Road Cycling - My position (Pics)

Yes, another "how do I look" thread. I finally had a very good bike fitting and this position feels comfortable and powerful. I have been riding different bikes unfitted for years, but I have only done about 300 miles in this new position though. That being said, I see a lot of local racers, crit guys whose arms are very straight and locked when on the hoods and sometimes the drops.

My arms are still bent in the drops and hoods. Is there a such thing as too much bend in the elbows? When I lose a lot more weight this fall/winter, I plan on racing next season. I want to know does my position look to upright? I would lose the spacers but my back might not agree. The drop, even with the spacers, is exactly 3 inches (long legs), which seems to be the max I am comfortable with. So even with a 3 inch drop, my elbows still have a nice bend in them.

The Bike: LOOK 585 Optimum, 56cmTT, 57cm seat tube, 190mm head tube, 110mm stem, seat height:80cm

Me: 5'10, 185lbs, 35inch cycling inseam .

-I am not wearing the jersey because it was hot as hell in my apartment:)
-The two holes in the Assos bibs are the result of a crash from a couple months ago when i touched wheels with someone. Nothing like a pair of expensive "ripped" bibs:)

Thanks.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj290/dhale75/IMG00011.jpg


http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj290/dhale75/IMG00010.jpg


http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj290/dhale75/IMG00009.jpg

Finally someone posts pics in bike gear....So much easier to see the fit...

Saddle might need to go down a tad...

You look a bit cramped...

How is your knee in relation to the pedal (KOPS) saddle might be able to go back a bit or slightly longer stem...

Oh yea, I'm not a pro fitter so you can toss my comments out if you like...

If you had a pro fitting and it feels great, what do you need from us?

your position looks fine. if you want to go for a more aggressive position, do a lot of stretching and wait until you put serious time into this position.

If it feels good, just forget it and focus on miles on the legs. as you loose weight, get adjusted and gain more flexiblility, you may naturally change your position.

If you had a pro fitting and it feels great, what do you need from us?

wasn't really a "pro" fitting. Just a guy who rides a lot more than I do, more experienced.

Doesn't look too bad. If anything your saddle might be just a bit high...your leg looks almost too straight. If you're rocking a bit on the peddle stroke you probably are...if it feels comfortable then don't change it. And if you think your back would be in pain if you remove spacers, then don't. Any gain you would have would be lost by having a bad back. If you lose weight by the spring you might go back into the shop and see if your fit is still good. But on the positive side it does look like your wheel is level.

Looks like you could use a longer stem

Lower Seat 1/2 inch. Need more bend in knee.
Your arms look Long, I think you might need about 4 to 6 inches more reach.
I like to stretch out. But it takes time to adjust your back for a long reach. Feels Good when you get there.
I had a Pro Fit. It was perfect.
Lost 25 lbs, 6,700 miles. Getting Stronger each week.

I'd say your position looks great. I agree with the other post though, you should wait till you've been riding more before adjusting. When I bought my bike I had the stem flipped but now it's too high so I think I'll flip it back. Just work on those tan lines.

I also agree you might lower the saddle a bit, especially if you pedal with feet horizontal (as opposed to toes down) at the bottom of the stroke as you appear here.

Fit looks great. Saddle could come down a hair...a bit too straight legged at the bottom.
Great selection of bike. The Look 585 Optimum is one of my favorite framesets.
Ride safe and enjoy it.

I think the reach is in the short end of the personal preference range. When you get out of the saddle on a steep hill, how often do your knees hit your bars?

Anyway, you look quite comfortable. If the pedals feel balanced, you're probably good to go. Reconsider in a month and see if you want to make any changes.

I think the reach is in the short end of the personal preference range. When you get out of the saddle on a steep hill, how often do your knees hit your bars?

Anyway, you look quite comfortable. If the pedals feel balanced, you're probably good to go. Reconsider in a month and see if you want to make any changes.

Well, I live in Chicago what is this hill you speak of?:) Seriously, there is a very small "hill" that I usually ride over. When I am in the hoods going over it, my knees don't hit the bar but they do come very close.

so i actually can't see the images. But if others are saying it looks good might as well go with the flow. To the first responder though, KOPS doesn't matter at all and should not be used.

so i actually can't see the images. But if others are saying it looks good might as well go with the flow. To the first responder though, KOPS doesn't matter at all and should not be used.

