I’ve had my Specialized Camber 26 for about a year now, but she’s always felt a little on the large side. 1154 mm wheelbase, 24.6 inch top tube.

I’m 5ft 11″ 7/8ths with a really long legs (34/35″ inseam) and the stock 90mm stem with layback post was too long when I bought the bike. I’ve been running a 70mm stem / 720mm wide bars and I did try an inline post for a while but couldn’t get the right leg extension / positioning with that so went back to the layback post.

The problem is in my normal riding position (picture below) I still feel a little stretched out, and my elbows are always locking out.

Can anyone recommend any cockpit changes, bar a shorter stem (already tried, felt weird, 70mm is the sweet spot for me) or is it time for a smaller frame?

Is it a large? I’m 5’10 and tbh the medium camber felt a little cramped to me- though I did have a shorter stem on it, 60mm iirc. Riding position wasn’t as neutral as I’m used to, I had to make an effort to drop more onto the bike so maybe that’s what they’re like…

That bike does not look too big for you, you’d probably have tons of seat post showing if you rode a medium, I know I do and I’m of similarly weird proportions to yourself but 3/4in shorter and a 33.5 in inseam.

I think you’d find mediums, at least in the camber, way too small.

Maybe narrower bars?

Personally I would persevere with a 50mm stem.

Yeah its a large mate. Tried the medium and the large in the LBS. The medium felt tiny even with a 100mm stem and seat slammed all the way back.

The effective top tube measurement jumps an inch and a half between the medium and the large on the old cambers. Even the large 29ers don’t have as long a top tube as the 26ers.

Thanks for the advice Nick. I might compromise with a 60mm stem and see how that goes.

Counterintuitive but the best thing I did to mine was to smack the bars up unfashionably high… Ended up with a set of high risers on it and 130mm of fork, that was the only setup I used that didn’t make me feel like I was balanced on top of it like a circus seal.

TBH the cure for me was the classifieds but you might have more luck, lots of people love these things.

Is that how you usually have the suspension set? Fork is waaaaay too soft, which will lengthen the bike and make the front end just feel wrong.

Soft fork shortens the bike surely 😕

120mm fork, doesn’t look outright unreasonable if normally weighted to me.

It’s a 120mm travel fork, sag set to about 25% (3cm when sitting in a neutral position).

It’s a 120mm travel fork, sag set to about 25% (3cm when sitting in a neutral position).[/QUOTE]

You should set your fork sag when in the attack position, not seated, so it’s currently too soft. With the fork harder you should be able to slide your saddle forwards a bit or even use an inline post. That plus a 60mm stem (and the fractional shortening of ETT length with the fork standing taller) might make all the difference.

(Your rear shock pressure should be the average of attack position and seated position).

Thanks mate I’ll give that a try tonight. To be honest the fork has felt a little squishy when climbing out of the saddle recently.

Bike looks like it fits.

But if you feel like you’re having to straighten your arms, that means you need to bring the bars up, or get more flexible.

Can you touch your toes? (i’d guess not easily/lots of back arching?)

Chiefgrooveguru couldn’t have said it better. 10mm in reach can have quite a bit effect in the feel of the bike.

Northwind – here’s what I meant about the top tube length:

http://www.cotic.co.uk/geek/

Increase the length of the fork on the Cotic geometry calculator and watch the ETT decrease.

Ah, tt rather than whole bike, I getcha.

the fractional shortening of ETT length with the fork standing taller

Properly-measured ETT actually gets slightly longer as the fork gets higher, but reach (as in BB to bar horizontal dist) becomes shorter as the bar comes up and back and that’s the important bit.
A smaller frame will have a lower HT and it looks like your problem may be that with the saddle at the right height your saddle-bar drop is too much so your weight is pitched fwd. A higher bar/grip position will shorten the reach as the bar comes up and back.
An inline post will shorten the seated reach to the bar but also shift your c of g forward and put more strain on your hands. If you can, I’d try a higher bar with the saddle where it is. Possibly saddle slid back a bit too. Suspension may need a bit of re-balancing if so.