Search
Notices
Singlespeed & Fixed Gear "I still feel that variable gears are only for people over forty-five. Isn't it better to triumph by the strength of your muscles than by the artifice of a derailer? We are getting soft...As for me, give me a fixed gear!"-- Henri Desgrange (31 January 1865 - 16 August 1940)

Too small?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 03-07-09 | 05:14 PM
  #1  
Thread Starter
Senior Member
 
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 399
Likes: 0
From: Portland, OR
Too small?

https://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e1...b53de197b9.jpg

So I finally built up my Pake and its about a thousand times more fun to ride than my old conversion...
Went on a 35+ mile ride a few days ago and woke up without being sore in the least bit.. weird?

Anyways, my friend took a photo of me while we were on our ride and it looks like I'm kind of cramped. It feels fine to me though. I just want to be sure I'm not doing any damage to my body. Should I get a longer stem or a different seatpost that leans backward (don't know the term....)

Thanks!

Last edited by Tom Stormcrowe; 04-20-09 at 09:13 PM. Reason: Broke image tags to keep in guideline compliance
erpdat is offline  
Reply
Old 03-07-09 | 05:15 PM
  #2  
radiocontrolhea's Avatar
Full Member
 
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 200
Likes: 0
What size is that? and how tall are you? Look way too small.
radiocontrolhea is offline  
Reply
Old 03-07-09 | 05:26 PM
  #3  
Thread Starter
Senior Member
 
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 399
Likes: 0
From: Portland, OR
Originally Posted by radiocontrolhea
What size is that? and how tall are you? Look way too small.
It's a 51cm and I'm 5'6" or maybe 5'7"

I was set on a Pake and I thought the 53cm might be a bit too big. I figured it'd be easier to make a bike slightly too small fit than a bike that's too big. It feels fine though. Like I said, 35 miles and I woke up the next morning feeling like a million bucks...

Hmm.. hopefully I didn't blow it..........
erpdat is offline  
Reply
Old 03-07-09 | 05:39 PM
  #4  
Thread Starter
Senior Member
 
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 399
Likes: 0
From: Portland, OR




A few more....

Last edited by erpdat; 03-07-09 at 05:42 PM.
erpdat is offline  
Reply
Old 03-07-09 | 05:48 PM
  #5  
j3ffr3y's Avatar
chickenosaurus
 
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,189
Likes: 0
From: Boston, MA

Bikes: 2010 Motobecane Team Track, 1997 GT Edge, 2012 Kilo TT Stripper

looks a little too small, but if it is comfortable, no big deal. I'd rather ride a bit small than a bit big.
j3ffr3y is offline  
Reply
Old 03-07-09 | 06:10 PM
  #6  
delegado zero's Avatar
on my scraper bike
 
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 59
Likes: 0
From: las vegas, nv

Bikes: KHS Summit, all others gone...

I think it looks fine, but if it's comfortable that's the only important thing.
delegado zero is offline  
Reply
Old 03-07-09 | 08:27 PM
  #7  
Thread Starter
Senior Member
 
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 399
Likes: 0
From: Portland, OR
Originally Posted by delegado zero
I think it looks fine, but if it's comfortable that's the only important thing.
Thank you. I would actually like a bit more of a stretch as far as reach. Can you recommend a seat post that kind of like, leans backward? I've seen them before, just don't know the term....

Thanks for not being *******s everyone. I love coming to this site for advice and to help others when I can (which isn't actually common since I'm kind of a newbie myself)
erpdat is offline  
Reply
Old 03-07-09 | 08:31 PM
  #8  
Junior Member
 
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
It's clearly fine for you. Go by the feel not what people tell you it looks like. If the shoe fits...
ghiggins is offline  
Reply
Old 03-07-09 | 09:29 PM
  #9  
divecon2k4's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 55
Likes: 0
From: La Grange Park, IL

Bikes: 07 Schwinn Peloton, GT Pantera, PDG Series 3

I would actually like a bit more of a stretch as far as reach. Can you recommend a seat post that kind of like, leans backward? I've seen them before, just don't know the term....



normally if the reach is short you change the stem not the seat position, I would swap out the stem with a longer one with a little les rise to it. that should get you what your looking for.
divecon2k4 is offline  
Reply
Old 03-07-09 | 09:31 PM
  #10  
unofficial
 
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,054
Likes: 0
From: san rafael, CA
Originally Posted by erpdat
Thank you. I would actually like a bit more of a stretch as far as reach. Can you recommend a seat post that kind of like, leans backward? I've seen them before, just don't know the term....

