wrong frame size??

whitedragon

I have just had my dreambike built up for me but I have suddenly had a cold sweat. It feels like I am carrying a lot of weight on my arms. I think it could be because my arms are quite bent so the force on them is greater. After a ride my elbows have started to ache. Now the terrible question: have I bought a frame thats too small for me?

The frame is the 18" shown here:
http://www.litespeed.com/bikes/2006/mtn/pis_geo.aspx

I am 6 foot tall with an inside leg of 33"

I can still get the 19.5" frame but I will loose a pant-load of cash.

supersonic

Before you think about a new frame, have a play with the controls and saddle. A higher rise stem/bar may help your problem. The next frame up might make it worse as the top tube will be longer, making the bars further away.

nicklouse

lets have a good clear picture of the bike side on.

whitedragon101

Here are the pics of the bike side on:

The bike
http://img103.mytextgraphics.com/photol ... o4c2b9.jpg

Me on the Bike
http://img106.mytextgraphics.com/photol ... o4c2jb.jpg

gibby12100

Well, you could take that Spacer Out for Starters (on top of the Stem), It doesnt seem too bad TBH, and is the Recomended size for your height...

Steve Austin

i'm 6'2" and ride a 19"

i reckon you'll be fine

ROCHA

Simple answer to your problem:
Your seat isn't leveled! the frontside is pointing down, thus putting more weight on your arms.

whitedragon101

I had a thought that my arms are pushing forward and down on the handlebars. So to try to reduce the downward pressure I lowered the saddle to the textbook height, i.e.

"When your heels are on the pedals pedal a stroke down to the bottom. You should be extending my leg fully but not locking out. (Still ride as normal with the ball of the foot, the use of the heel is just for measurement)."

What do people think of this metric for seatpost height? (I saw it on a few guides when google-ing seatpost height).

nicklouse

seat up at the front a bit so when in normal riding position it is level ish at the moment it will be even lower at the front when seated. maybe move the stem up a spacer.

seat post info is correct for a solid seat. not sure with a thud buster but that is how i would do it.

also i think that the levers should be rotated down a tad.

whitedragon101

nicklouse wrote:

seat up at the front a bit so when in normal riding position it is level ish at the moment it will be even lower at the front when seated.

Thanks for the tip about the spacer. Not quite sure what you mean here though (see above). Mainly where you say "seat up at the front a bit."

nicklouse

at the moment the saddle is not level. it is nose down. when you sit on the bike the front of the bike drops 25% of the travel? and the saddle moves vertially down (parrelleogram design) so the front of the saddle will be pointing down even more. so rotate it up at the front a bit. it needs to be leve in normal riding position to start with and then adjust till right.
maybe also bring the seat forward a bit.


another sugestion is replace the thudbuster untill the right position is found.

whitedragon101

Ahh I see. thanks nicklouse. Will give it a shot

DomA

If the seat makes no difference then you do still have that spacer on the top of the steerer to play with, looks like it would give you another 10mm height on the bars?