Are you comfortable yet?
08-10-14, 02:15 PM
#26
Senior Member
Been riding since '87. Jacked up seatposts and slammed stems are the proper look today. Which often requires a too small frame. And of course the resulting discomfort is blamed on shorts, saddle, gloves, shoes, ect. Then they're screwed because they already cut the steerer tube so they move their levers as high on the bars as they can and also rotate the bars up. And they have numb hands. Hardly ever see anyone in the drops for more than a minute at a time anymore. I believe when someone posts a picture of their bike and a member replies with "slam it", that member should be banned for life.
08-10-14, 02:17 PM
#27
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...riders eye view (for anyone desirous of real comfort.)
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08-10-14, 03:01 PM
#28
Bike rider
I just ride with whatever saddle comes with the bike and HTFU up. Also use chamois padded shorts. I do about 50-100 miles and am fine with it. So I am comfortable.
08-10-14, 03:09 PM
#29
SuperGimp
I keep thinking of more examples. Wider tires. Did you see the width of the tires they were riding in the 80s TDFs in the Lemond-Hinault special on ESPN? Probably only 18 or 19 mm. I rode 19 and 21mm wide tires for years at 120 psi or more. I cannot say I find 23s at 90 front and 100 rear more comfortable. Yet there are posts right now at the top of the 41 thread list talking about all the comfort that tubeless and wider tires provide. Just another thing to wonder about.
And shopping for saddles was expensive and no, they weren't all comfortable.
I think the bottom line is that when I was in my 20s, it was much easier to be comfortable than it is in my 40s. and 25mm tires pumped to 90 psi is definitely, 100% more comfortable than higher PSI tires no matter what the width.
08-10-14, 03:15 PM
#30
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Exactly, but I used to feel the same way a about the ubiquitous over large frames that showed barely any seat post. Neither extreme is warranted. Naturally even on a right sized frame more post shows these days due to the sloping top tube.
08-10-14, 03:17 PM
#31
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Comfort? Seriously? If I wanted to be comfortable I would stay on the porch sipping iced tea.
That's why I ride a Cannondale Criterium Series with an aluminum fork and 23's inflated to 115. Lovin' every minute of it!
That's why I ride a Cannondale Criterium Series with an aluminum fork and 23's inflated to 115. Lovin' every minute of it!
08-10-14, 03:20 PM
#32
Senior Member
Agreed. But even accounting for sloping top tubes, a lot of these seat posts look extended to the max. It's almost like they are buying a bike two sizes too small so they can jack the seatpost up to the heavens and have that massive differential in bar height. Because that's what all the cool kids are doing. Or something.
08-10-14, 03:24 PM
#33
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Agreed. But even accounting for sloping top tubes, a lot of these seat posts look extended to the max. It's almost like they are buying a bike two sizes too small so they can jack the seatpost up to the heavens and have that massive differential in bar height. Because that's what all the cool kids are doing. Or something.
08-10-14, 03:26 PM
#34
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08-10-14, 03:33 PM
#35
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08-10-14, 03:34 PM
#36
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Agreed. But even accounting for sloping top tubes, a lot of these seat posts look extended to the max. It's almost like they are buying a bike two sizes too small so they can jack the seatpost up to the heavens and have that massive differential in bar height. Because that's what all the cool kids are doing. Or something.
08-10-14, 03:39 PM
#37
Senior Member
Been riding since '87. Jacked up seatposts and slammed stems are the proper look today. Which often requires a too small frame. And of course the resulting discomfort is blamed on shorts, saddle, gloves, shoes, ect. Then they're screwed because they already cut the steerer tube so they move their levers as high on the bars as they can and also rotate the bars up. And they have numb hands. Hardly ever see anyone in the drops for more than a minute at a time anymore. I believe when someone posts a picture of their bike and a member replies with "slam it", that member should be banned for life.
08-10-14, 03:40 PM
#38
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08-10-14, 03:46 PM
#39
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08-10-14, 03:53 PM
#40
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Have you ever noticed that when you buy a certain car, you suddenly notice them on the road much more frequently? In reality, there aren't any more of them on the road than there were a few weeks ago - it's just that your perception has changed. I think that you're doing the same thing here. Proportionately, there really aren't that many bikes on BF with an extreme saddle-to-bar drop (with the possible exception of a Hot-or-Not thread, but that's hardly a random sample), but they're sticking out in your mind because you think that they're ridiculous, while those with less extreme drops aren't as memorable.
