Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 48 total)
  • Bike Fit Issue – could be expensive
  • johnj2000
    Free Member

    I currently have a small whippet that I use for XC stuff, problem is I am not sure if it’s actually a bit small for me. I have a long torso and short legs and come in at just under 5ft 8, I have a long stem at the moment but constantly feel like I have a load of weight on my hands when riding. The seat is as far back on the rails as it can go and I am wondering if a layback post could help or whether I just have the wrong sized frame.
    any thoughts?

    mikewsmith
    Free Member

    Got any pics?
    How much seatpost is showing? If it’s a lot then you could well be better off on the next size up, I’m guessing your not close enough to the on one showroom to go fling a leg over one.
    But in my general non expert opinion of your on the limits (seat rails/stem) and it’s still not right then the bike is probably the wrong size.

    cynic-al
    Free Member

    What he said.

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    johnj2000
    Free Member

    Bugger!

    johnj2000
    Free Member

    Reasonable amount of seatpost showing probably could go more to get full leg stretch but it accentuates the weight on bar problem so I keep as low as I can

    wallop
    Full Member

    Layback post can make a big difference to how a bike feels.

    mikewsmith
    Free Member

    16″ 18″ 20″
    A Head Angle (°) 70 70 70
    B Head Tube Length (mm) 105 105 120
    C Effective Top Tube Horizontal (mm) 589 602 615
    D Seat Angle (°) 73 73 73
    E
    Seat Tube Length Centre to Top (mm)
    406 457 508
    F Chainstay Length (mm) 425 425 425
    G Standover Height (mm) 716 747 775
    H Stack (mm) 538 538 553
    I Reach (mm) 425 438 446

    Rough guess numbers suggest 50mm longer seat tube gives you 13mm in effective top tube

    1-shed
    Free Member

    Too many Variables, photos would help. Reach that your comfortable with is key. It might just be a wrong one for you but the perfect bike for someone else? Keep tweaking.

    1-shed
    Free Member

    How about changing the way you ride? Do you weight the front wheel for grip but with elbows out to pump the trail?

    johnj2000
    Free Member

    Photos would help indeed but only if I had a way of getting me onto here. Other than the pain in the bum that is Flickr I know no other way of getting pics up n here 🙁

    dave_rudabar
    Free Member

    There’s also photobucket (similar to Flickr, has an easy to use mobile app) or google drive i think can also hot-link from.

    spooky_b329
    Full Member

    Seat back and long stem = more weight on hands.

    My bike was set up like this as in my head it was too short.

    Tried a significantly shorter stem as I was finding it a handful to ride twisty stuff, obv I am slightly more upright now but this shifts weight from your hands to your backside and the bike doesn’t actually feel any shorter.

    johnj2000
    Free Member

    Interesting thought spooky, I thnk I might have a shorter stem lying around somewhere, will give it a try.

    johnj2000
    Free Member

    johnj2000
    Free Member

    johnj2000
    Free Member

    Thanks Dave that was so much easier than Flickr

    cinnamon_girl
    Full Member

    If you change to a layback seat post you may find that your CoG changes and you won’t feel ‘with’ the bike. I would say though that you need the next size, sorry.

    bobster
    Free Member

    I’m similar proportions to you (Long torso and short legs) and same height, and often face the frame size dilemma of going small or medium as I tend to be on border of both. I have managed to make both work, but a small frame tends to feel more playful.

    Looking at your photo, your ankle looks slightly dropped. Personally I ride a little more toe down, so you may want to consider popping the saddle up a bit? With the seattube angle you wouldn’t then need to pop the saddle further back.

    Shorter stem and wider bars?

    cynic-al
    Free Member

    saddle looks a bit low.

    Bike not obviously too wee though, or short IMO.

    wanmankylung
    Free Member

    Seat up, longer stem and wider bars.

    scotroutes
    Full Member

    That.

