Bike fit issues, any advice?

roubaixtom
roubaixtom Posts: 316
edited May 2016 in Road general
Hi,

I have two bikes, one of which is an s works roubaix and is very comfortable, stem slammed but obviously still not that low. Other is a ROSE CGF.

For some reason, even after getting the bikes almost identical in fit, same handle bars, stem, seat etc, I am still getting issues with the ROSE

These are:

- Too much weight on hands
- Sliding forward on saddle
- Knee pain

Saddle is a couple of mm further forward to the BB than the s works but should this make that much of a difference. Seat post angle is 73.5 on spec and 74.5 on Rose, seat is pretty far back on rails on the Rose.

any advice would be appreciated

thanks

Comments

  • ForumNewbie
    ForumNewbie Posts: 1,664
    Is it a new Roubaix with one of these strange-looking seatposts with a bit of suspension in it? If so I notice that the saddle sits further back than normal.

    Are the cranks on both bikes the same length?
  • SME
    SME Posts: 348
    I'm no expert, but the symptoms/reactions you describe suggest that the Rose has a slightly bigger frame than the S works. Even then, with quoted frame sizes, no two manufacturers frames will be alike.

    Knee pain can sometimes suggest a saddle slightly too low (and yes, a few millimeters can make a difference). Are the crank lengths the same?

    Why are you sliding forward on the saddle - is the reach too long, or is the saddle not such a good fit as the one on the S Works? If it's a different saddle you may be sitting in a completely different position on it despite the two saddles being set up identically, ie distance from BB and reach to the bars.

    Even if all your heights, reaches, etc., are the same, things like steerer tube angles may have an effect with the weight on your hands - you may be unconsciously putting slightly more effort in one bike to steer than the other.

    At the end of the day "getting the bikes almost identical in fit" is not going to be an exact identical fit - they're different, and you may not be able to blindfold yourself an then be unable to tell what bike you're on. I think at the end of the day the best you can do is tackle each bike individually to get IT'S best fit. Start with your saddle position, it's height, rearward distance from BB (KOPS?), and when your comfortable with that address the handlebars, height, reach, etc.

    Good luck
    (hope I haven't told you to 'suck eggs'!!!)

    Steve
  • napoleond
    napoleond Posts: 5,992
    Roll the Sworks up against a vertical wall, measure the wall to middle of BB and wall to front of saddle, take the saddle from the Bb measurement. This will give setback.

    Now get the rose up against the same wall, measure to the Bb then get the saddle so it is set back exactly the same.

    Much more accurate than plumb lines etc.
    Insta: ATEnduranceCoaching
    ABCC Cycling Coach
  • PTestTeam
    PTestTeam Posts: 395
    NapoleonD wrote:
    Roll the Sworks up against a vertical wall, measure the wall to middle of BB and wall to front of saddle, take the saddle from the Bb measurement. This will give setback.

    Now get the rose up against the same wall, measure to the Bb then get the saddle so it is set back exactly the same.

    Much more accurate than plumb lines etc.

    This ^^^^
  • ForumNewbie
    ForumNewbie Posts: 1,664
    PTestTeam wrote:
    NapoleonD wrote:
    Roll the Sworks up against a vertical wall, measure the wall to middle of BB and wall to front of saddle, take the saddle from the Bb measurement. This will give setback.

    Now get the rose up against the same wall, measure to the Bb then get the saddle so it is set back exactly the same.

    Much more accurate than plumb lines etc.

    This ^^^^
    When I was trying to get the saddle height from the pedals the same on my 3 bikes recently, I measured from the pedal spindle on the downward crank, while it was in line with the seat tube, to the top of the saddle. I did it this as the 3 bikes have different length cranks, and I therefore thought this was more accurate than measuring from the BB.
  • napoleond
    napoleond Posts: 5,992
    Give the method a go.
    Insta: ATEnduranceCoaching
    ABCC Cycling Coach
  • PTestTeam
    PTestTeam Posts: 395
    ForumNewbie wrote:
    PTestTeam wrote:
    NapoleonD wrote:
    Roll the Sworks up against a vertical wall, measure the wall to middle of BB and wall to front of saddle, take the saddle from the Bb measurement. This will give setback.

    Now get the rose up against the same wall, measure to the Bb then get the saddle so it is set back exactly the same.

    Much more accurate than plumb lines etc.

    This ^^^^
    When I was trying to get the saddle height from the pedals the same on my 3 bikes recently, I measured from the pedal spindle on the downward crank, while it was in line with the seat tube, to the top of the saddle. I did it this as the 3 bikes have different length cranks, and I therefore thought this was more accurate than measuring from the BB.

    You were measuring saddle height. NapoleonD's technique is for measuring saddle setback

    https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=saddl ... Kn9vEXM%3A

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