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Looks like my “gravel” bike frame might be a write off, so as a temporary fix looking at a second hand CX frame.
Gravel bike is a 56cm, CX is a 54.
I know the old fashioned of sizing a CX bike was to size down from your road bike size - is this still the way to go?
Looking at the geo charts for both frames, the CX bike is within a few mm here and there for most measurements, but reach is 8mm shorter, and stack is 25mm lower. ETT comes in 18mm shorter too.
Anyone got any views/opinions on if it’s a worthwhile punt or not?
Thanks,
A
All my MTB frames have been XL, my road bike is 58 and my gravel bike is 56.
My height is mainly in the legs, so saddle height is important as I need to spin comfortably yet not be stretching too far forward/down. Reckon a L would be suitable in most cases. Haven’t mastered the perfect setup yet, but all my cockpit positions feel pretty much bang at the mo, ie sizing down for a more assertive geo such as CX.
I would say the norm if you were buying the CX bike to race on but if you are using it for off road and on road long rides I would stay with the same size as your road bike I use to have smaller CX bikes to race on but found them to small on the road for longer rides now I only use them for leisure they are the same size.
Yeah - I’m not racing, just using as a “normal” bike, so was leaning towards the same size.
I’ll have to keep looking!
A
Traditional CX geometry had a slightly higher BB - so it was the norm to 'size-down' to compensate - plus the fact that you tend to move around on the bike a lot more when 'searching' for grip - bigger saddle set-back particularly for rear-wheel grip in mud. For gravel and offroad touring I'd look for a more comfort set-up e.g. less saddle to bar drop, bigger tyre clearances (40mm plus) so depends on whether this achievable with the smaller frame?
I just bought a Canyon Inflite in a medium which is what I ride on MTB and road and what the Canyon sizing tool recommended. I’ll be racing CX on it later today and so far it seems fine.
I have a fait bit of toe overlap and wouldn’t have wanted to go any smaller.