And with that you leave pointing and laughing as the most viable response...

That's part of the problem. Some people care more about meeting some arbitrary visual standard than how a bike feels and operates.

Aha! So you are 5'7" in height.

I said you were close to 5'6", based on your bike measurements (saddle-to-crank 68cm). Points for me.

At 5'7", you are on the bubble between a 52 and a 54 frame.

Are your physical dimensions special or unusual? Legs are a bit short, but not terribly.

Sample of 475 cyclists who stated they were 5'7" tall:

Saddle-to-crank: 70.3 ± 1.3 cm

Assuming your height is truly 5'7", and my estimate of 68 cm for your saddle-to-crank was accurate, your leg length is 1.8 σ below the sample average for your height. Low, but not crazy low.

Of course, resolving your estimated saddle-to-pedal distance of 85 cm, with your inability to stand over a 54 frame (typically ~76 cm), remains an enigma.

I'm much the same. For my height, I have very short legs and am long-waisted. So, smaller-sized frames for me, both for reasons of SOH and reach. Plus, I prefer a more-upright basic riding position, so it's generally not drop-bar setups on my own bikes.

Yes, it's fairly common that, once the frame is "in the ballpark," alterations are made to stem, bars and/or position of the saddle (fore/aft and height).

I haven't owned many bikes, over the years, but I always end up tweaking the stem, bars and saddle position.

It does for me, too. Which is why I posed the initial question.

Thanks clyde!

Let me guess. Self porttrait? :)

I just googled long seat post, short leg, raised handlebars and normal...

I googled the same terms. I get this. Sorry, I like mine better. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ae883d4ffa.jpg

OK. I, too, have relatively short legs and long torso/arm combo. I rode a bike sized like yours for a couple of years, but I felt cramped. The cure was:

1) bike with longer top tube - 21" seat tube, 22" top tube, with a 110 mm mm stem.
2) more riding, which gave me more flexibility, so stretching feels right. In the beginning of every season, I'm on the tops. As miles get ridden, I move to the ramps, the hoods, the drops, though I'm most comfortable on the ramps because of an excessive gut.

Of course, if you're comfortable, that all that counts - but you might be able to get a more comfortable fit if you think outside the box in your head. There are often good reasons that some ideas become conventional wisdom.

I confess to not have read much of this thread. My opinion is that the frame size is fine. That much exposed seat post is very common. Not an issue. I rode my first double in the mid-90s on a bike similar to this. The only issue is the front of the cockpit.

I see that the OP doesn't want any advice. I'll take that as not wanting bad advice. So here goes:

The problem is much simpler than you think. Head tubes are angled. The higher the bars on a threaded stem get, the further back they are. That's the problem. The fix:

Level the saddle.

Toss the stem and put on a "threaded to threadless adapter". (google) Then you can use one of the zillion modern stems.

Get compact bars, like these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007HWQS8C/.
but in the correct width for you. (google)

You'll be more bent over with lower bars, but if I read you correctly, you'll like that. Your back should be at ~45° angle. To get correct reach, with your hands on the hoods, your upper arms should make ~90° angle with your torso. This position isn't about getting more aero as many folks think, it's all about comfort. Comfort's the reason that this is the standard road position.

Your brake levers are not as comfortable as modern ones. Tektro levers work well and are not expensive: https://www.amazon.com/Tektro-RL340-...dp/B01173986A/
Set them up for use like this: Drop Bar Hand Positions: an Introduction

How to do all this? Buy the adapter, bars, and levers. Remove your current bars and cut the brake cables. You'll install new ones. Install the stem adapter. Take the bike, new bars, and levers to your local bike shop (LBS). Have them put the bike up on a trainer and try stems in front of a mirror until they come up with one which gives you the position I discussed above. Should be pretty quick. Buy a couple new brake cables too, or probably better for all, simply have them install the stem, brakes, and cables.

