Well the tricky part is that each shop only carries 1-2 brands, and so far only the one Ridley has been in stock. So I'm trying to get an idea of what might fit before getting them to order (of course if they order it, and it doesn't fit I won't be stuck with it)

So should the geometry for a cx bike be close to my road bike? For example my road bike (using this years model not mine which is 2010):
Standover - 709
Top tube - 517

I noticed on the Ridley one the top tube is quite a bit shorter, will that be a problem with fit?

Thanks

Quote Originally Posted by Muirenn View Post
No and no

You need a pubic bone measurement, which will likely be quite different from 29 inches (just a hunch). Plus, I prefer at least an inch of clearance over the top tube bar. I've read a couple of posts on here where petite women ended up selling their bikes because they didn't have enough clearance in stand-over height. (I tend to have excess clearance, because I want a short reach for my height, which is 5'7'').

Your reach, or top tube measurement, is actually more important for fit. Can you find somewhere that will give you a bike-fitting, complete with taking all your body measurements, then suggest the correct bike?

That is ideal, but can be hard to find.

Sheldon Brown and Peter White have great information on bike fit.