Bike fitting problem
 

Hi, i've a problem with reaching the handlebar. Even though in aero position i can't see the front hub through the handlebar (as it should be) but i always have to sit in front of the saddle to feel more comfortable and to be able to apply more power. My saddle post has a setback and stem is 140mm. I don't know which would be a better idea. Changing the saddle post with a zero set back one or shortening the stem to 120mm or so. What would you recommend?

I am going to ask the dumb question or obvious as it may be..............have you taken your bike to your LBS where purchased or just a LBS to have them see you on it to get you fitted? Now I know some LBS are better than others when coming to this but may be worth going by to see. If you do take your shoes so you can get on the bike as if you were riding so they can properly fit you.

Just my 2 cents.

Say something about your size and bike size. 140mm stem is huge. What about you and the bike would have specified that in the first place.

Yes, 140mm is no good for me. I just got on the bike now and rechecked and see the front hub is visible in front of the handlebar. It depends on how much i lean on to the handlebar though. I'm 5' 9" (175 cm) but that won't give you an idea because everyone has a different torso/leg ratio. The frame of my bike is 48cm.

That bike is small!!! Way small...

Going by the visibility of the hub with the bars is old school and not valid. As you have noticed, it is dependent on how far you can lean...

You set your fit by adjusting saddle position first based on your position over the cranks and then adjust reach based on stem side. That is of course assuming you have a frame that is in the ball park size wise, which yours is not. You never make adjustments to reach by adjusting saddle position.

As you can see my LBS doesn't think about right fit. They are just after money, doesn't matter if the bike is fit or not. mother****ers, i hate this country.

48 cm is very small for your height. We can't know how much without knowing if that is the actual seat tube measurement or the "effective" measurement often but not always quoted as the bike size. OP can you illuminate issue. For this setup you would need to be all torso. Certainly well known, but not so common.

You're right torso and leg lengths vary alot at times and sometimes you cannot go by std. sizing but a 48cm for you at 5'9" is way too small in my mind. I hate your LBS is one that wants that buck then throws you to the wolves!

There are some decent sizing go bys online but requires you to do some measurements. I would do a internet search and then once you find one or a few to get a cross ref. do measurements and plug them in. They should tell you then what lengths and size you would probably be best at.

Now I am just guessing here but I would say at your height you need a 54cm bike give or take. That would be a starting size for me to run with.

subscribed and **** :popcorn

Isn't there a new bike fitting sub forum?

I'll illuminate the issue as soon as i find a ruler...

That whole "see the front hub aligned with handlebar" is like KOPS, it's a general guide for a starting point. Works for many.

NOT dogma.

Do NOT use the seat post to change the bar to saddle distance.

Balance on the balls of your feet with your heels and butt against a wall and bend forwards. Notice how you fall over?

Do the same in the middle of the room and you don't fall over because your ass moves aft to counter-balance your torso.

Your seat needs to be far enough back for that to happen. Otherwise you "fall" forward, put weight on your hands, have problem with numbness, etc.

What model bike are we talking about here ?, a size 48 colnago has a 53cm top tube, which would not be too small for the op.

The 140 stem is a bit long though, 100-110 would be a better fit.

Finally, i found a meter! And it turned out to be that the frame was actually 52 cm (both top tube and seat tube is 52 cm). What a shame. Sorry to my LBS for the swearing. The bike is a Scott Speedster Ltd. I think this is the same frame i have:

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x...e/DSCF8851.jpg

Now, if i get a shorter stem i'll fix the issue, right? Actually i'm not sure this is the right move because when i sit on the proper place of the saddle i feel like my butt is too far way back than it should be. It feels like i have to strecht out my feet to reach the pedals. I should try that weight hanging method to be sure i guess.

Once again, I ask whether these measurements are actual or effective, i.e. made to the tube juncture or to the imaginary tube juncture (higher up) that would correspond to a truly horizontal top tube. The higher number is the more correct bike "size".

I very much enjoyed my brief time in Turkey, luv'd the people, the food, nice place!

bike -
1st things, first - get to a good saddle position for your structure and the way you ride...
then fool with the stem and stem length.
from your photo
saddle tilt - if you need that, then you might be a little too 'high' on saddle extension. Level the saddle, Drop the saddle a few mm - use either the "heel on pedal" method (plenty of ref here in other threads...). Getting a good saddle fit is perferred over tilting the saddle forward. A Tilt makes it really hard to balance the torso on the sadle properly. But I do know some riders who ride with tilt and seem to do fine - I think it's a last resort.
or lemond formula (requires measuring your cycling inseam properly...) to get to a 'start' point for saddle height/extension. WHen you lower the saddle the saddle moves forward a little, if you go higher it goes back a little... as part of the saddle height adjsutment.
Fore/aft - is a little more complicated, others will have their tried and true methods - I tend to start at KOPS and move the saddle backward from there.
It really depends a lot on the rider, their riding preferences and some other factors...

Once you get the saddle height and fore/aft in some good location - sit on the bike, get your torso in a 45 Deg slope (use a mirror or 'helper'), drop shoulder to comfortable position (not shrugged to neck...), roll eblow down so in-line with shoulder, not outward, make comfrtable bend in elbow and bring arm up and extend hand to the bar top close to the hoods, keeping the bend.
Note how far you are from the 'hoods'. Try to get a stem which brings the Hoods close to where your hand comes on the bar - you can measure this - then go to your LBS and ask to borrow some stems of length 120, 110 & 100 - you can subtract the distance behind the hoods your hand lands - from your current stem length 140 - to get a 'start' point to try.
( I like to use - hand about 2cm behind where you would cradle the hood between thumb and forefinger), like these guyz...
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=343610
Being 2 cm behind the hood, drops me into a comfortable but more aero position when riding the hoods - my preference. You might want to be a little higher...
Some riders like the newer 'compact' bars - I loathe them - but it can a choice. I find compact bars don;t give me the different positions/Body extensions options I like using traditioanl sized bars...

good luck - let us know how it all goes

Level That saddle, slide it back about 1.5 cm, lower the saddle until you can pedal without bouncing, then flip that stem...Or you can come in and we can do the computerized Guru Lazer show, and you can give me $300 + parts.

+1 to the other advice, if you have to reach for the pedals it sounds like your seat height is to tall, so I would drop it by 1cm, level that seat angle off (to start with)
if you still feel stretched out move the seat forward forward by 1cm