# Sizing problems, Soma Double Cross, pro fit and all



## clarinetcola (Sep 14, 2009)

Hi all!

I've been lurking around here for quite a while, and I was looking at suggestions for cyclocross/commuting frames. Long story short, I finally decided on the popular surly/soma dilemma. With the sizing doubts I took the geometries of both bikes for a pro bike fit around my area. Here's the prob. I'm 170cm/5'7 tall, with a 80cm/31.7 inseam and arm length of 62cm/24.5". He suggested a 54cm surly cross check and 52cm soma double cross. Compared to the 5'7" riders I read here you all ride 48-50cm sizes and never a 54!!cm. The stand over height of the 54cm surly is also a bit daunting as well, but he suggested that the soma was the better fit with the seat tube and all. He suggested my ideal TT was 55-56cm. Just a couple more weeks of searching parts and then I'll pull the trigger on the 52cm soma double cross. I just really don't want to end up with a wrong size frame after building it up - that would really suck! And I just wanna clear this uncertainty out of my head, its a real bugger - especially when I can't see the frame in person as I live in Oz (oh the taxes, a surly frameset bought locally = 850USD).

I have thought of maybe getting a 50cm Soma Double Cross several times, as the 54.8cm TT doesn't deviate too much from the suggested 55-56cm range (the 52cm's 56.6cm), but then that defies the whole point of the frame fit!

Or, should I get fitted at another shop just to make sure? My private insurance helps a bit if not all.

Thanks!!

CC


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

what's the tt on your current bike?


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## clarinetcola (Sep 14, 2009)

Hi Fred

I don't have a bike with me atm so that partly complicates the problem as well...


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## gobes (Sep 12, 2006)

I'm 5'7" and usually ride 52cm bikes with a top tube of around 530mm. I have relatively longer legs than torso but even still I think that a 55-56cm top tube would be way too long.


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## Magdaddy (Feb 23, 2007)

*close to your size too*

5'8" tall-30" inseam, and similar arm length...depending on how you measured.

I had a pro fit done before I bought my new road bike. My ideal top tube length is 53.5cm. That put me on a small frame Giant road bike, and on a 50cm Salsa Las Cruces crosser I recemtly built.

I put a 100mmx90 degree stem on the Salsa, and the fit is perfect.

I find it really hard to believe that your ideal TT length is 55-56cm. Besides, for a cross bike, if your ideal is between two sizes, you always go to the smaller..don't you?

This shop isn't trying to sell you what they have in stock are they?

I'd get a second opinion about your ideal TT length. Find out who is the best shop for a fit in your area, and pay for a it if you have too. 

good luck!


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## pretender (Sep 18, 2007)

Magdaddy said:


> Besides, for a cross bike, if your ideal is between two sizes, you always go to the smaller..don't you?


No, you don't. You figure out what stem and how many spacers you'd need with each, and make a choice based on that.

5'7" on a 52 or 54 sounds right to me, but I'm just some dude on the internet.


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## clarinetcola (Sep 14, 2009)

No Mag, the shop's pretty descent, and I only took the geometries of the two bikes in so I could buy it online. Buying online could save me big bucks here in Australia. There's another bike shop which I first asked about the Surly xcheck, and over the phone they recommended a 50 or 52cm for me instead of a 54cm, which lead to my doubt over the recommended frame size.

Also I put in the measurements that the fitter took into wrench science's fit system, and it gave me an overall reach of 63.25. Would that mean I would be better off getting an approximate TT length of 53 (+100mm stem)?

Frame Size center-to-center: 52 cm
Frame Size center-to-top: 54 cm
Overall Reach: 63.25 cm
Saddle Height: 71.08 cm
Handlebar Width: 42 cm


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## clarinetcola (Sep 14, 2009)

Thanks for replying guys! Basically I got fitted to eliminate any doubts I would have about getting the right frame size as this is my first purchase. But the pro fit just made me doubt more about what I really should get!


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## Crack Monkey (Apr 19, 2007)

55-56cm TT sounds long for your height, unless you have long monkey arms.

I'm 5'7" and ride a 52cm (C-T) road bike with a 535mm TT and 90mm stem. My cross bike is 49cm (C-C) with a 525mm TT and 90mm stem.

Oddly, every shop I've ever been in initially estimates I'd ride a 54cm. Then, when they put me on rollers and start measuring, they are surprised to find out I need a smaller frame.


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## jrm (Dec 23, 2001)

*m 5'8" on a 52cm Soma DC*

running a 100mm stem. I like the geo and the 55.6cm ETT fits well. The only thing i dont like about the soma is the short/low HT. If they took the taller and longer HT of compact geo they d have a major winner in my book.


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## intheways (Apr 3, 2006)

I'm 5'8" and ride a 50cm with a 110 stem and it fits perfect. I like a shorter toptube length.


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