Road Cycling - What is the "proper" seat to handlebar height?

Well after 20 years on a mountain bike I finally bought myself a new road bike (Trek 5200). After putting about 30 miles on it I was sore as hell from the differant position that I had to ride it. I was wondering if there was any rule of thumb regarding the seat to handlebar height. On my MTB I rode with the seat about 2 inches above the bars in a fairly upright position. With the roadbike I have the seat about 4 inches above the bars. I really like the more "laid out" feel of the Trek but find I tire easier than I did on the MTB. I do not think its a matter of fitness because I rode the MTB 25 miles a day. Any ideas?

I'm not fan of those extereme positions... as I understand it... especially on a ride bike - the 4 inch difference is pretty huge, like for racing and sprinting or something or if you're well trained... have you tried raising it up to around the 2 inch difference?

<shrug>

--dave

I was under the impression that the difference was mainly determined by personal preference, back flexibility, and arm length. My advice would be to try different positions and dial in what is right for you.

It is interesting that the road bike manufacturers are now starting to raise the handle bar height with positive rise stems. Historically the road bike came from the maker with the handlebar about 2" lower than the seat, but if you notice most new bike advertisements the handle bar is now even or above the seat height. This is much more comfortable for most riders.

The "proper" height is whatever feels comfortable. If your legs are in the same position when the pedals are straight up and down as they are when you're on your MTB (which you're obviously comfortable on get a different stem to raise the handlebars. Or better yet go to a bike shop and get fitted.

There is no 'proper' That is where people get in trouble by trying to find a website or pay a service to get fitted.

What is 'proper' depends on every individual and that is - What is comfortable to you. That simple.

The reason you see pro cyclists with such extreme drops to the bars is years of riding and the back flexibility.

rise is completely personal. If you have 2" of drop on your mtb, set your road bike with 2" of drop.

There are no rules as to what is "correct".
You have to waste your teenage years on a road bike to grow into some of the more extreme aero positions. Some time trialists use a 6" difference, for non-racing use, 1-3" seems to be about the usual range of difference. Older riders sometimes raise the bars as they lose flexibility, with the bars level or above seat hight.
Why not start out with your bars (the brake hoods position) at roughly the same as your MTB position. A multi-position stem is quite useful for experimentation.

See
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fitting.htm

MichaelW, thanks for the link. Very helpful.

I like to set my handlebar level with the saddle- or as close as I can get to level. Check out the links in my signiture line... lots of good information.

I like mine so that when I am in the drops I am just pinched a little around the middle. I ride on the hoods at other times and use the drops for down hills and extream head winds. Like the old saying "If it feels good, Do it!".:D

I may have faulty recall, but I seem to remember an article on Lance that said he races with the seat level with the handlebar. Is this right?

Originally posted by georgesnatcher
Well after 20 years on a mountain bike I finally bought myself a new road bike (Trek 5200).
Where were you sore?

(Hmm. You must have had one of the first mtn bikes.)

Yeah got the mountain bike in 1983. It had a steel fork. I don't think they had shocks at that point in time. The main place I was hurting was in my shoulders because of the new position. I'm getting used to it though. The "laid out" feel is totally different than the feel of a MTB.
Also I am 6'6" so I realize that I have to have the seat above the bars by a fairly substantial amount

Originally posted by trmcgeehan
I may have faulty recall, but I seem to remember an article on Lance that said he races with the seat level with the handlebar. Is this right?

Not exactly....


http://tinyurl.com/7lj1

Pain in the upper back kind of just below the neck, and between the shoulder blades is typical if you're too stretched out. But it seems to me the 5200 doesn't have a particularly long top tube (not sure, I could be wrong). If it's literally in your shoulders, do you feel like theres a lot of weight on your hands? That would be unusual because your bars are high, and people usually notice discomfort in their hands, first. Or maybe you're tensing up your trapezius as you ride. Sorry, I'm rambling and kind of thinking out loud.
Like you say, if it's bearable for now, it may be you just need a little more time to adapt to the new posture.

Good luck getting the fit dialed in... it can take a while with any new bike, especially if you're new to road frames!