Bike size advice

gnave
gnave Posts: 65
edited February 2017 in Road buying advice
Good morning,

Having a bit of a meltdown :)

I have recently purchased a Canyon Ultimate CF CLX in size Medium, assuming this is the right bike size for me based on height, etc. Yesterday I went to do my bike fit; the fitter advised me that I should consider sending the bike back and go for a larger size frame (Large) nad 90CM stem. His words describe how typically when doing a fit you will try to bring the bike to the person, raise/drop the seat and handlebars, etc.

During the fit, He raised the seat almost to the highest position (my leg is now straight at the bottom of the pedal stroke), but as a result, I am very far from the handlebars. With the current size of the bike, I can not raise the handlebars (aero bars), so my only option is to either drop the seat or go for a larger size frame. At this point, it feels like I am very far from the ground. When stopping, I can just about stand with the stand leaning on one foot.

My question is, should I be so high and for from the ground to the point that even with both feet stretched I can just about reach the ground?


Body measurements:

Body height: 183
Inseam: 93
Body weight: 78
Shoulder width: 38
Arm length: 70
Torso length: 70

frame geometry:

https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/road/ultim ... 0-di2.html

Comments

  • Grill
    Grill Posts: 5,610
    Do you have a pic of you on the bike with your leg straight down?
    English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg
  • Midlands Grimpeur
    Midlands Grimpeur Posts: 340
    It should be fine if you have good flexibility (can you touch your toes with straight legs?). If you really feel like you are reaching with your foot at the bottom of the pedal stroke then saddle may well be too high.
  • gnave
    gnave Posts: 65
    I can you touch your toes with straight legs, but beeing so high I am too far from the handlebars and position is very aggressive. Hence the filter suggested I should go one size up a frame, and shorten the stem. This should provide me a more relaxed position.
  • grahamcp
    grahamcp Posts: 323
    From what you have written, it sounds like the saddle is too high. I have a definite bend in my leg at the bottom of the pedal stroke. But it sounds odd that a presumably experienced bike fitter would position the saddle so high that you straighten out.

    I put "road bike pedalling technique" into youtube and found this - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPcR6MQ5dJo
    watch from 1:14 to 1:26 - it goes into slow-mo after a few seconds. To my mind that is the kind of bend you should be looking for.

    Out of interest what is the measurement from centre of bottom-bracket to top of saddle? Also what is the drop from saddle to handlebars (measure both to the floor and take the difference)?

    As one of the other posters said, side on photos or better still a video would be useful, although analysis by internet is never going to be easy so perhaps a basic 2nd opinion from another fitter might be worth considering?

    I'm also 6ft. Looking at the geo charts I probably would have gone for this size up, but that's not to say the smaller one can't fit, assuming you are OK with a relatively low front end. You could consider flipping the step to bring the bars up a bit.

    Presumably when you said aero bars you meant standard road drop bars rather than something you might see on a TT bike?
  • AngryLou
    AngryLou Posts: 5
    Fit depends on many factors, and most important of those is your comfort.

    Warning bells go off though when someone who is 183cm tall is told to use a 90cm stem. That's a very, very short stem for someone your size and would lead to a less than ideal Front/Rear weight balance. An average population of riders your height would likely use a 120cm stem, but again, that would be the avg. and not you as an individual.

    Re: Saddle height. You shouldn't really be able to touch the ground with both feet. Normally, you'd lean the bike to one side a little, and stand on the corresponding tip-toe. The other foot would stay clipped in.

    How high is the saddle from BB to saddle top?
  • gnave
    gnave Posts: 65
    I attached a picture of the bike measurements as taken at the fitting.
    With regards to the handlebar, unfortunately, it can not be flip around as its integrated, Canyon is happy to send a replacement handlebars base on need.

    This was a full on 360 computer model fit out, Not a basic LBS. I think my upper body is short compared to others.

