lyle.coop

I am looking to buy the Canyon Ulitmate. I am 5'8.5" and my inseam is 31.5" (barefoot to crotch). Canyon size calculator recommends a size small. I currently ride a size 54cm 2005 specialized allez comp double. 15 years ago when I bought the specialized, I didn't really go through the whole sizing process. I just read some articles and determined I'm a 54cm.

I compared the handlebar stack and reach on the 2 bikes and they are basically the same. The Canyons handlebar reach is 3mm shorter than the Specialized. The Canyon's handlebar stack is 9mm taller than the Specialized. I am assuming I could lower the handlebar stack reach with spacers.

The Canyon comes with an integrated stem and handlebar. That means no swapping stems to get the right fit. And Canyon is an online only company - so I don't get an opportunity to try one out.

Assuming the Specialized, is the correct size, I'd be comfortable buying the Canyon size small. I've heard people say if you can get away with a smaller size road bike you should. How can I determine if I could possible be better suited in an extra small (XS)?

Here are some pictures of the measurements:


Canyon Ultimate sizing

saddlesniffer

I bought a Canyon Endurace CF 8.0 in June and before I ordered I used the size calculator on the Canyon website and it said I needed a large. I am 6'2" and about 220 lbs. When I received the bike it was very close to the correct feel that I needed. I had to swap out the stem for a shorter stem and fine tune the seat adjustment. I also bought a different seat because the one it came with which is very nice, my ass hated it. Seats are a very personal decision. Now that I have it dialed in it rides like a smooth Cadillac. I love it.

genejockey 

I would not assume you can make the handlebar stack (aka 'Stack +') LOWER with spacers. AFAIK, Canyon gives you the lowest number it can be, and tells you how many spacers you could ADD to raise it. I think my Endurace came with something like 37.5mm of spacers, and I ended up using 12.5mm of them below the stem.

lyle.coop

Good point. I think 9mm higher on the Canyon vs the Spec should be manageable. Thank you.

genejockey 

Probably. BUT what I found on my Endurace was that 2.5cm higher handlebars actually caused numb hands. It's weird, and I don't understand it, but when I got the bike, I ran it at first with all the spacers under the stem and my hands kept getting numb, even in a short ride. I moved 25mm of the spacers to above the stem, and that went away and now I can ride the thing for 4 hours with no numbness. So, just a caveat.

lyle.coop

That is strange. I got a bad case of hand cramps after I dropped my stem 22mm. (i flipped the stem over). I ended up sliding my seat forward 10mm. And straighten out my hoods. They were cocked inwards. And now I can ride 3-4 hours.

DaveSSS 

I go by frame stack and reach. From there you need to know how much the headset top adds. On all of my frames, that's been 15mm and at least 30mm of spacer can be added. Handlebar stack can be changed a lot with stem angle. Handlebar reach can also be changed a lot by the stem length and bar reach.

Your leg length is on the shorter side. I'm a couple inches shorter with at least an inch more inseam. I'd pick the xs, unless you can't tolerate much saddle to bar drop. I run about 10cm, so use zero to 15mm of spacer and a -17 stem angle.

I went to the canyon website and put in my 168cm height and 83cm inseam. The xs size was suggested - exactly what I would pick. Based on my leg length, the suggested saddle height was 725 to 735mm - exactly what I use. The only thing wrong would be a too short stem. I'd want
a 100mm, not a 90.

PeteHski

That loose advice only generally applies when you are caught right on the cusp of 2 frame sizes and is largely personal preference anyway. Someone might prefer the smaller frame if they looking for a more aggressive saddle to bar drop for example.
In your case it looks like you are clearly a 54/S guy. As you have been riding your 54 cm Specialized for 15 years you should be able to make a good call on whether or not it feels too big.

Dean V

If you are happy with the fit on your Specialized then then get the S Canyon.
If you want to experiment with a different fit then do it on your Specialized first rather than buying a new bike that will suit a fit that you don't even know will work for you.

sfrider 

Do you have an existing bike that you've set up to fit perfectly? If so, use that as a template; measure it and find where the geometry falls for Canyon. I wouldn't recommend buying a first bike online, since as you've noted the fit is going to be a gamble.

cmuselli

Hi, just curious. What size did you get They suggest in my case in 2xs which seems so small. Every measurement is shorter on Canyon than my Roubaix except the standover. If I pick XS standover is way high

lyle.coop

i got a size small and it worked out great. I made some minor adjustments to mimic my old road bike setup. Seat height and fort -aft. I also moved some spacers around on the stem. Literally just copied the old bike. Took me 30 minutes.

Which size gets you closer in the 2 most important measurements? Those should be listed on my original post.

but if the top tube is hitting your crotch while you’re in your road shoes, it’s a non-starter

DaveSSS 

There is a predictable relationship between stack height, saddle height and saddle to bar drop. Those who can't tolerate much saddle to bar drop might choose the larger size and those who want more drop usually pick the smaller. I can usually pick either of two sizes. My previous frames had a 525mm stack and 383mm reach. With a 73cm saddle height, only the 15mm headset top cover and a -17 stem produced about a 10cm saddle to bar drop. A -6 stem would raise the bars about 2cm and of course 2cm of spacers could be used to get 6cm of drop. The reach required a 100mm stem with my 80mm reach bars. My current frames have 16mm less stack and 16mm less reach. I use -17 stem, a 30mm headset top cover and one size longer stem. A -6 stem with a standard 15mm headset top cover would produce about the same fit.

If you're comparing a smaller frame, reach can only be compared at one stack height. If the smaller frame has a 20mm shorter stack, assume that 20mm of spacer will be used and subtract 6mm from the reach of the smaller frame. Then compare the reach.

PeteHski

Yeah it's very easy to overlook this fact when comparing frame sizes. The nominal frame reach always looks closer than it really is between different frame sizes.