Tom D. -- Soloist sizing help, please

Triathlon Forum
1

I’m about to order a Cervelo Soloist by mail order. I’ve been researching frame sizes/geometry compared to my Trek 5500.

My Trek is a 52cm with a 53.1 cm eff. top tube and a 12.5 cm stem.

The 51 cm Soloist has a 53.0 cm eff. top tube and, if I get a 12.5 cm stem, I should be very close to the “cockpit” I’m accustomed to. However, the salesman tells me I’d be better off on a 54 cm Soloist. That has a 54.5 cm eff top tube and comes with a 11 cm stem. So far it seems like a toss-up.

The Cervelo website encourages you to compare a couple of measures they call “reach” and “stack” between your existing bike and the Soloist frame. Reach is a dead-on match with the 51 cm Soloist, and stack is closer than it would be with the 54 cm frame.

I’m long-torso’d and short-legged. The standover on a 54 cm compact frame wouldn’t give me much clearance. That’s not a big concern 'cuz I don’t have much now. But I’m not riding a compact frame now, either. All my instincts are telling me the 54 cm is too large. But that’s what the salesman/“fit expert” is pushing. (He has both frame sizes in stock, so it’s not like he’s trying to steer me to what’s on the floor.) I’d say the choice to go with the 51 cm would be a no-brainer except for one thing. Cervelo ships the 51 cm with a 10 cm stem. I’ll have to swap that for a 12.5. Not a big deal unless there’s some handling compromise or something I need to take into consideration. On the other hand, the 54 cm ships with an 11 cm stem which puts the combined top tube and stem length precisely where my current bike is (despite those “reach” and “stack” measures which are significantly different).

Please resist the “go ride it” advice. There’s not a Cervelo Soloist to be ridden within several hours drive time of where I live. I’m in a remote, rural area.

Do I go with the smaller bike and the longer stem? Or, do I go with the larger bike and the “stock” stem?

Thanks in advance for any wisdom.

Bob C.

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Actually Bob, I think you’ve answered your own question here, and I’d suggest your answer is right.

I just finished a long reply to another poster asking for fit help on this forum where I rambled and rationalized for about six paragraphs and then basically recommended he go to his local bike fitter.

I will save some typing, refer you to that thread, and also recommend the same thing.

Now, that said- since it is my “rubber stamp” go-to reply, I will conceed that your inquiry is more straightforward and specific, and because of that, my replay can be as well.

As your examination of the stack and reach dimensions and your experience from your previous fit and position- which I presume you felt was optimal (a big presumption) confirm- you have probably are right- I agree with your findings, the 51 strikes me as the better option based on the information you have presented only.

Now, as an FYI- 51cm Soloists are bastardly difficult to come by right now. I stop short of suggesting that may be motive for why the 54cm (which are readily available everywhere) suddenly fits you correctly, but one has to ponder the influence of that on the situation…

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“Now, as an FYI- 51cm Soloists are bastardly difficult to come by right now.”

Tom - how is the availability of 58’s? Thanks

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Tom,

Thanks for the reply. I know I should go ride one, but as you’ve noted … who has one to try?

Well, I’ve found one. It’s all the way across the country, but I think I’m gonna jump at it.

Thanks again,

Bob C.