I agree, but that photo...cranks parallel to the ground gives a better idea of how balanced he is on the bike...That's what I was trying get at...

I agree, but that photo...cranks parallel to the ground gives a better idea of how balanced he is on the bike...That's what I was trying get at...

well my first statement of "so i actually can't see the images" meant that I can't actually see the pictures, seems that either photobucket or the guys account is having issues because his avatar is gone as well, or maybe he planned to be a red X. If it gets fixed then I'll be able to see for myself how he looks.

well my first statement of "so i actually can't see the images" meant that I can't actually see the pictures, seems that either photobucket or the guys account is having issues because his avatar is gone as well, or maybe he planned to be a red X. If it gets fixed then I'll be able to see for myself how he looks.

The red X in my avatar is on purpose. I reloaded them on photobucket just now. I don't know if that makes a difference.

Lower Seat 1/2 inch. Need more bend in knee.
Your arms look Long, I think you might need about 4 to 6 inches more reach.
I like to stretch out. But it takes time to adjust your back for a long reach. Feels Good when you get there.
I had a Pro Fit. It was perfect.
Lost 25 lbs, 6,700 miles. Getting Stronger each week.


NO.

dhale50, If you're finding that your saddle height isn't right, change it in smaller increments - like 1/8" at a time. 1/2" is a big move.

I dunno, the saddle position looks decent to me. I actually think the saddle is about the right height, because when you're pedaling, the angle of your foot is likely to be a bit different, thus affecting the bend of the knee. If you're pain free in the knees and your cadence/stroke is smooth, I would be adverse to messing with anything. I would go 1-2cm longer on the stem, because you seem awfully upright when on the hoods, which is probably where you spend most of your time.

By chance are you often out on the LFP? I live in Chicago and I think I remember seeing you and your bike a while back.

Best fitting method EVER (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=448814)

By chance are you often out on the LFP? I live in Chicago and I think I remember seeing you and your bike a while back.

Yes! I have been out there for years, but now I am starting to ride along Sheridan road. Much much better riding done that way. LFP in unbearable now.

I think this is the first "how is my fit" thread where the fit looked fine. Everyone is going to have some variation, but nothing looks obviously wrong and if you got fit and it feels good go with it. I don't think that you can really be too bent in the eblows, as long it is comfortable. That said, I would prefer to drop my bars down another inch or so but it would require a bike with a shorter head tube or an 84 degree stem.

FWIW, your fit looks pretty similar to mine (#952)
http://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/3183.jpg

I like the way you fit on your bike. Some like to stretch out to get a flatter back, some prefer to bend the arms more and drop the bars. I'm guessing you're in the second category like umd and myself. Your leg does seem a bit straight, though. Stick your bike on a trainer and have someone watch your feet as you pedal, see if you are pointing your toes or getting some side-to-side motion in your hips.

Looks like you could use a longer stem

+1

The red X in my avatar is on purpose. I reloaded them on photobucket just now. I don't know if that makes a difference.

yes thank you, i can see them now, odd that it seems it was just me though :/

Your fit looks fine, if anything your saddle may be a bit high but if you are comfortable on 60+ mile rides and you don't have a lot of upper body movement then you are fine.

Looks like you could use a longer stem

Yeah I was thinking about going with a 120 instead of the 110. I may try it and see how it feels. The 110 feels ok, but sometimes it does feel like I can stretch out a bit more.

Are you comfortable with this setup for say a 50 or 60 mile ride? If so then that's great. It sounds like you have discovered your saddle to bar height differential max so I wouldn't bother going lower. As far as seat height it's hard to tell without watching you pedal. Bring a tool with you and experiment while on your rides. You should be able to discover your sweet spot by experimenting. To my eye you do look a tad short reach wise. How do you feel fore\aft balance wise? have you experimented with your saddle fore\aft position? By experimenting you should be able achieve ideal fore\aft balance, seat height and reach. You might want to experiment with a longer stem if you find that your current seat fore\aft position is already in the ideal position for you. Again if you can do long rides in comfort with this setup then you probably want to limit your exerimenting to very small changes. Your current setup my turn out the be the ideal setup for you but the only way to know for sure is to experiment.

