V long carbon seatpost - a good idea?

stick_man

I'm looking at racey road bikes at the moment, and one option is the Specialized Tarmac.

I'm 6'4 but have fairly long legs compared to my torso and reach-wise I think the 58cm will be okay, however this will mean changing to a 400mm carbon seat post. Is such a long post a good idea for a 15 stone person?

Thanks.

gkerr4

beware that having a very high seatpost makes a big difference to the saddle to bar height - which also afftects your reach - so perhaps the framesize up - even with a longer effective top tube length - will be better for reach because the bars are relatively higher.

Wappygixer

I'd say 58 is very small for youir height.
I'm only 5'10 and my Kenisis was a 58 and it felt pretty good only maybe a touch too big.
At your height and this frame size your going to be very crouched over the bars.
It all depnds really on how serious your riding and how often.

greasedscotsman

I'm 6'2" and ride a 58cm so I would think a 58 would be too small for you, as has been said before, the reach may be too short for you.

http://specialized.custhelp.com/cgi-bin ... 68&p_olh=0

But maybe something like a Thomson alloy post might be better?

stick_man

Thanks for the advice.

Having been to a bike fit I've been looking at bikes with a HT around 210mm which suits my shortish torso. The next size up for the Tarmac is the 61cm with a whopping 230mm HT which I reckon may be too high for TT and short blast riding which I'm intending to do, hence the need, potentially, for a v long seat post.

redddraggon

If a 58cm otherwise fits you I wouldn't worry about loads of seatpost showing. If a carbon post is long enough (assuming you meet minimum amount of insertion) it'll be fine. There's no point making a long post if it can't be used.

CFRP is stronger than people give it credit for.

stick_man

Again thanks for the advice everyone - the world of road bike fitting seems to be quite complicated and it's good to hear different points of view.

Dave.

keef66

And the more post showing the more comfy the ride.

greasedscotsman

I had an Easton EC90 seatpost and didn't like the amount of flex. I'm sure it wouldn't break and maybe it was more comfortable, but it felt like it was going to break all the time. Some people might like it, but not for me.

But what other bikes have you tried? There must be something out there that has a short enough head tube for you, maybe something from Giant?

stick_man

Just had a look at greasedscotsman's link. Because I'm actually 6 foot 3 and-a-half I am bang on the line between the 58 and the 61.

I'd have a look at the Trek Madone (60cm is longer by about 0.5 cm with an HT of 210) but they look at bit hideous.

Any other suggestions for a longish (210+) head-tubed race orientated bike?

resolute

I'm just shy of 6' and ride a 56cm tarmac. Tom Boonen is about your height and I think he rides the one below the maximum. Apparently its better to have a smaller frame and if needed increase the stem length, rather than being stretched on the frame. I'd just try it out and see if it feels right.

2alexcoo

I can sympathise stick_man as I have a similar build. 6'3", 36" cycling inseam (34" trouser leg), but in my case short arms for my height.

I had a 58cm Allez (same geometry as the Tarmac AFAIK) with a 350mm FSA MTB seatpost. There was a lot of post showing, which was not a problem, but the resulting ride position was quite aggressive, ie a large saddle to bar drop. This may or may not suit you.

If I was buying a carbon bike at the moment I'd look at the Bianchi Infinito. The biggest size has a 225mm headtube, 580mm seat tube and a 585mm top tube. I've seen one in the flesh and it's a gorgeous looking bike.

Nuggs

I'm 6'5" and ride a 61cm Roubaix - I certainly wouldn't want it any smaller.

Can you buy from an LBS who can make sure you get the correct set up? Riding a bike which is the worng size and/or poorly set up is a miserable experience (and likely to increase the risk of injuries).

rdt

stick_man, I'm same height as you also with long legs (though a few stone less), and have an old Spesh Allez Expert in a 58, which has very similar geometry to the Tarmac (unless Tarmac has changed much from a few years back).

Based on a bikefitting.com fitting, the frame gives me spot on reach, but be aware it does result in a major drop from seat to bars - initially I flipped the stem to reduce the drop, then once used to that, flipped it back to the lower position. The plus side is it's a very aero position!

I was able to do all day rides, sportives etc without problems, though I've no issues in the back department (prolly cos of pilates) - I guess others may not find it ideal. I've just got back on this bike after a few years off, and the drop did seem a bit ridiculous, so again I've temporarily flipped the stem until I'm used to it. On a future bike I'd probably look for something that still gave the right reach but with less of an aggressive seat-bar drop, for common sense reasons if nothing else, as I ain't getting any younger...

stick_man

On the subject of seat-to-bars drop, I think I've got used to a big drop having ridden some old road bikes and a Focus CX. On my CX I have about a 120mm drop to the bars which I thought was normal until I went for a bike fit! Because of this, the 210mm HT on the Tarmac seems quite a leisurely position.

One thing all experienced road riders say is that fit is very important and directly affects enjoyment, which is why I'm taking some time to understand what I need. I'm trying not to just go for the biggest frame around like I used to, in the expectation it'll fit.

Cheers,
Dave.

stick_man

2alexcoo, just re-read your post and checked out the Bianchi Infinito. Amazing looking bike and the loads of sizes to choose from - thanks.

daveclow

stick_man wrote:

Just had a look at greasedscotsman's link. Because I'm actually 6 foot 3 and-a-half I am bang on the line between the 58 and the 61.

I'd have a look at the Trek Madone (60cm is longer by about 0.5 cm with an HT of 210) but they look at bit hideous.

Any other suggestions for a longish (210+) head-tubed race orientated bike?

me too, im exactly the same height. i also have a spesh. but i went for 61cm. its personal preference totally, especially when you sit right in the middle of the 2 sizes. i have looong arms so thats why i went big! 6ft 6 wing span lol.