Frame too large.
Moderator: robbosmans
Flexibility and Sciatica is something that can be worked on with basic flexibility and strength exercises.
I have a similar issue with my back and some minor tweaks to position (2cm shorter stem) have eliminated the back problem. Regular gym visits mean i can *probably* go back to my original position at some point soon as my back is getting stronger (though i'm not racing at the moment, so might not bother).
You also seem to have another "flexibility" issue that i have. Carrying a bit too much weight round the middle. That really doesn't help, but no fun to fix!
I have a similar issue with my back and some minor tweaks to position (2cm shorter stem) have eliminated the back problem. Regular gym visits mean i can *probably* go back to my original position at some point soon as my back is getting stronger (though i'm not racing at the moment, so might not bother).
You also seem to have another "flexibility" issue that i have. Carrying a bit too much weight round the middle. That really doesn't help, but no fun to fix!
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For fast turns, does one actually turn the handlebar?Lewn777 wrote: ↑Mon May 20, 2019 2:19 pmThat sounds logical actuallly. But I think the speed you're riding at will have a big effect. Very fast sweeping turns are proabably much better with a longer stem, but slower technical turns like mountain switchbacks could be preferable with a shorter stem.alcatraz wrote: ↑Mon May 20, 2019 1:22 pmI read somewhere that it's hard to say what is more stable/twitchy. A smaller frame with longer stem or larger frame with shorter stem.
Because the larger frame has greater wheelbase it maybe counteracts the twitchyness of a short stem, and vice versa. Something like that...
I still think if possible go with a recommended frameset size or go one smaller and ideally put a 100-120mm stem on it, aesthetically it doesn't look to be riding a farmyard gate with almost no seatpost visible. But I suppose it's better than buying an entire new frameset if it works.
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Wife rides a 80mm stem. Been on them, on all her bikes, for years. No issues.victorduraace wrote: ↑Mon May 20, 2019 8:43 amI like the bike and just wonder if I should try 90-->>70mn stem first or will it mess up the handling. Or maybe I will get used to it?
From those pictures, it kind of looks like the saddle may be too far back and as previously mentioned a little too high. Lowering the saddle a bit will also bring it forward. Do you have a bike shop where you could have them look at your fit and get it dialed in a bit better?
I would lower the saddle a bit, maybe move it forward a tiny bit, and put the stem back to it's regular position.
Sciatica - I 100% fixed my sciatica with strengthening and stretching. Google "lower crossed syndrom":
https://www.google.com/search?client=fi ... s+syndrome
The idea is that you have a muscle imbalance. Typically weak abs and/or tight hip flexors, weak or deactivated glutes (sitting on your butt all day on a computer). Cycling compounds the problem by over developing the quads.
I had had a tiny bit of sciatica for as long as I can remember (decades). I'd do a long day or riding with lots of climbing and afterwards I'd have a dull ache in my lower back and with sometimes the pain going down the right leg. It was always minor though and better by the next day. A couple of years ago (age 51) the sciatica flared up and lasted a year. It had gotten 90% better but was still nagging. I accidentally stumbled upon "lower crossed syndrome" and the idea of muscle imbalance, researched which stretches and exercises to do, started doing them, and my back was 100% in 3 days. This was a few years ago now and I haven't had any back problems since. I do a little core work, stretches like lunges, psoas stretches, hip flexor stretches and that keeps everything in check for me. Good luck!
I would lower the saddle a bit, maybe move it forward a tiny bit, and put the stem back to it's regular position.
Sciatica - I 100% fixed my sciatica with strengthening and stretching. Google "lower crossed syndrom":
https://www.google.com/search?client=fi ... s+syndrome
The idea is that you have a muscle imbalance. Typically weak abs and/or tight hip flexors, weak or deactivated glutes (sitting on your butt all day on a computer). Cycling compounds the problem by over developing the quads.
I had had a tiny bit of sciatica for as long as I can remember (decades). I'd do a long day or riding with lots of climbing and afterwards I'd have a dull ache in my lower back and with sometimes the pain going down the right leg. It was always minor though and better by the next day. A couple of years ago (age 51) the sciatica flared up and lasted a year. It had gotten 90% better but was still nagging. I accidentally stumbled upon "lower crossed syndrome" and the idea of muscle imbalance, researched which stretches and exercises to do, started doing them, and my back was 100% in 3 days. This was a few years ago now and I haven't had any back problems since. I do a little core work, stretches like lunges, psoas stretches, hip flexor stretches and that keeps everything in check for me. Good luck!
