isn't that kind of indicative of Ridleys though? Thay have hugely tall seat tubes compared to top tube length. This is what kinda scares me off of ridleys.

My Ridley fits me really good - kind of like my mtb and still "room" in the frame to throw it on shoulder fast!

I'm not expect in frame fits but looking at the rider it's both in the length and height the frame seems too small so my guess would be that he easily could have been riding a larger size frame!

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However, it seems that if you have short legs and a long torso (the opposite of me) which it looks like this fellow might, Ridleys are a horrible fit no matter what size you get.

The rider in pix HAS too small bike. Seat is too low and toptube is too short. Ridley seem to have "classic" dimensions. And I like those. IF they would use silly "Giant" dimensions, it would be hard to carry frame in shoulder and, thank God! You can get right size I you have ability to pick right one. It's NOT mark of right fit that you need mtb seat post on roadie or CX...

Just my opinion. Not nesessery rule.

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Samu @ www.signature.fi

Ridley has "Italian" or "classic" dimensions. They are bad IF you have short legs and long torso. Then you need "American" dimensions. Long toptubes and low frame height+short crown tube. Like Trek. I had some difficulties when I bought my Trek OCLV. 58cm feeled right but there was no 60cm for test. 58 had SO short crowntube...16cm from seat to bars...monkey bike? Afful! And looked bad as rides...no use for bar drops.

Now I would buy 60cm Trek with 110mm stem, not 58cm with 120mm stem.

But I really like my custom ti-bikes ride/fit so no way anyway for crappy massproducted CF frames. Trek was quite noodle compared my ti bike. But 200g lighter...

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I have a Ridley (as you probably knows hehe) and a Trek TopFuel (17,5") and they both fits me perfect!

And I agree with Samu - looking at the picture of the rider when pedal is down his leg is not even close to being strecthed to the right position (hope that you understand).

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I wasn't disputing that the bike is poorly sized (maybe it was his back-up bike or teammates bike?) I was just saying that the dimensions seem wierd to me. I ride a 58cm cannondale, which is "bigger" (or more classic according to Samu) than Treks I test rode. But the closest in measurements in Ridleys seem to be 54s(?) which seems really wierd to me, and seem like the top tube would be too short for me.

Have you tried a Ridley cross-bike or just a cross-bike? Might be a stupid question but you don't want to have the same long toptube as on a roadbike. If you have ridden cross-bikes for the last 10 years please just forget about my posting

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I've ridden cross for a little over a year, and road for over a decade and MTB for longer, I know the limits of the various positions and what works (I'm not saying you're questioning my pedigree or anything, just explaining) I just don't like short top-tubes and long stems to be comfy.

http://gb.cannondale.com/bikes/06/geo-9.html

Cannondale geometry chart is bit weak but as I would need like 57-57.5cm toptube, it's 56cm (C-T) on C=~54,5cm C-C and 58cm on Ridley. For me Dale would need mtb seatpost...not nice and so small frame in more difficult to carry.

For my eye's, non-sloping frame need 75% of your seat height. On 810mm seat height, it makes 61cm C-T frame for me. This is one basic rules what I use for designing frames for customers. On mtb that like 65% so if seat is like 800mm, I need 520mm C-T mtb frame. Then 350mm seat post is long enought for me and most customers, allowing wider range of seat posts used. Thomson is nice but not if you need that 410mm on max. mark...Of course there is some play on design every time but for something to start.

For exsample, this is roadie but anyway, same "rules" apply:



-rider has 1000mm inner lenght. Tolal height is 1930mm.
-seat height is like 910mm.
-910mm*75%=683mm.

Head tube is made always so long that you can use -10 decree stem at your lenght with max. 20mm of spacers. Most case 10mm, another 10mm is for adjusticement. I hate those positive rice stemmed bikes and long spacer stacks. This bike has -17d stem as he races. On retirement, he can trow -10mm and have more "relaxed" position. Ti-bikes are build for life...

The frame in 675mm tall. And that EA fork uses uncut 300mm crowntube, head tube is 220mm for non-intenrated HS. And frame needet custom jig to be build.

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Samu @ www.signature.fi

Hi Mads, here is a bike with the same color, slightly higher, but silver handlebar tape

Hehe - you won't give me peace before I change it? looks good with silver!

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Arggggh...that bar position makes me puke again...

Shimano ROAD pedals, q-relases, hubs and Campy parts? It called "salad" and I hate ANY salad...

Ugly cable hangar and and spacer stack. Arione looks bad in any bike...


Nice builds are hard to find but easy to build. Just my few €...no offence.

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Samu @ www.signature.fi

What's wrong with his barposition? If he likes it that way I really don't see a problem with it. Same goes for the saddle, maybe not the lightest out there, and obviously you don't like the look of it, but it's his bike!
I agree with you that he'd better turn around the qr's a bit, and ofcourse road pedals aren't ideal on a cx bike but maybe there is a reason that these are on there just temporarely?
Anyway, just wanted to say it didn't make me puke, you must have a very delicate stomache Samu

Imagine using bars dropouts in that position?

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Samu @ www.signature.fi