Newbie bar/stem question

risky

Is there a reliable way to check your posture up front?

I've read the 'put your elbow on the tip of the saddle' method and my fingertips are about an inch or so away from the bars. When I ride my arms are close to being locked out straight. Is my stem too long?

My second question is regarding bar width. After a long ride I get sore wrists/hands. Looking down it is as if my wrists are rolling out. This is somewhat hard to describe. Are my bars too wide?

Thanks for any info.

robertpb

How wide are your bars.

I, as a rough start of set up put my elbow on the nose of the saddle and it's probably too long if my midlle finger isn't in the centre of the bar.

But then I have longer legs and shorter body, doesn't work for everyone.

mattyfez

You could try moving the saddle forward a bit.

This is a good video, you can probably get some ideas from it..

https://youtu.be/oxNznrlRXGU

risky

robertpb wrote:

How wide are your bars.

I, as a rough start of set up put my elbow on the nose of the saddle and it's probably too long if my midlle finger isn't in the centre of the bar.

But then I have longer legs and shorter body, doesn't work for everyone.

Bars are approx. 660mm. That's my rough measurement. I'm not sure exactly. The bike is a Voodoo Bizango and can't seem to find the exact details online. Am I right in thinking that it is supplied with a riser bar, and so rotating the bars might help a bit?

As I say my finger is a good inch or so clear from the bar but regardless of any measuring method it is my arms being almost locked out that I was most concerned with.

mattyfez wrote:

You could try moving the saddle forward a bit.

Nice idea but the saddle is at its most forward limit already.

robertpb

If your saddle is right forward and you still feel stretched, sounds like the frame is too big.

You could buy a cheap 50mm stem and try that, that won't break the bank.

At 660mm your bars are on the narrow side so that is not causing you to feel your set up is wrong.

My bars are 690mm and that is still on the narrow side, wide would be 750mm or more.

risky

robertpb wrote:

If your saddle is right forward and you still feel stretched, sounds like the frame is too big

I'm 6'2" so I have the 20" frame.

My wife has the 20" Carrera Vulcan and the measurement across the top must be almost identical because the reach issue is the same.

Bear in mind that I am basing this all off the assumption that your arms shouldn't be almost locked out when riding? Is this correct?

Is a Stem like this the sort of thing I would be looking for?
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/truv ... -prod67683

The Rookie

They shouldn't be, lean your body forward to stop it, are they locked out because it is too short or because it's pulling you forward?

Sounds more like a technique thing than frame size to me, I can lock my elbows out on any bike by sitting wrongly?

Your wife must be tall, I was on a 16" Carrera at 5'9.5".