I hope this is the correct forum.

Please help me determine the best way to fit the bike shown below. It is a Felt 65, 52 cm frame.

The seatpost has been reversed and the saddle slid forward. My posterior needs another 2-3 inches to feel comfortable on the saddle during 30+ mile rides.

1. Are shorter stems available? Moving the bars backward would help.

2. I know that I need riding shorts, not gym shorts. A saddle with a relief cutout in the middle would also help.

Thank you for all feedback!

The frame looks like the right size to me, tad big maybe but you have long arms...

I dont think u need a shorter stem to start with, a longer one? maybe... move the seatpost to its normal position man and flip the stem. You have plenty of arms to make it out for those 3 or 5 cms. Look like you are lacking flexibility. Bet u cant ride no hands either (1st indication center of mass is in the wrong place)

- Flip the seatpost, lower the seatpost like 1 cm.
- Flip the stem

Send new pictures.

ps: u have dont a lot of miles man... who set the bike like that? cant remember the previous posting, glad u sent pictures, w/o them is hard to figure it out whats going on.

Rear setback takes weight off your arms,
check out the knee over the 9 0 clock pedal part of the fit.
string and a weight from your kneecap to the ball of your foot on the pedal
yes , start at 6cm, and maybe something with a more up angled stem .
would measure longer because of the diagonal line, but shorter horizontally.

I cannot do racer's tuck anymore or i Knee my own belly ..

Your seat is already far enough forward. It is already far-forward positioned similar to a triathlon/TT bike.

Your seat looks like it's set way too low. In your photos your knee doesn't look like it can get to that 30-degree extension at the bottom of your pedaling stroke.

Get your seat to the proper height, then determine what stem you will need to get to your preferred upper-body riding posture (how much stretch you prefer, and if you like more upright or less upright).

I've seen this bike in another thread somewhere already. Seeing what you look like on it, I get an idea of what you're trying to do.

The bike probably fits if you'd just give it a chance. Turn the seapost around, position the saddle so your weight is centered over both of your feet, not the one that's pushing down on the pedal, and put your hands anywhere on the bar where they feel comfortable. Then send another photo and I'll tell you how it fits.

Seriously, I went through a positioning phase like this 39 years ago when I was starting out. Didn't have coaches or fitters back then, just a couple of friends who were AYH guides. Moved the saddle as far forward as it would go without flipping the clamp, raised it to accommodate the loss of reach to the pedals from saddle setback, and rode like I was driving piles into the ground. Bunged up my knees so badly I could hardly ride 25 miles without having to ice them and stay off the bike for another week.

The first objective of a good fit is balance, to get the weight off the hands, arms, and quadriceps. After you get balanced you can optimize reach, reach to the pedals with your legs and reach to the handlebar with your torso, arms, and hands.

Incidentally, triathletes and time trialists use a position similar to this, but these are specialized disciplines, they're leaning on their forearms, and the ones who survive are the ones who developed proper pedaling technique on a road bike.

I can ride downhill at good speed without hands, but it is very difficult on the flats unless I concentrate and remain v e r y still with hands by my hips. The bike is light, which makes it more difficult to ride w/o hands than on my 32 lb mixte.

I've never been very flexible. I think I need to begin a regimen of push-ups to strengthen my shoulders and arms.

It sounds like what I'm hearing is this:

1. Use plumb line to see if a vertical line occurs from kneecap to ball of foot at 0900 position. Photo. Post.

2. Turn the seatpost 180 degrees so the clamp is to the rear. Move the seat all the way back.

3. Turn the stem backward so it points to the rear. See if I can get my weight off the bars and improve balance. Photo. Post.

At first glance I'd say that bike is WAY too small for you, until I read you'd flipped the seatpost around. Your position over the pedals is too far forward and the seat a little low. You got a lotta buns hanging off the rear of the saddle. Wish you also had a pic with the pedals at the bottom. As fietsbob mentioned, you'll take weight off the arms as you stretch it out. Turn the seat post around to "normal"- set the height, then you can deal with the stem-handlebar issue. Maybe you need to shorten the stem and raise it, but you can't be sure until you get the right position over the pedals.

It's common that most people (reported 95%) are riding a bike that is too small, and certainly not fitting right. It's easy to buy a "too small" bike for someone new to biking and without the benefit a a fitting. They aren't in biking shape, and a smaller bike feels better. After they get some miles under their belt their fit needs change, they have to raise things up and stretch out. I can sit on my front porch and watch thousands of bike pass each day. Way more than half are either too small or don't fit. The other half have under-inflated tires. LOL (I live in Portland on the main bike route out of downtown going north)

If I were you, here's where I'd start. Go to the Strawberry Cycles website and use the fitting guide. You'll need someone to help you with the measurements as it's quite extensive. Get the measurements and do the calculations provided. It's primarily for fitting custom built bicycles, but will assist you in adjusting your bike. Once you have the measurements change your bike up to match them and start from there. You may have to move things around a little- 1/4 inch here, 1/4 inch there.
I've used this fitting guide several times when helping friends buy a bike to be sure they were getting a bike that be adjustable to their needs as they gained some "bike form."

