ChillDilettante

So I currently ride a 2013 Domane 5.2 in size 52 and feel like it fits. I'm considering a new SL6, but having an issue because I have a longer body and shorter inseam. On the charts 52 is right for my height, but not my inseam, and 50 good on inseam, but for someone slightly shorter.

I had a chance to ride both (around the parking lot) and had to have the seat all the way down on the 52. The 50 felt ok, but may have wheel/toe overlap (couldn't test with real pedals/shoes to be sure, but it'll be close).

So what do you think? Would I regret having no adjustment potential on the 52? Will the 50 make me feel too bunched up when I actually ride it a while? Should I just try to find an older model without the stupid seatmast?

Also, what is people's experience with the front isospeed? worth it? I hear 2023 may not have it. Thanks!

Polaris OBark

Don't size down to accommodate their seat mast. Verify that it has the shorter of the two (it should by default) and find out if there is a way for them to trim it. Alternatively, a saddle that sits a bit lower on the rails (lower profile) might help, although theirs tend to do this already.

One other option is have them put a 165mm crankset on it. I did this on my bike (which is equivalent sizing to the 54 Domane) and now the seat post sits significantly higher. A benefit is it is a bit easier on your knees and hips. After about 2 weeks, I didn't notice the length difference from my 172.5mm cranks.

Iride01 

If you didn't feel that the 50 put your handle bars too low for you when the saddle was at it's proper height then I'd probably recommend the smaller frame. If the proper height for your saddle put the 52 all the way down and you didn't like the 50cm for any reason, then you might just be looking at the wrong model bike with the wrong geometry. Might not even be a road bike you are looking for.

Unless you ride less than 2 mph then toe overlap will never be an issue as long as you remember to make certain the wheel is pointed straight with the bike when you start off from a stop. >3 mph it's unlikely you'll ever turn the wheel far enough for it to be an issue unless you are already in the process of crashing and beyond the point of no-return.

DaveSSS 

Know your saddle height and saddle to bar drop. Better yet, the stack and reach of your current bike if it fits well. Stem angle also makes a difference, but new bikes with integrated bars often have only one choice. I see a lot of new bike pics with a big stack of spacers. I try for 10mm or less. I know before buying exactly what stem angle and spacer setup I'll need.

Toe overlap is not something that affects fit. Even with small feet, nearly every bike I've owned has some.
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DonkeyShow

Carbon seatpost for the win.

Dean V

If you are happy with your current fit, measure it and then duplicate it on the bike you are looking to purchase.
Then its just a matter of seeing which frame suits.

Polaris OBark

@ChillDilettante already has a 52 cm Domane, and the frame dimensions haven't changed over the years, so if 52 was the best fit in 2013, it is quite likely it is the best fit in 2022. The problem is that in recent years, the carbon Domanes are equipped with seat masts instead of conventional seat posts, so you can no longer get the seat quite as low on a Domane of a given size as you could with a conventional seat post.

So, do you size down the frame from what was previously an ideal fit, just to accommodate the seat mast? I wouldn't.

Shorter crank arms would be a possible work-around, because they would require a higher saddle for the same leg length.

DirePenguin

I’ve got a 2022 SL5 that replaced a destroyed ALR5 which only had rear isospeed.

It’s kind of hard to quantify how well the front isospeed works because my SL5 is also tubeless. But, it does ride smoother than the ALR5. Noticeably less vibration through the bars.

Dean V

If that is the case then also a different saddle with a lower height (rail to top) could help.
Also if the seat mast is remains the same diameter below where its normal lowest setting is, you could trim a bit off the top.

Polaris OBark

Couldn't have said it better myself.

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ChillDilettante

Huh. I assume the high seat mast serves some purpose? I'd be nervous to trim it (also re-sale issues). I like the cranks solution. That could work. I've been through many saddles in my day and have settled on 2 that really work for me, and sadly, neither is super low profile.

I appreciate all this feedback.

Dean V

Depends on how much height you need to compensate for. I would guess a 52 comes with 170 or 172.5 cranks so you can gain 5 to 7.5mm going to 165, which is as short as they go in the "standard" range.

biker128pedal

The 2022 and 2021 are the same. There is a slot in the back of the seat mast to access the screw on the seat post. There is only so much range. This is why there are two seat post lengths. I have a 58cm frame with the tall seat post. It is close to the bottom. Like 1/4 inch left to lower. A short seat post is about 4 cm shorter. That should put the adjustment screw a little half way up. I may get one but the tall post allows me to raise it all the way up for room to clamp my stand.

I could have gotten a 56cm frame. This was in stock and pushed. But I would have needed a 130mm stem and I wanted the taller head tube for comfort. Also the 56cm came with the short seat post and I’d have needed the tall seat post. Or at least it had a short one installed and the shop switched for the test ride. It was a higher level with SRAM electronic shifting and Aeoles Pro 37V wheels so was tempting.

