winter bike set up more power

radiation man

ive just started using my winter bike trek pilot 1.0 56 frame, it is a lot better to ride then my trek 1.5 54 frame, my legs have more power in them and there is less acheing to my quads, i just cant seem to find what makes the winter bike better, both seat heights are same and the fore aft of the seat seems same. how do i get both bike identical set up, should the seat and bars be the same on both bikes when they are side by side

AndyOgy

Why not ride the Pilot 1.0 all year round then? Maybe it's just the better bike out of the two.

I don't mean to sound flippant but it's a bit like when someone asks - Which is the better bike out of X and Y?. People will always (quite rightly) say - Ride them both and see which one feels better.

So the Pilot is the better bike, in as much as it's the one that feels the best when YOU ride it.

neilo23

Ditto Andy.
If you feel better on the other bike, then it should be your first choice. Feeling good on the bike is often better than what "should" be better.

I remember when one of my (spoiled) school friends had one of the very first carbon frames (Vitus?). I gave it a go but felt a lot better on my Kays catalogue Raleigh, for which my parents had scrimped and saved. But his Campagnolo Super Record group made me almost cry with envy ...;-) Still, my Raleigh boosted more for my confidence as a rider and my love for cycling than his stint in Belgium did for him

cougie

Frame angles different perhaps ? Handlebar width better on the winter bike ?

Position more aero on the winter one ?

andrewjoseph

Do you have same bars, saddle and crank lengths on both bikes?

measure nose of saddle to centre of bars on both bikes.
measure nose of saddle relative to BB on both bikes. (drop a plumbline)
measure difference of bars to saddle height.

Bozman

I use a 2006 Trek 1500 frame for my winter bike and the frame geometry is completely different to my other bikes, the top tube slopes slightly forward rather than going backwards like most sloping top tubes.
I've got to say that i love the frame.

MichaelW

If you want to duplicate your riding position on a bike with possibly different frame geometry, you have to ignore angles and use [x,y] coordinates.
Use the bottom bracket a [0,0].
Use a plumbline to mark x=0 on the top tube. measure up down, back, forward as appropriate.
Check the crank length.

cyberknight

MichaelW wrote:

If you want to duplicate your riding position on a bike with possibly different frame geometry, you have to ignore angles and use [x,y] coordinates.
Use the bottom bracket a [0,0].
Use a plumbline to mark x=0 on the top tube. measure up down, back, forward as appropriate.
Check the crank length.

+1 i start from saddle set back from bottom bracket (tip of saddle from centre of BB) then take the rest of my measurements from that to get saddle height, reach etc.

coopsman1

What about the fact that one frame is 54cm and the other is 56cm :?:

Could that not explain why you are more comfortable on the other :?:

radiation man

yes could make the difference 54 and 56 frame, ive measured from the edge of the seat to the bars and the difference is the 1.5 54 frame is 46cms from end of seat to bars and the 1.0 56 frame is 48 cms from end of seat to bars, so if i move the seat of the 54 frame forward 2cms that should do it but im sure i did this before and i was too far forward

thiscocks

You will still be in a different position when you move the saddle. Just get two bikes with the same size frame!

hopper1

radiation man wrote:

yes could make the difference 54 and 56 frame, ive measured from the edge of the seat to the bars and the difference is the 1.5 54 frame is 46cms from end of seat to bars and the 1.0 56 frame is 48 cms from end of seat to bars, so if i move the seat of the 54 frame forward 2cms that should do it but im sure i did this before and i was too far forward

Don't move the saddle, shorten the stem!
You need to measure the 'stack' & 'reach' of your favourite ride, then transfer those measurements to the other bike.

radiation man

how will moving the bars closer give me more power on the pedals

MichaelW

Saddle to bars measurement on its own is not enough, you need these in relation to the pedals (ie the bottom bracket). Re-read my original post and do the measurements.
Moving the saddle and bars back and forward in relation to the pedals does affect your ability to pedal efficiently. Fitting order is pedals->saddle->bars.

radiation man

will this work if i put the 2 bikes side by side with both pedals level and the seats are also side by side identical then it should work, so i tried it and noticed the 1.5 seat was a lot further forward the the 1.0 pilot so if i move it back level both seats should then be perfectly set over the bottom bracket, the only problem then is my seat stem will need more setback on the 1.5

Chip \'oyler

why not go and see a professional bike fitter?

radiation man

i did