Thread: Feeling cramped
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Old 08-20-13 | 04:52 PM
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goldfinch
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From: Minnesota/Arizona and between

Bikes: Bike Friday All-Day (ebike), Terry Classic, Serotta FIerte, Trek Cali carbon hardtail, 1969 Schwinn Collegiate, Kona Explosif hardtail, Catrike VIllager

Feeling cramped

I am very short, 4'11". I have long legs and a short torso. I ride a 43cm Trek Madone with a 48cm effective top tube.It has 650 wheels and 165 cranks. My seat is slightly lower than my handlebars. I have neck arthritis and sometimes I get neck pain on long rides. For example, the last day of a four day bike tour I had bad neck pain. The first three days were fine. I do McKenzie exercises to manage the pain.

Anyway, after riding this bike for close to two years I feel cramped on it. I don't know how to describe it better than that. I am especially cramped if I go down in the drops to deal with a headwind or decent.

Picture:

Before seeing a fitter again I am willing to experiment. I like the seat position. My knees feel good and it generally feels right. Would it make sense to try moving down the handlebars? I have two spacers below the bars right now and it is something easy to try. How about the stem? I have the stock stem on it, 60mm. I have a 70mm stem I could try that was on another bike and is sitting in a box.

Or should I not experiment and just see a fitter? I certainly can't tell by the picture whether the bike is too big, too small or just right.

Last edited by goldfinch; 08-20-13 at 04:56 PM.
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