i predict shoulder, arm and neck fatigue.

Any road riding has fatigue, including motorcycles.

Feck it im getting this ...

Should be joining timtak in the bike fit hall of fame soon.

Indeed!!!! My bad!!

I didn't realize how huge that cassette was in the back. Must be a newb. LMAO!!!

If you insist on keeping the saddle tilted so far forward, I'd suggest you try this saddle to keep you from sliding off.......

Not sure if this is what he meant, but he mentioned the right side of the bike... It might be better to have the pump on the left side, away from the crankset and driveline in case it slips or gets knocked out of place. Also, if you're right handed and going for the water bottle, it's not in the way.

Why would someone come here and ask for fitting advice and proceed to attack everyone that responds?

Because most of it was part of the problem rather than the solution.

Don't they always go one the left? It make the drive side photos so much prettier.

Good Posts....

Maybe something like a custom cassette is in order, 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13 ???

2015 11 speed Shimano 105 and i need the extra gears to get up hills

rotflmao.....that is about 10 kinds of wrong!

Well, for a newb I suppose......otherwise ditch that worthless, go-nowhere 13 & add a 2 on the small side.

Could go 13,13 on the right side, and 3,3 on the left so as to have more options without cross chaining :-).

Does lowering the bars really make you much more 'aero'? I feel like if I want to tuck more I can just bend my arms.

SSSSHHHHHH That's a trade secret. The "PROs" drop their bars, that's why we do it. ... ...

It's all about comfort on long rides. You want a position with optimal weight distribution between your arms and rear, and you want to be able to lock your elbows in your preferred riding position which is usually the hoods. You'll see the pros bend their arms when they want to tuck more even though they have slammed stems.

It's not good to ride with your elbows locked. Your elbows act as shock absorbers, so a little bend will help to cushion your upper body, your shoulders, neck and back muscles, etc. You don't need to do exaggerate the bend, but avoiding the locked position will help with comfort on a long ride.

A local racer has quite a habit of doing this. I won't say it's good/bad or indifferent as I can only do it a short while anyway as my balance prefers me to get a little lower, the more I ride. (ironic to my prior cycling self, actually) But, nevertheless the dude gets on the curve at the rear of the tops and actually kinda turns his arms inside out & can ride like that for miles if the road is smooth enough.

Then again, some pros I see in pelotons ride in the drops (albeit compact drops) with elbows locked as if they could sit there for hours. When *I'M* in the drops, I'm quite low & tend to want to lean further forward, not prop myself up. (Again, I think it's as limitless as bike fits)

What you do is lock your elbows (maybe straighten your arms is a better description) and let your torso sag in between your shoulder blades. It's hard to explain. But man it feels great.

You must always ride on perfect pavement. Elbows slightly bent is necessary when dealing with bumps or voids in the pavement. That should be your preferred position. You need to remain loose to allow the bicycle to react beneath you. It's easier on your body and your bike.

That being said, I do occasionally perform the maneuver you describe to stretch out my back momentarily, but I make sure the road ahead is smooth before I do it.

Seriously... If you think locked elbows and sagging torso is comfortable and efficient I implore you to please go see a decent fitter and see what your missing.

...also, what may look like locked elbows are often just slightly unlocked. i know I can go about -10 degrees before lock, so just because you see straight arms, don't assume that means the elbow is locked.