Pro bikes: long stems & saddle setback

Herbsman

I've never noticed a bike in the pro peloton that doesn't have a long stem and a layback seatpost. I would have expected to see more variation but apparently not so. What's the reason for this? Do the majority of them have long arms, long torsos and long thighs?

shinyhelmut

Herbsman wrote:

Do the majority of them have long arms, long torsos and long thighs?

Tall then?

csp

Herbsman wrote:

I've never noticed a bike in the pro peloton that doesn't have a long stem and a layback seatpost. I would have expected to see more variation but apparently not so. What's the reason for this? Do the majority of them have long arms, long torsos and long thighs?

Small framesets.

Zoomer37

Longer stem would get more weight over the front wheel for better handling maybe?

Herbsman

csp wrote:

Small framesets.

Would there not be lots of seatpost and a large saddle to bar drop in that case?

rick_chasey

They have much more stretched positions than us mere mortals.

RowCycle

Allows for a more aerodynamic riding position (albiet a little less comfortable for those of use not trained in it)?

Gingerflash

More flexible, more used to the low-long-flat position, osteos and chiros working with them to get them comfortable in the most efficient position possible.

Besides, set-ups like that just look so cool.

There are some exceptions - Linus Gerdeman actually has an upturned stem! The horror!!!

John Stevenson

Sprinters' bikes get even more extreme. My favourite is still this bike of Petacchi's from a few years ago:

http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/tech.php ... news/may21

estampida

your assuming that they are standard parts

they are custom lenght stems (alot of them seem to be running bar / stem 1 piece items) which are expensive and you would need 3 - 4 to give good variance on reach and bar width depending on the stage / terrain.

they just are this years or next years colour's, but pro's have a very good idea of the best setup, and have the small quirks worked into the bike because of preferance / injury's ect......

there is even a risk that someone might fake a mechanical at the start of a hill to get a bke with differnt stem length / angle, which is more efficent for climbing

JohnnyAllez

Read somewhere that they use the smallest frameset they can comfortably get away with for the weight advantage, then adjust their position to suit with longer stem and set-back seatpost.

csp

Herbsman wrote:

csp wrote:

Small framesets.

Would there not be lots of seatpost and a large saddle to bar drop in that case?

There are.

borisvanhalen

smaller frame = possibly lighter, stiffer in a sprint (out of the saddle), more seat post showing could give more flex for comfort

rick_chasey

It's a reasonably recent thing, the big seatpost.

Take a look at any late '90s race and there's almost universally the same small about of seat showing.

ynyswen24

Rick Chasey wrote:

It's a reasonably recent thing, the big seatpost.

Take a look at any late '90s race and there's almost universally the same small about of seat showing.

up until then a lot of pro's would have custom frames in steel or alu - now, of course, they are pretty much universally on stock carbon frames so have to make use of longer stems/seatposts to get back to that optimal position. The last pro I know of using a truly custom frame was Boonen on a rebadged Pegoretti in 2006 - may be wrong on that one though, I can't remember where I picked that up.

I doubt the use of smaller carbon frames is to reduce weight, given that it's easy to hit the minimum eight limit with pretty much all the frames they are using at that level - more to do with getting the centre of balance down low as possible for handling?

mididoctors

Rick Chasey wrote:

It's a reasonably recent thing, the big seatpost.

Take a look at any late '90s race and there's almost universally the same small about of seat showing.

I used to ride a small frame and deep drop back then....

after my accident I am way way way more upright

the ONCE giant compacts go back a fair few years

andi1363

Most pro's look good on their bikes so I guess the "extreme" set ups they use must be somewhere near correct? Contrast the average position of a sportive rider!

rajMAN

ynyswen24 wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

It's a reasonably recent thing, the big seatpost.

Take a look at any late '90s race and there's almost universally the same small about of seat showing.

up until then a lot of pro's would have custom frames in steel or alu - now, of course, they are pretty much universally on stock carbon frames so have to make use of longer stems/seatposts to get back to that optimal position. The last pro I know of using a truly custom frame was Boonen on a rebadged Pegoretti in 2006 - may be wrong on that one though, I can't remember where I picked that up.

I doubt the use of smaller carbon frames is to reduce weight, given that it's easy to hit the minimum eight limit with pretty much all the frames they are using at that level - more to do with getting the centre of balance down low as possible for handling?

After a long internet search I was reading about this at the weekend. I believe Boonen rode the 2007 Tour on a Pegoretti steel frame, handbuilt of course, rebadged as a Spesh, as per the team bikes of the year. It's probably a heap of rust now it being metal!!

Cleat Eastwood

There was an article somewhere on russ downings bike. He said he likes to ride a smaller compact frame for his body size and to compensate has a longer stem and higher than normal seatpost. I was going to suggest maybe most of the big stemmed/post riders do similar but looking at that BMC bike it appears thats not the case. Maybe they're just freaks.

Kléber

Get lower and you are more aero. These guys are racing, not pottering to the the tea stop.

rick_chasey

rajMAN wrote:

After a long internet search I was reading about this at the weekend. I believe Boonen rode the 2007 Tour on a Pegoretti steel frame, handbuilt of course, rebadged as a Spesh, as per the team bikes of the year. It's probably a heap of rust now it being metal!!

Boonen's not typical. He's got a very sensitive back to position changes apparently.

Gingerflash

"Most pro's look good on their bikes so I guess the "extreme" set ups they use must be somewhere near correct?"

Don't they "look good" because they look like pros? ...because they are, etc ad infinitum.

However, I agree that they're probably in the most efficient and aero positions possible for their bodies. Over years of riding 300+ days a year or whatever they have got used to and comfortable with that position.

dennisn

I find it interesting that while there are plenty of articles(in mag's and on the web) about riders bikes, you know so and so has this or that component and frame, but very little about the why's and wherefore's of why the bike is fitted out like that. What does it accomplish for the rider? I can understand why they ride certain components and bikes. It's called sponsors, but the real nitty gritty of why a setback seatpost, what's with that 140mm stem, and other items seem passed over in these articles in favor of kissing manufacturer's asses and simply praising whatever the bike has for frame and components.

csp

I read in one of the Fitness Q&A aricles on Cyclingnews, that pro cyclists aren't necessarily worth copying in terms of bike setup. Indeed, if you see them going "on the rivet" (ie. sitting on the tip of the saddle, where there used to be a rivet in old times) that is a sign of a faulty setup.

MaxVO2

RowCycle wrote:

Allows for a more aerodynamic riding position (albiet a little less comfortable for those of use not trained in it)?

That's the reason for it. Stretched, aero riding position to minimize drag.

Herbsman

Well I know it's supposedly more aero. And that a longer stem supposedly puts more weight over the front wheel. But I was asking purely from a bike fit perspective. I would have thought the natural variation in riders' body proportions (not just height put arm/torso/thigh/shin/foot length in proportion to eachother) would mean you'd see a broad range of stem lengths and a few straight seatposts.

joeyhalloran

I would like they to know what work they have to do to get comfortable in these positions...if i tried it my nuts would probably fall off in about 5 mins (sorry)