Can anyone steer me in the right direction on this one. I am buying my first cyclocross frameset and would like to know which size would be more suitable. I currently ride a 56 cm Cervelo Carbon Soloist and I’m looking to purchase a Ridley X Fire. Should I size down to a 54cm or keep it at 56cm. I am 6ft tall and just concerned that 54cm may be to small. Any feedback would be much appreciated…Thanks
I also ride a Soloist Carbon (54cm at 5-10") and just got a new cyclocross bike (53cm Felt, but measures about like a 54cm). Was looking at the Ridley ones as well (REALLY high bottom bracket!). From what I remember, I think you would need the 56cm as well, otherwise you would need a longer stem on the smaller bike, thus slowing down the handling on an already stretched out frame (NOT what you want in a cross bike). Most advocate seat height about the same, but about 1cm less reach.
Nice bike choices 
If you want to match your road position and don’t have many spacers on the SLC then you will need to go for the 54 X-Fire with a 2cm longer stem (and it will need to be -17deg).
If you have lots of spacers 9more than 30mm) you could look at the 56 X-Fire but will still need flat stem.
Here’s my experience w/ sizing a Ridley X-Fire…
On the road I ride a 56cm Scott CR1 (56cm tt & 17cm ht) with a 110mm stem, some 20mm of spacers, 78.5cm cBB to top of saddle and nose of saddle about 8.5cm behind center of bb. I’m 6’1.5" w/ 34.5" inseam. I know it looks like I should be on a larger road frame, but i carry more of my height in my legs and have a relatively shorter ape factor.
I got a 56cm X-Fire (56cm tt, 58mm BB drop and 18.5cm ht on top of a taller cross fork makes for a high front end). So i’m running less spacers under the stem than on my scott while also reducing bar drop by 2cm on the Ridley. My goal was to be able to ride more upright with my hands on the hoods most of the time. Keeping my saddle position the same with respect to the BB i had to shorten my stem by 2cm… so i’m running a 90cm on my XFire. The bike feels big, probably because of the shorter stem, long HT and the higher bb.
So now I’m thinking I might like the 54cm X-Fire better so that I could run a 110mm stem again. But I’d probably run into toe/front wheel overlap problems. So then I look at frames like the Scott CX which has a lower bb, adequately tall HT, 1cm shorter TT and a shallower HT angle which would likely fix toe/front wheel overlap problems.
In the end I guess if you’re running a long stem (130ish or more) on your road bike then keep the same size CX frame and get a shorter stem (unless you like being stretched out). But if, like me, you’re running a shorter stem on your road bike get a smaller CX frame, but watch the angles (because everything else being equal, a frame with a 73deg seat angle and a 55cm TT will have the same reach as a frame with a 74deg seat angle and a 54cm TT).
Hi,
I’m 5’10" (33" inseam) and ride a 56cm Cervelo R3.
Earlier this year I bought a Ridley Crossbow frame, also a 56cm, but once I’d partially built the frame up, it became obvious it was just too big, standover height was the problem, I would have done the boys some serious damage!! Anyway, luckily the store took the frame back and ordered me a 54cm and that fits just fine.
Good luck
Jon
I have 4 teammates riding Ridley. Each of them purchased a bike “1 size” smaller than they ride on the road.
Why? As mentioned, the BB height is high. Most of my buddies racing CCX wanted to have a smaller frame under them (easier to flick/bunny hop).
I ride a 55cm Colnago with a 54.3 cm. TT with a 12cm stem. I’d order a 52cm Ridley if I was ordering one.
BTW, I have a buddy selling a 54cm SuperCross with Campy Record/Chorus Carbon and Mavic Ksyrium SSC SL Tubulars. He’s asking $1350 plus shipping for the whole set-up.
Cheers,
Puskas