What size 'cross frame

[Lewis Moon]

I got diverted onto some dirt roads this AM and thought to meself; "Self, this would be really fun on a cross bike" Do I look for one the same size as my road frame or (I assume) smaller?

Inquiring minds and all....

[cuwinbs]

i ride a 58 road bike and a 56 cross bike

[foo_fighter]

If we're taking a poll: Same size as road frame with a 1cm higher spacers and 1 cm shorter stem. I also have my saddle 5mm farther back.

[holliscx]

60 cm road; 59 cm cross w/ a 10 mm shorter stem

[classtimesailer]

Skip the CX bike and get another road bike that will take wider tires. You don't need a different sized frame. Just make adjustments as mentioned already.

[kc1431]

I agree with everyone else I'm one size smaller but the actual geometry is almost identical.

[ljklassen]

I also agree with everyone, with one caveat - occasionally some manufacturers make the sizing such that it would be the same use you fit as a road bike. And it gets m ore confusing, because within one company it can vary. I've seen this with Stevens for example - carbon frames - size is the same as your road size, roughly (54cm and 54cm for me), but I would fit the expected 52cm in their aluminum frame.

Moral of the story - google the frame geometry of the one you are looking at to make sure.

[buldogge]

Same here...but...a lot of people like a smaller/lighter frame for dismounts/remounts.

If you're not racing (I'm not) then stick to road geometry.

Also, some builders/makes still use high (low?) BB drops...mine is a pretty normal 70mm.

Lastly, higher stem angle (not here) and shallower bars...I like the Salsa Cowbell 2s...

-Mark in St. Louis

If we're taking a poll: Same size as road frame with a 1cm higher spacers and 1 cm shorter stem. I also have my saddle 5mm farther back.

[tuscanyswe]

All of this 1 size down on your cx frame never made sense to me. I like it just as my roadbike with the bars abit higher. Any adjustments can easily be made with stems and bars etc.

Did the one size smaller thing start with the fact that the crossbikes use to have a shorter seattube compared to a roadbike of the same size toptobe (because of the lesser bb drop) ?

[holliscx]

Did the one size smaller thing start with the fact that the crossbikes use to have a shorter seattube compared to a roadbike of the same size toptobe (because of the lesser bb drop) ?

On a road bike (racing geo) your weight is forward; on a cross bike (race geo) you're positioned more upright whilst still being able to reach forward and ape it as necessary. So that is my guess that all day comfort on the road was traded up for shorter, more intense efforts off road which are different positions.

[ljklassen]

I believe the smaller size reflected the raised BB, and iirc the Stevens example I gave bears that out, I.e. the BB is like a road bike on the carbon frame, raised on aluminum.