pingzing

I just starting road biking last summer and I ended up buying a 56cm trek madone. After going on a ton of long rides, I noticed that i never was really comfortable with my hands on the hoods. I would feel too stretched out and I always kept my hands right on the curve on the bars. My fit measurements sucked because I was borderline 56 or 54. I've messed around with my seat, flipped and shortend my stem to a 90 and it still seems like I'm not comfortable with my hands on the hoods. Would a 54cm bike bring the bars closer to me or is the only a height setting. Thanks!

kimconyc

Pictures would help.

DaveSSS 

Here's the facts. The reach on the 54cm is about 13mm less after compensating for the difference in the seat tube angle, so it would have about the same reach with a 100mm stem.

Treks have a farily long reach for a given head tube length, but you didn't mention if your Madone is a pro model with the shorter head tube or the model with the 30mm taller head tube.

Add the long reach, plus standard reach bars and the longest reach Shimano brakes hoods - you end up needing a fairly short stem, unless you have a long torso.

If you choose the non-pro model with the taller head tube, you can use a smaller frame without running into handlebar height problems.

pingzing

Thanks davesss, I have a madone 4.5, which I think only has a performance fit/non-pro and I've been fighting with this reach issue all last summer and now my first few rides of this year. I have gone all the way down to the 90mm stem and flipped it up as well. I'm 5'10 and pretty average arm length and torso. The 4.5 has a 105 shimano components. Can the hoods be moved back? Everything seems fine with the 56, but i've been fighting this reach thing. I'm thinking about selling it and buying a 54cm specialized if I can't get this bike to fit. Thanks again

mushwars

a quick fix is to slide the seat forward. that should help a bit.

pingzing

If I move the seat forward any more than i have it now, it seems to add more pressure to my hands.

Pendergast

I'm wondering if it may be more of a core-strength and/or flexibility problem. Seems like the bike would be reasonably sized for you.

late

I have a similar problem. I ride a 56, most 54 frames are too small. But getting a 56 to fit is tough.

The ideal thing would be to get a pro level bike fit. Which is not cheap. That would tell you if the bike can be made to suit you, and give you exact dimensions to look for if it can't.

You can use a handlebar with shorter reach. I use a Ritchey Biomax.

You can try an adjustable stem. The trick is getting the right length. If you tilt it up, then the effective length is shorter. But 90 would be a good size to try.

From what you are saying about your hands, I suspect you need a longer stem, but angled up. But how long, and at what angle I can't say.

If you can, add a couple spacers under the stem and see if that helps.

And a pic of you on the bike taken from the side with your camera-side leg fully extended would help.

andr0id

NOOO!! Moving the saddle to adjust HB reach is wrong!!!

Get on a trainer and ride no handed. Find your center of gravity where you can support yourself with your abs and then stick your hands out and see if handlebars can be made to be in that general vicinity.

MONGO!

If you're between a 54 and 56 you should be on a 54, it's easier and better to make a smaller bike bigger than the other way round.

andr0id

NOOO!! Moving the saddle to adjust HB reach is wrong!!!

Get on a trainer and ride no handed. Find your center of gravity where you can support yourself with your abs and then stick your hands out and see if handlebars can be made to be in that general vicinity.

Jinker

You've tried a 90...

Time to try an 80 or 75.

Also try one with more rise, 17 degrees should do it.

Trek also makes a bunch of stems in 25 and 40 degree rise.

I'd ask the bike shop which originally fit you to the bike if you could borrow a shorter stem to see if you can get comfortable. If it works, buy that stem.

You can also, within reason, rotate your bars back/move your hoods up on your handlebars. As long as the drops are still comfortable and you can still safely reach the brakes.

urbanknight

I wouldn't want to go shorter than a 90 personally. Treks have longer cockpits iirc. Look into other brands and a slightly smaller size, but base your size shopping by top tube length more than seat tube length... and compensate for seat tube angle if they're different too. Also, Campy hoods are shorter than Shimano, so you might want to consider that too.

jay0k

Perhaps you don't know what a "good" fit is?

I'm 5'10" and ride a 2008 58cm 5.2 Madone. I'm stretched out but I prefer that for road cycling especially into the wind. When standing up to climb hills you want to be able to have your hands on the hoods and use your body weight to help accelerate.

If you prefer a comfort fit where you sit upright then you might look into getting that style of bike.

DaveSSS 

Regarding the brake hood position, I couldn't comment without a picture. I do see some really goofy setups done by local shops.

