Idiot seeks advice.....

Richard1972

Morning all

I ride a 2008 Ridley Noah (L) all done up like a Christmas tree, which I love more than I could love a human baby.

Last week I found another 2008 Noah frame on eBay, and bought it without realising that it was.....the size up - XL. It's basically the bike Martin Johnson would ride if he was popping out to get the papers. Before it even arrived I read up on the evils of frames that were too big, and decided to sell it straight on.

But yesterday it arrived and if it was any prettier I'd marry it. And have a bloody good time on the wedding night.

I've worked out that I can more or less replicate the position of the Large bike with judicious use of fewer spacers and 10mm less stem. I'll be left with a bigger machine, higher top tube etc. but it doesn't look terminal. And to be fair, I'm 6'4" and probably at the large end of the L frame range for a Noah...

Anyhow, that's the theory. Can anyone share any first hand experience by falling prey to lust, and building onto a frame that's maybe not QUITE optimal size....?

Any advice (or mocking humour) very gratefully recieved.....

Rich

maddog 2

if you can replicate the same position then it'll be fine. It might not be as chuckable, but it'll be as comfortable, which is the main thing. All things being equal, all that matters is the effective top tube length and the bar height, which by accounts will be the same om the XL. Stem length does make a difference but as long as you're not going silly short (less than 90mm) then it'll be fine.

Richard1972

Cheers dude - appreciate the advice.

Chuckability isn't something high on my list - my race record this season is....played 4, crashed 3 (managed to survive the Etape, by some miracle) so staying upright is usually the priority rather than snake-like weaving....

Ta

Rich

Mothyman

hi Rich

why'd you buy another 2008 Noah when you already have one..... or is it ...like a . ermm ..3 in the bed scenario.....?

I'm a newbie but I bought 58in Spesh Roubaix when probably should have bought a 56... I am only tweaking things gradually but it actually seems to help stretch my worn out back (I'm older than you though)..but aches on the elbows when on the hoods. I still reckon I'll keep it...probably better position going up hills than the smaller bike my mate leant me to try.... stick with it, I think.

oh..by the way...I hear Martin Johnson has had his bike nicked.....

hopper1

Mothyman wrote:

hi Rich

why'd you buy another 2008 Noah when you already have one..... or is it ...like a . ermm ..3 in the bed scenario.....?

I'm a newbie but I bought 58in Spesh Roubaix when probably should have bought a 56... I am only tweaking things gradually but it actually seems to help stretch my worn out back (I'm older than you though)..but aches on the elbows when on the hoods. I still reckon I'll keep it...probably better position going up hills than the smaller bike my mate leant me to try.... stick with it, I think.

oh..by the way...I hear Martin Johnson has had his bike nicked.....

:shock: Surely you mean 'mm', not 'in'!
If you did mean 'in', then sincere apologies for not being a Canaries fan, although I live there...

Richard1972

I bought a second Noah because:

a) I have very little imagination and an irrational fear of change

b) I loved the first one so much that sometimes when I looked at it I actually forgot to breathe in and out

c) I got it for about 40% of list

Also, I quite like bible stories.

I'm going to take a punt at building it up - worst case, it's a complete misery and I hang around Leander Rowing Club until some over-monied, elongated specimen comes out and wants to buy it off me....

Mothyman

..that elongated specimen could be me..if you do a good job...post some piccys as you build

...the word is out that I am a Norwich City fan and I'm getting the mickey taken...I'd better lie low for a while....Hopper1 is chasing me around

bobpzero

Also, I quite like bible stories.

really? http://www.biblegateway.com/ i recommend the new king james version, its the most readable, still need someone who knows their hebrew and greek as the same word in various passages dont have the same meaning. need anything more just ask.

Richard1972

Mothyman, if you're serious, get in touch. Still haven't made up my mind what to do yet, but for the bike to fit well you'll need to be 6'5"+.....top tube is 60cm, with a 23cm head tube - it's basically huge!!

bill57

hopper1 wrote:

Mothyman wrote:

hi Rich

why'd you buy another 2008 Noah when you already have one..... or is it ...like a . ermm ..3 in the bed scenario.....?

I'm a newbie but I bought 58in Spesh Roubaix when probably should have bought a 56... I am only tweaking things gradually but it actually seems to help stretch my worn out back (I'm older than you though)..but aches on the elbows when on the hoods. I still reckon I'll keep it...probably better position going up hills than the smaller bike my mate leant me to try.... stick with it, I think.

oh..by the way...I hear Martin Johnson has had his bike nicked.....

:shock: Surely you mean 'mm', not 'in'!
If you did mean 'in', then sincere apologies for not being a Canaries fan, although I live there...

:shock: Surely you mean 'cm', not 'mm'!

hopper1

bill57 wrote:

hopper1 wrote:

Mothyman wrote:

hi Rich

why'd you buy another 2008 Noah when you already have one..... or is it ...like a . ermm ..3 in the bed scenario.....?

I'm a newbie but I bought 58in Spesh Roubaix when probably should have bought a 56... I am only tweaking things gradually but it actually seems to help stretch my worn out back (I'm older than you though)..but aches on the elbows when on the hoods. I still reckon I'll keep it...probably better position going up hills than the smaller bike my mate leant me to try.... stick with it, I think.

oh..by the way...I hear Martin Johnson has had his bike nicked.....

