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Hi everyone, after previously buying a Planet X of which I had to have the seat almost slammed in order to ride it - I'm pretty scared of buying the wrong sized bike again.
Today I went and test rode a Pinnacle Arkose, size M (51cm). It felt fairly good to be fair but I am not really that sure what to look for, and the people in Evans weren't the most helpful. I've been eyeing up a Vitus Energie (Apex 1x11) - it seems very well specced for the money.
My height is 175cm, inseam 81cm (31 and a bit inches). After reading a bit and posting on another forum - apparently a medium sized Vitus might be too big in terms of reach?
Are there any other bikes I should be looking at - is the reach really going to be a problem?
I can't see with your height you would want anything smaller, I'm only 165cm with a 79cm inseam and the small would be spot on for me, but I would change the stem to a 50mm, that's what I have on my gravel bike which has the same geo to the Arkose.
I’m within about 1cm of you, currently riding a medium Energie. It is longer than most bikes of this ilk but it works for me, did shorten the stem on mine from 80 to 70mm though. However, if I was really unsure about sizing i’d be buying from a bricks and mortar shop, possibly trying Evans again on another day (not the weekend)
I wouldn't worry so much about reach, on a road bike you're sat down not stood up. So the top tube length is more important and even that will change depending on how relaxed vs racey the frame is but it's a bit more consistent. Having said that road bike designers have twigged what MTB's have been doing, CX / gravel / adventure bikes seem to be getting longer in the top tube and shorter in the stem rather than just taking a road frame and knocking a few degrees off the head angle.
That said, unless you are of utterly freakish proportions you're not going to go far wrong with a manufacturers recommendations, at worst you'd be swapping a stem +/- 10mm. If you're of medium height then get a medium frame.
That does look great value, but it bills itself as a Cyclocross bike, not a gravel bike. Real Cyclocross bikes are head-down, arse up race machines, designed for a couple of hours speed and with little consideration for comfort. Is that the type of bike you want? A gravel bike will be more of an all-day riding machine.
Wiggle do a 30 day test ride, and also have that Vitus, (same company now) which reduces the risk if you buy the wrong size.
Medium sounds right. I’m 5ft 8” with a 30” inseam and the arms of a gibbon. Anything smaller than a 54” or so just feels cramped.
hhhmmm, 175 tall, 84 Inseam and ride a 54 (725mm crank center to saddle top)
the mason has a longish tt (551mm effective) but it's real comfy set up like this.
I'm 5'7" and ride a 52cm Specialized Diverge.
@mashr - you don't happen to be in Essex do you (or nearby!) 😀
thanks everyone - so I was having a look - my previous bike was a Planet X XLS. I never had any conscious issues with reach with that bike.
Looking at the geo charts:
Planet X XLS: Reach 377mm + 100mm stem.
Vitus Energie: Reach 407mm + 80mm stem (to my knowledge)
Does this mean the difference is quite literally 10mm?
Thanks
I’m 5’7″ and ride a 52cm Specialized Diverge.
Me too.
Only a 6hour drive away if you want a test ride?
I used to ride a large Arkose and I'm 178cm. I could have fitted a medium but wanted the top tube length of the large and to run the stem without a load of spacers.
I would have thought a medium Arkose would be about right. If it felt ok to ride, seat post didn't need to be right down, and perhaps check the recommended size for your height then you won't be far out.
That reach measurement for the Vitus can't be right. That's more like a mountain bike reach than a road bike.
Never mind what any staff member in Evans tells you. They let you go out and take the bike for a spin. I brought my own pedals and a tape measure so I could set the saddle at the height I wanted and spent 20 minutes riding a Cannodale CAADX, bumping it up and down kerbs before returning it back to the shop to buy it. It really is helpful to ride a bike before buying it. If the Arkose felt good, it probably is ok. But try a few others. I've made mistakes on sizing in the past.
bluebird
Member
That reach measurement for the Vitus can’t be right. That’s more like a mountain bike reach than a road bike.
That’s pretty much how mine feels too
How about a Boardman ADV8.9 - get it delivered to the nearest halfords and try the size there?