# Cannondale System Six



## lucky13 (Apr 12, 2008)

I am stuggling with a decision to buy a System Six from someone from Ebay. It is size 56 2007 Cannondale System Six Team Si 1

I went to my LBS and was measured and they told me I would fit a 54 Cannondale.

Could I fit a 56?

Is there someone that has a System Six that could give their opinion

I am 32 yrs old, fit, 5'10", 32 inseam.

If there are any other measurements you need to decide.

I am a mtb rider for yrs

I tried testing a different road bikes...ie trek, specialized, cannondale

And they all felt the same with no road riding history.


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## Mr. Scary (Dec 7, 2005)

lucky13 said:


> I am stuggling with a decision to buy a System Six from someone from Ebay. It is size 56 2007 Cannondale System Six Team Si 1
> 
> I went to my LBS and was measured and they told me I would fit a 54 Cannondale.
> 
> ...


33" inseam, 5'8" and I have to run a 110mm stem (100 is stock) on a Cannondale 53 (Synapse so it's comparable to a 54 in their other frames). What length stem did they recommend for you on the 54? You won't have a lot of seatpost sticking out on a 56 (your inseam is an inch shorter than mine). But that's aesthetics (I prefer to have quite a bit showing).


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## lucky13 (Apr 12, 2008)

Mr. Scary said:


> 33" inseam, 5'8" and I have to run a 110mm stem (100 is stock) on a Cannondale 53 (Synapse so it's comparable to a 54 in their other frames). What length stem did they recommend for you on the 54? You won't have a lot of seatpost sticking out on a 56 (your inseam is an inch shorter than mine). But that's aesthetics (I prefer to have quite a bit showing).



So you are saying it is possible...but it will look wierd?


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## Mr. Scary (Dec 7, 2005)

possibly yes, and you don't want to run a 90mm stem on a road bike (so top tube length matters just like on a mountain bike). It will handle funny with that short of a stem.


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## lucky13 (Apr 12, 2008)

Mr. Scary said:


> possibly yes, and you don't want to run a 90mm stem on a road bike (so top tube length matters just like on a mountain bike). It will handle funny with that short of a stem.



So you would recommend not buying it?


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## Mr. Scary (Dec 7, 2005)

depends on the stem length, that's why I asked what size the shop that fit you said you needed on a 54?


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## lucky13 (Apr 12, 2008)

Mr. Scary said:


> depends on the stem length, that's why I asked what size the shop that fit you said you needed on a 54?



Sorry I didnt ask stem length


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## the Inbred (Feb 28, 2004)

i'm 5'11" and ride a 56 SuperSix with a 90mm stem, Easton EC70 bars (80+mm reach), and a straight post. I can't imagine riding a 54. i think a 56 would be a little on the large size for you, but doable. maybe. i'd stick with a 54 to be safe. got about 7" of post showing to the middle of the seat rails.


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## d-rock (Nov 26, 2005)

I'm 5'11" with a 32.5" inseam and ride a 56cm with a 110 stem and 25mm setback post. I have long arms and torso though. On my XC MTBs I ride custom 17" ST with a 24" TT frames, 110 stem, straight post with the seat slammed all the way back.

FWIW, I have 5" top of seat clamp to center of rail of seat post showing on my 56, if that matters.

D.


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## rlchriss (Jun 13, 2007)

We're about the same size and I ride a 56 just fine. I'm 5'10 and a half 5'11 on a good day. I tested 54/56/58 and the 56 worked out best. C'dale geometry is aggressive - you'll either love it or hate it. 

I'm on a 56 frame with 110 stem 0 setback on my seatpost. I race, I ride, it's all good.


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## STARNUT (Jun 19, 2005)

Fitting a bike over the internet is a bit we-todd-did.

How 'bout this...................I'm 6'0" and I ride a 54cm supersix.

Height has almost nothing to do with it.

Length, torso length, femur length, arm length and foot size (to a smaller extent) and the ratios between them help to determine ideal size/geometry. You gave us one.

_IF_.......(thats a big if) the shop knows what they are doing I'd heed their advice. Nothing like buying a $5000 that does not fit.

Starnut


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## Guest (Apr 16, 2008)

We're about the same size. I'm 5-10 and a half with a 32 inch inseam. I rode the 56 for a long while and it felt ok, Then decided to buy the 54 after something happened to that bike and fit better on it, though I do have much more drop. YMMV


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## cyclust (Sep 8, 2004)

I'm 5' 9", and for years rode a 55 or 56, a 54 always felt too small for me, depite the fact that the sizing charts put me in a 54. { I had a pro fitting does on a Serotta fit cycle once, it came up with a 55}. About 6 months ago, I decided to try a 58 on a whim, and once I got used to it, I really like it better. It gives me a higher handlebar position, but more stretched out, which for me is more comfortable. I don't have a lot of seatpost sticking out, but that's not a problem. So the answer to your question, IMO, is yes, I think you can fit into a 56 just fine. Obviously you can adjust the seatpost for heigth, and your reach can be adjusted by not only stem length, but stem angle, number of spacers, lever positioning, and even by which handlebar you use. If you can get a good deal on it, go ahead and get it, and just experiment with what works. If you are new to road bikes, you will be fidling with positioning for a while anyway. Just keep in mind, that if you don't feel comfortable buying the 56, a 54 will come available on ebay if you just wait a while. There are so many bikes available on ebay, that with a little patience, the exact one you want will show up eventually. In fact, there seems to be a lot of system sixes available these days, as many riders who bought them in the last 2 years are moving up to the super six. 6-13's in fact, can be had at very good prices these days, mainly because they are not the latest and greatest, even though they are still great bikes.