:shock: Surely you mean 'mm', not 'in'!
If you did mean 'in', then sincere apologies for not being a Canaries fan, although I live there...

:shock: Surely you mean 'cm', not 'mm'!

DOH!!!! :oops:

Well spotted that man...
Serves me right for being the smart a*se!!!

Mothyman

Richard1972 wrote:

Mothyman, if you're serious, get in touch. Still haven't made up my mind what to do yet, but for the bike to fit well you'll need to be 6'5"+.....top tube is 60cm, with a 23cm head tube - it's basically huge!!

... my new found roadie brain is way ahead of my bank balance..... I probably can't afford any new acquisitions for a while....

...also I'm 6foot tall and my 58 cm (NOT INCHES - dont be scared Hopper1)top tube on my Roubaix is slightly too big anyway..so that probably counts me out..

cheers anyway....

Richard1972

Well.....I could stick another saddle on it and we could ride it as a tandem!

Mothyman

ha ha

-Dizzy-

Hey there,

Did you end up building the XL Noah ??

I'm also 6'4" and toying with the idea of landing a Noah - just trying to decide between L & XL.

From Ridley's site, it's clear that the XL is for me (based on height and inseam measurements) - but comparing the measurements to my beloved XXL Guerciotti, it would appear the L is more of a match.

The XL looks like a monster frame - with a 230mm head tube :shock:

These are the only XL pics I can find :




I'd be interested to see some pics or hear what you think.

Dizz.

x8swift9x

Richard1972 wrote:

Morning all

I ride a 2008 Ridley Noah (L) all done up like a Christmas tree, which I love more than I could love a human baby. (...) But yesterday it arrived and if it was any prettier I'd marry it. And have a bloody good time on the wedding night.

Those two sentences made me laugh so hard, I have just got in. But, even if I was sober that would have cracked me up just as much!

But, the Ridley in the post above mine ^^^ Looks stupid IMO! The sloping top tube makes it look huge. (Yes I know it's XL) But it just looks silly! I do love the new bike look it's got going on, and then he has a scabby duct taped saddle! Good times! x

-Dizzy-

x8swift9x wrote:

Richard1972 wrote:

Morning all

I ride a 2008 Ridley Noah (L) all done up like a Christmas tree, which I love more than I could love a human baby. (...) But yesterday it arrived and if it was any prettier I'd marry it. And have a bloody good time on the wedding night.

Those two sentences made me laugh so hard, I have just got in. But, even if I was sober that would have cracked me up just as much!

But, the Ridley in the post above mine ^^^ Looks stupid IMO! The sloping top tube makes it look huge. (Yes I know it's XL) But it just looks silly! I do love the new bike look it's got going on, and then he has a scabby duct taped saddle! Good times! x

I reckon it actually looks OK for such a big bike.
IMO sloping top tubes are a must for big frames (to stop them looking like farm gates), but with Ridleys having such LONNGGG head tubes, it makes the front of the bikes look huge. The fact that the top tube arches upwards doesn't help either.

Here's another pic I found (apparently also an XL, but H-tube length looks more L to me) :




And here's the frame I'm looking at :

crankycrank

As long as you can get the same riding position as with the smaller frame it sounds like it's worth keeping. Only thing I'd worry about is having to go with a stubby stem which can cause the steering to be twitchy. In a very broad generalisation something less than 90cm could possibly cause problems but the only way to know for sure would be to ride it.

2alexcoo

I'm 6'3" and looking at the geometry table I'd want an L not an XL.

It's very rare to find a non-custom roadbike that's too big for me, but that XL is a gate!

Anonymous

My god, that's HUGE!



Look at the guy who's holding it up!!

-Dizzy-

2alexcoo wrote:

I'm 6'3" and looking at the geometry table I'd want an L not an XL.

It's very rare to find a non-custom roadbike that's too big for me, but that XL is a gate!

Looks like I'll be riding a gate I reckon.

From the Ridley site, the cut-off between L & XL for inseam is 94cm

I'm 193+cm with a 96cm inseam.

Setting up a bike has always been OK for me - but it would seem that the length of the integrated seatpost on the L may not be long enough to get the desired saddle height ?

Bugger :?

Richard1972

Cheers for the advice, all.

Just back from 2 weeks in the US contemplating my situation and still can't call it.

It's actually a 2008 Noah in XL, so although the pics are much appreciated they're not quite the frame I've bought....

I've rested some wheels in the bike and the frame does kinda dwarf them.....and the head tube does make it look a bit like John Merrick.

Sod it, will probably build it anyway - even if it makes me look Lilliputian!

R

Mothyman

good for you...'72

Turbo Man

There was a good article in (I think) CW a few months ago where they compared 2 bikes of different size. They set them up so that saddle height, reach, etc etc were the same and then went and rode them. The difference in the ride was quite significant, with the smaller bike handling quicker (and therefore better for racing), with the larger bike being more stable (and therefore better for sportives).

Build it up, go ride it and see what you think.