Is my bike too big for me?

[philipgonzales3]

Posted a question on a FB group regarding bar tape wear and got this response (also of course got a lot of good related responses to my original question.

"Are you sure that bike is not too big for you? Bit weird the way it's set up."

I feel mostly comfortable on the bike, but what do I know? I've only been a road cyclist for exactly one month today. That got me thinking maybe my setup is wonky and now I am self-conscious lol.

See pics below of my bike. Just washed it for the first time today. Have just under 250 miles on the bike with 25 miles being my longest so far. Going for 30 on my next long ride day (next weekend).

Here was my reply:

"I am not. Appreciate any tips. I am 6'2" but have a short inseam for my height. It's approx 32.5", 33" tops (I've had this deviation when self mesuring with book between the legs method). Based on computer thingy at the Trek store I should be in a 60cm bike. Based on my inseam I should be on a 56 or 58 bike. My wingspan is 6'4" approx. So I believe I have short legs and a longer torso/arms. Eventually I plan to get a bike fit but definitely open to any tips in the meantime. I had to swap to the shorter seat post to get it to the correct height based on inseam x .883. It's all the way down but was afraid to go too small and feel too crowded. I have a similar issue on my hybrid bike, based on my height I got an XL but the standover height of the top tube is basically in my family jewels. Not as big of a deal on that one bc I bought it used and it wasn't that expensive. I feel mostly comfortable on the bike but I've only been cycling 3 months so not too sure on the setup TBH.

The Trek store also mentioned they setup the handle bar angle to "beginner friendly". Initially it was angled down and they switched it to being angled up. I'm not sure of the technical terms for this change, but I was like sure whatever you think is best for me since this is my first road bike and I am so new to cycling."

Anyway, as usual, I wrote a book. I appreciate any feedback. Obviously eventually I should get a bike fit, but the wallet needs to cool off first!

Regards,

Philip

 

[IanSmithCSE]

Good morning,

I agree with both

"..... Bit weird the way it's set up."

and

The Trek store also mentioned they setup the handle bar angle to "beginner friendly". Initially it was angled down and they switched it to being angled up.

As a crude summary the lower the handle bars are in relation to the sadle the more racey the rider and the higher the more touristy the rider.

In that picture the handlebars are pretty much the same height as the sadle, a "safe" set-up by the Trek shop, but what looks odd to me as well is the slight rise is the stem. There is nothing wrong with this, it just looks a bit odd for this type of bike and it is then accompanied by an atypical lever position.

This style of lever is usually installed with the body parallel to the ground, the slight upward incline brings the font of the levers significantly above the height of the saddle and that looks odd. This is possibly a conflict between the bars original position below the sadle height and its new position and the dealer not wanting to move the brake levers down a bit to compensate as this means retaping the bars

For me the end result is that you almost have a flat bar hybrid in terms of body position, if this works for you then keep it. :-)

I am a bike fit sceptic, bike fit is very much a trial and error thing once you have the basic position right, and much of this is based on your fitness, suppleness and what you want out off a ride, something that is hard to convey to a fitter. If you do a web search you will find hundreds of "job blogs bit fit were brilliant, I tried <n> other fitters and job got it right." Quite possibly because job was benefiting from all the small tweaks from the previous fits and was the one who added the final piece to the jigsaw.

Bye

Ian

 

[biggs682]

Welcome @philipgonzales3 , simple question for you is do you feel comfortable riding it in the current set up ? If yes is the answer then don't change it.
But if you don't then take measurements of saddle, bars , lever heights and other measurements so that if you make adjustments that feel worse you can go back to shop set up .
Do you feel more comfortable on your hybrid, if so why not try mirroring that set up?
At the end of the day we are all different so nothing wrong with having a strange set up if you the rider is comfortable.
I have been cycling for almost 50 years and never had a bike fit and like @IanSmithCSE rather sceptical about them , whilst others say they are god like.
Easiest way is to make small adjustments and try them out .
Good luck shame you didn't buy a steel one

 

[Jameshow]

I think your always going to struggle to get a normal bike fit..