But what I'm really noticing is not the saddle-to-bar drop, but the seatpost height itself independent of the bars. If the seatpost is jacked waaaaaay up, obviously the rider can still reach he pedals. And if they are reaching the pedals properly with the seatpost waaaaay up in the sky, then that suggests to me that the frame is too small, regardless of the bar position.
I will admit that my perception may well be skewed by the hot-or-not threads.
And I do see way more of this on the forum - by far - than I do on the road. The cynic in me suspects that some people jack up the post just for the pics so they can get high fives from the cool kids, then drop them back down to actually ride the bike.
08-10-14, 03:54 PM
#41
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Agreed. But even accounting for sloping top tubes, a lot of these seat posts look extended to the max. It's almost like they are buying a bike two sizes too small so they can jack the seatpost up to the heavens and have that massive differential in bar height. Because that's what all the cool kids are doing. Or something.
08-10-14, 04:11 PM
#43
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Many aspects of what we perceive and how we perceive are highly subjective - I'd be the last to dispute that.
But what I'm really noticing is not the saddle-to-bar drop, but the seatpost height itself independent of the bars. If the seatpost is jacked waaaaaay up, obviously the rider can still reach he pedals. And if they are reaching the pedals properly with the seatpost waaaaay up in the sky, then that suggests to me that the frame is too small, regardless of the bar position.
I will admit that my perception may well be skewed by the hot-or-not threads. And I do see way more of this on the forum - by far - than I do on the road. The cynic in me suspects that some people jack up the post just for the pics so they can get high fives from the cool kids, then drop them back down to actually ride the bike.
But what I'm really noticing is not the saddle-to-bar drop, but the seatpost height itself independent of the bars. If the seatpost is jacked waaaaaay up, obviously the rider can still reach he pedals. And if they are reaching the pedals properly with the seatpost waaaaay up in the sky, then that suggests to me that the frame is too small, regardless of the bar position.
I will admit that my perception may well be skewed by the hot-or-not threads.
And I do see way more of this on the forum - by far - than I do on the road. The cynic in me suspects that some people jack up the post just for the pics so they can get high fives from the cool kids, then drop them back down to actually ride the bike.
08-10-14, 04:12 PM
#44
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Yes, today's shallow drop bars are forcing folks onto smaller frames to get the drop.
08-10-14, 05:36 PM
#45
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People were uncomfortable on their bikes before the internet. I do think people do read too much into random strangers forum posts. I think some people just get carried away and overanalyze things. But I don't think it hurts anything to try and figure out how to make a ride more comfortable but I think people take it too far and think too hard about it
08-10-14, 05:43 PM
#46
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I have rarely been uncomfortable on my bicycle.
I've done one 1000K randonnee and four 1200K randonnees, and felt quite reasonably comfortable the whole way around. I've also done the SR series to qualify for those randonnees and others, two 24 hour races ... as well as a whole heap of other centuries and double centuries, and shorter rides. For the most part ... comfortable.
[HR][/HR]
I have never had a "professional fitting". Any fitting that has taken place has been all my doing.
I wear the least expensive cycling shorts I can find. There is a particular brand I like ... and I make sure that they are just tight enough without being too tight, especially around the thighs. Too tight around the thighs can cause a lot of problems.
I don't use creams ... I tried different kinds of them one summer (apply brand 1 ... ride a century, apply brand 2 ... ride a century, etc.) and determined that they just made matters worse.
For several years I was perfectly comfortable on some sort of generic saddle with a heavy gel saddle cover ... and then all of a sudden I developed sciatic nerve pain. So I switched to a Brooks saddle, and have been riding Brooks saddles comfortably for the last decade.
I ride with my handlebars level with my saddle, or slightly higher.
[HR][/HR]
The fitter I am ... the more comfortable I am.
The stronger my core is ... the more comfortable I am.
The stronger my upper body is (shoulders, biceps, triceps, chest) ... the more comfortable I am.
The more I cycle ... the more comfortable I am.
And as long as I nibble regularly throughout my rides in order to keep the fuel levels up (without overdoing the number of calories), and drink lots of water, and consume electrolytes ... the more comfortable I am.
