vertlook

Hi!
Just bought a new bike Schwinn Fastback from SuperGo (BTW, they suck, they do not measure you, do not want to do any adjustments/tune ups, one 1 month tuneup is all you get, never will buy anything from them again) and feel way too much stretched on the bike, very hard to reach breaks. I have 120 mms stem installed on it (the bike is Large/58cm). Bought today 90mm and it is better but not quite well, want it shorter. Can I install 60mm stem, is it going to affect handling anyhow? Or may be I should gowith stem raiser?
Thanks!

filtersweep

Return the bike. No way a 60 stem belongs on a 58 bike... and it will affect handling.

Did I mention to return it?

PWRDbyTRD

what a crock...return the bike and go somewhere that cares about your business.

53-11_alltheway

How tall are you? Just wondering.

khuon

This is definately a case of trying to force a bad fit. I would also suggest you take the bike back.

53-11_alltheway

These guys are right-take it back. I'm just wondering they sold a 58cm to a 5'7" rider.

Trouble

Take it back, take it back, take it back, take it bake, taek ti bkac, teka kt bick

velocipedio

like they said.

if they don't take it back, sue them for knowingly selling you a product that could endanger your life.

vertlook

Well, I am 6 feet even so the bike size is probably about right for me, may be the geometry is not good for me...

vertlook

BTW, about the return - I have bought from them and they installed inline breaks for me on the bike, so can they tell me that they will not get it back because it is altered?
Thanks!

53-11_alltheway

A 58cm is not really that bad then . I'll bet you came off riding a mtn bike or hybrid huh?

Make sure you base your top tube length on where you'd ideally like your seat. Make sure it's not too far back, etc.

vertlook

That is right, came off a mtn bike.

Camel

It will take a goodly bit of riding for your body to get used to stretching out.

You might find moving the brakes further up the bends on the bars (closer to you) helpfull. They will be easier to use from the top, but very difficult in the drops. Perhaps a couple spacers to bring the bars up (if there is fork for it). As your body adjusts from being uprite, then you could remove the spacers/put the brakes back to where they were, and get lower.

cryogenic

I suggest going and doing the fit kit @ competitivecyclist.com to see what geometry you should be riding. A 58cm sounds right for someone your size but you may have short arms and/or a short torso.

biker7

That bike should fit you at 6 ft tall independent of your proportions. Especially with a 90mm stem. Would give it some more time. There are those that ride even a bigger road bike close to your size. Have someone take a picture with you riding the bike. If your back angle is 45 degrees with arms slightly bent on the hoods it is the proper fit. Does the handle bar obscure the hub when you are on the hoods?
HTH,
George

Stjtoday

I am not a proffesional bike fitter, but I play one on the internet. Spending a couple bucks to have a pro fit the bike to you would be money well spent.

I would also consider the handlebar drop while looking at stem length. Your previous bike may have had a lesser drop which will feel like much less of a reach.

biker7

Will dissent Stjtoday from what you wrote. Take $3-500 and have three professional fittings and come away with three different bike size recommendations. For those statistical buffs out there, one could perform a linear regression of the data for a concensus...lol. At the end of the day, it is the rider who decides on what the best fit is. There is a huge abundance of information out on the web regarding bike fit. If the Supersport does not have an inordinantly long top tube length for its 58cm c-t-t seat post size...BTW should be virtual bike size as with all sloped tube bikes, that bike should fit someone 6' tall with the proper stem size. Vertlook...keep in mind if you go down in frame size your seat will be proportionately higher relative to handlebars because of your inseam....the opposite direction you are seeking which also negates some of the cockpit shortness from the seat to the handebars you are seeking as the distance is less horizontal...hypotenuse versus long leg of the triangle.
George

MerckxMad

First, try one of the online fit calculators like wrenchscience.com. You may find that a 58 cm is the right frame size for you. The calculator will tell you what the total combined top tube and stem length should be for your dimensions. Then, armed with that info, return to the shop and ask them to swap out the stem for a correctly sized one. You may have to pay to have it replaced. (BTW, there is no 60mm road stem, the shortest one made is 70mm, but it's freakishly short). Also be mindful that your position on this machine is very different than an upright MTB position. Know that Supergo and Internet-driven supermarkets like it make money on cheap volume sales, not personalized service. I'm not saying it's right, but it's a fact. Stick with 'em and you might have to pay to swap out the cheap kit to get parts that fit. If you go to an LBS that knows what it's doing, you will definitely pay more for parts and service, but built in to the price is the owner/wrench's knowledge and time.