Your 6'2" but have the inside leg of a typical 5'10" guy. And with your long arms probably have 6" extra reach.

A longer stem stem might help if you feel like your too upright, also is your saddle too low?

Your legs want a slight kink at bottom of the crank but not alot more.

 

[cyberknight]

I do remember when you bought it that you had to change the seatpost as you couldnt get it low enough which would indicate the bike would be too big but with your proportions then that might be a factor.
If your comfy thats all that matters at the end of the day and you can tweak the fit as you go along, i dont know what facefluff group you asked on but i have found most to be full of wannabe racers that follow the " slam that stem" bike fit like the pros , not everyone wants , needs or can ride like that.
If you want to have a similar body angle but have the stem flipped the other way then a shorter stem would give you a similar body angle.
these sites offer good basic fit advice
https://www.jimlangley.net/crank/bikefit.html
https://wheel-easy.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/bike-set-up-2017a.pdf

 

[EckyH]

I had to swap to the shorter seat post to get it to the correct height based on inseam x .883. It's all the way down but was afraid to go too small and feel too crowded.

That "inseam x 0.883" method is my approach since the beginning of my "serious" cycling. That was over 30 years ago.
What does that mean?
First: it's an old method. Probably there are other, younger methods with newer ergonomic findings. One question is: how much do their results deviate from the 0.883 method? I don't know.
Second: Two wheels, a frame in between, the front wheel can change directions and the rider on top of the frame is an old concept as well. Over 200 years old. Granted, there are some improvements here and there, but the base is still the same. In my world that's an indication for a good concept. The 0.883 method was accepted for decades, so it couldn't be totally wrong.
Third: It's a starting point, not the absolute truth. There are factors which affect the correct saddle height too, eg. the distance between the pedal axle and the sole of the foot. On your photographs the bicycle is with flat pedals. Therefore I assume that you are wearing some kind of "normal" sport shoes (eg. for running or walking). These kind of shoes are optimised to dampen the load peaks of running - with relatively thick soles. Dedicated cycling shoes have thinner and stiffer soles. The 0.883 method is for cycling shoes. My recommendation is that you try out different saddle heights over time, but change it only for a few millimetres at a time, try it for a medium ride and take the necessary tools with you to have the ability to go back to the previous height. Your body will tell you what's the best saddle height.

According to the position of the seat post: that Trek frame has got a very long seat tube. For me that's the reason why the saddle setup looks a bit strange.
You wrote that you are on the heavy side for your size and that your cycling career is just at the beginning. The body weight has to be somewhere and from my own experience I know that it tends to gather around the belly. So we can't take a very aero position on the bicycle. The position on the road bike leads to three points of support: the saddle and the places where the hands meet the handlebar. The body muscles are much more used to handle the weight than the arms, wrists and hands. That's why I agree with the staff in the Trek store you mentioned: the handlebar setup is beginner friendly.

The standard frames from big brands like Trek and their sizes are made to match as many people as possible with "average" body proportions: leg length, torso length, arm length. If we are further away from that average, then we have to address that with a different frame size. You wrote that you have a longer torso and longer arms in relation to your legs. In my opinion a "too big" frame would be the obvious approach.

So my conclusion (with the available informations) is that the guys in the Trek store sold you a bicycle which is in the right size range for you.

E.

PS: You bought a car which matches the frame colour of your bicycle. Very good...

 

[Kingfisher101]

I think,Have I bought the right type of bike for the riding I want to do is more like the appropriate question. From the set up on that which is very relaxed/high makes me think you would have been better off with a touring bike or hybrid of some type?
Saying that as long as you can ride it and its comfortable for what you want to do that's all that matters. If you find down the line its not suitable then sell it and get something that is?

 

[Sharky]

What's your normal riding position?
On tops/brake hoods or on the drops?