Thanks for not being *******s everyone. I love coming to this site for advice and to help others when I can (which isn't actually common since I'm kind of a newbie myself)
the miche supertype is a really nice setback seatpost (that's the term for the ones that lean back)
thomson makes on as well, both are very nice and i lil pricey i suppose, but you pay for quality
dervish is offline  
Reply
Old 03-08-09 | 12:25 AM
  #11  
crushkilldstroy's Avatar
Hello.
 
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,902
Likes: 2
From: West Seattle
Thomson setback has about the same amount of setback as most any other seatpost.

And yeah. Adjust reach with the stem, rather than the post. It does kind of look like you would have been more comfortable on a 53, but you can make the 51 work also.
crushkilldstroy is offline  
Reply
Old 03-08-09 | 12:48 AM
  #12  
Geordi Laforge's Avatar
Large Member
 
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,497
Likes: 0
too small.
look at your leg extension
and the lack of bend at your elbows.

53 would be better.
Geordi Laforge is offline  
Reply
Old 03-08-09 | 01:04 AM
  #13  
gkelley's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 337
Likes: 0
From: Eugene, Or
if your going to go on 35 mile rides on that bike the only thing your going to hurt is your nads. Ditch the girl jeans and get some biking shorts and save your kids
gkelley is offline  
Reply
Old 03-08-09 | 01:23 AM
  #14  
sunburst's Avatar
Senior Member
15 Anniversary
 
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,882
Likes: 187
From: SF Bay Area

Bikes: Peugeot, Motobecane, Joannou, Kona, Specialized, Ironhorse, Royal Scot, Dahon

Originally Posted by erpdat
It's a 51cm and I'm 5'6" or maybe 5'7"

I was set on a Pake and I thought the 53cm might be a bit too big. I figured it'd be easier to make a bike slightly too small fit than a bike that's too big. It feels fine though. Like I said, 35 miles and I woke up the next morning feeling like a million bucks...

Hmm.. hopefully I didn't blow it..........
My son's 5'7". We found a 51 or 52cm Bianchi for him, added some Profile wing-style bullhorns, and a 120mm OS (31.8) stem. It worked out great. It even feels good to me, at 5'10". Anyway, you might want to try a longer stem. You can pick them up pretty cheap.

I really like the look of your bullhorns. Who makes 'em?
sunburst is offline  
Reply
Old 03-08-09 | 01:26 AM
  #15  
Senior Member
 
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 685
Likes: 0
generally, you don't need to (and shouldn't) use a setback seatpost to fix reach, as it will effectively change the seat tube angle. of course, a more lax seat tube angle isn't necessarily a bad thing. it might even make it more comfortable, but it will change the way you pedal. if you feel cramped, just get a longer stem. it looks like you're riding, what, a 100mm? try 120 maybe.

apologies for lack of clarity. i've been drinking.
conor is offline  
Reply
Old 03-08-09 | 12:00 PM
  #16  
Junior Member
 
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
you could just flip your stem and see how that feels too, before you go buy a new one. having the bars lower might give you the little bit more of a "stretch" your looking for.
science! is offline  
Reply
Old 03-08-09 | 01:07 PM
  #17  
Senior Member
 
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 685
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by science!
you could just flip your stem and see how that feels too, before you go buy a new one. having the bars lower might give you the little bit more of a "stretch" your looking for.
all it'd do is get him lower, not stretch him out. longer stem ftw.
conor is offline  
Reply
Old 03-08-09 | 01:14 PM
  #18  
Thread Starter
Senior Member
 
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 399
Likes: 0
From: Portland, OR
Originally Posted by sunburst
My son's 5'7". We found a 51 or 52cm Bianchi for him, added some Profile wing-style bullhorns, and a 120mm OS (31.8) stem. It worked out great. It even feels good to me, at 5'10". Anyway, you might want to try a longer stem. You can pick them up pretty cheap.

I really like the look of your bullhorns. Who makes 'em?
Thanks! I'm not even sure what kind of bars they are. I was going to buy Nittos initially, then the guy at the bike shop said, "hey, these are practically the same and half the price"

All I know is there is the logo looks like that of a scope on a rifle or something...
erpdat is offline  
Reply
Old 03-08-09 | 01:16 PM
  #19  
Senior Member
 
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,116
Likes: 14
Too small...No bend in the arms, and for the love of good that top tube is too damn short. Go ahead and be an idiot hipster who rides bullhorns in a non competitive competition. Its your vanity at the expense of comfort.

