So that’s why my new road bike feels a bit too long….

Morning all,

I’ve had a few health issues of the male variety in the past year or two. Exacerbated by a road bike that was a bit long. Coupled with an ageing lower back, one thing led to another. I’m glad to say I’m on the mend and back out cycling in various forms.

One thing I did was get a good bike fit, and then built a new road bike around the dimensions given. On paper, it measures up perfectly. In practice…..it still feels just a touch too long. Way better than the previous frame, but I notice that it’s not perfect. Cue lots of lower back stretching (really helps, Dynamic Cyclist on YT if you’re interested) and puzzled measurement.

Anyway, I think I’ve finally found out what it is. It’s the new drop bars. I got a deal on some of those integrated carbon jobs, with a 420mm width and a 90mm integrated stem. A bugger to route the hoses but looks pretty. Dimensionally, its looking right the right fit for width and stem- but I’ve only just realised that its the ‘reach’ on them thats too long. When did these get so lengthy?

When I measure from the absolute front of the top of the hoods to an imaginary line where the bars straighten towards the stem, it’s about 21cms. The old bike (standard separate carbon bars, 420mm wide and 90mm stem) had a reach of about 18.5. Sadly I can’t reuse these as the new frame is also an integrated thing, and the whole works together. The 105 Di2 shifters are also

More posting for informational reasons as I must admit that it’s something I’ve only ever just thought about. I suppose I’m now on the hunt for bars with a shorter reach.

Progress eh?

Lighter, moar aeros… Just knackers your back.

There is something to be said for just being able to change a stem to sort a bike’s fit out…

Zackly.

It’s one of those things that doesn’t get much attention but if +/-5mm on reach in the frame is important to some road bike buyers, the variation in where a bar puts your hands is huge and gets less attention – partly because most bars and stems can be adjusted ; )

Bars can be 65mm up to 100mm in reach I think, from centre to ST clamp curve centre. 75-85mm seems most common but still, 10mm on frame reach could be thought of a size or 2’s difference.

When did these get so lengthy?

Some of the Cade Media bike fit videos are informative for this sort of thing – see also too wide bars (which again can increase the effective reach).

So the person who does the bike fit doesn’t specify the reach of the handle bars?

Plus i noticed people winning track cycling medals using stems with viable alan bolt. Increasing my skepticism that they aren’t really the correct thing for a non competitive amateur

My Specialized Allez is mysteriously 10-20mm longer than my racier summer bike, which has been causing me all sorts of confusion as I had assumed (from stated top tube measurements at least) that the bars of both bikes would be in the same position.

Still not sure why it’s the case, wondering if the head angle is steeper or something..

wondering if the head angle is steeper or something..

TT length is taken at the top centre of the HT so HTA isn’t relevant to reach, only front-centre would vary when changing HTA with TT length staying fixed or the same between 2 bikes. But seat angle affects TT length, maybe that?

I was swapping bars about on a couple of my drop bar bikes not long ago and measuring them up using a BikeFitting laser alignment jig that gives X-Y dimensions for your bike fit, it’s a brilliant bit of kit. Some of the measurements were a fair way off what I thought and I found more variation between bikes in some areas than I had on paper yet all are comfy and well balanced. I think bar and STI hood shape variations mean that frame or bar reach on a road bike isn’t so important, we just have a comfy spot we’ll end up aiming for that’s specific to that bike, bar and STI combo. The different weight distribution needs of different bikes (FC:RC ratios) mean we’ll end up with a set up specific to each bike. I inclined to think it’s a mistake to try to apply that same grip reach or saddle to bar dimensions to a different build. It’s a start point guide yes, but may be as valid to ignore and set the bike up by saddle position then adjust grip/STI position to suit comfort and weight distribution.

Alot can vary with the bar’s sweep – I’ve two vintage road bike with deep drops, but comparing it to more modern bars, my CX bike also has a much shallower drop, and less reach. It’s difficult to get the measurements of bars/bar-stem combo’s before you buy the things.

My son’s Regional Academy Tri coach is an ex elite road cyclist.   He’s made great pains to communicate that choosing the right bike and bike fit –  or necessarily in that order is paramount.   His view is that industry follows the pros and so do we, slamming the next best thing onto our frames and compromising fit, whereas of course the pro peleton equipment is optimised for their events and so are the riders flexibility through very special and focused training without any thought post retirement effects.

I’ve been at the physio for about 4 years to 2023 with stiff neck to the point I can’t turn to the left after 3hrs on a road bike.    He suggested a small adjustment by sight for me in January this year during a ride – I haven’t been to the physio or got a seized neck since.

It is important to remember that old roadies tend to grow to the shape of their bikes.
As I have got older and less flexible I have found raising the bar height a little makes the bike more comfortable.

I originally set my bike up with Bernhard Hinault’s book, and have more or less stuck to it. That said, my more recent purchases have been slightly shorter on reach – CX bike deliberately as I’m off road and need to be more upright (especially as I get older).  I can still comfortably ride the older bikes on the hoods, but the drops are only used for down hill, where as the CX bike has much shallower bars, and is easy to ride on the drops.

Thanks all

Two of my bikes (the ones with drop bars) have now got Specialized Hover bars. With a sneaky little rise in them so they give me a much better position without a tell-tale angled stem or loads of spacers. Highly (yes, I know) recommended.

You can gain 2cm of reach, just by inadvertently changing SHIFTERS. The older external cabled Dura Ace (my favourite for smoothness) have a longer reach than the more modern internal cabled versions. It’s easy to miss. I have two Giant Propels with identical stem and same bars, but different shifters. Reach is different. I adapt. Width of bars will have a similar effect. All before you consider the curve of the drops.