 

[cyberknight]

That "inseam x 0.883" method is my approach since the beginning of my "serious" cycling. That was over 30 years ago.
What does that mean?
First: it's an old method. Probably there are other, younger methods with newer ergonomic findings. One question is: how much do their results deviate from the 0.883 method? I don't know.
Second: Two wheels, a frame in between, the front wheel can change directions and the rider on top of the frame is an old concept as well. Over 200 years old. Granted, there are some improvements here and there, but the base is still the same. In my world that's an indication for a good concept. The 0.883 method was accepted for decades, so it couldn't be totally wrong.
Third: It's a starting point, not the absolute truth. There are factors which affects the correct saddle height too, eg. the distance between the pedal axle and the sole of the feet. On your photographs the bicycle is with flat pedals. Therefore I assume that you are wearing some kind of "normal" sport shoes (eg. for running or walking). These kind of shoes are optimised to dampen the load peaks of running - with relatively thick soles. Dedicated cycling shoes have thinner and stiffer soles. The 0.883 method is for cycling shoes. My recommendation is that you try out different saddle heights over time, but change it only for a few millimetres at a time, try it for a medium ride and take the necessary tools with you to have the ability to go back to the previous height. Your body will tell you what's the best saddle height.

According to the position of the seat post: that Trek frame has got a very long seat tube. For me that's the reason why the saddle setup looks a bit strange.
You wrote that you are on the heavy side for your size and that your cycling career is just at the beginning. The body weight has to be somewhere and from my own experience I know that it tends to gather around the belly. So we can't take a very aero position on the bicycle. The position on the road bike leads to three points of support: the saddle and the places where the hands meet the handlebar. The body muscles are much more used to handle the weight than the arms, wrists and hands. That's why I agree with the staff in the Trek store you mentioned: the handlebar setup is beginner friendly.

The standard frames from big brands like Trek and their sizes are made to match as many people as possible with "average" body proportions: leg length, torso length, arm length. If we are further away from that average, then we have to address that with a different frame size. You wrote that you have a longer torso and longer arms in relation to your legs. In my opinion a "too big" frame would be the obvious approach.

So my conclusion (with the available informations) is that the guys in the Trek store sold you a bicycle which is in the right size range for you.

E.

PS: You bought a car which matches the frame colour of your bicycle. Very good...

oddly i find .883 gives me the same result as heel on pedal to within 1 mm of my current seat height. that method was set up for 175 mm cranks and im on 170 so im 5 mm higher than the calculation but i take it to be within the ballpark range because if i go lower i get knee pain.
the john cobb method uses .889 which for me is 4 mm higher
the 1.09 to pedal is 1 cm lower but that to pedal so taking into account pedal thickness again in in the ballpark

 

[Cycleops]

If it's comfortable for you just ride it. Don't mind the FB group.

 

[philipgonzales3]

Good morning,

I agree with both

"..... Bit weird the way it's set up."

and

The Trek store also mentioned they setup the handle bar angle to "beginner friendly". Initially it was angled down and they switched it to being angled up.

As a crude summary the lower the handle bars are in relation to the sadle the more racey the rider and the higher the more touristy the rider.

In that picture the handlebars are pretty much the same height as the sadle, a "safe" set-up by the Trek shop, but what looks odd to me as well is the slight rise is the stem. There is nothing wrong with this, it just looks a bit odd for this type of bike and it is then accompanied by an atypical lever position.

This style of lever is usually installed with the body parallel to the ground, the slight upward incline brings the font of the levers significantly above the height of the saddle and that looks odd. This is possibly a conflict between the bars original position below the sadle height and its new position and the dealer not wanting to move the brake levers down a bit to compensate as this means retaping the bars

For me the end result is that you almost have a flat bar hybrid in terms of body position, if this works for you then keep it. :-)

I am a bike fit sceptic, bike fit is very much a trial and error thing once you have the basic position right, and much of this is based on your fitness, suppleness and what you want out off a ride, something that is hard to convey to a fitter. If you do a web search you will find hundreds of "job blogs bit fit were brilliant, I tried <n> other fitters and job got it right." Quite possibly because job was benefiting from all the small tweaks from the previous fits and was the one who added the final piece to the jigsaw.

