Bicycle Mechanics - Better Fit

Some help please.
here are the dimesnsions of both of my road bikes.
they are all real close but the fit on the Waterford seems alot better and more comfortable

To get my Serotta as close or closer to the Waterford geometry per head angle and seat angle
would a set back seatpost of 25 mm work better than the zero set back seat post that I have on the bike now?

Seat height, drop bar reach, and stem are all the same sizing as are the seats, San Marco, but I find myself constantly looking or searching for a better postion on the Serotta, where as on the Waterford I am dialed in.

Waterford traditional frame

SM 590mm, center to top
TT 575mm, center to center
Head 74 degrees
Seat 73 degrees
Rake 40mm
Trail 56mm
BBDrop 70mm
Stays 410mm
Wheelbase 990mm
Standover 830mm



Serotta CDA 3 degree slope

TT 57.5
Seat Mast w/ 3 degree slope 54.03
Head Angle 73.5
Seat Angle 73.5
Rake 43
trail 55.9
BB drop 68.5
stays 41
wheel base 100.31
standover 83.21


Thank you!
Gary

Are the two stems the same length and angle? How about the handle bars width, reach and drop? Same seat to handlebar drop? Same saddle setback behind the bottom bracket spindle?

Are the two stems the same length and angle? How about the handle bars width, reach and drop? Same seat to handlebar drop? Same saddle setback behind the bottom bracket spindle?

sorry yes all are the same
stem length,angle
drop bars reach and drop
seat to handle bar drrop
saddle setback from spindle

I seem to fidget more/move around on the serotta than the Waterford.

Is the drop between the saddle and the bars the same? A quick clue might be to measure the head tube length.

I've found that on sloping top tube / newer geometry bikes I need a longer stem, creating an effective longer top tube.

Is the drop between the saddle and the bars the same? A quick clue might be to measure the head tube length.

yes

I've found that on sloping top tube / newer geometry bikes I need a longer stem, creating an effective longer top tube.



never thought of this, good idea.

Here's another new idea, might be a bit off the wall tho! You have an apparent contradiction, that the bikes measure very similar especially after setup, but they feel different and you want to eliminate sizing and setup.

Two odd possibilities ocme to mind:

1. the small differences in dimension are big enough to make the difference you feel, so perhaps you need to somehow match the bike contact point settings better, if you can.

2. The measurements you have taken might be wrong, and should be double checked, or checked by a different method. I'd suggest measuring saddle, handlebar, and BB height to ground making extra sure all vertical measurements are perpendicular to the ground, the crank lengths, the saddle setback relative to BB with a plumb line of course, and the distances from the saddle horn to each brake lever. Millimeter accuracy should be used, since you want to establish what differences are really there. Also you should measure each several times, recording all the numbers and use the average values.

Sometimes when I get this obsessive I can find differences I never noticed before. When I matched two bikes this way once, I got very similar-feeling ride positions. bikes were still different, but my positions were the same.

If you get truly confident that the positions are the same, maybe the other differences between the frames are causing the problem. I couldn't say why, but I would think that conclusion could be the answer.

final thought: if the saddles are really the same, there should be no issue with swapping them between bikes and setting them to the same positions. This would tell you if one of them is more worn than the other, causing some sensation that makes you want to squirm.

Good luck!

Road Fan

sorry yes all are the same
stem length,angle
drop bars reach and drop
seat to handle bar drrop
saddle setback from spindle

I seem to fidget more/move around on the serotta than the Waterford.

Is the seat identical? Is the angle of the seat exactly the same? It is surprising how little a difference can effect the comfort on a bike.

Check tread, too. Tread is the distance between the pedals.