Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Fit/Handlebar/Hood Question

Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.



PDA

View Full Version : Fit/Handlebar/Hood Question

beebe
10-28-10, 10:17 PM
I'm riding a 2010 Kona Paddywagon that is stock besides a slightly wider Serfas seat that is nearly identical to the stock WTB.
http://gearjunkie.com/images/2777.jpg
^^Hot-linked image, sorry if there's a loading issue^^

I'm pretty comfortable fit wise, the height of the saddle is just right, and the frame is a good fit. While I'm pretty happy with where my hands and posture are on the horizontal section and in the drops, I feel too stretched out if I try to ride on the hoods for very long. If I'm wearing any kind of pack or bag, I can hardly ride on the hoods before I get really uncomfortable. I'm also noticing that my hands get really fatigued and achey after about five or six miles of riding no matter how much I change hand positions.

What can I do to fix this? I don't think I can move the hoods up without making the levers unreachable from the drops. Would moving the seat forward help or just introduce more fit issues?

Thanks for the help.

xkillemallx16
10-28-10, 10:34 PM
solutions
1.those drops look uncomfortable with hoods, that could be an issue. swap for cheap road drops over those trackdrop looking ones

2.or perhaps its fit problems. maybe you need a shorter stem so you wont be so stretched out. lower saddle height for a more upright position.

3.get risers or something

4. HTFU
carleton
10-28-10, 10:45 PM
solutions
1.those drops look uncomfortable with hoods, that could be an issue. swap for cheap road drops over those trackdrop looking ones

2.or perhaps its fit problems. maybe you need a shorter stem so you wont be so stretched out. lower saddle height for a more upright position.

3.get risers or something

4. HTFU

Lowering the saddle is not the thing to do. This will adversely affect one's pedaling.

To the OP:

Regarding reach, it sounds like either:
- The bike is too big for you
- Your stem is too long
- Your hoods are over and down on the front of the bars (as depicted in the image above)
- A mix of the above

Regarding hands feeling achy:
- You may have too much weight on your hands
- Your saddle is too far forward
- Your back isn't strong enough yet
- A mix of the above

This is really tough to diagnose with basic text descriptions. Can you provide a photo of you on the bike with your hands in both positions that you describe?

dsh
10-28-10, 10:58 PM
I would suggest:

-A shorter stem
-A stem with rise
-Road drops with the hoods in logical places
WoundedKnee
10-28-10, 11:32 PM
New drops/hoods look alot better..

http://www.konaworld.com/images/bikes/med/paddy_wagon.jpg
Leukybear
10-28-10, 11:51 PM
New drops/hoods look alot better..

http://www.konaworld.com/images/bikes/med/paddy_wagon.jpg

Looks like they went back to more ergo drops for '11....
beebe
10-29-10, 05:16 PM
This is really tough to diagnose with basic text descriptions. Can you provide a photo of you on the bike with your hands in both positions that you describe?
Nah, my camera's pretty broke.

Thanks everyone. Since my bike seems to fit well with my hands on the tops and drops, I'll probably try to get a more road-ish handlebar. I've been meaning to stick cross levers on there anyways. I'd imagine Kona had a good reason for the change.