Smaller bike needed ?
red17racing
Posts: 25
I've gradually been dropping the bars on my road bike as I get used to it (originally it was set up with the bars above the saddle height) and the bars are now at their lowest level (all spacers above then apart from a 2mm one) which puts them level with the saddle height.
Whilst this is comfortable enough for now on the hoods and the drops there is no adjustment left to play with - what I was wondering is if this is a sign that the frame is a size too large and that the next bike (n+1) I should look at going down a frame size?
Whilst this is comfortable enough for now on the hoods and the drops there is no adjustment left to play with - what I was wondering is if this is a sign that the frame is a size too large and that the next bike (n+1) I should look at going down a frame size?
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Comments
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I think a photo with you on the bike might help here ?
But if you're comfortable...0 -
It would be unusual for the lowest bar height to end up level with the saddle if the bike is sized correctly, unless you have unusually short legs and a long torso perhaps.
Which way around is your stem? i.e. Does it point upwards or downwards relative to the steerer?
Just in case you're not familiar - the stem is the component that connects the handlebars to the steerer tube coming up from the fork. They typically have an angle of about 8 degrees or so and can be installed either way up. You can also buy stems with different angles. For example I have a stem with a 24 degree angle downward angle that I used to get the bars lower on my once I'd run out of spacers to remove.0 -
Ai_1 wrote:It would be unusual for the lowest bar height to end up level with the saddle if the bike is sized correctly, unless you have unusually short legs and a long torso perhaps.
:P"Arran, you are like the Tony Benn of smut. You have never diluted your depravity and always stand by your beliefs. You have my respect sir and your wife my pity"
seanoconn0 -
Photo of your bike is needed!
How high is your saddle? As on most bike frames for the top of the stem to be level with the saddle then the saddle would need to be fully down with no seat post showing at all. If that's the case then yes your bike is too big for you. If not then it's a very unusual bike - photo needed.0 -
I'll try and post some pics later - saddle is about a fist length of seat post showing from memory - its not right down - stem is straight 100mm so can't flip it.
Bike is a Carrera that I bought to get me started to see if I was going to keep up the cycling and is being used through the winter. Plan is to get something new and shiny next year when the sun comes out.0 -
Assuming "a fist length of seat post" is about 90-110mm, that's probably in the normal range, just, but definitely at the lower end and I'd have expected that to put the top of the saddle below the handlebars. Are you certain the stem is at right angles to the steerer? That would be very unusual.red17racing wrote:I'll try and post some pics later - saddle is about a fist length of seat post showing from memory - its not right down - stem is straight 100mm so can't flip it.
Bike is a Carrera that I bought to get me started to see if I was going to keep up the cycling and is being used through the winter. Plan is to get something new and shiny next year when the sun comes out.
If so a typical 8 degree stem would drop the bars about 14mm which will be noticable but still not much bar drop. You could likely get one reasonably cheap. Something like http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/e ... prod124130.
If you look for say a 20 degree stem you could get 34mm which is a big difference from what you've got now but I don't know if it's as much as you want. These are less common so you'll probably have to pay more.0 -
Shorter stem?
I Bought a frame on another forum after being assured it was the right size but i was measuring ctr to ctr on Top tube and they measured just the length of the tube so i ended up with an 80 mm stem to get the same fit as my other bike.Its no biggie as its the commuter .I did try a 1 cm longer stem and i felt to stretched out on the drops .
As it happens it a carrera vanquish, the old one with a carbon fork i built up with claris and r501`s to make a cheap commuter that after selling my clapped out old bike mebbe cost me £50 to build.
I am 5 foot 7 " and used to ride the smaller virtuoso and now the medium vanquish is ok with an 80 mm stem .
My other bike is a small boardman with a 100 mm stem.FCN 3/5/90 -
I am sure it is not this but is the stem flipped into the upright position ?
If it it flip it over and it will be much lower.0 -
Most people with an IQ of >80 can figure that out themselves.0