Looks good.

Saddle height looks fine to me - I might go a smidge lower, but probably not much. Reach looks a little cramped to me, but I like to stretch out on my hoods. You might try a stem with an extra cm of length sometime, but if you are comfortable and don't feel cramped on your hoods after 5-10 miles I probably wouldn't even do that.

Thanks too for wearing bike gear for the photo. Much easier to give feedback when you can actually see the fit.

Looks like you could use a longer stem

+ 1

FWIW, your fit looks pretty similar to mine (#952)


umd - the OP's arms are bigger than your legs!

NO.

dhale50, If you're finding that your saddle height isn't right, change it in smaller increments - like 1/8" at a time. 1/2" is a big move.

Like the OP, I had a friend help fit me on an 25 y/o road bike.
After getting the professional fit for a New Road Bike, I found the old bike seat, 2 inches Too High.

looks killer to me, jus ride that biznatch. ;)

Looks like you could use a longer stem
if you draw a line from his front hub to his eyeballs while he's on the hoods it directly intersects the bar tops. That's about average.

umd - the OP's arms are bigger than your legs!

Maybe bigger than my calves but not bigger than my thighs...

What's your crank length? I have the same inseam and a 79cm saddle height with 175mm cranks. Stem could be longer too.

What's your crank length? I have the same inseam and a 79cm saddle height with 175mm cranks. Stem could be longer too.

Cranks are 172.5. The guy that worked with me also said I could probably go with 175's because of my inseam. It's too late for that though as I am out of money:D He also said that the 2.5mm difference would not "kill" the fit. I am definitely going to try a 120mm stem and see how that feels.

What's your crank length?

A bit personal, eh?

A bit personal, eh?

You get a pass on that because you're one of the few who have an earlier join date than I do.

I usually leave these threads alone. I am a pro fitter but I prefer to fit people in person.

My observations are:

The saddle is not too high quite the opposite it is too LOW.

The OP's arms are freakishly long for his body hence he needs a longer stem by at least 2 cms.



My very first impression is the bike was too small for you. But at 5 10" you should be on a 56cm. It's just your arms that throw the whole thing off. You looked cramped to me. The pictures you took are excellent. Thank you. The one of you on the hoods sealed it for me your reach is too short.

If I was fitting you and selling you bike I would have recommended the 58cm. With all the spacers you have on the 56cm you should just be on the 58cm it would have a longer top tube you could ride a 110mm or 120mm stem and your reach based on your arms length would be appropriate. (with this bike looks like 130mm and I don't recommend that unless you are a crit banger)

Now let me set the rest of this thread on fire by saying that inseam is not important when sizing for a bike. The most important measurement is your trunk (notch to crotch) and then relate that measurement to the manufactures geometry charts for their top tube. You can jack a saddle up 300mm or down to the frame. But if you mess around with saddle fore and aft you mess with power transfer if you mess with stem lengths you mess with the handling characteristics of the bike. So top tube is the most important and least "adjustable" measurement in regards to achieving the correct reach. The OP is a classic example where if you size him to inseam the bike ends up too small for him.

KOPS is nonsense. Another ridiculous and archaic measurement that has stayed in practice for far too long. Tell me that the KOPS, taken in a static position, is where you will be pedaling the entire time you on the bike and I have a bridge to sell you.

You get a pass on that because you're one of the few who have an earlier join date than I do.

And now you're making a pass at me? Wow, I should log off and go to the gym :p By the way, I think we're in the same town. And I hope my longevity on here allows me to make a stupid post on ocassion.

The saddle is not too high quite the opposite it is too LOW.

In looking at my pictures, what about the position makes you believe the seat is too low? Is it that my foot is level at the bottom?

Thanks to all for the comments. Very informative stuff.

Yes! I have been out there for years, but now I am starting to ride along Sheridan road. Much much better riding done that way. LFP in unbearable now.

Yeah, man. Sheridan's about as good as it's gonna get without leaving the city/north suburbs.

Oh, I can't wait until it gets lousy again so that only the diehards are out on the LFP. I can't handle it anymore.

In looking at my pictures, what about the position makes you believe the seat is too low? Is it that my foot is level at the bottom?

Thanks to all for the comments. Very informative stuff.

