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  • Bike size question (Canyon Nerve XC)
  • bigalc
    Free Member

    Evening all,

    I hope you can help – I am driving myself round the bend trying to decide which size to go for in the Canyon Nerve XC. Obviously given that I can’t test one first I want to get it right, and my problem is that dimensions-wise, I fall exactly between the small and medium versions of the frame.

    I’m hoping that you might all be able to give me some advice or opinions which might tip the balance one way or the other.

    I’m 5’8″ or 173cms and when I run Canyon’s size-calculator tool, I come up as a medium bike, but if I take just 1cm off all my measurements I then drop to the small size.

    Traditionally I’ve ridden a 17.5″ (currently on an aged 17.5″ Voodoo hardtail), which again is bang in between the two sizes Canyon offer at this level (16.5″ and 18.5″). I like a more stretched position as a rule, and this will be my first ‘modern’ bike (I was an XC racer back in the day and am used to a low front-end, flat bars, short-travel type set-up) and am slightly unsure as to how a bigger frame with a much higher front-end than I am used to will feel, and whether it’s better to go slightly smaller or slightly larger.

    I’ve even gone so far as to measure up my current bike, draw diagrams and compare it to the Canyon measurements – even this hasn’t helped much as my current bike is comparable in wheelbase and reach to the Medium, even a bit longer, but in terms of stack and standover height is a lot smaller even than the Small size…

    Please help guys!

    nammynake
    Free Member

    I am the same height as you and bought a 16.5 (XC7). With the standard seat post I run the saddle right on the limit (don’t do much downhill stuff). For me the size feels spot on. Like you I played around with the different size inputs and decided I would prefer to be nearer the upper limit of the 16.5 than the lower limit of the 18 frame.

    Oh and may I compliment you on a fine choice of steed 😉

    Had mine since May and done hundreds of miles on it so far with no problems at all. Changed the grips to some lock-on ones, and new pads/tyres etc, but it hasn’t missed a beat.

    Marko
    Full Member

    OH is 5’8″ on a Medium 140 Nerve AM (2011). Best bet is to try and have a go on one. If you’re heading down the M4 to Wales I’m sure Mrs Marko will let you have a spin.
    Hth
    Marko

    lucien
    Full Member

    It depends on how you like to ride, I’m 5’11 and generally run a large and also own a Nerve XC (in size large) – and it’s quite long and stretched out. I do like to ride that way for XC long rides. I live on the South Coast and it’s all flat, bridleway type riding. If I was riding more aggressively or trail centre type stuff, I’d go for a smaller size, that’s a bit more chuckable.

    The frame size doesn’t really equate to a higher front end, just more stretched out but you can still get it quite low if you need it that way….

    bigalc
    Free Member

    Thanks chaps, although once again I’ve got equal numbers of people telling me equal number different things, and this was supposed to help me make the decision, haha!

    nammynake, I’m leaning a little towards your way of thinking, although my concern is the 16.5 will be a little too small and I’ll end up stretching it with a long post and stem, which doesn’t seem right either. My current bike is 17.5 and already the saddle’s right back and with a 120mm stem. At the same time, don’t want to feel over-stretched on an 18.5 either…

    At this point I’m wondering if I might have to take the hard-line that Canyon don’t currently make an ideal size for me.

    And thanks for the offer Marko – no plans to head your way right now but if this dilemma continues I’ll gladly make the journey!

    bigalc
    Free Member

    lucien, thanks, that’s interesting – the type of riding you describe is more or less what I do these days (Surrey and South Coast).

    The question re. front-end height is more to do with what will ‘feel’ big to me, eg. given that the bars on even the small size will be a good 6″ higher than I’m used to – so I’m wondering if the small will feel relatively big because of that, or will it actually feel smaller given that the reach is less than my current bike.

    I realise speculating on bike size isn’t ideal…

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