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## HikenBike (Apr 3, 2007)

I have the Mid-year version of that bike with Ultegra. Mine is a 56cm and I'm 5'11" with a 32" inseam (crotch to floor). My bike fits fine. I had to adjust the saddle several times to get that piece dialed in. If I had a 54cm, I would imagine that it would be a bit too small.

According to the Wrench Science sizing method, the 56cm fits me to a T.


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## zamboni (Sep 11, 2003)

You got to trust your LBS since they did the measurement and size you up, based on your info I would not go with 56cm frame size, or go to another LBS and see if the come up with the same measurement.


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## boarder1995 (May 9, 2006)

I'm 5'9", and have a 30.75" inseam - not pants length, but true measured. I used to have a 56cm 613 and thought it was a bit big. I'm now on a 54cm Sys6 with a 100mm stem and it's about right. I could likely even be good on a 53 or 52, so for you at 5'10", 54 seems ideal. On the 56, I always noticed the top tube during sprints.


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## Mr. Scary (Dec 7, 2005)

boarder1995 said:


> I'm 5'9", and have a 30.75" inseam - not pants length, but true measured. I used to have a 56cm 613 and thought it was a bit big. I'm now on a 54cm Sys6 with a 100mm stem and it's about right. I could likely even be good on a 53 or 52, so for you at 5'10", 54 seems ideal. On the 56, I always noticed the top tube during sprints.


Obviously flexibility plays a role but a lot of you sound like you are running too big a frame...

If you are using zero offset posts and 90mm stems, that's sounds like too much top tube for you. I personally would never run a rise stem on the road, but I think this would be preferable to buying a frame too big to get the longer head tube IMO. They make stems up to 140mm in length. A smaller frame will also handle quicker and be stiffer, maybe some people don't like that?


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## stwok (Mar 15, 2007)

Something else to think about ................
If you have to use a 90mm stem to make the frame fit, I would say the frame is to large. Using a shorter stem moves some of your weight off the front wheel. In a high speed turn you may not be able to keep a line through the turn. Which would result in taking the turn to wide and losing time or worst yet end up in a ditch.

I'm 6 ft with a 32 inch inseam, my bike is 56cm Sys 6 with a 110mm stem.


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## robertburns3 (Jan 11, 2007)

I struggled with fitting my bike too. I am 6-1 w/ 34 inseam and used to ride a 60cm. With a shop's guidence I now ride a 58 with a 110 stem, although the shop recommend a 100mm stem.

At 5-10 and a 32 inseam, I could see you riding either size, a 56 or 54, but judging by your inseam to height ratio, I am betting your have a longish torso. I agree with some of the above posters who say you need to judge the bike based more on top tube length and stem than by size. If you infact you have a longinh torso, I would not want to see you cramped on the 54 or be forced to go with a real long stem to make the bike fit. That is no fun.

I would go ride both size Cannondales back to back at a shop and decide what feels better.


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## inbred2005 (Aug 26, 2006)

I'm 5'9" with a 32" inseam, I ride a 56cm CAD5 which I bought for my commute to work. I went with the 56cm frame to help avoid toe overlap as there is a lot of stopping and starting on my journey. A year on I think I made a mistake, I should have bought the
54cm just so that I could use the drops more effectively. At the moment I'm using a 100mm stem. That said I'm perfectly able to ride the bike all day without discomfort.


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## lucky13 (Apr 12, 2008)

inbred2005 said:


> I'm 5'9" with a 32" inseam, I ride a 56cm CAD5 which I bought for my commute to work. I went with the 56cm frame to help avoid toe overlap as there is a lot of stopping and starting on my journey. A year on I think I made a mistake, I should have bought the
> 54cm just so that I could use the drops more effectively. At the moment I'm using a 100mm stem. That said I'm perfectly able to ride the bike all day without discomfort.




sorry Iam new to road cycling ....what do you mean by "use the drops for effectively"?


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## inbred2005 (Aug 26, 2006)

lucky13 said:


> sorry Iam new to road cycling ....what do you mean by "use the drops for effectively"?


When holding onto the brake hoods or the top of the handle bar I'm fine but when using the lower part of the drop handle bar I'm too stretched out. I could buy a bar with a shallower drop to combat this though, or flip the stem to raise the bar height but for purely aesthetic reasons I'll leave it as it is.


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