Why don't you put a super low stem on with track bars and ride exclusively on the top of the bar. That would get your more style points and overuse injury to boot!

I don't mean to sound angry. I'm just really tired of people on various forums making poor fit recommendations to riders. Its frustrating to know a bad fit means having to buy a new frame but in the long run it will be comfortable.

It looks like you should run a longer stem and use a different handlebar combination. The pursuit bar might be okay on 30-35mile rides but it will catch up to you. I'd suggest using a riser bar combo based on your photos of you trying to be more upright. Don't cut them too narrow either.
SoreFeet is offline  
Reply
Old 03-08-09 | 01:54 PM
  #20  
Senior Member
 
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 347
Likes: 0
Looks like you need a larger frame. Your legs aren't strait enough at the bottom of your pedal stroke, and that top tube looks way too short for you.

And if you put your seatpost up any higher, you're going to have a nasty saddle to bar drop that is going to be really uncomfortable.

Sucks, but you should try to sell the frame and get a size larger..
seedubs1 is offline  
Reply
Old 03-08-09 | 01:58 PM
  #21  
erichsia's Avatar
thread derailleur
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,095
Likes: 1
From: beyond Thunderdome

Bikes: 82 Bianchi ECO Pista, Pake, Kilo TT, some *** bmx i found underneath an old house

Are you sure you're 5'7"? I ride a 51cm Pake, & I'm 5'7" and I don't look nearly that cramped up. +1 on the leg extension, if you can't extend your legs without having a ton of seatpost showing, the frame is too small.
erichsia is offline  
Reply
Old 03-08-09 | 02:10 PM
  #22  
blankgen's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 229
Likes: 0
From: Stockton, CA
Just try out a longer stem and see how it feels. As long as you don't mind the saddle to bar drop a small frame isn't the end of the world. Maybe not the ideal fit, but you'll end up with something along the lines of an aggressive road fit. Try some pics from the side with the cranks in line with the seat tube, cranks at 3 and 9, and then with your hands on the bullhorns and your elbows bent.
blankgen is offline  
Reply
Old 03-08-09 | 02:11 PM
  #23  
King of the Hipsters
 
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,128
Likes: 2
From: Bend, Oregon

Bikes: Realm Cycles Custom

Don't worry about the frame size.

You can make a small frame bigger with the right components, but you can't make a big frame smaller.

I like a bike set up a little heavy on the rear wheel and a little lighter on the front, and so I use a setback seatpost to give myself enough room in the cockpit.

I ride with an FSA SL-220 setback seatpost.

They don't cost very much, but you will have a little difficulty finding one.

Consider it worth the search.

Don't confuse this seatpost with the super duper light seatpost FSA makes that has the same design but lighter materials (and costs a fortune).

You can look at this seatpost at the following link, but I don't know if you can buy it there:

https://www.bikeparts.com/productinfo...827-78344.html
Ken Cox is offline  
Reply
Old 03-08-09 | 02:16 PM
  #24  
gkelley's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 337
Likes: 0
From: Eugene, Or
Originally Posted by SoreFeet
It looks like you should run a longer stem and use a different handlebar combination. The pursuit bar might be okay on 30-35mile rides but it will catch up to you. I'd suggest using a riser bar combo based on your photos of you trying to be more upright. Don't cut them too narrow either.
Yes, because riser bars are best for 35+ mile rides. They have all those great hand positions that bullhorns don't.
gkelley is offline  
Reply
Old 03-08-09 | 02:42 PM
  #25  
King of the Hipsters
 
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,128
Likes: 2
From: Bend, Oregon

Bikes: Realm Cycles Custom

Possibly I have misunderstood what the phrase "riser bars" means, but otherwise, IMHO, bullhorns have as many hand positions as do riser bars, if not more.

That said, I ride with bullhorns and, since my bike fits me perfectly, I keep my hands in the same position all the time without any discomfort.

It takes a long time and considerable thought and reflection to find the right fit.

It took me three years and a lot of experimentation to get my present bike "just right."

It helps to have either too much money or an LBS who will let you experiment out a parts box.
Ken Cox is offline  
Reply


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.