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Bike fit. Don't assume too much.

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Bike fit. Don't assume too much.

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Old 01-03-11, 04:13 PM
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Still can't climb
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Bike fit. Don't assume too much.

I see often on these boards people describing bike fit as some kind of right and wrong formula which is quite amusing. Well, after a couple of weeks off the bike due to snow/ice then the holiday period, I got back on the bike on 1 Jan 2011 and immediately felt all wrong.

My shoulders hurt, my neck was straining, my hands went numb. Clearly this all meant my bars were too low and my stem was too short with too much weight over my hands. Luckily I didn't rush home to adjust the bars and order a new stem. Second ride on day 2 and it still felt wrong. Day 3 and all was good. The bike had been set up fine last year after tweaking for months until it was good.


Lesson from today's show:
Have patience and give it time in between tweaks and splashing out on new parts.
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Old 01-03-11, 04:16 PM
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Old 01-03-11, 04:30 PM
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Originally Posted by Velo Gator
I agree.

Good post..
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Old 01-03-11, 04:44 PM
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Originally Posted by coasting
I see often on these boards people describing bike fit as some kind of right and wrong formula

indeed.
I spent the last two days riding my race bike, after not touching it since September.
The angles felt all wrong, I felt like I was being put through some strange torture device, I would have sworn that my body never had and never would be able to ride that outrageous bicycle/parts/position.
By the middle of the ride on the second day - all was great.

great post.
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Old 01-03-11, 04:48 PM
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what surprised me most was how quickly i was not fit for the bike set-up. 2 weeks off and needed 3 rides to get back into it. i imagine a lot of beginners going nuts changing this and that and back again multiple times, maybe even on the same ride. i used to do that. i would stop and fiddle with the fore/aft of the saddle numerous times.
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Old 01-03-11, 04:52 PM
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Alternative lesson: Don't go lazy for a couple of weeks.
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Originally Posted by Velo Vol
People here don't get it.
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Old 01-03-11, 05:09 PM
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Originally Posted by Velo Vol
Alternative lesson: Don't go lazy for a couple of weeks.

Encore!

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Old 01-03-11, 06:41 PM
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Next someone is going to suggest that you buy a frame that fits YOU, then the other parts such as the stem/bars afterwards...

It's madness, I tell you!
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Old 01-03-11, 06:47 PM
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Agreed. I felt the same thing after riding Sat. and Sun.
I lowered my seat a thumb width. No different. Feel great
this evening.
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Old 01-03-11, 07:02 PM
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One of my pedals broke off but I've gotten use to it being gone.
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Old 01-03-11, 07:14 PM
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You bike is still setup wrong.
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Old 01-03-11, 07:19 PM
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Much more time in here and someone is going to give all the others the clap.
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Old 01-03-11, 07:38 PM
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Originally Posted by coasting
I see often on these boards people describing bike fit as some kind of right and wrong formula which is quite amusing. Well, after a couple of weeks off the bike due to snow/ice then the holiday period, I got back on the bike on 1 Jan 2011 and immediately felt all wrong.

My shoulders hurt, my neck was straining, my hands went numb. Clearly this all meant my bars were too low and my stem was too short with too much weight over my hands. Luckily I didn't rush home to adjust the bars and order a new stem. Second ride on day 2 and it still felt wrong. Day 3 and all was good. The bike had been set up fine last year after tweaking for months until it was good.


Lesson from today's show:
Have patience and give it time in between tweaks and splashing out on new parts.
I wish I was as smart as you. My Litespeed has over 25K comfortable miles on it so a few weeks ago, I decided to move my saddle forward and up. It took two days to regain feeling in one part of my body and a week to make the pain go away in a nearby area.
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Old 01-03-11, 07:43 PM
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"Coasting, you are a mack daddy and a genius"

qft.
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Old 01-04-11, 02:04 AM
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Yep.

If I go without riding one of my bikes for a week and a half, it feels like my saddle is about a mile too far aft and low. But, in reality, that can only truthfully be said of my gut.
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Old 01-04-11, 02:19 AM
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Old 01-04-11, 07:48 AM
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That boys stem is to short and the girls doesn't deserve a bottle holder? WTF's up with that?
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Old 01-04-11, 07:59 AM
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As a new rider (come spring), my plan is to get a basic setup (seat height, saddle fore/aft, etc...) when I get my bike off layaway, ride for a month or so, then go in and pay for a full on setup once I know what I want tweaked. Does this sound like a good plan?
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Old 01-04-11, 08:17 AM
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Originally Posted by bassjones
As a new rider (come spring), my plan is to get a basic setup (seat height, saddle fore/aft, etc...) when I get my bike off layaway, ride for a month or so, then go in and pay for a full on setup once I know what I want tweaked. Does this sound like a good plan?

Fit and fitness are related.
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Old 01-04-11, 08:44 AM
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Originally Posted by Velo Gator
Doesn't your post count exceed the miles you've ridden?
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Old 01-04-11, 09:21 AM
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Originally Posted by Velo Vol
People here don't get it.
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Old 01-04-11, 09:24 AM
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Originally Posted by gsteinb
Doesn't your post count exceed the miles you've ridden?
For sure.
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Old 01-04-11, 10:07 AM
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i got no clap. i like crabs.
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Old 01-04-11, 12:38 PM
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Originally Posted by Velo Gator
For sure.
She will never catch.....you know
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Old 01-04-11, 01:55 PM
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You need to lower your saddle 2mm.
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