Peter White's article is excellent, but ihis philosophy will frustrate most members of Bike Forums. People want to be told that if your legs are "A" length, and your height is "B", this is the position for your saddle and bars. As Mr. White points out, good fit has to do with riding style, and getting a good fore/aft weight distribuition...something that a rider "feels", not something that can be determined with a yardstick.

Two things give a rider proper fore/aft weight distribution: correct saddle height, and correct cockpit length (the distance from the back edge of the saddle to the front edge of the stem).

A yardstick can give a cyclist a good starting point for both, but only riding and "trial and error" allows a cyclist to find that "sweet spot" where you can ride for hours in total comfort.

But, for most women, if their road bike is their correct size, the "starting point" for finding their correct cockpit length comes from moving the saddle forward toward the bars, and moving the bars up so that the high portion of the bars is level with the saddle. Day by day, week by week, that position can be "fine tuned" until it feels exactly right.

The Competitive Cyclist "French" fit works well for female riders who are riding for fitness, rather than racing, as it brings the bars closer to the saddle.

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/ht...ad_riding.html