Surly Pacer question

[wackyjacky1]

I'm having a torrid on-line relationship with a Surly Pacer. I definitely have lust in my heart. Came across one on Craigslist for a really decent price, but it's 52 cm, and I suspect I need a 50 cm. I'm 5'5" with an inseam of 30".

Are any of you familiar with the standover height on this bike? I'm trying to figure out if it would worth my driving to another town to check out the bike in person.

[Rebecca19804]

Standover won't be the issue but reach could be. Surlys (all models, I believe) are notorious for having longer than average (effective) top-tubes.

FWIW, I have a 50cm Cross Check. I'm 5'4" with 32" inseam and I'm right ON the top tube. But reach is a little long - I've got the shortest possible stem on there and I can just bear it.

You sound longer in the body than I am... even so, I'd put that 52cm at being a bit long (as well as too tall to stand over). And you know what they say - you can make a 'too small' frame fit (if you're clever) but not much you can do if it's too big.

YMMV

[wackyjacky1]

Well, stupid me, I see now that the Surly site has standover height included in their frame specs (29.8" for the 50 cm frame, 30.2" for the 52 cm). That's close enough to warrant a drive to check it out, I guess.

[laura*]

perhaps Surly changed their geometry from whenever the model on CL was made.

Almost certainly! The 2012 geometry is slightly different than 2011. The 52cm 2012's standover is 775.9mm. The 52cm 2011's is 767.9.

If you download their prior year catalogs, the geometries are toward the end of the catalog.

[Bike Chick]

At the very least, it will get you over your infactuation if it doesn't fit.

Or make it worse if it does

[Sky King]

I agree with Rebecca19804, Stand over on a Surly is not a critical path item, go ride it, see how it feels. Hope it fits!!!!

[Bethany1]

I tried out a Surly Cross Check and went down a size. Go figure. Loved the bike but like my Salsa Fargo. They have totally different numbers for their fitting. Go check it out! My next bike might be a Surly. Great bikes..all of them.

[Rebecca19804]

I tried out a Surly Cross Check and went down a size. Go figure.

No, that's pretty typical with Surlys. Again, it's their slightly-longer-than-average TTs.

With a much shorter stem, my 50cm CC now fits but -- in a perfect world -- it'd be considered technically too big. Indeed my fitter was not optimistic about getting a fit he'd consider "good enough", even with all the swap-outs. But it's all been okay after all -- and I'm a long distance rider so comfortable fit is pretty important!

Shame they don't make a 48cm. I did try a 46cm but that felt like a clown bike.

[Owlie]

No, that's pretty typical with Surlys. Again, it's their slightly-longer-than-average TTs.

With a much shorter stem, my 50cm CC now fits but -- in a perfect world -- it'd be considered technically too big. Indeed my fitter was not optimistic about getting a fit he'd consider "good enough", even with all the swap-outs. But it's all been okay after all -- and I'm a long distance rider so comfortable fit is pretty important!

Shame they don't make a 48cm. I did try a 46cm but that felt like a clown bike.

Darn. I was looking at a Cross-Check, and looking at the geometry, there's no way. The ETT is longer than that on my too-long current bike! Like you, I'm wishing they made a 48cm, because a 46 cm at my height would be ridiculous!