    Fit looks OK in those photos. Try the bars back and/or up a bit.

    joeegg
    Free Member

    Probably best getting your pedalling position right first.Plenty of videos on you tube.With the seat in the correct position for height and fore/aft adjustment you can then look at the stem and bars.Also maybe look at some core strengthening exercises so your body can help rather than all the weight being on your shoulders,arms and hands.

    johnj2000
    Free Member

    Thanks all, have a few things to try out now. Other bike is a small full suss and is loads better with regards to the weight on hands issue, but it is a very different bike as it’s 150 travel and quite slack.

    jameso
    Full Member

    feel like I have a load of weight on my hands when riding. The seat is as far back on the rails as it can go and I am wondering if a layback post could help

    I think it could be worth a try for the sake of a tenner or so. 15-20mm further back can take weight of the hands and saddle position is a good starting point for good fit. You’re aiming to balance your c of g by saddle position first, not bars.
    tbh I couldn’t tell anything from pics, it’s too subtle for that and body proportions, where your weight is etc vary a fair bit.

    sq225917
    Free Member

    Your saddle is too low, no doubt about it. I’d also put good money on the nose of your saddle being too low as well, that shifts your weight forward, and you are probably doing that to compensate for a bad saddle choice.

    With your heel on the center of the pedal at the bottom of the stroke your leg should be a few degrees shy of being locked at the knee. Don’t try pedaling backwards as a check though, it doesn’t work as we all pedal heel down when going backwards but pedal heel up when pedaling forwards so it could be 2-3″ different.

    MTB-Rob
    Free Member

    I would say you saddle is to low as well, but then it make the saddle to bar drop more as well, (putting more weight on your arms)
    so I would look at your bar height, have you got any spacers above the stem that can be moved below? or maybe flip the stem or get a higher rise stem. and maybe a shorter on(hard to see in the pics)
    Also I say maybe look at the angle of your brake levers, maybe they can be rotated down a little to be more in line with your arms.

    johnj2000
    Free Member

    Regarding the comments on saddle height, I find that if I put it to the height I need, which is about another inch, it makes the situation worse. I am going to go back to having the seat set in the centre of the rails, pop seat to proper height and then try moving the bars a touch towards me. In my mind this would cramp me up even more however it will be a good test to see which direction to take things.

    jameso
    Full Member

    I am going to go back to having the seat set in the centre of the rails

    This will pitch your weight forward more and little you can do with the bars can compensate – if you can borrow a layback post, try it so at least then you know that centring your body weight isn’t the issue.

    johnj2000
    Free Member

    Jamseo, is it possible to get a layback post for a tenner or so?

    mikewsmith
    Free Member

    Is that a kids bike?
    It does look really chuckable too small. Personally I reckon you are going to chuck more money at it trying to make it fit. Have a look at the difference between new frames and 2nd hand ebay for the frame.

    Jamie
    Free Member

    Jamseo, is it possible to get a layback post for a tenner or so?

    Just put a WTD ad up, or get something off eBay.

    johnj2000
    Free Member

    It’s those tiny 26 inch wheels that are throwing you Mike

    mikewsmith
    Free Member

    No it’s the fact you are riding a bike that is too small for you 😉

    TinMan
    Free Member

    Have you done a direct comparison of the positions of your good ‘fs bike and the hard tail to see what the difference is? Bar to saddle distance, bars to saddle drop/ rise, spirit level on saddle and pedal to saddle distance?

    legend
    Free Member

    Looks like your brake levers need rotated downwards – my wrists hurt just looking at that

    johnj2000
    Free Member

    The brake lever comments are certainly valid, they are in the wrong place, funny how you don’t think of these things but it is obvious when you look at a pic. That said I don’t think it will help the situation as I don’t ride this bike with my fingers covering the levers normally so hands can go wherever they fancy. I needed to cover the brakes in the photo as I was trying to avoid garden obstacles.

    wwaswas
    Full Member

    I don’t ride this bike with my fingers covering the levers normally

    😯

    Things I’d try;

    1) getting the saddle the right height
    2) sort out the brake angle (and start covering the brakes with at least one finger on each side all the time, you never now when you’ll need them)
    3) get a higher rise stem and/or higher rise bars (or put more spacer sunder the one you have if possible) – it’ll make you more upright and push your weight back a bit.

    Jamie
    Free Member

    John: Wife, can you take a picture of me on my bike, so I can put it on the internet for other men to look at, and make suggestions?

    Wife: Erm…what?

    8)

    scotroutes
    Full Member

    See the bar-ends thread…. 🙄

    wwaswas
    Full Member

    sorry, I didn’t see the bar ends in the OP’s pictures.

Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 48 total)

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