need help sizing a bike being ordered online

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    • #228075

      Heya I am going to order a bike online since the shop I work at does not carry that model. It is a 27.5 + C’dale Cujo 1. I need some advice on sizing a plus bike that has a dropper post.

      Normally I ride an old 26er that is likely 1 size too small with a long post but I dont smack my junk on the top tube. 🙂 My dilemma is that I dont know how much extension the dropper post will give me. Standover height on the MD is 31 inches and 32 on the large. My concern is that I uhh dismount a lot as I ride rocky messy trails so I dont wanna shell the walnuts on a frame thats too big.

      My head mechanic and head sales guys both say go with the large but…. they both think my current bikes are all too small for me anyways.

      My inseam is 32 and sitting on a large 27.5 C’dale catalyst, my junk sits on the top tube with about 2 inches of give if I lift the bike. On a medium I have 3 inches of give when I lift the bike. But the Cujo is a plus bike, how will that change things? The listed geometry for the Catalyst has the same stand over as the Cujo . If I go with a medium frame will the transx dropper have enough extension to get the seat to my height ?

      I really dont have the money to screw this up and I like to worry over details I  am not sure I have a grasp of.

       

      Any guidance would be of great help. I plan to pull the trigger in 2 or 3 weeks say mid November.

       

      Thanks.

    • #228864

      Sorry mate….but the best recommendation is find a test ride at local shop.  Given it’s a Cannondale – it should not be too hard to find.  We’re not talking about some of the newer consumer online direct brands.

      I can say prior to buying my new bike, I measured my old bike best I can including effective top tube and stem and inseams.  Thought I ended up with Small as my old bike had 580mm top tube.  But after test riding a few bikes I ended up with Medium with 600mm eff. Top Tube and 5mm shorter stem.  Must have something to do with new geometry.

      Inseam will depend brand to brand and how much dropper insertion length the frame and dropper collar provides.   Best to ask Cannondale what the fully inserted lengths are, which also vary from based on dropper size even with the same dropper brand/model.

    • #228935

      Honestly?  Standover isn’t the end all, be all of bike fit like it was once considered.  If I went by that alone I’d ride a M.  I have a long torso and long arms though which puts me firmly in the L territory.  My last bike was a Stache 9 29+ and while the standover was a little tight, everything else about the bike was comfortable.  Besides, I’ve been riding for almost 25 years and I don’t think I’ve ever hit my tenders on the top tube.  You really need to put your butt in the seat and see how it fits.

    • #230953

      I personally always size up. I’m only 5’8-5’9 ish have been going with large on all my current bikes. I like to run a short stem on all my bikes so with a medium it gets a little cramped. That being said, most bike run all different sizes and is best to try it out first.

    • #230973

      I’m 6′ with a 32″ inseam and I just about always ride a large frame.

      The wheel/tire size is already taken into account when they measure the standover, so there’s not any additional calculating you need to do.

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