Crankykentucky

Hey, can you guys help me understand a few things about being 57 years-old and getting the proper fit on a cyclecross type bike?

I really like the Giant Anyroad bike my dealer let me try out yesterday. This is a sweet bike and I hope to try out a Cannondale CAAD-X in the near future. What I am finding is that on a medium frame (my inseam is 28 inches) I feel my leg come up on the upstroke of the pedal and form to tight of a "scissors" V shape. It is not painful, but I notice the lack of flexibility in my legs more on this frame size. When the dealer put me on a Large frame size of the Anyroad, I felt a little bit of the top bar standing flat on the floor, but I also felt my pedal circle was more effective and I didn't feel this tight flex as my leg moved closer to me on the upstroke of the pedal.

This is driving me crazy because my Giant Escape is a Medium frame and it is pretty comfortable. However, I have noticed some knee issues after riding this bike for any length of time. Have any of you had this experience? It seems to me and the dealer that I do better on the Large frame. However, once I purchase the bike, the shop will spend about 90 minutes on my initial fitting--they don't use a computer assisted system like the local Cannondale dealer.

Any thoughts? Am I missing something in the angle of the seat tube or bottom bracket that would make my legs feel crowded on a Medium frame?

By the way, I also got to ride a new Giant Revolt and that was quite a deal! Nice bikes from Giant!

Fred

h2oxtc

IMO the knee issues are not related to the bike, but rather the fit or setup of the bike. You'll have the same potential issue with any bike or frame geometry regardless of frame size. Which bike geometry or style "feels" the best is a subjective matter that you'll only sort out riding each bike. Back to bike fit, there's a whole section here on BF devoted to bike fitting. My wife and I both had GURU dynamic bike fits last winter. My wife also complained of knee pain after even short rides. The bike fit completely eliminated this - and interestingly, the new bike setup was a more agressive riding position. This resulted in faster riding, more comfortable, and no knee pain. Everything was a win. If you're LBS doesn't have a GURU system, google it. It's amazing.

BluesDawg

I, too, think this is more of a setup issue than a frame size issue, though I am having some trouble understanding exactly what you are experiencing.

The Giant Anyroad, while not a cyclocross bike, looks like a great bike for a mix of paved and unpaved roads. The CAAD-X is more of a cyclocross bike if CX competition is part of your plans.

Darth Lefty 

I don't see the CAADX as a cyclocross racing bike. It's coated in fender and rack mounts, and it has about the same geometry as any old 10-speed. Cannondale has a higher spec bike for racing.

BluesDawg

True, the Super X is the more pure racing bike, but the CAADX, unlike the Anyroad, still is a cyclocross design with geometry very close to the Super X.

stapfam

I have a 29" inside leg and ride a (S)mall Giant TCR. I can ride a (M)edium but that puts me at the limit of comfort and have to have saddle as far forward as possible. Sizing is important and although it can be modified with a shorter stem and adjusting the saddle-the correct frame size is important.

But the critical measurement for me on a road bike is the top tube length. I am 5'6" tall with the inside leg of 29" and like my bikes to have a virtual top tube length of 530 to 535 mm. This will normally give a seat tube angle of 73 to 74 degrees that puts the saddle a bit further forward without changing any of the standard parts supplied on the bike. (Bar stem)



Other bikes have a similar set up but all have the TT within my tolerance and fit me.

EDIT
One thing that does normally come with the correct size frame is the crank length.I like to ride with 165 or 170 cranks on the road and this does cut out some of the excessive movement on the legs that I get with longer cranks.

Crankykentucky

Thanks for all of the input. Also, thanks for taking my confusing post and trying to make sense out of it.

Today, I rode a CAAD-X5 and really liked it. However, the frame is short in length and I found that the heel of my right shoe would sometimes hit the rear wheel stays. So, it might not be a good option for me. I also rode a couple of Quick models. One, the SL-1, is pretty nice and I liked the large frame over the medium. There was something about the Cannondale medium frame that made my knee feel stressed and the dealer recognized that as a problem he sees.

I need to A&B the Cannondales with the Giants one more time. I think that Specialized has an awesome line of upper end Sirrus bikes, but they tend to have too long of a top tube for my liking.

This time I am finding it hard to decide on a bike. I didn't have any trouble when I bought my Giant Escape last year, but this time I seem to be noticing more things about the frame, components and just how the bikes feel.

gildelrosan

So what bike did you choose ? Im planning to get the Giant Anyroad 1 and I read this old thread of yours.
My observation of the Anyroad is that that the bottom bearing (center of the crank) is unusually higher than the Giant Escape I have.
The Anyroad bottom bearing is 12 inches from the ground while the Giant Escape is 11 inches only.
The higher Anyroad crank might have been be designed to avoid grounding the pedal strokes, in rough rounds. Its also why the scissor-V is felt during the upstroke. Did you buy the Anyroad? Im having second thoughts, but reviews say they are great and comfortable, sans the upstroke's "squatting froglegs position".
Best for a 3 hour ride they say, maybe with some croaks. I don't know.

Retro Grouch 

You might do better with a shorter crank arm length.

Barrettscv 

Zombie thread

gildelrosan

That’s right ! I found out that giant escape crank lengths are long, the Anyroad’s are short, which makes sense.