Road Cycling - LBS confirmed my suspicions

I am a freak of nature :D

I went today to get a professional fit on my new road bike.

As a side note, if there's any advice I can offer to anyone right now, it would be to get a fit right away when you buy a new bike, or get a used bike new to you. THis will prevent you from having to shed bad habits that have developed as a result of riding an ill-fitting steed.

Back to my story. It turns out that I am noticeably assymetrical, even to myself. My leg bones vary in length as well as my arms. The worst part is that I have extremely long legs relative to my torso, so severe, that the LBS recommended I consider custom geometry for my next road bike :eek:

I had the fit set up pretty well for the wrong saddle height. I was a good 2 inches too low!! Raising that saddle up left me with 6 inches of drop. The logical step was to go to a slightly longer stem, with a steep degree of rise. This left my bike looking rather unsightly.

After a 30 mile ride today, I have become very happy with the changes thus far. The saddle height was such a dramatic change it felt very odd. Muscle tension was focused solely on my calves, and I was hating life. Almost turned back after 4-5 miles, and I was dying. Then I started to acclimate. I got very used to the change, and became very comfortable. Overall, my pace had increased impressively by the end of the ride.

I will keep riding, and see what I think, but this has been the best $ 35 I've invested in the sport thus far.

Now for a new saddle.....

Actually,you buy the right size and geometry to begin with rather than try to cob a misfit after the fact!

Guillermo,

Just curious- What are your new mount's frame measurements (seat tube, top tube, stem length)?

I agree- a pro fit session is a wise investment, especially for those of us whose body proportions may be a bit "unusual".

The fit guru at my shop has also suggested custom geometry for me, as I too am very long legged relative to my height. He'd like to sell me a new Serotta frame for $2900 too, so his motives may not be entirely pure.


><> Is 40:31

Originally posted by pokey
Actually,you buy the right size and geometry to begin with rather than try to cob a misfit after the fact!

Well, when you see a good deal on a used bike, and think the size to be correct, sometimes it's worth the gamble. This bike is not a poor fit for me by any means; the size is not incorrect. The top tube length is just about right, but since my legs are so long I have to raise the seat quite a bit. I would encounter this with most frames I imagine. As this is my first road bike, I'm sure most would agree that a custom frame, or even custom built bike would be grossly inappropriate as I am essentialy a virgin. How could I know what I want, and what would fit me best without a few hours in the saddle? Surely I should not just rely on the LBS to design my "custom" bike for me.

Roadster: offhand, the stem is a 110, the seat tube is about 56.3 cm. I do not know the seat tube length, but could get back to you with some more measurements :)

There is enough variety in off the shelf geomerty that only the truly unique may need custom. It ain't a good deal if it don't fit.

Guillermo,

In asking about measurments, Iwas wondering how much latitude you have foradjustments like saddle height, stem length, etc. From your original post it sounds like you've reached a setup you can live with.

As you ride more, you'll probably want to tweak some things like seat height, fore/aft position and tilt. It's best to make very small adjustments (no more that 1/4 inch) at a time, then spend some riding time to see how it works for you. Even very small adjustments in position can have large effects both positive and negative, so spend the necessary time dialing in the fit.

We'd hate to see you give up on road biking because of a bad experinece resulting from a poor fitting bike!

Best, -r

give up road biking? Poor fitting bike?? Just the opposite my friend, the bike feels great, and I am hooked :beer:

Did you say that muscle tension is focused mostly on your calves now? That doesnt sound right!

yeah, I thought it sort of weird also, but it went away after about 6 miles or so.