I’ve got a possibility for a really nice deal on a Giant TSX SLR 2. I’m not acctually looking for a cross bike, since I’m 100% will use it for gravel roads, but it’s a nice bike for a nice price with huge tire clearance and good components. And since a more pricy TCX managed to be runner up in this years edition of the DK200 it can’t be to bad on gravel. I’m most worried about the low B.B. drop, but are thinking to transfer to 650B in the future so maybe it wouldn’t be a big problem in the long run. BUT the stack is quite low and I’m in need for a relaxed ride. So I’m thinking about deliberately going a size larger, but changing to a shorter stem. I’m I totally lost doing that? Or would it work? I’ve got (ages ago) a background in road racing an remember the “golden rule” of never getting a to large frame, but rather go to small. Can I brake it? Thinking about changing the 110 mm stem into 60 mm or so.
I think that a lot of the "Golden Rules" are getting bent to fit our aging bodies.
I fit a large Santa Cruz mountain bike perfectly but was sized as a M/L for my Giant TCX. With my questionable back I never got comfortable with the "proper fit". I swapped in a Salsa 15° x 80mm stem and it was like a new bike. My back is so happy I can now make long rides my new normal. For me, trying a $35.00 stem was well worth the experiment. Good luck and enjoy your ride.
When I bought my Giant Toughroad from my LBS I got the Large Frameset because the frame stack was higher. I swapped the 100mm stem for an 80mm stem and it makes the bike feel much more comfortable. I did have to pay but since it was an OEM swap I had a slight discount.
Scandinavian_dirt wrote:Thinking about changing the 110 mm stem into 60 mm or so.
You're going one size larger, but need a stem 50 mm shorter?? All those Giant TCX's are 10 mm different in reach and 15 mm different in stack. The smallest size they sell doesn't have 50 mm less reach than their largest size. If you genuinely need a 60mm stem to get the correct right height, I would confidently say that's the wrong bike for you. Finding a bike with way more stack will make you happier in the long run. Their Toughroad SLR GX 0 is a few bucks more than what you're currently looking at, but the parts are fantastic for the price and the stack is roughly 30-40 mm higher for the equivalent reach when compared to the TCX.
Normally going up a size is totally okay. I had two identical CX bikes in separate sizes and the only difference was the stem was 1cm shorter on one and had no spacers underneath. Personally, I preferred the handling off-road but it could have been all in my head. My 'small' stem was only 100 mm though. No thanks on a 60 mm.
With the amount of gravel bikes available in the last year or two, the bike with the right frame proportions for you will be out there. I'd rather find that bike/s than bodge a larger frame which is also going to have a longer wheelbase.
Just checked the measures on my old MTB hardtail that I have been using for gravel quite a lot. It has a BB drop of about 20 mm! I’m used to the feeling of sitting “on” and not “in” the bike. But compared to 20 mm the 60 mm B.B. drop of the TCX must be a big difference.
I usually ride a 54cm (100mm stem), but I have a bike 56mm with a shorter 80mm stem. It works well. It works even better for gravel as the larger size gives me a longer wheelbase, more stack, and more stability. I think it works well for a gravel bike. Fit is key and is personal, but it is not unusual for people to go up in size for stability, or down in size for agility.
Not sure that I would change a stem more than 30mm though. That will change how fast the steering reacts to your input (you can simulate it to some degree by riding with your hands inboard on your bars – much closer to the stem.
