Cycling Forums - View Single Post

07-12-2004, 02:05 AM

bryancasinger@aol.com (Bryan C) wrote:

> I have started looking at cyclocross bikes, which I want for
> commuting/touring and dirt road riding. One shop I was at recommended
> getting a frame TWO sizes smaller than my road bike frame, which is a
> 56 for my Fuji. The explanation was that the bottom bracket was
> higher, so you need to go to the smaller size to have the proper
> stand-over height. Do experienced cyclocrossers agree with this
> recommendation. Yes, I know there are different methods of measuring
> the frame sizes on road bikes, so this may not be exact. But does it
> work in general?

Not necessarily, and it may not work at all if you can't get the bars
high enough. A small-size bike is a problem, unless it has a long
head tube and upsloping toptube, perhaps.

Unscheduled get-offs are more common in cross than on the road, but not
an issue for commuting and dirt-road riding. Still, standover is never
really the first priority in bike fit - you rarely straddle the bike
dead upright in your socks.

For more on cyclocross bike fit see Adam Myerson's article at

http://www.cycle-smart.com/coaching/...rossbike1.html

07-12-2004, 02:05 AM	#10 (permalink)
Benjamin Weiner Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Cyclocross bike fit different? bryancasinger@aol.com (Bryan C) wrote: > I have started looking at cyclocross bikes, which I want for > commuting/touring and dirt road riding. One shop I was at recommended > getting a frame TWO sizes smaller than my road bike frame, which is a > 56 for my Fuji. The explanation was that the bottom bracket was > higher, so you need to go to the smaller size to have the proper > stand-over height. Do experienced cyclocrossers agree with this > recommendation. Yes, I know there are different methods of measuring > the frame sizes on road bikes, so this may not be exact. But does it > work in general? Not necessarily, and it may not work at all if you can't get the bars high enough. A small-size bike is a problem, unless it has a long head tube and upsloping toptube, perhaps. Unscheduled get-offs are more common in cross than on the road, but not an issue for commuting and dirt-road riding. Still, standover is never really the first priority in bike fit - you rarely straddle the bike dead upright in your socks. For more on cyclocross bike fit see Adam Myerson's article at http://www.cycle-smart.com/coaching/...rossbike1.html