My brothers just purchased a new cyclocross bike in size 52. He tried the bike in store on the cycle trainer and both members of staff with him said the size seemed a good fit.

My brother having a limited knowledge of road bikes relied on the staff members experience and purchased the bike. He has just realised that he has been sold the smallest size of the range available and should have purchased a size 56 at least.

He is 5’10, maybe slightly taller so should never have been sold a 52.

The store in question is very good and I have purchased bikes from them in the past, always very helpful and know what they’re talking about.

What are peoples thoughts on this, quick / easy sale maybe or is that unfair?

Has he ridden it yet? If not, just take it back, explain the situation and let the shop take care of it.

I’m over 6′ and have a 52cm Ridley crossbow. All my measurements taken, and that’s what Ridley themselves came up with, and I’ve been riding it for four years now.

All bike sizes are not the same.

Seems strange. Maybe a silly question but does the bike actually fit him ? Comfortable, seat hight reach all that stuff.

Just take it back if he is not happy. Did he not test ride it?

I’m 5’7″ and ride a 52cm Croix De Fer.

HTH.

Other than a small loop around the car park and straight into the van home, no.

He’ll be taking it back in the morning.

It would be the same as me buying a 14′” MTB frame when I know I’m a 17″/18″ or Medium.

Out of interest, what bike?

For starters, people usually size down for a cross bike and at 5’10 he’d be looking at a 54-56 in a road frame but more likely a 54. I’m a shade under 5’10 and have always had 54cm road bikes.
I tried a 52 and 54 cross bike and preferred a 54 but that’s on a Boardman which has similar geometry to a road frame. How are you so certain that the shop is wrong?

+1 Take it back and explain and try out a bigger size.
If he knows nothing about road bikes how does he now know it’s too small when he didn’t in the shop or car park?
I’m 5ft 9in and got the smallest size Boardman CX bike in the range and changed to a shorter stem and non layback seat post.The comparison to MTBs is not really relevant IMHO.

What’s the bike? The rest of us may be able to advise if we know what it is.

We’re pretty much the same height, he’s maybe a shade taller but with a longer inside leg.

I’d go for at least a 54, possibly the 56. 52 is generally recommended for 5’5″ – 5’7″.

I’m quite confident they’ve sold him the wrong size.

I’m quite confident they’ve sold him he bought the wrong size.

Do tell him not ride it tomorrow and take it back

It’s an Orange RX9.

Sold / bought? What difference does it make? It’s not the right size….

It’s an Orange RX9

Even if it’s not too small, he want’s to take it back cuz itz crap, apparently.

…incidentally, in that test linked, the rider is 5’11” riding a 56cm.

Edit: £1.1k for Tiagra shifters and BB5s? Ooof!

Where was it from?

Is it to be used as a road bike or as an off-road bike? As others above, I’m 6ft and ride a 54 CX bike off road. But, I have another CX bike as a light-tourer which is a 57cm. Both fit me (for the purposes they’re used for).

That’s why I haven’t mentioned the bike. The topic goes off subject as soon as Orange is mentioned.

It’s a lovely bike, I’d have one.

To muddy the puddle my 49cm Jake The Snake has a 53cm top tube.

Did he try other sizes? i.e. was the ’54’ too stretched?

depends also what he’s going to be using it for, road bike, cyclocross, tourer..

Tbh ..I’m 5’10 and normally ride a 54 road bike …but if it was a cross bike I would go a size smaller

Reply from Orange. They recommend either a 54 or 56.

Not all bikes are measured in the same way , but just go back and have a chat.

What does the top tube measure on a 52 orange

How long are his legs and his arms and his torso, how does he look on the bike? To make a call from 2 numbers is ambitious.

Going to be one of those days in the shop…

That bike I bought yesterday that we fitted up in the shop.
Yeah
I’m bringing it back cause my brother who hasn’t seen me on it reckons it’s too small
OK then…

I’m quite confident they’ve sold him he bought the wrong size.

Nope. Shops fault. I’ve actually done it myself. Spent ages discussing hybrids with this old boy and comparing sizes with his old Raleigh. It was 50/50 with the sizes. He went away with a bike and came back the next day and asked for a s smaller one. My fault IMO, so we swapped it for him. Any decent shop should do exactly the same if it’s undamaged.

Not all bikes are measured in the same way , but just go back and have a chat.

What does the top tube measure on a 52 orange

TT = 525
ETT = 540

Just take it back.

…oh, and tell the shop I will have the the 52cm off them for £500…second hand and all that 😉

I’d say looking at that spec £500 new would’ve been closer to the money..

It might fit, I’m 6″1 and can’t get anything bigger than a 54 to fit. Tell the shop you think it’s too small and get them to do a proper fit foc.

Cross bike sizing can be all over the place. I ride a 56cm road bike, previously had a 54cm guerciotti cross bike for racing and now ride a 52cm cross check. It’s all about the top tube length. If it fits right, don’t get hung up on the numbers.

Cross bike sizing can be all over the place. I ride a 56cm road bike, previously had a 54cm guerciotti cross bike for racing and now ride a 52cm cross check. It’s all about the top tube length. If it fits right, don’t get hung up on the numbers.

This.

now ride a 52cm cross check.

Interesting. How tall are you? I was looking at the Straggler frames, and figured I would be after a 50cm. Might be a 46cm if they size down like that.

i’m 5’10” (ish) but with short legs and a long back. Be sure to check the top tube lengths as the surlys seemed to have a longer top tube than seat tube measurement – something to do with how they measure them. I think the 52 cross check has a 54cm top tube, whereas a traditional 54 cross bike has a 54 tt.

FWIW, i really like my cross check, even though it weighs a ton.

but with short legs and a long back.

Looking at the geo, the 50cm will probably be reet, as my CDF is 538 tt.

The weight doesn’t really put me off, but the silly short headtubes do. I think they must have shares in the companies that make spacers.

That bike I bought yesterday that we fitted up in the shop.
Yeah
I’m bringing it back cause my brother who hasn’t seen me on it and knows nothing about rebadged heavy cross bikes straight out of a Taiwanese builders catalogue with a hefty mark-up for the doe-eyed MTB market reckons it’s too small
OK then…

FTFY.

Mr Smith, nail on the head.

Probably wont help but…. I’m 6foot and have a cannondale synapse in a 56, cannondale caadx in a 54. The 56 was far too big in the caadx but next to the synapse is almost identically sized….

watching the E3 harelbeke belgian cobbly road race yesterday the commentators mentioned that someone was on a CX style (in fit at least i think) bike – smaller with a massive seatpin – i wasn’t particularly paying attention, but what’s the reasoning behind it? just more maneuverable?

It seems from the various answers, that the bike may or may not be too small.

Some people who are taller than the O/P’s brother are riding that size frame.

It’s not difficult to work out the correct size bike if you know what you are doing, so if the shop is a good one, why would they sell him a bike that was too small?

I would call the shop and voice my concerns. They will most likely tell you how they came to fit him on the 52.
Then you can discuss their decision.

But the guy might want to ride the bike further than round the car park before rejecting it for a larger size. See if the shop will allow this, and still replace it if required.

This is of absolutely no help at all, but I ride 565 tt road bikes and 550 tt cx bikes and I’m 5’8″.
Both of those include frames built specifically for me as well.