Originally Posted by
cyclezealot
May I add a question to the question above , in regards to fit...
How do you align your saddle to position your upper torso with the handlebars.. Say, your back is at a 30 degree slopped position. Where does your hands fall in relation to the handlebars, without stretching... The result would be your hands naturally fall adjacent to the drops . In order to hold onto the grips surrounding the brake lever it feels like an abnormally long stretch.. Your saddle 's position would greatly influence what part of the handlebar your hold onto .. Where does your hands normally fall relative to your handlebar.. ?.
Your saddle should not be adjusted to change your positionn relative to the handlebar - it should only be adjuster to adjust your position relative to the bottom bracket. To adjust the position relative to your bars, adjust the position of your bars.
You question is one I have heard many times over the years - "what is the correct angle you back should be at? And how far should you have to reach?"
For body angle, there is no right or wrong, and trying to angle your back at a perfect 30 deg. slope then reaching for the bars is awkward, unnatural, and pointless. I guarantee that if a person has an ideal back angle, it is not going to be a round number like 30 degrees.
There is no right answer, although some profess to know what is best. The problem is - everyone has differend bodily proportions, different flexibility, and different expectaton when it comes to comfort. I could answer you assuming you are racing in the European pro peleton, or assuming you like to ride with your grandmother along the multi-use path in your town. These are two completely different answers, and in a sense both are correct.
You said it feels too long - then it is possibly too long. If you are talknig about a bike you already have then get a stem that is 10 or 20 mm shorter - it will make a world of difference. If it is a bike at a LBS or a friend's house that you have sat on once or twice, you really need to take the bike for a few rides to see what it feels like to actually do a few miles. If you are considering buying a bike, see if the shop where you are buying will swap out the stem for a different one after a few rides when you have a better idea what you need.
And if you have absolutely no idea what a proper fit should feel like, find a shop that does professional fittings and work with them to figure out your ideal measurements.