Originally Posted by
oik01
On the trainer Ive been limited to 1-2 hours. Come spring time I definitely do long days out on the saddle. Any thoughts on experimenting with a shorter stem as opposed to going up with the handlebar? I tend to feel more uncomfortable stretching forward than I do stretching down. I think I have a 90 mm and an 80 mm lying around.
Not really. You have my thoughts on the subject. I don't know your definition of "uncomfortable." My view is, barring some disability, rather than change an optimal fit to suit the rider, change the rider to suit the optimal fit. On the over 50 forum, we see aging riders wanting to modify their fits to suit their decrepitude. That's the wrong way to go. Better to get physically fit to suit the bike, rather than the other way 'round. Could be you need to stretch and strengthen your back and shoulders. I do these stretches every morning:
IT Band pain (during ride), then a McKenzie series:
Then I do a set of 25 pushups.
It's also the case that one gets used to a particular position and finds all other positions uncomfortable. That changes with practice. Every spring I have to get used to riding on my aero bars again for long periods.
All this may have nothing to do with you, but it's something to keep in mind. I still ride the same bike I bought 20 years ago at 55. Not the same position though - in the first and only pro fit of my life, the fitter moved my hands back 3 cm, so that I have a 90° upper arm angle instead of 100°. He said everything else was good. I got used to it.