Cannondale Caadx

kentphil

I wondered if anyone else had one of these?

I'm 5' 10" and tried one in the shop and a 51cm bike felt right for me. I know cyclocross bikes are sized a bit smaller than road bikes. I ride a Medium giant TCR.

Just wondered what people thought? any advice?

thanks!

Strith

People in the shop saw you on the bike? What did they say?

simonj

I'm 5'10" @ 31" inside leg and have a medium / 54cm Caadx. My SuperSix is 54cm so I got the Caadx in 54cm also. Yes the CX bike has different geometry to the road bike. The bottom bracket is higher and as such the top tube is also higher - as well as other different angles etc. This makes the stand over clearence lower (54cm Caadx is 1.9cm higher than SuperSix), but had I gone for a smaller 51cm bike then the reach would have been smaller as I think although the standover is reduced the top tube length is the same 54.5cm. Best thing is to try both I guess.

kentphil

The guy in the shop said it looked about right, and the reach felt good. Just want to be sure to get the right size as I've made expensive mistakes in the past!

rjsmith

51cm sounds awfully small for a 5ft 10" guy; I suspect your lbs are not being totally square with you. I'm 6ft and rode a 56cm CAADx. I would have thought the 54cm at least.

simonj

A shop recommended I went for a 51cm, but I went for the 54cm as it came up at the right price. The top tube does touch the danglies a bit - but not in a dangerous way - and since the cables are on top of that the cables can make very minor rub marks on the top tube paint, but not that bad. As I said try it, but I think it comes down to if you want the normal reach of a road bike or a more relaxed upright position. Also worth making sure if you do go for the smaller one that you don't catch your toes on the front wheeel when turning tight. If it were me again, I'd still get the 54cm. If you are doing real serious off road CX'ing you may want the smaller 51cm so you have more clearance and it is more flickable, if you're just commuting or riding road / canal path the 54cm may be better suited.

kentphil

I went back to the shop today with my Giant TCR (size M) to compare sizing. The seat tube and saddle height felt right. The reach was good too, as it is a more up right postition. My Giant is lower at the front but then it has racier geometry. There was no catching on my toes as I turned the front wheel left to right.

There was scope to move the saddle back for more reach. It does have quite short stem, but thats part of the cyclocross spec I guess. The standover felt good with about and inch between the crossbar and my crotch.

So I'm going for the 51.

whitebirdyman

I am 1.79 m tall with an 82.5 cm inseam and ride a 54 Caadx based on reach. A 51 might have been better for clearance but would need a longer stem. Overall I am comfortable on the 54. I also ride a Giant defy medium (50)and the reach feels about the same.

FransJacques

Good for you for getting the right size.

The SuperX and CaadX fit really BIG. I'm 183 with a 88cm inseam and ride a 79cm saddle to BB. I test rode a 54 Super X (lovely bike but a bit too laid back character for me) and it felt bigger than my 56cm Van Dessel. It's not so much the high BB (they have 6.7 cms of BB drop) but the TT is very horizontal. I think we old timers forget how massive bikes were in the 80s and how little seatpost we used to show.

The worst that could happen is you need to get a post with more layback and a slightly longer stem. Not the end of the world.

When you have it all fitted out to you, post up a picture ok?

kentphil

Picked it up today. After much deliberating and a test ride the 51cm was the one to go for. (I'm 5' 10"). Sorry for the bell and reflector.

the_fuggler

Very nice - and helpful sizing info too!

passout

Nice. Fit OK?

kentphil

I researched the sizing to the point of obsessiveness I think! The Caadx bikes come up much larger than their size suggests. The only similar bike sizing is in the Ridley cyclocross range.

The 54cm caadx would have been much higher at the front but only had 1cm more length in the toptube and therefore have been too big. The standover on the 51cm caadx was spot on too, and the 54cm would have been too high.

The only worry I had was the reach, but on the test ride and riding the bike back home from the shop it felt good. Its not as "racy" as my Giant TCR, but then the cyclocross geometry is very different to a road bike. It isnt cramped, it just feels right.

I might lower the stem a bit at the front, not sure yet though.