Struggling with Road Bike positioning
Moderator: robbosmans
Hi all,
I though I'd ask your opinions for my current woeful riding position. I'm currently spending 1 hour, 6 days a week on the turbo getting back to cycling fitness as well as trying to lose a few needed pounds. I used to commute to work 125 miles a week, plus weekend cycles but never really focussed on my riding position.
I'm 6ft 2" with very long arms and have always just ridden 58-60cm road bikes; usually with a 58-59cm TT and 120mm stem. I recently purchased another Allez 58cm road bike which felt too cramped and have now switched it to a 61cm version. I'm still way to high and don't have any resemblance to a straight back.
My thoughts are to try a more extreme drop and stem length - thinking 140 or 150mm with a 17 degrees drop. I am using the bike pretty much exclusively on the turbo but would like to get out more on it now the weather is improving.
Any advice is much welcomed!
http://static.photobucket.com/player.sw ... 172910.mp4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I though I'd ask your opinions for my current woeful riding position. I'm currently spending 1 hour, 6 days a week on the turbo getting back to cycling fitness as well as trying to lose a few needed pounds. I used to commute to work 125 miles a week, plus weekend cycles but never really focussed on my riding position.
I'm 6ft 2" with very long arms and have always just ridden 58-60cm road bikes; usually with a 58-59cm TT and 120mm stem. I recently purchased another Allez 58cm road bike which felt too cramped and have now switched it to a 61cm version. I'm still way to high and don't have any resemblance to a straight back.
My thoughts are to try a more extreme drop and stem length - thinking 140 or 150mm with a 17 degrees drop. I am using the bike pretty much exclusively on the turbo but would like to get out more on it now the weather is improving.
Any advice is much welcomed!
http://static.photobucket.com/player.sw ... 172910.mp4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓ Broad Selection ✓ Worldwide Delivery ✓
www.starbike.com
You should get the advice of a professional fitter.
I've read many threads on fit advice, but with so many fit philosophies these discussions inevitably lead to confusion, get off topic and contain more misinformation than help. Seek out a reputable fitter in your area. Good luck!
I've read many threads on fit advice, but with so many fit philosophies these discussions inevitably lead to confusion, get off topic and contain more misinformation than help. Seek out a reputable fitter in your area. Good luck!
For what it's worth on saddle height, though it's hard to tell because it's a blurry, a freeze frame when you're at the bottom or the stroke looks like a 20-25 degree bend at the knee. Perhaps a few mm or 1/2 lower to get in the 25-30 degree range?
Looks to generally be a pretty solid position you're in. Appears that you still have a tall-ish headset cap. Could get a shorter stack headset cap and get another cm or more lower. I imagine if you do that, grab the drops where you would actually be able to use the levers, you could then use however much bend you want in the elbows to get you as low as you want. My $0.02.
Looks to generally be a pretty solid position you're in. Appears that you still have a tall-ish headset cap. Could get a shorter stack headset cap and get another cm or more lower. I imagine if you do that, grab the drops where you would actually be able to use the levers, you could then use however much bend you want in the elbows to get you as low as you want. My $0.02.
As I'm training on the turbo each night, I have decided to persevere with the bike setup until I am able to take some time off to get a professional bike fit.
I took all spacers off the fork to get the stem as low as possible, I also flipped the stem angle adjuster in the stem to -15 degrees (iirc). This has dropped the stem as far down as possible, which still feels really comfortable. The seat post has been dropped and saddle moved slightly back. I still think a longer stem could sort out the fit with this frameset; but it seem that the head tube is a little tall for me.
The updated video is below, again comments are very welcome!
(Ignore the baggy tshirt, turbo doesn't create any wind resistance)
http://s1236.photobucket.com/user/asero ... 8.mp4.html
I took all spacers off the fork to get the stem as low as possible, I also flipped the stem angle adjuster in the stem to -15 degrees (iirc). This has dropped the stem as far down as possible, which still feels really comfortable. The seat post has been dropped and saddle moved slightly back. I still think a longer stem could sort out the fit with this frameset; but it seem that the head tube is a little tall for me.
The updated video is below, again comments are very welcome!
(Ignore the baggy tshirt, turbo doesn't create any wind resistance)
http://s1236.photobucket.com/user/asero ... 8.mp4.html
Hi aserota,
I will start by giving the normal caveat; I'm not a fitting expert and a proper fitting is probably your best bet, but...
It looks as though that frame might be too small. I know people like to try to get away with the smallest frame for lower weight but:
A larger frame size would have a longer top tube and head tube. This would increase both the reach and stack and stretch your upper body more forwards. It looks to me as though you are having to hunch your back because the bars are too close to you. You also have quite an upright position on the bike. If you were stretching more forwards you might find that the saddle height isn't too far off.
Perhaps you don't need to have the bars so low; they might be better a bit further away (i.e. longer stem if a bigger frame is not an option).
I will start by giving the normal caveat; I'm not a fitting expert and a proper fitting is probably your best bet, but...
It looks as though that frame might be too small. I know people like to try to get away with the smallest frame for lower weight but:
A larger frame size would have a longer top tube and head tube. This would increase both the reach and stack and stretch your upper body more forwards. It looks to me as though you are having to hunch your back because the bars are too close to you. You also have quite an upright position on the bike. If you were stretching more forwards you might find that the saddle height isn't too far off.
Perhaps you don't need to have the bars so low; they might be better a bit further away (i.e. longer stem if a bigger frame is not an option).
Last edited by oMatto on Mon Apr 08, 2013 9:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
How is your saddle comfort? I get the impression that (and I could be wrong, but..) you are hesitant to roll your hips forward. I dunno, i'm getting the same vibe from your video that I did during my own video analysis before I had a saddle that let me comfortably rotate my hips forward on the bike making it easier to get a flat back.
The fit calculators do not always work properly when it comes to attempting to fit yourself. I do fitting myself but again, it is hard to tell from just a clip like that what you're feeling and how you are sitting on the saddle. Definitely look at getting a proper fitting done, that way they are able to analyze your seating position (Which looks a little off, as in you may not be comfortable with the current saddle), as well as address the length and height of the stem. (May have to come up a little bit more on the stem as well as lengthen it, again, just suggestions from watching the video).
Nothing is better than one on one consultation! Best of luck!
Nothing is better than one on one consultation! Best of luck!
Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓ Broad Selection ✓ Worldwide Delivery ✓
www.starbike.com
Saddle too high and the seat needs to move back. More bend at the arms would definitely help. It looks like your hamstrings are tight and your lower back doesn't flatten out well because of it meaning additional drop wouldn't do you many favors.