my58vw

Ok, this is not the normal "my drop is larger than yours" thread

About 2 years ago when I was racing I was able to tolerate an 6 - 7 inch drop on my bike (I am 6'6"). My first year teaching I stopped riding, and now I am starting up again. The problem is the following...

While I raced I could deal with some arm/shoulder/hand discomfort, I was a bit more flexible, but more likely the fast group rides and races took the pain the the legs, etc where it took the mind off the other discomforts.

Today I rode about 10 miles on my road bike (6 inch drop at bars, 7 inch at hoods, 63cm trek, 40mm spacers, flipped up stem) and have to go home because of the pain in my hands, and neck. While I would like to someday get back into racing there are a couple of questions...

1. Is a 6inch drop ever really necessary on a road bike for normal cyclists (up to maybe cat 3/rec). At 2 - 3 inches you are at almost 6 in the drops anyway!

2. Is there anyway to get the bars up another 4 - 5 inches without going custom frameset?

3. Does anyone other than zinn make a custom frameset for tall riders with wierd measurements (37inch inseem, 35 inch arms, 68 inch torso measurement, 78 inch height?

4. Also can custom bikes be geared so that they are 1 - 2 inch drop with say 30 - 40 mm spacers so they can be dropped a few inches?

Thanks!

daoswald

Have a look at the Cannondale Synapse, and Synapse Sport models. They're designed to provide a more relaxed geometry, which, in part, means less handlebar drop. I'm pretty comfortable on mine. Those bikes are great for riding longish distances.

My Synapse Sport 5 came with two spacers and a 17 degree rise stem. I kept the stem rise, and removed one spacer. Maybe later in the season I'll go to a 6 degree stem. But for now, as I'm increasing my mileage, I'll keep it as it is. Once I build up to riding a century, then I'll start worrying about adding a little more drop.

my58vw

Trek makes the new 2100 in 64cm but it is still too small. The cannondale is smaller than the 64cm.

Hendley

You don't seem particularly long-legged (I'm only 6'2" with almost the same inside leg), so I think all you need is a big(ger) bike? I always look for long head-tube bikes, such as Specialized, BMC, & Ridley, to avoid too much drop for myself, but maybe what you need is more reach as well?

Drop does get a bit extreme in some cases, perhaps because of the popularity of criterium-style set-ups. For longer riding, it would seem better to bring the hoods up a bit more. A flat back can be achieved just as easily through the simple expedient of riding in the drops and bending the elbows, but you still have an "out" when joints and muscles start to protest late in the ride.

daoswald

I'm 6'2.5" and about 185. I ride the Synapse Sport 5's XL model. It came with a 120mm stem, which I swapped out for a 100mm stem within the first few days after buying the bike. I still sometimes wonder if I'm a little stretched out, but it seems to be working out fine, even on longer rides, so I haven't adjusted stem length further.

My point is that even for a tall guy, the Synapse Sport models can be pretty comfortable. Your mileage may vary. But at least test-ride one.

EatMyA**

try to make the drop as even as you can. You might not with a 63mm bike and you being 6'6". but if you can, do it. 7 inch drop...youre crazy, save that for race day.

Sike100

I'm 196 cm (that is around 6'6"), 38" inseam and know your problem. There is two solutions:

1. buy uncut fork with steerer 300mm and use steep stem (17 degree)

2. buy fork with longer steerer than 300mm (search about Alpha forks with no limit to specers) and use more spacers below stem.

For that you need bike with tallest head tube (min. 230 mm). Look at Ridley bikes!

my58vw

Just checked on the specilized 64 and trek 64, they are 5 cm taller in the head tube which is about 2 inches. That means there is still about 4 - 5 inches of drop on the current setup. which is 6 to 7. I could buy a higher stem (17 degree), but that still leaves me with 40 mm of head tube spacers. The reach seems too long, but the bars are too low.

My steer tube is uncut right now (or close to it), a 300mm

Almost thinking I need to go custom. The ridleys have a 23cm head tube length, which is quite short for me. Right now I can not ride at a 45 degree angle (the angle before I rotate into the racing position), and bend my elbows at the hoods...

CrimsonKarter21

Get a Specialized BG fitting. This set my bar drop in stone. It's not about how much drop you have, it's about the angle of your torso.

my58vw

I will have to check it out.

Hendley

With the Treks, are you looking at performance fit, not pro fit? The former adds some height to the head tube.

If you want an exceptionally long head tube, the Specialized Sequoia might do it. 290 mm HT on the 61 size (60 cm TT) or 255 mm HT on the 58 (58.2 cm TT).