle, stack height, seat post height etc.

I wouldnt recommend setting up a cross bike to replicate a mountain bike.
You need more weight on your hands on a cross bike and Dont have your saddle too far back, I use a short lay back post and keep the saddle in the middle of the rails.
with a 110mm stem I am perfect, but its massively different to my mountain bike.

Thanks. I’ll use the road bike as a basic template then and work from there.