biker7

Agree with most of what you wrote Merc. Wrenchscience and CompetitiveCyclist computer programs put me on the same size bike but Wrenchscience a much shorter stem + top bar aggragate which was pretty close because they factor in flexibility though other aspects of the program are less comprehensive. Other thing is Thompson makes a 50mm road stem. Check their website.
The norm has evolved on stem reach in recent years with the advent of threadless steerers and offset/longer seat posts which has caused riders to migrate to smaller frame bikes. The norm 15 years ago was "7" shaped nominal stem reach in the 90mm range which had a virtual reach of less than that due to the angle in the 7 and with adjustable height. Outliar stem reaches then ranged from 60-110. It is not that big of a deal to retain this original conventional on later road bikes.
George

DinoShepherd

Can we back up one sec?

Vertlook, what is your INSEAM measurement? Get this in stocking feet on a hard surface. Best way is to stand against a wall use a book between your legs. Hold the book against the wall and measure that height.

The reason I ask is that (as one poster mentioned) its all about proportions. I am also 6 foot, but really need about a 55cm bike with a 57cm top tube and and a 120mm stem. A 58cm bike would be WAY to big for me.

I suspect the poster is built the opposite. Long legs, short torso. Which is often best accomodated with a shorter bike, lots of post and spacers under a more normal length stem to bring it up to proper height.

This sort of thing can be hard to diagnose online though.

-Z

biker7

Dino though understand why you said what you did, I have to take exception to what you wrote. I am just over 6' tall with 35" PB to ground inseam and ride a 61cm c-t-t bike with short reach stem. Stand over for my mild sloped top tube is 32.5". Top tube length is 58.6mm virtual. I don't like the solution of a lot of spacers to get the bars up around the seat height...prefer as tall a bike I can fit with a shorter stem.
George

DinoShepherd

Hi George -

I don't think we're not that far off here. But let's talk specifics.

The original poster was talking about a 60mm stem. That, to me, is WAAYYY too short and I would explore other options.

When you say "short reach stem" are you talking 60mm or a more traditional "short" of 90 or so. There's a difference. When a rider needs a stem outside of the more traditional 90 to 130, I am always suspicious that there is something else going on.

Fit (as you know) is a matter of style and intent. My experience is hard riding and racing. I would not advocate spacers to get the bars to seat height. Generally accepted is a couple to five inches below the seat.

Sloping top tube bikes give more leaway to fit for sure. But needing a 60mm stem is a clue that something could be drastically wrong with the overall sizing.

My current bike is a sloping with a 57cm virtual toptube. I run a 120 stem and about 1.5" of spacers to get the stem 3" below the saddle. My saddle height is 74.5cm from the center of the crank. You can see the JunkYard Dog here

-Z

53-11_alltheway

Part of this may be that he has a short torso and long legs (that could very well be) or it could be that he really isn't used to the riding position.

I've said this before to new guys wanting to drop a lot of money on their first road bike.....your riding position will change over the next 6 months (more likely to become less
upright)

When I first starting riding I used a 100mm stem jacked up now I use a 130mm stem all the way down. (same frame)

DinoShepherd

Exactly right. Which is why this sort of thing is so hard to diagnose with limited facts and without the rider and machine right there in front of you. Including a detailed understanding of the rider's experience, physiology and goals.

-Z

khuon

Yep... I've said the same thing. Many people, especially those starting to ride for the first time after a while or even those transitioning from a hybrid or MTB will feel too stretched out/bent over with almost any reasonable stem (90mm-130mm) for with which most frame and forks are designed to be run. When I first started riding roadbikes after primarily riding MTBs (which were actually even set up for XC with a 100mm/5deg stem) I felt really stretched out and uncomfortable on a 120mm/6deg stem. I switched to a 90mm stem and that helped a lot. I rode the bike that way for a year before I started feeling that the stem was too short. I then switched back to the 120mm and it still felt a little long but not as bad as before. I finally settled on a 110mm/6deg and that's been the most comfortable. My saddle-to-bar drop is 2.5".