I would not buy a different frame until you work out this fit problem. Short reach bars would reduce the reach about as much as a smaller frame. I suspect that some of your problem is simply a lack of fitness, but it could also be a totally messed up fitting.

You mention flipping the stem. That alone shortens the length of your stem by almost a full size and raises the bars by 2-3cm. That suggests to me a fitness problem, rather than too much reach. A flipped 90mm stem should create a cramped cockpit, even with the long reach of your frame.

A smaller frame will have a shorter head tube. If you really need a flipped stem, then the shorter head tube of the samller frame will also be a problem. You don't want to just trade one problem for another.

pingzing

Here are a few pics. Any advice would be awesome.

DirtPedalerB

maybe the seat is too high looks like your leg is overextended at the bottom I try to keep my foot flat at the bottom of the stroke.. also your hand position is weird I've been told that all your finders should be wraped around the front of the bar. also looks like your hanging off the back of the seat, maybe try moving it back a little if that's your preferred position or scoot up a little on the seat..

I'm no expert I am in the same position as you a little over 5'9 and on a 56 bike.. I run a 90 stem and a 0 offset post. I have many miles on a mountain bike that is arguably too big, so I went with this size as well. I have 400 miles now on the road bike and am just now becoming comfortable on it. not 100% comfort, but i can ride 3 hours and no ill effects afterward. I don't think the bike is too big.

if it bothers you too bad try a cheap 75 or 80mm stem and give it a try.

DaveSSS 

I agree that the saddle might be too high, but it depends on your natural foot angle while pedaling. It can be anywhere from horizontal to perhaps having heel up as high as pictured, but certainly no higher.

I don't see an obvious reach problem. You've also got a tall head tube, quite a few spacers and a flipped up stem. I'll bet the saddle to bar drop is no more than 5cm. That would be quite conservative.

One problem you might have is the saddle set too far forward. While KOP is a good starting point, it can still put too much weight on your hands. Rather than move the saddle back for better weight balance, a lot of local shop fitters will raise the bars and/or shorten the stem to take some weight off.

luxroadie

Not a bike fitter but I agree with DP - seat looks too high. Drop it a few mm and if the cockpit feels to high pull one of those spacers (looks like you've got three under the stem and put it on top of the stem.

Might be a good thing to try before you go buying more parts. By the way - have you given your shop grief? They should be helping you until the fit is right. As Mongo said - they should have given you the 54 first as you can adjust up by large magnitudes but there is only so far "shorter" you can go with components.

late

First, take a another pic with the seat adjusted so that your foot is flat at the bottom of the stroke and your leg has a little bend, about 15 degrees. You may be there now, hard to tell from the pic.

DaveSSS 

A very common starting point has the foot horizontal with the leg fully extended. From there, it only takes a 2-3cm rise of the heel to create the commonly recommended 30 degree bend in the leg. If that feels too high, then lower the saddle a little at a time.

klages

the problem is you're not wearing socks. socks will reduce effective tt length by at least 5cm.

seriously though, i'm in the same boat as you. i got 'fitted' to a trek 56 when i first got into cycling (2 yrs ago). i've never felt good on the bike.

i've finally got a pro fit this year and as i suspected should be on a 54 with some tweaking. since a new bike is out the question (wife's words, not mine) i'm looking into some shorter reach bars and a shorter stem. even my ride today was aggravating with too much pressure on my hands, shoulders sore and constantly inching forward on the saddle as i ride.

my seatpost and saddle was adjusted for kops so i won't be messing with that.

i'm considering the 3t ergonova handlebar and an 80mm stem from my shop, i can swap the stems for the right fit since i got the pro fitting. its expensive but hopefully will be worth it when this is all done.

rtruectoc

I sell Trek and cannondale, and the treks cockpits are ALWAYS SHORTER, when in comparison to comparable cannondales. Ie a 56 has like a 55.7 top tube. You need a fitting. Is your saddle to bottom bracket relationship good? what kind of a drop are you running? this is useless without pics

rtruectoc

just looked at the pics. drop the saddle 1 cm. your reach is fine. if you can touch your toes, move the saddle back about a half centimeter, and......ready. flip the stem. i think you need more drop. if you drop your bars a few cm by flipping the stem your reach will increase a bit, but your entire position will become more bridge like. i bet after a few rides you will like it more.

rtruectoc

that bike is definitely not too big