What do you use your CX bike for?

[Owlie]

I think you and I would ride the same size. A coworker is about your height, and she's on the XS (she had to cut the seatpost). I'd actually be on the XS too, pending a test ride. A 53cm ETT works fine on an aggressive road bike, but I think it's too long for a bike of this type. Now, do I want black (2012), or white (2013)? (I just have to borrow coworker's bike for a test ride.) I'd be on a 46 or 50 cm Surly CC.

Why do non-Jamis steel bikes run so large? (Well, maybe not. I'm looking at a SuperSix and if I were to get the unisex version, I'd be on a 48 or 50.)

[zoom-zoom]

I think you and I would ride the same size. A coworker is about your height, and she's on the XS (she had to cut the seatpost). I'd actually be on the XS too, pending a test ride. A 53cm ETT works fine on an aggressive road bike, but I think it's too long for a bike of this type. Now, do I want black (2012), or white (2013)? (I just have to borrow coworker's bike for a test ride.) I'd be on a 46 or 50 cm Surly CC.

Why do non-Jamis steel bikes run so large? (Well, maybe not. I'm looking at a SuperSix and if I were to get the unisex version, I'd be on a 48 or 50.)

I would think a 48 SuperSix would be too small for you. Mine is the men's model and a 48. I am just under 5'4". My CX bike is a 44 with a top tube of 50.5, IIRC.

[gocard]

Just wanted to say that I'm living vicariously through your cx search even though I just got a road bike recently and already have a mtn bike... good luck!

[zoom-zoom]

Ahh...I see the ETT is 51.2 on that, so that's pretty long for a CX bike, you're right. That's roughly the same as my road bike. They don't show standover, so I'm guessing that would be pretty tall.

[Owlie]

Ahh...I see the ETT is 51.2 on that, so that's pretty long for a CX bike, you're right. That's roughly the same as my road bike. They don't show standover, so I'm guessing that would be pretty tall.

Coworker is about your height (though I don't know inseams), and she doesn't have a lot of clearance. I'd have to go look, but their bikes seem oddly tall. I've tried out their true road bike in a small, and it's a traditional diamond frame. I can't tell if it's the bike or the fact I'm used to a sloped top tube, but getting on the bike was an interesting experience!

And you're right. I looked up the geometry chart for the SuperSix, and it would have to be the 50. It's not that different, geometry-wise, from the 51 cm women's (which is what I think I'd be on, even though I only tried the CAAD10. Geometry's close.)

I think I might have to get this bike, assuming the test ride works out. I'm already contemplating how I'm going to deck it out. (Swap the red hoods for black and add red bar tape? Red anodized bottle cages?)

The only issue is the pedals. I could replace the Crank Bros pedals that come on there with flats; swap the SPDs from my road bike and buy the SPD-SLs I wanted for the roadie, then buy another pair of shoes; or buy a second set of SPDs to save me buying a second set of shoes.

[Eden]

Coworker is about your height (though I don't know inseams), and she doesn't have a lot of clearance. I'd have to go look, but their bikes seem oddly tall. I've tried out their true road bike in a small, and it's a traditional diamond frame. I can't tell if it's the bike or the fact I'm used to a sloped top tube, but getting on the bike was an interesting experience!

Cross bikes measure out differently..... the bottom bracket on a CX bike is higher - for clearance over rocks, roots, barriers, etc. That means the seat tube measures out shorter on what is technically a larger bike (and seat tube length is what is used as "size"). A 48cm cross bike is going to fit more like a 50/52cm road bike - not to mention that they rarely have compact geometry so the stand over is going to be higher too. Expect that you will need to have at least one size down from your road bike size on a cross bike.

[anorange]

The Charge Filter XC e bike is sold at Performance. They have some of last years model on sale. I'm 5'2". I'm not good with math and have a hard time sorting out all the geometry numbers. I have a 29" inseam. If anyone is a similar size and has a fairly good fit on a XC bike I'd love to know what you ride. My brain is getting twisted trying to figure all the numbers out

[Owlie]

Anorange, a friend is 5'3" or 5'4"ish and had to have the seat post cut down on the XS Charge. I'd also be riding an XS Charge and I'm nearly 5'7". (I'm all legs, she's all torso.)

[Swan]

Funny how relevant this thread is just now! I finally learned a little more about bikes and made a list of what I wanted in one, and the Charge Filter Apex meets it all... crazy! I may have to take after your friend and get one cut down a little but I think it'll be well worth it. So excited that I finally know the bike! Too bad it doesn't come in pretty colors, but a paint job is only a couple hundred yeah?

I'll be using it for everything except CX as well (unless I get into CX... Which may yet happen lol)

[Owlie]

Funny how relevant this thread is just now! I finally learned a little more about bikes and made a list of what I wanted in one, and the Charge Filter Apex meets it all... crazy! I may have to take after your friend and get one cut down a little but I think it'll be well worth it. So excited that I finally know the bike! Too bad it doesn't come in pretty colors, but a paint job is only a couple hundred yeah?

I'll be using it for everything except CX as well (unless I get into CX... Which may yet happen lol)

I wish they came in colors other than black or white (the 2013s are white). I'd absolutely take it down to the other shop around here and have it sandblasted and powder-coated a deep green (Charge has a single-speed that's an absolutely beautiful shade of dark green), dark blue, or purple. The only problem is that you can't replace the decals. Oh well. Both colors are relatively versatile, and I have plans for them, depending on which one I get my hands on.

[Owlie]

Is that British racing green? They all sound lovely. I looked them up after you mentioned them before.

I think it could be said that it is, though it looks black in some light. If it weren't single-speed...

I think I'm going to hang on for a little while and order it around Christmas, or just after. So I'll be getting the white version, and I definitely have plans to trick it out. (I'm going to get red anodized bottle cages and spoke nipples, once I figure out what size I need.) I'm going to have to get it its own seat bag, because it's going to need different tubes and I am way too lazy to keep moving the contents around.