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Frame size, new bike fitting, questions

Posted: Fri May 01, 2009 9:35 pm
by sickle
Hi

Buying a new chorus 11 bike, HED ardennes for wheels, but totally undecided on frame.

Im a norma-ishl 5'9.5", thinking Cervelo S2 or even S1 (both 54cm), or a Cannondale supersix 54.

I can't sprint but I can punch and cut up shortish power climbs, good at threshold.

My current ride is a large Kuota, would be ok except the head tube is 20, 30mm too long for me. my bar to shifter drop is uncomfortable (deda shalow bars and campy levers).

Questions...

Anyone else on a Cervelo 54cm S2 out there to give an opinion (no threads AFAICS),

The Ardennes????

think my suggestions will fit me??

I needed to edit you title. You may get a little better feedback this way. JMT

Posted: Fri May 01, 2009 9:54 pm
by 520 Dan
The ardennes are an interesting choice. Are you going for a comfortable wheel? Will you be racing?

Posted: Fri May 01, 2009 9:54 pm
by Weenie

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Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 7:27 am
by Powerful Pete
Just curious, how is it that you have only identified these frames?

Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 10:59 am
by sickle
Basically because they both have a 140mm head tube, that should allow me to get the bars where I want them and have a much more shallow transition from the hoods to the top of thew bars. Both 545mm Top Tube. Plus they both have a rep for stiffness around the BB, my Kuota bends.

Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 1:13 pm
by anarchy
check you have sizing right for cannondale these bikes have different geometries I'm 5'9".5 came off a 52 cm cannondale to a 54 slc both bikes fit really well same size stem etc. Which ever you choose you will have an excellent steed

Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 1:13 pm
by anarchy
check you have sizing right for cannondale these bikes have different geometries I'm 5'9".5 came off a 52 cm cannondale to a 54 slc both bikes fit really well same size stem etc. Which ever you choose you will have an excellent steed

Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 1:58 pm
by mnslc
I'm 5' 9" and a 54 Cervelo fits me perfectly.

Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 2:23 pm
by DaveS
Height is not the dimension of greatest importance. Cycling inseam is the place to start, followed by some idea of the desired saddle to bar drop. An actual saddle height would be even better than a cycling inseam.

Unless the STA on both frames is the same, having the same 54.5cm TT length does not mean the frames need the stem length. In this case there is only a .5 degree difference, but it does make the reach on the C'dale 4-5mm longer than the Cervelo.

http://www.cannondale.com/bikes/09/cusa ... SS00C.html

http://www.cervelo.com/bikes.aspx?bike=S22009

FWIW, most people of the OP's height have shorter legs than I do, being 3 inches shorter. I owned a 52cm Cervelo to fit properly. The 140mm head tube would be too tall for my 73cm saddle height. I assume that the OP realizes that both frames will have a headset top section that adds 10-20mm to the head tube length.

Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 6:56 pm
by sickle
My saddle height is 735. my current drop im ok with - Id like to go lower when out of the saddle on the hoods, but I know if I did that even with shallow bars I wouldnt totally enjoy riding in the drops.
Im probabble going to bu some 3t ergosums as I think they will give me a good transition and high-ish drops height.

Looking at cannondale, a 535mm (size 52) TT seems a bit short for someone my height, no?

Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 8:32 pm
by DaveS
Here's where you need to understand the concept of frame reach, or just keep in mind that each degree of additional STA increases the reach by 8-9mm.

The 52cm C'dale only has about a 5mm shorter reach than the 54cm.

You need to know how much saddle to bar drop you want. With your saddle height, a 155mm total length of head tube, headset and spacer would place the bars 9cm below the saddle, with an 84 degree stem. If you want less drop, the the taller 140mm head is the better choice. You can get 2cm more drop with a 73 degree stem.

Re: Cervelo sizing question.

Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 6:37 am
by calabiyau
I am 5’ 8” and own a 2009 54cm Cervelo, 1092 gram frame with water boss screws and seat post collar only. Check out completivecyclists.com fit calculator. Also, give them a call and discuss what you want to do with the bike. If you order over the phone they will give you a great deal. The measurements you should be concerned with is the seat post height, saddle setback, and reach. Setting them up in that order. Also, do not forget the stand over height. The boys will thank you the first time a quick dismount is required. Below is a post of my view regarding the characteristics of the S2.If you are interested. Just reiterating it since you stated that you are not a sprinter.

I own a 2009 54cm Cervelo, 1092 gram frame with water boss screws and seat post collar only. The ride is very stiff. You better know the road you are going to ride on, since the frame can be very unforgiving on bad roads. On the other hand power transmission is complete and this implies instant acceleration (i.e. it is a sprinters bike). This is not an explorer’s bike it is a race bike. I suggest you know your route. I am not knocking the stiffness. It is the reason I bought the bike. I question any bike that claims aero. For example, Cervelo tells you that 25 percent of drag is caused by the bike, but does not tell you the size or position of the rider, nor does it tell you the percentage of reduced drag relative to a non-aero bike. When they provide information on their bikes in vector fields where you can input wind speed and direction, bike speed and direction. In other words vectors I will pay heed. Yeh. I am a physicist. You need a 6 hour test ride on the S2 before making a decision. The S2 would not be my only bike, but since you looking at it as a second or so, test it out.

Re: Cervelo sizing question.

Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 6:49 am
by aeroslave
54cm.

Re: Cervelo sizing question.

Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 7:11 am
by Frankie - B
The best thing to do imho is to go to a shop and hve you fitted on a couple of them sirvelo's that way YOU can determine what is good for YOU. Asking sizing questions on forums might not be the best thing to do as you can't see the posters. (don't know what they look like) And, Fit is a very, very personal thing. It is just one of the things that IMO one can not pick up from the internet.

@ all. Please do not use the quote button when you write a reply. When posting your reply with the quote it makes the forums harder to read. You can find the "post reply" button bottom left of each topic.

Thanks

Frame size, new bike fitting, questions

Posted: Fri Apr 30, 2010 5:25 am
by stefangomez
I just bought a 54 cm frame and now it seems like I may have bought a size too small. The seat tube is shorter than my last bike and it seems like I have a great amount of seatpost showing. The center of BB to the top of seatpost clamp is about 49-50 cm (is this seat tube length normal for a 54 cm frame?) and my saddle height from the top of the saddle to center of bottom bracket is 77.7 cm. I also have 9 cm setback. I haven't built the bike up yet but what do you guys think?

Frame size, new bike fitting, questions

Posted: Fri Apr 30, 2010 5:25 am
by Weenie

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Re: another bike size question

Posted: Fri Apr 30, 2010 9:22 pm
by Geoff
Generally speaking, the seattube length is irrelevant. The issues are toptube in relation to the bottombracket and the headtube. How tall are you? Is the toptube long enough (or can you get there with a mix of setback and stem length)? Is the headtube the right height (or can you get there with adding/removing spacers)?