    1zm33mw.png
  • Grill
    Grill Posts: 5,610
    Retul = guarantee the saddle is too high
    English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg
  • bungle73
    bungle73 Posts: 758
    If we are talking about having your feet on the pedals as if you were pedalling then no, your leg should not be straight. It should have a slight bend. However, one of the techniques for finding the correct (or near enough) saddle height it to sit on the saddle with your heal on the pedal, and adjust the saddle up or down until your leg is straight. This would produce the desired bend when you have your feet properly on the pedals. Is that what you meant?
    Grahamcp wrote:
    From what you have written, it sounds like the saddle is too high. I have a definite bend in my leg at the bottom of the pedal stroke. But it sounds odd that a presumably experienced bike fitter would position the saddle so high that you straighten out.

    I put "road bike pedalling technique" into youtube and found this - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPcR6MQ5dJo
    watch from 1:14 to 1:26 - it goes into slow-mo after a few seconds. To my mind that is the kind of bend you should be looking for.

    Out of interest what is the measurement from centre of bottom-bracket to top of saddle? Also what is the drop from saddle to handlebars (measure both to the floor and take the difference)?

    As one of the other posters said, side on photos or better still a video would be useful, although analysis by internet is never going to be easy so perhaps a basic 2nd opinion from another fitter might be worth considering?

    I'm also 6ft. Looking at the geo charts I probably would have gone for this size up, but that's not to say the smaller one can't fit, assuming you are OK with a relatively low front end. You could consider flipping the step to bring the bars up a bit.

    Presumably when you said aero bars you meant standard road drop bars rather than something you might see on a TT bike?

    GCN do have a specific video all about setting saddle height.
  • bungle73
    bungle73 Posts: 758
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVu5Zrktm40&t=1s
  • kajjal
    kajjal Posts: 3,380
    A very simple test is when the pedal is furthest away from the saddle and the crank arm in line with the seat post you should have a slight leg bend and be able to lift yourself off the saddle in the direction the seat post is pointing. If you can't you saddle is too high. Another test is when pedalling if your feet point downwards or you keep moving forward on the saddle again it is most likely too high.

    The bar position is more down to personal preference.
  • AngryLou
    AngryLou Posts: 5
    Nothing in those measures looks drastically off. I would be willing to bet you'd be more comfortable and more inline with an solid fit if your saddle height was set at ~77.8cm (that's certainly not going to be too low) and your handlebar reach was somewhere closer to 59.5cm

    So, minus 1 cm from your saddle height and +2 to 2.5cm to your handlebar reach. At least get on a 120mm stem. Anyone recommending a 90mm stem with a size larger frame and 24mm more height in the headtube is crazy. Or buy a cross bike.

    Work on your core strength/flexibility too and the fit will come around and feel more natural. Many/most people are too weak in the core and neck to be in the position their body is best fit for and a bike like that was designed for. It takes time.
  • letap73
    letap73 Posts: 1,608
    Your inseam (if measured correctly) is quite long with regards to your height, thus your saddle height from the data shouldn't be far off. With this in mind, I think the Endurance in medium is likely to be a better fit for you - (assuming again that the data you have given is accurate).
  • gnave
    gnave Posts: 65
    AngryLou wrote:
    Nothing in those measures looks drastically off. I would be willing to bet you'd be more comfortable and more inline with an solid fit if your saddle height was set at ~77.8cm (that's certainly not going to be too low) and your handlebar reach was somewhere closer to 59.5cm

    So, minus 1 cm from your saddle height and +2 to 2.5cm to your handlebar reach. At least get on a 120mm stem. Anyone recommending a 90mm stem with a size larger frame and 24mm more height in the headtube is crazy. Or buy a cross bike.

    Work on your core strength/flexibility too and the fit will come around and feel more natural. Many/most people are too weak in the core and neck to be in the position their body is best fit for and a bike like that was designed for. It takes time.

    I take you advice re +2 to 2.5 to my handlebar. did you mean i should go for size large with the above-sujested changes? The problem is: with the current frame size (medium) the handlebars are already in the highest position. Hence my only option is to go for size (large) to get higher handlebars and lower seat
  • svetty
    svetty Posts: 1,904
    93 inseam is long - I can't imagine a saddle height of 79 is too high - if anything I'd have expected it to be a cm or two low with your long legs. Get the bigger frame and then use the correct stem/bar combo.
    FFS! Harden up and grow a pair :D

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