Bye

Ian

Awesome, thank you for the response. I didn't even know the brake lever height was adjustable. Since I'm comfortable as far as I can tell, I won't worry too much about it for now. Have to tell myself to Keep It Simple Stupid or I may get carried away with the possibilities lol.

 

[philipgonzales3]

Welcome @philipgonzales3 , simple question for you is do you feel comfortable riding it in the current set up ? If yes is the answer then don't change it.
But if you don't then take measurements of saddle, bars , lever heights and other measurements so that if you make adjustments that feel worse you can go back to shop set up .
Do you feel more comfortable on your hybrid, if so why not try mirroring that set up?
At the end of the day we are all different so nothing wrong with having a strange set up if you the rider is comfortable.
I have been cycling for almost 50 years and never had a bike fit and like @IanSmithCSE rather sceptical about them , whilst others say they are god like.
Easiest way is to make small adjustments and try them out .
Good luck shame you didn't buy a steel one

Yes, I feel comfortable. I wouldn't say I feel more comfortable on the hybrid. It feels more or less the same amount of comfortable to me on both. I have the seat height the same on both. I enjoy the Road Bike more because the hybrid bike feels heavy and slow now. But as far as comfort goes I think it's about the same. I'll get a little tightness in my lower back on both but not sure that is due to any specific thing regarding the setup or not. Other than that, no issues.

 

[philipgonzales3]

I think your always going to struggle to get a normal bike fit..

Your 6'2" but have the inside leg of a typical 5'10" guy. And with your long arms probably have 6" extra reach.

A longer stem stem might help if you feel like your too upright, also is your saddle too low?

Your legs want a slight kink at bottom of the crank but not alot more.

I feel like my saddle height is good. I may try to inch it up, or more correct cm it up a bit but it was definitely too high with the longer stem. It was a couple inches higher and I felt like I was straining to reach the pedals and I felt like I had too much pressure on the rear end. All that went away when I lowered it to inseam x .883. My speed also went up overall. I think I'm fairly close to where it needs to be in terms of seat height. How does a longer stem help? JW as I'm not familiar.

 

[cyberknight]

Yes, I feel comfortable. I wouldn't say I feel more comfortable on the hybrid. It feels more or less the same amount of comfortable to me on both. I have the seat height the same on both. I enjoy the Road Bike more because the hybrid bike feels heavy and slow now. But as far as comfort goes I think it's about the same. I'll get a little tightness in my lower back on both but not sure that is due to any specific thing regarding the setup or not. Other than that, no issues.

it could be many issues,its hard to say without seeing you on the bike.You do have a desk job? which could also be a factor

 

[philipgonzales3]

I do remember when you bought it that you had to change the seatpost as you couldnt get it low enough which would indicate the bike would be too big but with your proportions then that might be a factor.
If your comfy thats all that matters at the end of the day and you can tweak the fit as you go along, i dont know what facefluff group you asked on but i have found most to be full of wannabe racers that follow the " slam that stem" bike fit like the pros , not everyone wants , needs or can ride like that.
If you want to have a similar body angle but have the stem flipped the other way then a shorter stem would give you a similar body angle.
these sites offer good basic fit advice
https://www.jimlangley.net/crank/bikefit.html
https://wheel-easy.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/bike-set-up-2017a.pdf

Awesome, thanks. I'll give the links a whirl. I think for the most part I need to Keep It Simple Stupid and keep riding. I feel pretty comfy. No real issues besides maybe a little lower back soreness but it goes away after riding and may just be due to me needing to be a bit more flexible or in shape or what not. I don't think I really have a major fit problem so likely will just keep the miles rolling in!