deez

I've been exploring the various adjustments on my bike lately.....handlebar angle, seat position forward/back, seat tilt.

I've come to the realization that even a very small adjustment can completely change the way I feel on the bike. For example i pushed the seat back 10mm and I thought my legs were gonna burn up after about 3 miles..just the other day I moved the seat to a slightly negative angle and I felt like freakin superman..i was all in perfect position for being aero and it just felt really effortless to spin like a madman ..of course most of my weight was on my arms in that position so my hands got towards the end of my commute.

Today I re-adjusted the drop bars as they had slipped a little bit and WOW! again a huge difference from just rotating them up a few degrees.


I guess my point is if things aren't feeling right when you ride check your adjustments, a very minor change can really throw ya off.

HOV

So true. Seat height is a huge one.

Tyrell

I wouldn't say a 10mm change in the location is a "minor" adjustment. I only move mine a couple mm when I'm experimenting and I find it to be plenty enough to notice a difference! You're very correct though - small adjustments do make big differences...not only for your ergos and fit but also for your bike tuning like der. adjustment, etc.

Indie

Oh yeah... the big ones for me were (1) raising the handlebars, which meant I felt normal after riding as opposed to the pain in my arms keeping me awake at night, and (2) raising the seat so that my legs would actually extend during pedaling and I could actually get up the hills without my thighs burning.

harleyfrog

I have a hybrid and I moved the grips in about an inch on either side to make room for bar ends and it made a huge difference in my comfort level and speed. I also rotated the brake levers down to force myself to keep my wrists straight, and it was a major improvement.

Word of advice, tho: Make only one adjustment at a time and see how it feels, then move on to the next adjustment.