On one free ranger sizing

So I’m thinking of getting a free ranger, which I knows daft as I’ve just missed the Jan sale 🤦‍♂️ I’ve seen people have sized up because of the geom. has anyone any advice on this. I come from a MTB background so have no idea about gravel/road geom. it’ll be off road in the dales for the majority of the time. Any advice gratefully received, thanks in advance

It’d be handy to know YOUR size…

I’ve had at least 5 On-one bikes over the years. The biggest ones suit me better than the next size down. Hope that helps ;-)

I’m 6ft so would go for a large. Sorry but from what I’ve read people have gone for a size up regardless of there height, including Guy Kesteven in his review

I’m 5’10” with short ~32″ cycling inseam legs, I run my road bike (which has 54cm C-T seat tube, 388mm reach and 610mm stack) with ~89cm pedal top to saddle top.

If I was to get a Cadburys Creme Egg, I could pick from extra small to large! :lol:

I’d be inclined (perhaps incorrectly) to get an extra small or small, to expose more post for more comfort and have more standover, but then look to possibly get a longer stem.

Given its ~50mm tyre clearance, I’d be very tempted at their sale prices if they did a double chainring variant, same as their Whippet.

I’m 6ft so would go for a large.

I’m 6’2″ and ride an XL Freeranger, I’ve long legs and not a particular long reach – so swapped the stem to 80mm.

I reckon you could ride either.

Very happy with mine, swapped out the bars to proper flares, carbon post, new wider wheels (kept original ones and run slicks on them) and run 50c tyres.

I’m 6ft and ride a 56cm. It was my first drop bar bike so I too didn’t know what was right/wrong, but it works for me so far. I dropped the stem length a smidge as I fitted the Thomson I had onto it and the steering is definitely quicker for it when on the singletrack.
And there’s been a few moments when rattling down bridleways at speeds i wouldn’t have thought twice about on a MTB where i’ve had a fear induced grin. It’s a great bike and i can’t recommend it enough when looking at cost vs spec

Does anybody ride one with road wheels and skinny tyres,and what do they handle like?
Thanks.

I did some back-to-back rides using 50c Gravelkings (on 25mm internal rims) vs 28c Schwalbe Durano (on 19mm) as I’m doing a w/e event with a road Sat and gravel Sun, and wondered whether it was worth bringing both sets of wheels.

The Schwalbe’s were slightly quicker overall (1 min in an hour), but, had a lower top speed (gearing long descents). They were also more uncomfortable and gave me less confidence.

The bike itself didn’t care which tyres were on it, but I’ll be using the Gravelkings.

I am six foot and have a large too, the fit is fine.

I am also about to sell mine too as have a new bike and need some cash. £1k built with 2x 105 group set and ultrgra GX rear mech, located in Brighton.

5’10 stumpy legs, longer torso, middling arm length.

On a medium (with whatever the standard stem was) for stand over room but it’s a bit short in top tube and low at front end for my tastes.

It really wants a flipped and slightly longer stem for my body dimensions or better would have been the large dimensions but with a dropped top tube.

My wife (170cm, on a medium) rides Maxy Fasty 33s when out for speed with her road bike friends. Has a set of something chonkier for South Downs trails and touring with the family. Not held back by the bike when on the road.

Eep, sorry! She has a Space Chicken, not a Free Ranger!

I’m 5 ,11 but mines the holdsworth which fits perfect and it’s a medium , awesome bike and I don’t say that often about planet x ,size chart is pretty good

fasthaggis

Full Member

Does anybody ride one with road wheels and skinny tyres,and what do they handle like?
Thanks.

@fasthaggis

I’ve used a 696 Carbonda (same bike) as my commuter for the past 2 years running 32s on road wheels. It’s a teeny bit less lively than my litespeed probably due to the slightly longer wheelbase but is plenty fast enough and comfortable enough. Ive used it on 200km rides and averaged ~19mph across the ride.