I've done one 1000K randonnee and four 1200K randonnees, and felt quite reasonably comfortable the whole way around. I've also done the SR series to qualify for those randonnees and others, two 24 hour races ... as well as a whole heap of other centuries and double centuries, and shorter rides. For the most part ... comfortable.
[HR][/HR]
I have never had a "professional fitting". Any fitting that has taken place has been all my doing.
I wear the least expensive cycling shorts I can find. There is a particular brand I like ... and I make sure that they are just tight enough without being too tight, especially around the thighs. Too tight around the thighs can cause a lot of problems.
I don't use creams ... I tried different kinds of them one summer (apply brand 1 ... ride a century, apply brand 2 ... ride a century, etc.) and determined that they just made matters worse.
For several years I was perfectly comfortable on some sort of generic saddle with a heavy gel saddle cover ... and then all of a sudden I developed sciatic nerve pain. So I switched to a Brooks saddle, and have been riding Brooks saddles comfortably for the last decade.
I ride with my handlebars level with my saddle, or slightly higher.
[HR][/HR]
The fitter I am ... the more comfortable I am.
The stronger my core is ... the more comfortable I am.
The stronger my upper body is (shoulders, biceps, triceps, chest) ... the more comfortable I am.
The more I cycle ... the more comfortable I am.
And as long as I nibble regularly throughout my rides in order to keep the fuel levels up (without overdoing the number of calories), and drink lots of water, and consume electrolytes ... the more comfortable I am.
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Last edited by Machka; 08-10-14 at 05:48 PM.
08-10-14, 05:48 PM
#47
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Do you think I don't know all of that? Most people are fat because they WANT to be, although a few have come onto hard times, and I can give them some leeway. My mother for instance is one of those people. She is a truck driver that has bad knees and a bad back from driving the truck but you probably do not care about that case either. Oh well I am not one of those people I am 6'4" 245lbs and I exercise every day. I would love to see you say something like that to my mother in front of me. Probably never happen though you are probably just an internet tough guy. I doubt very seriously you would say that to someones face. Just my thought. What do you think. Oh I am sorry you probably do not have a brain. I on the other hand will be happy to buy you a plane ticket to come here and see if you have the nerve to say that to someone I know.
08-10-14, 05:49 PM
#48
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People were uncomfortable on their bikes before the internet. I do think people do read too much into random strangers forum posts. I think some people just get carried away and overanalyze things. But I don't think it hurts anything to try and figure out how to make a ride more comfortable but I think people take it too far and think too hard about it
08-10-14, 07:19 PM
#49
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For sure it is marketing. Every year everyone has to come up with something so much nicer than last year's model. It's not only in cycling. Its in everything. Fly fishing, golf, motor cycles, guitars, clothing. Hell the list goes on and on. I have no idea if my Huffy or my Varsity was even close to fitting me. Never even crossed my mind. Who new you could actually even buy a different seat. Tennis shoes and cut off Levis and a sears t shirt were performance enough for me.
I don't think the fat thing is much of a consideration. You don't see too many fat people on higher-end bikes. I think they might actually be the type who would be happy on just about anything.
I think the ease of Internet shopping is parcally to blame. And it just dawned on me while written this. If you look back on more time. Back when people were more content it wasn't so common for people to have soo much credit card debt. The credit card companies started telling everyone they deserve to have everything they want. Fast forward to today's situation and it seems to connect.
I don't think the fat thing is much of a consideration. You don't see too many fat people on higher-end bikes. I think they might actually be the type who would be happy on just about anything.
I think the ease of Internet shopping is parcally to blame. And it just dawned on me while written this. If you look back on more time. Back when people were more content it wasn't so common for people to have soo much credit card debt. The credit card companies started telling everyone they deserve to have everything they want. Fast forward to today's situation and it seems to connect.
Endurance bikes for those that are less flexible and not as strong are MUCH more comfortable than traditional geometry road bikes. There is no comparison. In fact, if it weren't so...even among the top riders in the world, virtually all wouldn't change to an endurance geometry in cobble stages of the TdF and pretty much all do including different tire size.
For anybody to deny that fit and frame geometry and even tire selection isn't relevant to the average rider means they don't understand the sport.
08-10-14, 07:33 PM
#50
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I have no idea what you are rambling about and how your mother somehow got involved. I'm fairly sure you both didn't read my post and have no idea what you are rambling about either. I think it's called flight of ideas or word salad, but I'm not a psychiatrist. Good luck with life.