Send me another picture with your knee locked out and the pedal crank at the 6 o clock position. Also are you a toe down pedaler or heel down pedaler?

Send me another picture with your knee locked out and the pedal crank at the 6 o clock position. Also are you a toe down pedaler or heel down pedaler?

Thanks. I'll try to get that photo to you. I definitely feel more powerful when I am dropping my heel at the bottom if that's what you mean.

And now you're making a pass at me? Wow, I should log off and go to the gym :p By the way, I think we're in the same town. And I hope my longevity on here allows me to make a stupid post on ocassion.

I know people in Missouri, but I don't think it has annexed Minnesota yet.

I usually leave these threads alone. I am a pro fitter but I prefer to fit people in person.

My observations are:

The saddle is not too high quite the opposite it is too LOW.

The OP's arms are freakishly long for his body hence he needs a longer stem by at least 2 cms.



My very first impression is the bike was too small for you. But at 5 10" you should be on a 56cm. It's just your arms that throw the whole thing off. You looked cramped to me. The pictures you took are excellent. Thank you. The one of you on the hoods sealed it for me your reach is too short.

If I was fitting you and selling you bike I would have recommended the 58cm. With all the spacers you have on the 56cm you should just be on the 58cm it would have a longer top tube you could ride a 110mm or 120mm stem and your reach based on your arms length would be appropriate. (with this bike looks like 130mm and I don't recommend that unless you are a crit banger)

Now let me set the rest of this thread on fire by saying that inseam is not important when sizing for a bike. The most important measurement is your trunk (notch to crotch) and then relate that measurement to the manufactures geometry charts for their top tube. You can jack a saddle up 300mm or down to the frame. But if you mess around with saddle fore and aft you mess with power transfer if you mess with stem lengths you mess with the handling characteristics of the bike. So top tube is the most important and least "adjustable" measurement in regards to achieving the correct reach. The OP is a classic example where if you size him to inseam the bike ends up too small for him.

KOPS is nonsense. Another ridiculous and archaic measurement that has stayed in practice for far too long. Tell me that the KOPS, taken in a static position, is where you will be pedaling the entire time you on the bike and I have a bridge to sell you.
You have a pretty girlfriend, but you should be in another line of work.
:D
OP...the above is utter nonsense. You fit that bike perfectly...in particular with the long head tube of the Optimum relative to top tube length.

You have a pretty girlfriend, but you should be in another line of work.
:D
OP...the above is utter nonsense. You fit that bike perfectly...in particular with the long head tube of the Optimum relative to top tube length.

Thank you. She's actually even more beautiful on the inside.

That is your opinion. But since you probably have never had the liability (as a pro fitter/shop manager) of having to fit thousands and thousands of people and sold thousands of bikes to people (from pros to recreational) of all shapes and sizes and NEVER had a bike returned or even questioned for being the wrong bike or wrong size then I think MY opinion matters. I have seen it in other shops and even in my shop with my coworkers. But it has NEVER happened to anyone that I have fit in the shop or in my private business.

and this is the reason I stay out of these threads.

You have a pretty girlfriend, but you should be in another line of work.
:D
OP...the above is utter nonsense. You fit that bike perfectly...in particular with the long head tube of the Optimum relative to top tube length.

Agree in the GF part.

Lower the seat a little more is all you need right now. Many people simply have a bad style while riding a bike, they were never thought so after many years riding like that, its really hard to make them look good over the bike. So no matter who fits you, if you ride as a caveman, you will continue riding like a caveman all your life.

Well thansk for the pictures, as somebody said. Finally somebody post pictures in cycling gear...

Good luck :)

I would get the next size longer stem.

Thank you. She's actually even more beautiful on the inside.

That is your opinion. But since you probably have never had the liability (as a pro fitter/shop manager) of having to fit thousands and thousands of people and sold thousands of bikes to people (from pros to recreational) of all shapes and sizes and NEVER had a bike returned or even questioned for being the wrong bike or wrong size then I think MY opinion matters. I have seen it in other shops and even in my shop with my coworkers. But it has NEVER happened to anyone that I have fit in the shop or in my private business.

and this is the reason I stay out of these threads.

It's no use. Your reputation and experience in real life mean nothing here:p