Cheer Daffy.
I have had a Carbon XLS Evo for a few years now (with two sets of wheels)and really like how it rides as a winter road bike with 28s on.
It’s just a shame that being a CX frame the rear clearance is so tight,even with 650b.
Still a good doitall bike though.

I’m 6ft with 33” inside leg length and I ride a large size Free Ranger which fits perfectly.This was the original Planet X recommendation,subsequently amended to a medium.For me I prefer a head up riding position,especially off road and this size gives extra height.

This is the best,most versatile bike I have ever owned and it will swop effortlessly from road to track.I run 38c Schwalbe g one bites tubeless,which cope with road and rough tracks.I have tried 28c and 30c tyres on the same wheels but although they were slightly faster the ride was rough and the grip on mud was inadequate.

I swapped the original stem for a redshift elastomer stem and the seatpost for a Specialized CG-R elastomer post,both improve comfort.

I don’t like SRAM Force.After the first two bottom brackets wore out I changed to Hope BB.The Force calipers squealed like a pig so were swopped for Hope RX4.The jockey wheel bearings wore out so were swopped for Hope jockeys with replaceable bearings.There’s a theme developing here.Finally I had endless problems with gear changing which needed a complete outer run through the frame,the original exposed wires had eaten into the plastic guide inside the frame.

If the bike was stolen or broken I would have no hesitation in buying another one to replace it.

Hope this helps

PS Cadbury Creme Egg colour rules.

PS Cadbury Creme Egg colour rules

Don’t know if I am brave enough ;-) 🙃

I wasn’t, the first thing i did was to send it off to be sprayed. I was inspired by Daffy’s thread and his Carbonda (which was the route i was intending to go down ie import and custom spec build) and ended up having mine done in Volvo Polestar blue aka motorway sign blue, i love it.

Though that said, the creme egg colour scheme is a lot nicer in the flesh that it looks online

One thing worth mentioning,mine was one of the first Free Rangers,bought for £1500 in December 2019 so it is now 2 years and 6500 miles old.Despite the negativity around Chinese carbon frames it has not spontaneously destroyed itself.Under the dirt the paint is unmarked apart from a tiny scratch in a transfer,mea culpa.

Just a heads up that there are Free Ranger framesets on the PX Ebay site for ~£550 and there are limited sizes of complete bikes on the PX site for £1399 in the clearance section (but ready for immediate dispatch iirc).

Finally I had endless problems with gear changing which needed a complete outer run through the frame,the original exposed wires had eaten into the plastic guide inside the frame.

Odd, mine came with a full length outer.

No issues with SRAM Force either. I had Apex on my previous gravel and the only issues was with the partial outer.

Hi

I have a Large Free Ranger since Nov 2020, I’m 6ft 2in and came from mountain bike riding to gravel riding. I previously had a London Road so just went with the same sizing.

No problem at all with the sizing – changes I’ve done – added my Fabric seat off another bike, added flat nuke proof pedals (I used to ride SPDs but prefer flats). Changed the bar tape, switched to Panaracer Gravel King SK Tubeless Compatible Clincher Tyre – 27.5in x 1.90in – Black.

Just added a Canyon S15 VCLS 2.0 CF Seatpost and some WTB Resolute TCS Fast CX Tyre for winter riding.

As per Devonboy I had problems with gear shifting but this was sorted by adding a length of plastic tube into the frame to stop the gear cabling wearing into the frame. I would look at doing this as soon as you get the bike.

I’m really happy with the bike and think its criminally under reviewed by a lot of bike websites when they post their top ten gravel bike reviews. IMO

I bloody love my Creme Egg. Also a large (I’m about 5’11.5″) with an 80 mm stem.

I have two sets of wheels, one with WTB Nanos and one with 32mm GP5000. As Daffy said, it’s great on the road. Quite a bit more relaxed and cruisy than my Canyon Aeroad, and only a bit slower. Also fantastic fun offroad. If it disappeared then I’d order another within hours.

A shade over 6ft, short torso and very long legs and I’m very comfy on my medium. It’s great. (actually mines a tifosi cavazzo, but it’s the same carbonda frame)