531colin wrote: ↑20 Jun 2021, 12:36pm
MountainSurfer wrote: ↑19 Jun 2021, 11:25pm
Thanks for the resources guys, will take some time to read through them and learn more about this stuff. Will also try and take a video of me on my bike tomorrow.
Out of interest, I've been looking at gravel bikes and have seen some from Specialized that are available. The ideal model I want is available in a 56 (Specialized size guide for my height of 6ft says I should be going for a 58). Given that it seems as though it's easier to compensate for a smaller frame by lifting up the seatpost/longer cranks, what are peoples' thoughts about knowingly going for one size smaller in this kind of scenario (acknowledging that there is a global shortage of bikes, but at the same time, wanting a bike that isn't going to cause problems down the road due to sizing)?
The options for gravel bike (very short commute and weekend national cycleway routes with a friend) are a Specialized one with GRX 400 groupset and hydraulic discs in a 56 (recommended 58) or a Boardman with Sora and mech discs in an L (recommended size). I would class myself as a beginner - is it worth it to compromise to get the better bike? Or accept that it maybe won't make a huge difference to a beginner rider like me to have Sora/mechanical discs rather than the better gear?
First thing to say; get your fit sorted out on any old bike
which you have. Once your fit is sorted, you can transfer it to any other bike of approximately the right size.
Give us a link to the geometry tables for these bikes you mention.
The trade-offs when trying to decide which "size" of any one bike are always the same;
The bigger bike gives you the opportunity to have the bars higher, with the "cost" of a longer reach.
For example, the Specs. have "size" increments of 2cm. Its likely that the difference in reach will be 1cm. ....you can easily tune out 1cm longer reach with a 1 size shorter stem. My recollection is Spec. "size" is "nominal"....no tube on the frame actually measures 56cm.
Make comparisons based on actual measurements.
Nobody mentions seat tube angle, which you need to know to get saddle setback.....the horizontal distance between saddle nose and BB axle.
So I have spent quite a bit of time in a couple of bikes shops this morning and think I've decided that the large/58 type fit is probably the best for me. The one size down/56 type fit is very adjustable and would probably be fine, but no way to know for sure without being able to ride the bike for a few hours and this isn't possible. The Spec bike I mentioned is the 56 size and so I'll probably forego that I think, even though it comes in a stunning sparkly dark green colour haha).
So I have 2 options (both the same price) to decide between (and potentially a third, much more expensive option). These are based on the currently available bikes I've found in the equivalent to size 58:
1. used but absolutely pristine size 58 Cannondale Synapse Carbon 105 hydro-disc road bike with 28mm for the road ( geometry -
https://www.cannondale.com/en-gb/bikes/ ... carbon-105 )
plus
new size L Boardman ADV 8.6 Sora mech-disc gravel bike with 38mm gravel tyre for commuting and bike paths which would be the most common use ( geometry -
https://www.boardmanbikes.com/gb_en/pro ... 62021.html )
2. new size 58 Cannondale Topstone 2 alloy gravel bike - GRX groupset and hydro-disc with 37mm gravel tyres for commuting/bike paths (geometry -
https://www.cannondale.com/en-gb/bikes/ ... topstone-2 )
plus
second wheelset - Mavic Aksium Elite wheels with Yksion Pro UST tubeless 25mm road tyres, disc rotors and SRAM cassette for the road - this option is about the same price as option 1, although I think I could bring the price of the second wheelset down by about £100 if I bought online rather than from the bike shop.
3. much more expensive option would be the used Synapse and the new Topstone 2 to give a two bike solution like option 1 but without the entry level gravel bike of option 1
My brain is telling me that I should go with option 2 as the amount of dedicated road riding I will be doing where having a sweet carbon road bike would actually make a difference probably doesn't justify me getting a sweet carbon road bike and compromising on the gravel bike which probably would take care of the majority of my riding, but my greedy appetite is trying to make me spend more money