If you don't have the adjustability to match these numbers with a little room to spare, you probably ain't gonna get a comfortable fit on that frame. Or maybe (if you are like me) the older we get, the harder it is to gain some flexibility and change much in the way of conditioning. Maybe a road bike isn't the ultimate.

"2. Turn the seatpost 180 degrees so the clamp is to the rear. Move the seat all the way back." <-- not al the way back you arent that big for that... Shorties unless have really long legs can do that, in a matter of fact the pedaling looks weird. In your case plumb the tip of the saddle with the BB and set it maybe 3 cms behind the BB center (just to start) but w/o pictures after those mods are done is hard to tell you know.

Many said it already, fix the seat post.

3. Turn the stem backward so it points to the rear**********???? <--- we said flip it, flip the stem and put it backwards are two different things. Put the stem backwards would be really stupid if you ask me hehehe I have 1 stem backwards ever and was for a tiny kid that even a 48 frame was too long, looked werd but it worked flip the stem is put the stem upside down, so the angle is down not up.

ps: IMO the frame is not small for you, it needs to be just fitted better. short legs, long arms, just MPO

You can't ride no hands while pedaling because the position is wrong, u can while down hill probably because when u are not pedaling you seat more to the back of the saddle, u move the center to the back.

Good luck.

Okay. I did as suggested:

1. Turned seat post so the clamp is on the rear.
2. Plumbed tip of saddle to BB.
3. Adjusted my position and shot photos of knee plumb to ball of foot.
4. Shot photo of pedal at 6:00 position.

WOW!! What a difference it made! 50% less weight on my hands! It now feels that my legs can lift my torso and shoulders, and it feels good to stretch out.

I look forward to your further observations and advice! Thanks so far!!

Way better man... Now flip that stem.

Probably u can ride no hands in the flats now

Do you have cycling shoes by any chance?

ps: the frame was not small for you at all

Just rode 20 miles with the new adjustments described above. My position made it much easier on my hands. Stretching out helps a lot.

Riding without hands is a little easier, but not practicable. The bike is very sensitive to input, and it takes absolute stillness while far back on the seat to use no hands. And it doesn't last long.

I'm afraid I don't have cycling shoes. This is my first nice bike. The shoe cages are a detriment when launching from stop signs and stop lights; I need to accelerate quickly, not look down and coordinate shoe entry into the cage. Any recommendations for a better system?

THANKS everyone for your help and encouragement. I'll be looking at the stem next.

Not bad at all. Now you look like you know what you're doing, and any changes to your position will be small adjustments and refinements, and adaptations to your changing physique as your fitness improves.

Regarding the stem, while I tend to be a stem Nazi, I do take the rider into account. Don't worry about it, especially if you've got flexibility issues. You've already come a long way. Take your time and enjoy the ride.

My preferred bike shoe is a deck shoe - Topsider or other - easy in and out of a cage - to me the worst bike shoe is a running shoe such as you are wearing - big and fat and with almost-cleat treads catch in the pedals and cages going in and out - and the high ankle always feels restricting when I pedal - easy to slip one in at a start without looking down - (course I've been riding like that for 20 years . . . .)

"and it takes absolute stillness while far back on the seat to use no hands" <-- u are still tiny to the front. Many people have the problem because the center is moved to the wrong place.

Happy the little things are working out, the pedaling changes a lot with the right shoes, the problem with cages is that u cant find cleats for them in the stores, even in ebay are hard to find. Back in the day Diadora had a pair of shoes that were for touring that did not need cleats, the shoe was stiff for riding and enough flexible to walk if necessary, it had grooves under too to accommodate regular pedals and cages. Have not seeing something like that in ages.

If you are short of cash sure u can find used shoes or shoes that people is not using because are too small at CL. U will need cleats for caged pedals or new pedals. Once u are with the other shoes the position will change a little bit again.

Nites.

That looks way better. Feels better too, huh?

One thing I notice is the extreme bend in your knee in the up position. You might try sneaking the seat post up a little at a time. Us old guys need to reduce the joint angles as much as possible for comfort.

Cycling shoes? Not for me- anymore. I had ridden for several years clipped in and with toe clips. I was under the impression it was more efficient. Then I read an opinion
(I think it was on the Rivendell website) on riding "bare" and thought, what the heck- I'm gonna try it. It's been 3 or 4 years now, and I don't notice any loss in efficiency. I can maintain the same cadence, and the same speed but more comfortably. I can climb as good as ever- plus I have the ability to move my feet around on the pedals when my numb feet and joints tell me it's time for a different position. YMMV