You'll probably have to move your saddle back quite a bit to get your balance right, since you'll be leaning more forward, which will affect your stem choice. The LBS should be able to help you get that right.

You'll really like the reach to the downtube levers with the new setup and you'll be more comfortable and noticeably faster, not from lower wind resistance so much but because you'll be able to pedal more powerfully with the new position..

Careful. you are at high risk of being accused of "blathering on".
You have offered advice to change his current setup and that is not what he wants.
Good bad or indifferent advice is of no use to this person.
Not that you can give any advice really as the OP refuses to give up any information that would allow you to.

Appreciated. Yes, the bike is very comfortable, but I can't see anything wrong with being MORE comfortable. I'm always willing to play with things. I did ride a bike for a while with a longer stem (longer, not taller) but it didn't feel better for me. I'm no spring chicken so there's a limit to my flexibility. Anyway, thanks!

I'm definitely not looking for lower bars or new brake levers, but I will look into the threaded-to-threadless adapters you mentioned. Might be very useful, especially on any future bike mods. Thanks!

Terry,

I am back home and was able to make a whole bunch of measurements. Some of the info I gave you earlier was wrong, but I was working from memory and that isn't the best. I measured both my Fuji and my Miyata which should have been similar, and they are. Here ya go:

Saddle top to ground (vertical) - Fuji 37", Miyata 37"
Handlebar top to ground, vertical - Fuji 37", Miyata 37"
Saddle top to crank spindle center - Fuji - 26", Miyata - 26"
Saddle nose to handlebar top center - Fuji - 19", Miyata - 18 1/2"
Top tube center of seat tube to center of head tube - Fuji 21", Miyata 21 1/4"
Bike Standover (not including 1/4"cable housing on top of top tube) Fuji - 29 1/4", Miyata - 29 1/2"
My standover to pubic bone - 30 1/2"
Top center of bars to center top of seat post Fuji - 24", Miyata - 23 1/2"

As far as standover, I have a gap of 1" to 1 1/4". If you consider that cable housing it shrinks to 3/4" to 1". I don't think any of these is excessive.

I know there is a discrepancy in the effective top tube length. I switch back and forth between these bikes daily and I am hoping to decide which I like better. So far, they're even.

Those are some crazy setups.

I think if you need a setup like this, you need to ride a hybrid (or perhaps a SS / fixed with risers) until you are in better shape to handle more bar drop.

Also I see lots of people riding with their seat way too high, which in turn may force them to adjust the front end in a strange way as above.

Thanks. I'll get right on that.

Where you went wrong was providing this person advice.
Basically this is their place to post a question that they don't want any help with and where they basically put people down when they try and help.
They know better than anyone.

Again, more "blathering on" according to the OP.

There only seems to be one guy blathering. Do you realize you have responded 17 times to my post?

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b4208375af.jpg

18 now, which is far less than the number of times you have poo pooed people's good advice.

Sorry, wasn't sure what was going on here.

I was replying in general to all bikes posted. But now see its the OP with the snarky reply.

Looking closer at your bike, why is the seat also slammed forward?

I do question if you were to center the saddle, and drop the stem to a normal height you would only have around 1.5 inches of bar drop. What would be the issue? That is completely normal for a road bike. However its abnormal to have drop bars higher than your saddle. Along with the saddle slammed forward. The frame is too big for you most likely. Or just completely setup wrong for whatever reason.

I think your body is built just fine, your head on the other hand....

Just curious. How much of your stem is in the steerer below the headset lock nut?

Also, do you get shimmy with the handlebar on such a high stem? I tried a similar setup back in 1986 on an mtb I used for logging/mining road touring, when I put drop bars on it and I found on a rough surface the bike was nearly impossible to control due to shimmy caused by the tall stem.

Cheers

Looks very comfortable for you, I’m sure it will serve you well.

How many miles do you get in on it on your long rides?

I have my stem up pretty high too (max on std stem)