TCX Sizing

Mr Dog

Looking at a Giant TCX. I'm 5'9" with an inseam of 31". The Giant size chart has me just creeping to a medium. New to cyclocross so any riders advice greatly appreciated.

rokt

I’ve just purchased a TCX and I’m also 5’9” with a 31” inseam and I went for a small. The medium was rideable no problem but the small frame felt a lot more controllable and better for me in a race situation.

Mr Dog

Thanks for the replies. I have a TCR in a medium and Defy in a small with a 130 stem. My best fitting bike is an R5 in a 54. If I look at the stack and reach then it's very close to the TCX medium but I have no experience with cyclocross whatsoever, the height of the BB concerns me in relation to how the bike will feel. The TCX also has a pretty straight top tube. I'll be buying on line so have little opportunity to test ride the two sizes. Leaning toward the medium but it may come down to which bike they have in stock by the time my C2W vouchers come through at the end of the month.

rokt

I test rode both a small and a medium and I honestly think a small is the way to go.

Mr Dog

oxoman wrote:

Mr Dog what part of the country are you in, Giant at rutland have normally got them in as Demo bikes. Are you using it for racing / off road or commuting, if your using it for on road I'd personally get something different. I ask this as so many get them but don't use off road.

Thanks for the help people. I’ll be using it for commuting and off road. Already have a number of pure road bikes. I live in rural Scotland so a demo bike is not really an option. The ability to wander down a fire track or hop down a potholed lane is too good to miss

Mr Dog

Rokt wrote:

I test rode both a small and a medium and I honestly think a small is the way to go.

Can be nosy and ask what size your other bikes are and how the stack and reach compare to the TCX?

rokt

My Look is a 53cm medium and my Time is also a medium, I’m sure that is classed as a 54cm. I’m using a 110mm stem on both bikes and the stem is slammed on both bike, well as much as you can on the Look. I have both my road bikes set up quite aggressive.

My TCX is set up to race but in a different way, I have a shorter stem, 80mm but still slammed and with it having a smaller frame so far I’ve found it very easy to handle. I’ve only done two races so far, but I’ve only had it a few weeks, but so far so go.

Mr Dog

Rokt wrote:

My Look is a 53cm medium and my Time is also a medium, I’m sure that is classed as a 54cm. I’m using a 110mm stem on both bikes and the stem is slammed on both bike, well as much as you can on the Look. I have both my road bikes set up quite aggressive.

My TCX is set up to race but in a different way, I have a shorter stem, 80mm but still slammed and with it having a smaller frame so far I’ve found it very easy to handle. I’ve only done two races so far, but I’ve only had it a few weeks, but so far so go.

Thanks Rokt. Seems are road bikes are a similar set up except I need a couple of spacers at my age. If I'm honest the bike is mainly for commuting and fire trail/xc. I'm almost certainly not going to race... I'd be absolutely shredded by the local competition If you were not using the bike to race would you choose the small?

rokt

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not much of a CX racer and have come into it quite late in life. I got lots of advice and asked lots of questions and everything pointed me to a small, it seems to have paid off as the two races I’ve entered I’ve finished in the top three in my age group. As for your question about racing or not, I would most definitely chose the small every time, the medium just felt too big.

Mr Dog

Rokt wrote:

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not much of a CX racer and have come into it quite late in life. I got lots of advice and asked lots of questions and everything pointed me to a small, it seems to have paid off as the two races I’ve entered I’ve finished in the top three in my age group. As for your question about racing or not, I would most definitely chose the small every time, the medium just felt too big.

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

Well done bud. An age class podium is not to be sniffed at.

I've spent some time looking at the stack and reach of all my bikes and the closet to the TCX is the Cervelo in a 54cm. My Defy is a small and easy to handle but I run a 130 stem and have quite a bit of toe overlap. My TCR's have me stretched out a little but I've kind of gotten used to that feel as one is my winter/training bike. As I age I'm becoming less flexible and the days of long exposed seat posts and slammed stems are coming to an end.

This is driving me crazy. We have no Giant concept store in Scotland. I could travel to my nearest dealer and ask for a demo but I couldn't just walk away from my LBS afterwards (as I've found a great price on line that accepts C2W).

Unless I can find one locally to ride then I'll just have to live with whatever size I order ...or speak to a fitter

dj58

Mr Dog have you considered one of these?

viewtopic.php?f=40044&t=13088598

Mr Dog

DJ58 wrote:

Mr Dog have you considered one of these?

viewtopic.php?f=40044&t=13088598

Nice bike. For the really gnarly stuff I have an Anthem. TCX is my next bike