Ok so you are limiting your hip flexion to avoid tugging on the sciatic nerve. Maybe then keep the saddle height exactly where it is and go with a shorter crank. That will give you more knee flexion at the bottom and a more open hip angle at the top of the stroke than you have now. Also consider lower stack shoe/cleat/pedal so that you can drop the saddle a hair, raising your torso angle. That definitely tells me you want to avoid a smaller stack height on a new frame. You might be a candidate for an endurance geometry bike if you do go for a new frame.....
Age and treachery shall overcome youth and skill
Hmm, somehow the conversion seems to be wrong:
5'9" = 175.26 cm
37" = 93.98 cm
(based on 1' = 30.48cm, 1" = 2.54cm)
Almost 94cm inseam for someone who is 175cm tall?
Those are seriously long legs...
Or maybe the metric measurements are those which are correct?
I'm sure other mentioned it before but saddle position has nothing to do with reach. It should be set BEFORE deciding stem length. You can prefer leaning more and being more aero or sitting up right and pick different stem lengths, drop amount, stem angle etc but you can't set a preference femur length. There's little adjustment available for preference but big adjustments outside of your range can lead to injury or discomfort. I've ridden my previous frame for years with a 0 offset seatpost. Then I got a 20mm offset to try it out. It took 2-3 rides to get knee pain. Back to 0 offset and it was gone immediately.
34" inseam.. my mistake.
Why's your right arm straighter and the elbow much higher than your left? Are you falling off to the left hand side? Your left leg looks quite straight/stretched from what we can see of it.
At a guess your saddle is much too high. A lower saddle height cures alot of bike fit issues.
At a guess your saddle is much too high. A lower saddle height cures alot of bike fit issues.
As someone who is similar height (~170 cms) and rides a few different 54s and originally thought the frames were too large I'll chime in.
First off I'd get a fit from a well known fitter.
My story: I thought my 54 Open UP was too large for me. I was riding a 75 cm +6deg stem and still was having back issues. After some stretching and changes to my fit, I ride it with a 100 -6deg stem without any issues. My seat was too high (wouldn't have known since my hips didn't rock nor did my knee get close to fully extending) and saddle angled up slightly. I was riding 172.5 cranks and now ride 165s which are much more comfortable. The fit made a huge difference, the bike feels like a different bike to me now. My saddle height is 70.5 as a reference for torso/leg ratio.
First off I'd get a fit from a well known fitter.
My story: I thought my 54 Open UP was too large for me. I was riding a 75 cm +6deg stem and still was having back issues. After some stretching and changes to my fit, I ride it with a 100 -6deg stem without any issues. My seat was too high (wouldn't have known since my hips didn't rock nor did my knee get close to fully extending) and saddle angled up slightly. I was riding 172.5 cranks and now ride 165s which are much more comfortable. The fit made a huge difference, the bike feels like a different bike to me now. My saddle height is 70.5 as a reference for torso/leg ratio.
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I'm 177.5 cm and had my seat at 77cm on my Medium Giant TCR with a 100mm stem, but I was experiencing some hip/butt pain on the left side, some minor knee discomfort, and a little numbness in a foot after long periods of time. I set my seat height using the heel fully extended, which was a mistake. My seat was lowered to 74cm, my hoods rotated a tiny bit up, and I feel much more firmly planted on the saddle. Previously, while on the trainer, I would do all my high wattage intervals on the tops of the bars for comfort because of how my weight was distributed on the bike.Sjazzzzy wrote: ↑Tue May 21, 2019 8:28 pmAs someone who is similar height (~170 cms) and rides a few different 54s and originally thought the frames were too large I'll chime in.
First off I'd get a fit from a well known fitter.
My story: I thought my 54 Open UP was too large for me. I was riding a 75 cm +6deg stem and still was having back issues. After some stretching and changes to my fit, I ride it with a 100 -6deg stem without any issues. My seat was too high (wouldn't have known since my hips didn't rock nor did my knee get close to fully extending) and saddle angled up slightly. I was riding 172.5 cranks and now ride 165s which are much more comfortable. The fit made a huge difference, the bike feels like a different bike to me now. My saddle height is 70.5 as a reference for torso/leg ratio.
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