I want a shorter top tube!

nubenotforlong

Okay, before you say it I know I need a bike fit, and I will book one with Mr Timmis, but I wonder what the point is if I already think my bike it too long.

I have a 2009 focus cayo 56 and for the last couple of summers I have thought it's just a little long. I am 177cm but it just feels too long apart from that I absolutely love it! It has a 80mm stem and yes it's made the handling a bit iffy.

So, I am resigned to buy a smaller bike and take that to the bike fit...I test rode the 54cm cayo, but I was dismayed to find the tt is only 12mm shorter and I am not sure it makes enough difference...?

So, the search is on....is there a bike as good, fast, efficient, light, cool, good looking, and good value as the focus cayo?

Oh, and it must have a shorter reach but have the seat tube height.

Tia

Tony

Paul E

I went from two 56cm frames to a 54cm and now I need to change the short stem to a 100mm as I feel a bit cramped but it still feels better than being over stretched. The head tube length with change the affective length too as the higher the front end the closer it effectively becomes, but to a less extent than a short top tube.

Bobbinogs

I bought a bike a few years ago and it never really felt right from the off. My bike fit session consisted of me leaning against a wall in the bike shop with one arm keeping me upright and the other arm on the handlbars (no adjustment to the fore/aft position or height of the saddle prior to any of this) whilst the shop assistant had a look to see how straight my 'one' arm was. Surprise, surprise, I always felt the bike was too big and I ended up with spending money on a bike fit, mucking about with stems, etc., etc. Whilst all of this improved things, it never really cracked it...

Then I inherited a couple of bikes which were a good size smaller and, even though the cockpit dimensions were adjusted to all be the same on all the bikes, I would go out on the smaller bikes and just keep riding and riding. Eventually it dawned on me that the solution was to buy a new bike

Hence, I recently sold my first road bike and bought a different one (Allez 2008 Elite with carbon forks/seatstays, etc.) to be my new mile munching trainer bike...and it is simply great. Can't keep off it and the smaller frame, matched with some RS80s I already had, is just great for throwing around and giving it some as well as simply racking up the miles. I even ended up with a small chunk of money on top which is already spent on new chain, cassette, gloves and tyres.

I know that I as a rider have progressed a lot (and some bikes are just made for a part of one's journey) but I still think that sometimes one just knows when a bike is right or wrong.

Ultimately, if you cannot find your exact size then the custom option is not as expensive as you might think. For about £2k you can get a well made bike that will last a lifetime, made out of very lightweight steel and with a decent groupset but my only concern with custom bikes is that one has to be really sure of what you want from a bike.

nubenotforlong

Really - I just want a slightly shorter top tube than most of the horizontal tt frames have, do I really need to go down the custom option.

I am very doubtful that there is not a compact frame that would suit my needs...

cooper.michael1

There are a couple of other things you can do to shorten the reach, without purchasing a whole new bike.

1. Buy some FSA compact handlebars. These have a forward throw of 78mm in comparison to 90mm of standard bars. I like a shorter top tube too and these handlebars have made a world of difference on my last two bikes. You can buy them from about £25, here is the marketing blurb.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6572SNm-VPY

2. Buy an in-line seatpost. Most seatposts have a setback, so your saddle is held 10-15mm behind the post. In-line posts bring the saddle clamp directly above the post, thus reducing your reach by 10-15mm. you can get them much cheaper but here is an example.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... tedKingdom

3. Reposition the ergos/STI's upwards on the handlebars. Most bike shops set them up quite aggressively, you can usually move them back by 10mm or so.

jessand

Some good advice given above. However if you look at bar dimensions you'll find a few which have a 70mm reach, my Planet x ones do and I know there are others; this is likely to give as much shortening as the 54cm frame would. The point about bar rotation and postion of your brakes are also very valid. Be a bit careful about the seatpost though- that affects much more than just reach and could end up giving you other problems - like knee pain. You could try moving your saddle forward in small increments and see how it goes.

Don't stress about an 80mm stem, they're much more common than you might think and you usually find you get used to it and it feels quite 'normal' after a while as you consciously and subconciously adjust your movements to suit.

nubenotforlong

Thanks, there's some really good advice. I have fsa vero compact bars already and I have dodgy knees and the seat is about as far forward as I dare. I have played with the position of bits for about 12 months, so the decision to get a new frame has not come lightly. The cayo is my first proper bike and I have tried everything to keep it.

At the moment, considering no one has offered up a range of frames that fit the bill, I am thinking of going for the bike fit and see what the professionals say first.

Tony

mattmaximus

You could consider the following:
Focus izalco ergoride
colnago ace
merckx emx-1 (or emx-3 / amx-1)
All three have shorter top tubes and sloping geometry. The difference to your cayo, however, is not huge - around 10mm and they all have longer head tubes.
Have you tried the online bike fit at competitivecyclist.com?

rozzer32

cooper.michael1 wrote:

There are a couple of other things you can do to shorten the reach, without purchasing a whole new bike.

1. Buy some FSA compact handlebars. These have a forward throw of 78mm in comparison to 90mm of standard bars. I like a shorter top tube too and these handlebars have made a world of difference on my last two bikes. You can buy them from about £25, here is the marketing blurb.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6572SNm-VPY

2. Buy an in-line seatpost. Most seatposts have a setback, so your saddle is held 10-15mm behind the post. In-line posts bring the saddle clamp directly above the post, thus reducing your reach by 10-15mm. you can get them much cheaper but here is an example.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... tedKingdom

3. Reposition the ergos/STI's upwards on the handlebars. Most bike shops set them up quite aggressively, you can usually move them back by 10mm or so.

Do not do this. Saddle position is changed in order to change the position of leg/knee in relation to the cranks. It shouldn't be changed to make the bars closer, a shorter stem should be used for this.

nubenotforlong

Arrrgghhh! Torn again now, just seen a cheap sportive frame on ribble that I might buy, make up from some bits, just to try it out and see for a couple of weeks....

I have done the competitive cyclist measurements...

The Competitive Fit
Seat tube range c-c 55.1 - 55.6
Seat tube range c-t 56.8 - 57.3
Top tube length. 54.4 - 54.8
Stem Length 11.2 - 11.8
BB-Saddle Position 72.8 - 74.8
Saddle-Handlebar 53.8 - 54.4
Saddle Setback. 6.4 - 6.8

It seems to confirm my tt is too long but now by a huge amount. If a web site doing a general calculation from measurements made by a ranks amateur and his wife, can be concluded as confirmation

Its all interesting stuff this bike measuring lark...