RedRacer wrote:highdraw wrote:Boy do you have long legs for your height at just under 6'2".
Lets try to establish something. Do you also have very long arms?
You seem to know your bike dimensions and stack and reach dimensions.
But lets see how cramped or stretched out you ride. What is your preferred dimension for tip of saddle to handlebar centerline? Also, how much saddle setback do you prefer?...dropping a plumb line off the front of the saddle...horizontal distance to BB center?
I will give you a general bit of advice. I know a lot about bike fit. When a guy typically asks for a very specific geometry when he/she is typically under the bell curve of normal proportion and size, their fit is typically not optimal.
If you provide the above we can get you headed in the right direction.
I am all ears and looking for advice!
Yes my legs are long for my height. My arms are 'average'.
I run a stubby Tri-style saddle so I don't know if the tip-to-bars or tip-to-BB-center number will be of any use? I run a 25mm setback post with the saddle about 2/3 of the way back to get a leg geometry (KOPS-ish) that works for me. How can I take a measurement that will give you more insight?
Overall I would say my position on the bike is cramped compared to pro riders but this is partly due to excessive saddle/perineum pressure I experience when trying to stretch out lower and longer, hence the Tri saddle with massive cutout.
A tri saddle really changes the landscape in terms of providing meaningful fit advice for a road bike. I ride with hundreds of road cyclists and nobody is on one.
I would say the biggest mistake most make including the fitting I did this last weekend is average riders with too much weight on their hands believe a shorter reach will solve the problem and the opposite is true.
The issue is saddle setback and greater distance to the BB stabilizes the body and if this platform is too close to the rider's CG this puts too much weight on the hands. Of course too much setback closes the hip angle too much. Most amateurs do better with more setback and less handlebar drop to not close the hip angle too much which works better with reduced pedal forces.
You are not alone in solving the dilemma of perineal pressure. It takes a lot of trial and error with different saddles to find one that works. You need to elevate your sitbones. The only way to ride aero and generate good power on a road bike is to rotate the pelvis. You can't do this sitting on a saddle like a park bench. Plus its too hard on the lumbar of the back if you run any drop at all.
Btw, I am 6'1" with saddle height of 78mm and more average leg length. My metrics are very close to Cancellara. He rides with a 58cm top tube, more drop than you and a 130-140mm stem. Btw, I am older but ride with a 58.2mm top tube and 130mm stem and a bit less drop.
So when I say you are choosing a bike with a shorter top tube, you are likely choosing the wrong frameset. You think you want a shorter reach but you are putting a bandaid on your fit which sets you up to never get quite comfortable on the bike. A short cockpit promotes poor posture which is a slumped lumbar. Most amateurs I fit around 6' tall who aren't racers do well about 15-20mm or so shorter in reach than a pro with a bit less drop. That means a 58cm top tube or so and a 120mm stem and not too much drop. A bit longer arms and a bit longer stem. You are probably 2 inches shorter in cockpit than a pro. This is common btw. A top amateur cyclist can be fit close to a pro with similar body proportions and size if they have the flexibility but few do.
If you posted a pic of you on the bike it will be apparent. I honestly don't even have to see you on the bike because I know how you look.
Good luck. The search for a good fit can be exhaustive but it is worth it for the serious cyclist. Most stop before they get there and they make up the majority of riders on the road who settle. These guys are in the paceline always shaking their hands because of too much pressure...a common sight.