The Isospeed does smooth the fought road. I ran 25mm tires at 100 psi and noticed. But I run 25f/28r for the road now at 75psi f/ 80psi rear. The lower pressure makes more of a difference.





Oh. Take a look at the Check Point. It appears to take a conventional post. If buying today I’d get a new SL6 Check Point instead of the Domane. Same wheels but I’d of just put GP5000 tires on for the road until I got some carbon road wheels.

Sy Reene

Of course a different crank length will also mean you'll have a different knee bend at the top of the crank circle, as well as potential need to shift saddle back a bit.

ChillDilettante

thanks for pointing that out. I checked my current 52, and the saddle is already all the way back on that. This bike just may not work for me, dammit!

Iride01 

If your saddle is all the way back and you like that position it gives you over the BB, then you might actually want a bike with a smaller seat tube angle. Might be more a touring type road frame or even a cruiser type frame that puts the saddle well behind the BB.

Don't think about adjusting your fit to the frame with changing crank length. Toward that end, 10 to 15 mm isn't going to make a hill of beans toward whether the frame is the correct size for you. However it is true that if you change crank length you will need to change saddle height and maybe some other things. All of which will generally involve your personal preference.

jaxgtr

I am in the same boat, and most bikes I ride a 54, however for the Domane, I went with a 52. I am 5'10, I have short arms and a 29 inseam. I got the longer seat post, and a 120mm stem versus the 90 it came with and it fits like a glove. It is nearly identical to my Emonda setup and it is super comfortable.

Edit: One of the reasons I got the longer post is that I was minimum insertion on the stock sized post for the 52. The longer post gave me a lot of movement to find the perfect position.

jaxgtr

Oh and for the IsoSpeed... Between my Domane SLR and Emonda ALR, I could not really tell you if there is a major benefit. My Emonda has carbon seat post, bars and I running tubeless Aeolus 5 wheels, so the Emonda is a nice riding bike.

Dean V

The size 50 could be the one. There isn't much reach difference between the 2 frame sizes.
Shorter head tube could be more of an issue depending on how high you want your bars.
As I said before you need to measure your current fit, saddle height and set back, handlebar reach and drop.
Then see how that works out on the frame you were looking at. It will mainly come down to wether it works out with a "normal" length bar stem and and spacers.

Sy Reene

Yeah, the frame reach difference is shown as only 3mm between the 50 and 52. Aside from the frame difference though, a couple other things that might be contributing to the bunched up feeling. The 52mm comes stock with a 10mm longer stem than the 50 (90 vs 80mm). You could ask for that to be swapped out (not sure they'd do for free). I also assume showroom has stem flipped down? This could be flipped up to add back the effective stack. Finally, last option is that the handlebars that are stock on 54cm+ Domanes have 18mm longer reach (and less drop). Doesn't help with the tops of the bars, but puts the hoods and drops that much further away as well. Probably not as likely that Trek would swap in different bars but you never know.

ChillDilettante

You got me going down that rabbit hole. The 2023 is out now and it has a 1x with etap for the same price as the mechanical ultegra 2022 domane, and that sounds intriguing. Less weight and simpler. Eliminates cross-chaining. I looked at a frame overlay, and the 49 checkpoint is almost identical to the 52 domane. I don't know about stem, cranks, and handlebars though.

I haven't really ridden gravel, and doubt I would do much of it. Drop bars just sound painful and awkward for hitting roots and rocks (I have a full squish mtn bike for off road), but do want to maximize comfort on the road. Maybe the checkpoint with wide slicks would do it? How much of a speed penalty would there be for the stock checkpoint gravel tires?

jaxgtr

I have ridden the new Checkpoint, it is basically the Domane with more wheel clearance and is a fantastic bike. My LBS owner decided to ditch all of his bikes and moved to a Checkpoint only, with several wheelsets, and based on what he plans to do that day, determines the wheels he puts on. I almost bought a checkpoint before I decided on the Domane and I still question that to this day. I love my Domane, but always wondered if I made the correct decision.

biker128pedal

I test road a Checkpoint LS7 with the 1X etap. Also a Domane with 2X etap. First E shifting I ever tried. Neat but I'll stick with mechanical. I already have too many batteries. For the road I did not like the 1x. Heck the 11-34 Cassette that came with my Domane had too large of jumps between cogs for me on the road so I us a 11-28 and should have gotten an 11-26. But Eastern Va is not mountainous.

As for tires. Upgrade to something appropriate for how and where you ride.

Last search and test ride. The Trek site cxan be used to find what is in stock. Or order and if yo don't like it Trek as a 30 day guarantee. I've seem posts where someone put a down payment on two sizes and then bough the the one that fit.

jaxgtr

Yep, same here as far as non mountainous, I've run both a 12-25 and 14-28 on my Domane. The only thing we have around here for climbing are bridges and the tallest one is 110 ft, but does have a short 9% incline on one side and 7% on the other, that is the only place the 28 gets used. I like the 1 tooth cog jumps to deal with the wind.