Gravel Bike Sizing

[bomber]

I'm looking to get into gravel riding and some light ish multi day bike packing and need some advice. I am trying to decide on which bike to get by focusing on the fit of the bike first.

Coming from a 58cm Cannondale Evo I seem to be slight able to make two sizes from the same brand work from a stack and reach perspective. So am I better going for the smaller frame with similar drop to the road bike or the larger frame with less drop than the road bike?

[twoangstroms]

It's a good question and one I even asked JOM at Gravel Cyclist.

Personally, I went with the larger size and am a bit sad I don't have much seatpost showing, but I don't do radical riding where something like more clearance and a dropper post would offer a benefit -- the controlling consideration for me was a long enough top tube (relatively long torso) so that I wouldn't need a stem longer than 90mm. A long stem off-road can mean more trouble with steering (coming from road life, so weirded out by 35mm stems on mountain bikes).

[JMeinholdt]

I'm not a bike packer, more of a gravel racer, so my gravel bike is almost the same position as my aero road race bike. At least where I'm at, most of the gravel is in long straight sections so I get low, aero, and go as fast as possible.

If I were planning on bike packing, I'd for sure set the bar height 1-2cm higher.

[onemanpeloton]

Depends how you want the bike to feel and what kind of riding you plan to do. If you can make 2 sizes work, I'm assuming that's because you're changing the stem length.

I'd use stem length to change the handling characteristics rather than to "make the bike fit me". Shorter stem will be snappier handling (think mtb) and longer stem will feel more like your road bike

[OnTheRivet]

I actually went through this, the larger frame didn't ride well, I can only surmise that the carbon layup was for someone proportionally larger (heavier) than I am and the seatpost wasn't as long as I'd typically run. Althought my new frame is a different brand it's smaller and has significantly more exposed seatpost and the ride is remarkebly better.

[bomber]

It's a good question and one I even asked JOM at Gravel Cyclist.

Personally, I went with the larger size and am a bit sad I don't have much seatpost showing, but I don't do radical riding where something like more clearance and a dropper post would offer a benefit -- the controlling consideration for me was a long enough top tube (relatively long torso) so that I wouldn't need a stem longer than 90mm. A long stem off-road can mean more trouble with steering (coming from road life, so weirded out by 35mm stems on mountain bikes).

Thanks for the thought out answer. I'm definitely not planning on radical riding but I guess the truth of gravel and bike packing is that conditions will change as you travel!

[bomber]

I'm not a bike packer, more of a gravel racer, so my gravel bike is almost the same position as my aero road race bike. At least where I'm at, most of the gravel is in long straight sections so I get low, aero, and go as fast as possible.

If I were planning on bike packing, I'd for sure set the bar height 1-2cm higher.

Thanks - I think I'm leaning towards the larger frame as it would be simpler to created that position without a tower of spacers!

[bomber]

I actually went through this, the larger frame didn't ride well, I can only surmise that the carbon layup was for someone proportionally larger (heavier) than I am and the seatpost wasn't as long as I'd typically run. Althought my new frame is a different brand it's smaller and has significantly more exposed seatpost and the ride is remarkebly better.

Interesting. I'm a bigger, stronger rider so perhaps may not suffer the same fate. Even the larger gravel frame as 45mm more standover than the current roadbike so should have a decent amount of seatpost.

[Noctiluxx]

A good starting point would be 10mm higher stack and 10mm shorter reach than your road bike.

[bomber]

https://geometrygeeks.bike/compare/cann ... -0-2020-l/

[TheRich]

A good starting point would be 10mm higher stack and 10mm shorter reach than your road bike.

You mean saddle to bar, not frame reach, right?

[wltz]

I'm currently building (a better word would be waiting for groupsets) a gravel bike for fast gravel and light touring, went with Giant Revolt in M (I'm 178cm /5'10", but can also ride size S with a longer stem no problem). I'll slam the stem pretty much all the way down for fast gravel & winter road riding, but for touring I will use aero extensions with 30mm raisers and set up like here: https://torstenfrank.wordpress.com/2017 ... bar-setup/. Stem will be 100mm, but my bars (Syntace Racelite) have a 6 deg back sweep, bringing the hoods effectively closer. Giant D-fuse seatpost is very compliant, so no need to have lots of it exposed.

[bomber]

I'm currently building (a better word would be waiting for groupsets) a gravel bike for fast gravel and light touring, went with Giant Revolt in M (I'm 178cm /5'10", but can also ride size S with a longer stem no problem). I'll slam the stem pretty much all the way down for fast gravel & winter road riding, but for touring I will use aero extensions with 30mm raisers and set up like here: https://torstenfrank.wordpress.com/2017 ... bar-setup/. Stem will be 100mm, but my bars (Syntace Racelite) have a 6 deg back sweep, bringing the hoods effectively closer. Giant D-fuse seatpost is very compliant, so no need to have lots of it exposed.

Awesome thank you

[wltz]

Awesome thank you

If you want to go down that route, Syntace Racelite carbon are the only lightweight (my size S came in at 200g) bars that allow clip on aero bars. I got them in both carbon and alloy, and really rate the shape.