saddle/handlebar drop

James1823

What is the recommended handlebar/saddle drop for racing? I have only about 6cm drop on my bike. There is one more spacer I could remove, but that would gain only another 5mm. It's a 58cm frame and I am 6'2'', so 6 cm is not a huge drop. It is a race frame, but I'm wondering if I should have gone for a size lower. However, when I tried a 56cm frame it felt really tiny.

Zendog1

The frame size seems about right. If you want a bigger drop the usual way is to raise the saddle.

James1823

I have tried that but found I had discomfort when pedalling. I don't understand why, but I cannot have the saddle as high on this bike as on my old road bike. It's about 1-2cm lower (I also have a fixed wheel bike which has a saddle about 3-4cm higher but perhaps this is compensated by the momentum generated by continuous pedalling). Could it be because I'm using road shoes on the new bike compared to SPDs on my old road bike? The saddle is the same make and model.

I'm quite flexible and would like to have a more race position because it feels like I get more power in the pedalling and it's more aerodynamic. But if the saddle is too high I feel a definite negative effect on my cadence and at the end of an interval of hard pedalling I feel not just tiredness but discomfort and on hills instead of being able to power up them in a higher gear I find I have to very quickly change all the way down to the bottom gear. And this is with the saddle in the same position as my old bike! Frustrating.

Lucky Luke

I wouldn't have said there's any recommended drop distance between saddle and bars as such just go with what is comfortable for you . If you're happy with your saddle position then I'd leave it just as it is . If you want the bars lower then take out the last spacer . 5mm can make a difference .

The difference in saddle height could be in part be due to using different pedals and shoes but 1-2cm does seem excessive for this . When you refer to the saddle height remember the BBs on your bikes don't necessarily have the same clearance from the ground (could be another factor that's all)

Down the Road

www.bikefitting.com find nearest dealer get fitted.

cannonfodder

As well as the bottom bracket height, is your seat angle and effective top tube length the same across the two bikes? Its a good idea to get fitted, and even better if you know how you want the bike to feel and can articulate this.

meagain

Saddle v b/b as relevant as height. Drop a plumb line from saddle nose(s) and compare distance(s) from axle. And (obvious I know, sorry) crank lengths.

Beardy10

Admittedly this doesn't necessarilly apply to racing but I thought I would pass it on anyway.

A friend of mine has just been to see Cyclefit. His existing/old bike (it looked to small for him in my opinion) has a 9cm drop! Cyclefit said that set up was more extreme than many pro's now have (I am sure other will know if this is true) and recommended a drop of 3 cm on his new bike.

I have myself just bought a bike which was fitted for me at Condor...I am 6'2' like yourself and was fitted for a 58cm frame. Interestingly my handlebar drop is about the same at 3cm. Indeed my stem is fitted upside down with an upward slant to achieve this. Admittedly neither I nor my friend wanted our bikes set up for racing but if a 3cm drop is okay for regular use I would have thought 6cm for racing is more than sufficient. Not sure how much more agressive for racing it should be.

It does seem to the norm for bikes to have a bigger height differential set up...not sure that means it's right though!