New bike problem

sumitkaria

i have a new giant tcr advanced 3 which is a small, it fits me length wise but even at the lowest saddle height (which is limited by the narrowing of the tube) is feeling too big for me. any suggestions?

sungod

are you saying the saddle is still too high, even at the lowest point?

try this...

when sitting on the bike, hips level not leaning to one side, with the ball of your foot on the pedal and your foot flat, your knee should still not be quite at full extension when the pedal is at the 6 o'clock position

if you can't get your foot in this position without leaning or stretching your leg, then the saddle is too high

if you can get this position, or your knee is bent, then the saddle is not too high or maybe needs to go up

if it is your first road bike, the geometry is different to other bikes, you do need to have saddle height and position correct, and get used to the ridng position

have a look at this...

http://www.jimlangley.net/crank/bikefit.html

mattshrops

how new is it? sorry to say but it sounds like you need to take it back. if you bought it from an lbs or someone good like wiggle they should help you.
if thats the smallest size you might find a different make suits you better.
anyone who doesnt comply with "average" body sizing needs to be really careful with ordering anything without trying it out.(im not saying you did, i dont know about that)
if taking it back is completely a no go- maybe try a shorter stem if youre feeling stretched forward. if its purely height wise sorry cant help.

sumitkaria

well doing the things above my leg is almost extended when the pedal is at 6 position. on my old speialized i certainly could put the seat post lower, i think giant probably limited this with the shape of the carbon post. can i trim it down?

nicklouse

yes you can shorten the seat post use a new fine (32 TPI) blade if carbon.

mattshrops

oh, so there is still some distance between the saddle and top tube? and your dropping of it is limited by the length of the seat post which is bottoming out? if ive understood that right then id say yes cut it down- just try a bit at a time so you dont overdo it.

if youre really unsure why dont you take it into your lbs for some advice/help. most lbs are usually very helpful.

and let us know what happens

sumitkaria

where would i get a 32 tpi blade from?

sungod

hardware shop, or online...

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=32%20t ... 65a694bc38

before cutting the post, wrap some tape tightly around the part you will be cutting

don't press too hard, take time cutting, you need to avoid cracks.splits in the laminate

once you are nearly through the post, be careful that things don't start flapping around as this can also cause a split - make sure that both sides of the cut are supported and not being pulled/twisted/skewed relative to each other