dnuzzomueller

So I have been looking to find a good way to increase my saddle to bar drop for comfort's sake and I was wondering if anyone has any input (Of course someone does )

My situation is that being a wonderfully rich college student my bike is a used 07' Redline Conquest Pro 48cm. And I am 5'11" As such I am currently running a 130mm stem. My problem is that I cannot seem to find a way to get my bars lower (I have no spacers under the stem and the stem doesn't really have any rise to it).

Does anyone know of any 25.4mm bar clamp 1-1/8 (31.8? mm) inch steerer clamp 130-140mm stems with some decent drop?

roadiejorge 

Try a -17 degree stem, that will get you more drop but just keep in mind it will also increase the reach.

teterider

I think reach may be the problem. A 48cm for a 5'11' person is horribly undersized. Obviously this can't be diagnosed over an internet forum, but your body is likely wanting more reach, and you are equating that with what you can actually do - more drop which will feel like a little more reach.

Look to the college swap sheets and the bike co-op to perhaps sell/trade your frame for another one that fits, or do the CL/ebay thing. The snow is now starting to pile up now in Worcester so its a good time to do this.

DinoShepherd

That bike is WAAAAAY too small.

Please don't spend any more money trying to make it work.

You should be able to sell that frame/fork for some amount of money and get the right size.

A good generic (performance / nashbar) C-X frame/fork should run a couple hundred. You can swing this.

-Z

DOS

On a frame that size, I would thing your HT would be so small that you'd already have a huge drop.

jdon

+1

You must look like..

DaveSSS 

I agree. That frame should have far too little reach. You're probably trying to make up for that with excessive drop. Take a look at the stem from a distance. If the stem extension is not parallel to the ground, then you can get a lower angle. You need to look for a 73 (-17) degree stem.

https://www.redlinebicycles.com/archi...0-conquest-pro

DOS

But Jens Voight is awesome on any bike.

BarracksSi

Yup -- I was going to just post a smartalecky remark like, "Buy a bike that's WAY too small", but it looks like that's what we're starting with.

dnuzzomueller

Yea I definitely know it is to small and I have debated switching out to a different frame but at the moment I am trying to save up whatever I can for an actual ROAD bike. I have actually grown accustomed to the current 130mm stem set-up (Not saying I like it) but I have had consistent back pain on longer rides and I honestly just want to get as comfortable as I can for as little money as I can while I do my saving. I am assuming that a stem would be a cheaper way then a frame. The other thing is that I am very accustomed to the short wheelbase on this bike, I don't feel like going to a longer one.

And I thought that if I wasn't in pain like Voigt on that bike I would never amount to anything , HTFU right?

BarracksSi

If your back's hurting, then no, you haven't grown accustomed to it, and you probably never will. When I'm on too small of a frame (even when I was your age, never mind today ), I'm only good for half an hour at most before I'm starting to hurt.

My guess as to why isn't saddle-to-bar drop is because I'm having to scrunch my back just to put my hands on the bars. When they're farther away, my back can straighten out some more and I'm not in such an awkwardly hunched-up position.

urbanknight

A lower bar isn't going to alleviate back pain.

darkadious

130mm is small for a 48cm at your height even if you had a short torso.


you're supposed to HTFU from pain from riding hard, not from a terribly fitting bike.

robncircus

Check the Performance and Nashbar frames. Those can be cheap with a coupon. If you need more $$$ donate some blood maybe or rake/shovel for someone. I'd ride a 48 and I'm 5'4. It would be on the small side for me too to put it into perspective. Good luck.

datlas 

As above, your fit is way off.

Don't throw good money after bad, try to sell what you have or trade it for a bike that actually fits you. Even if it's a $150 WalMart bike. No kidding.

rat fink

Can we see a pic of the bike?

dmann

Stolen bikes never fit do they?

rooftest

Ugh. How miserable that must be - wearing shoes and cleats inside straps and clips.

rufvelo

he fell remember, not taking ANY chances now....

dnuzzomueller

Here is a Pic of the bike. I will get another one later today with a better profile shot.


For some weird reason that came out sideways....

10 Wheels

botto 

dnuzzomueller

Ahhh my sleep deprived head thanks you for the photoshop help.

On another note: Got my first botto-palm. Thanks botto and Merry Christmas to you to

urbanknight

Track sprinters do it all the time, and I don't blame them after almost running over someone who accidentally unclipped while jumping in front of me.

rufvelo

True, and often double straps.