Cyclocross sizing

zeb argent

Hello all: can anyone give me advice on cyclocross frame sizing. I'm looking at the Kona Jake or Spec Tricoss and want to use it for commuting and touring, maybe even the odd race. I am 6 ft 1 and bit inches with about a 33-34 inside leg - is a size 58 about right?

Kieran_Burns

I'm 6' with a 32" inside leg and have the 56cm Tricross Sport - perfect size for me

I would recommend popping down to a LBS and trying one on for size though

zeb argent

I have read in reviews that there has been some problem with juddering forks when braking at speed - any experience of this?

gs3

I've been holding out for a 2010 Tricross Comp as there are no 2009 58cm ones available in the country at the moment.

Edinburgh Bike had a 56cm in stock so thought I'd take it out for a test ride. I'm 6' 2" with 34" inside leg and this bike was a perfect fit (would have snapped it up there and then if my Bike-to-work scheme wasn't limited to independant shops within the county)
The shop also had a 58cm (customers bike in for servicing) which I was allowed to sit on and it was way too stretched in the cockpit (could hardly reach the hoods on the brakes)

As far as the Tricross goes, I agree with K-B above and definitely recommend that you try before you buy. For the Kona can only assume that the situation may be the same.

By comparison, trying a 56cm Allez immediately afterwards was like sitting on a child's bike (I thought that the more road-orientated bikes were supposed to be more stretched out on top for that streamline effect but in this case I was way off).

Regarding any reports of brake judder, it only appears to be the largest sizes (58-61) which have developed this problem due to the extra rake in the forks.

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doog442

zeb argent wrote:

Hello all: can anyone give me advice on cyclocross frame sizing. I'm looking at the Kona Jake or Spec Tricoss and want to use it for commuting and touring, maybe even the odd race. I am 6 ft 1 and bit inches with about a 33-34 inside leg - is a size 58 about right?

Im the same height and inside leg as you

I have a spesh tricross size 58 and its just right

doog442

zeb argent wrote:

I have read in reviews that there has been some problem with juddering forks when braking at speed - any experience of this?

no issues....only judder is at low speed, very low ie 2mph at a junction etc

Kieran_Burns

doog442 wrote:

zeb argent wrote:

I have read in reviews that there has been some problem with juddering forks when braking at speed - any experience of this?

no issues....only judder is at low speed, very low ie 2mph at a junction etc

+1

AndyManc

zeb argent wrote:

I have read in reviews that there has been some problem with juddering forks when braking at speed - any experience of this?

Yep, I get it , I wasn't aware it's a known issue, it's been annoying me trying to find out what the problem is :?

I have the answer , I won't use the front brakes anymore :roll:


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salsajake

Cyclocross bikes can have a higher bottom bracket than a dedicated road bike, for clearance, so you can feel a bit more 'squashed up' on them, probably better to err on the side of large if you have a big distance commute, but definitely best to have a sit first

starseven

Hi Zeb

I trtied to buy a tricross a couple of years ago, I'm a fraction under 6" with a 32' leg and the 56 was too big, not least because the 20 speed model has a rubber insert in the seatpost restricting how low it can go. Even with replacing the seatpost the bike was still too big,I barely made the standover and due to a long stem it was quite a stretch. This somewhat makes a mockery of the spech sizing which says a 56 should fit someone between 5"9" and 6". Incidentally I have a 56 allez which is smaller than a 54 tricross.

To make the bike usable I would say you,ll need a 56 but as someone else said they have probably all gone now and there may be a price increase for 2010 models.

Ps both sizes I tried had fork judder to comedy levels, Have you considered a Genesis Vapour, again a 56" as these are big for the size as well.

regards

salsajake

I have a Jake and bearing in mind the steel Project 2 fork weighs 912g (!!!!!!) there ain't no judder there! It is to be replaced with a Kinesis Crosslight Evo when I have the readies, which is basically half (!!!!!!) the weight.

Bearing in mind my post and the one above, I would definitely say to try the bikes first, maybe the manufacturers compensate for the different geometry in their sizing anyway. I don't have a clue what size the Jake is I'm afraid, and don't really understand frame sizes, I just go on what it feels like in the bike shop and mine feels right and has been a great purchase (especially as I got it for £500 and it was RRP £650.

always_tyred

salsajake wrote:

Cyclocross bikes can have a higher bottom bracket than a dedicated road bike, for clearance, so you can feel a bit more 'squashed up' on them, probably better to err on the side of large if you have a big distance commute, but definitely best to have a sit first

I'd have said the opposite, or that there was no real difference to road bike sizing. I found the more relaxed frame angle and higher/longer head tube made me feel that I couldn't get the power down very well - had to shift forwards and lower the bars. Any bigger frame would have made getting the seat to bar drop impossible. Its only just possible as it is.

salsajake

Always Tyred wrote:

salsajake wrote:

Cyclocross bikes can have a higher bottom bracket than a dedicated road bike, for clearance, so you can feel a bit more 'squashed up' on them, probably better to err on the side of large if you have a big distance commute, but definitely best to have a sit first

I'd have said the opposite, or that there was no real difference to road bike sizing. I found the more relaxed frame angle and higher/longer head tube made me feel that I couldn't get the power down very well - had to shift forwards and lower the bars. Any bigger frame would have made getting the seat to bar drop impossible. Its only just possible as it is.

I find that on the CX I can't get the leg extension I can on my road bike, which is what hinders my power output on the cyclocross bike, but then someone told me my road bike is too big for me, so there you go! He is probably right, but as my road bike is for longer distance farweather riding, not racing or attacking style riding, that's probably why I like it. Maybe I should always feel more squashed up than I like to be, I'm not sure.

PinkPedal

Definitely best to try them out. I have a Genesis Vapour cx and I found it quite big for the size and long in the top tube (too big for me in fact). When it's stacked next to my friend's Trek road bike which is also a 52cm it is clearly both higher and and longer in the top tube than the Trek.

pottssteve

I have a Tricross in a 54. I was measured for it and the guy suggested that with a 'cross bike you should go for one size smaller than a road bike due to the more upright riding position. I'm about 6'1" but have short legs and the bike seems to fit me well.

Regarding the judder, I have experienced this. However, mine was sortted by making sure the rims are clean so the braking surface is better. I use a little block of "rim rubber" to clean them once a week.

salsajake

pottssteve wrote:

I have a Tricross in a 54. I was measured for it and the guy suggested that with a 'cross bike you should go for one size smaller than a road bike due to the more upright riding position. I'm about 6'1" but have short legs and the bike seems to fit me well.

Regarding the judder, I have experienced this. However, mine was sortted by making sure the rims are clean so the braking surface is better. I use a little block of "rim rubber" to clean them once a week.

I would bow down then to what your guy said. As regards brake surface cleaning, if I have been on wet (or worse, part wet, part dry) dirty roads (when are they not dirty!?) then I wipe the rims down straight after the ride. You will more than double the life of your brake pads if nothing else. I just use a paper towel soaked in water with some handwash on it from the gents, wrapped in another dry paper towel, to stop it all falling apart, then a further paper towel to clean them off afterwards. If you let it dry on, its like sandpaper and will eat your pads in a few hundred miles. My LBS said if there is one thing you should clean after a ride, it is your wheel rims (unless you have discs of course).