Wrong Fit!
 

About 4 weeks ago I bought a brand new road bike at a local lbs. I paid for a fitting that was taken out of the final price of the bike as well. I did not (and still dont) know a whole lot about bike fitting but after purchasing I could tell I was losing power in my legs due to the size and height of the saddle. Yesterday one of my friends who has been biking and racing for a long time now, instantly told me my bike was way too small for me after seeing me ride for about 10mins. He helped me raise my saddle (about 3 inches) to where it should be and from there I felt a lot better, although it looks awful.
But my problem is that I plan on having this bike for a long time, should I take it back to the shop and tell them that I think they set me up on the wrong bike?

extra bike info: although there is no tag indicating, my bike looks to be a 54cm. I rode my friends Cannondale 56cm (he is the exact same height as me, same inseam, same arm length-- practically twins! :lol: ) and I felt A LOT more comfortable.


tl;dr my lbs fit me on the wrong size bike, I feel as if it should be a size higher, should I take it back and see what they say or just deal with it now that I have paid for it?

If you feel that your on the wrong sized bike and it is the size your LBS said you should be on then by all means go back to them and discuss it. You the customer deserves to be happy with your new bike.

To make an intelligent reply, you need to post your overall height and an accuarate cycling inseam (floor to saddle-like crotch contact in bare feet). You also need to post the make, model and exact size of frame that you have.

As a starting point for saddle height, I always suggest setting the height so you foot is horizontal with the leg fully extended, at the bottom of the pedal stroke. You should be searing you cycling shoes and be clipped in. With that height, it require a 2-3cm rise of the heel to create the recommended 30 degree bend in the leg at the bottom of the stroke, during normal pedaling.

The difference in the fit between a 54 and 56cm of the same model will usually be only 10mm in stem length and 20mm in bar height, so the smaller frame requires a longer stem and either more spacer under the stem or more stem angle, to produce the same bar height.

Someone who thinks that a 5-7cm drop from the saddle to the bars is "normal" might think that my frame is too small, but I use an 11cm drop. I get that with one 5mm spacer under the stem and the lowest stem ongle of 73 degrees. I use a very normal 110mm stem length on my 51cm frame.

Go back to the lbs and tell them of your discomfort, etc. A reputable shop will make it work. Not knowing what size your bike is, is wrong, wrong, wrong. Especially after paying for a fitting. It all, bike size/sizing, parts(stem, handlebars, etc) and your measurements, should have been explained to you as well as a written copy of all the measurements.

On the other side. It may not be correct that your friends bike must be the right size because "it feels more comfortable". It could be that your body is just acclimated to that size and fit which translates to more comfortable while in fact it may not be "correct" for your body. It may be the right size...but that is impossible to determine via this post.

East Providence Cycle used to, I don't live in the area anymore and don't know any of the people there, have a very good reputation for customer service. Perhaps try them as a secondary source...unless that is where you went...
What fit system did they use to fit you? They should have told you what system they are using, for your knowledge, as there are a few out there.

Good luck and keep us informed.