Pain on riding my first road bike...

[drkash]

Hi, for some background, I have been riding a Whyte Shoreditch hybrid bike for the past 3 years. I usually ride 30-40km and last year cycled 200km over a weekend without any significant pain / problems. This is the current bike showing the position of my seat / handlebars etc:

A few days ago I bought a Trek Madone as I wanted to start using a road bike for improved speed and performance. This is my first time using drop bars and I cycled 65km using the 3 different hand positions. After around 20km into the ride I started feeling a lot of low back pain, neck pain and shoulder pain. I had to keep stopping every 5km to stretch and rest. I usually have a fairly inflexible back - maybe drop bars weren't the best idea?!

I also think the reach to the hoods was probably a little far as my elbows are almost locked out.

I have measured my seat height according to the x0.883 formula and my seat should be a couple of cm higher. However that would mean I would be even more stooped down to the handlebars?

I've also calculated the height difference from my Whyte seat to handlebars vs the Trek and found to be similar the Trek handlebars should be around 60mm higher. I'm not sure if that is the correct way of calculating things or if the geometry of both bikes makes this calculation meaningless?

Unfortunately it appears the steerer has been cut short by the previous owner and there is only space for probably an extra 5mm spacer. I will try this and maybe flip the stem to give some extra height. If this doesn't work what should I do next? Buy a new longer fork? Use an adjustable stem? Or am I best seeing a bike fitter?

Thanks in advance.

Current position of Trek seat etc:

 

[ianrauk]

That's a fairly aggressive riding position so If you're not used to road bike and drops then yes, you will ache.
You can buy an adjustable stem like this, it will help by raising the bars and bringing them closer to you.

 

[Fab Foodie]

@ianrauk suggestion is a good place to start. It may be in the future a new fork with a longer steerer is needed.
Also with the saddle - just check that it's approximately the same distance behind the bottom bracket as you raise it so you are not sat too far back butting more bend into your back.
Certainly the drop from seat-height to bar height is much greater than you're current set-up - some will adapt, others wont.
As far as reach is concerned, once the saddle is in the right position a quick measure from saddle nose to bar will give you a comparison with your current set-up to see how great the difference is or whether they're close. You could also estimate the distance the bars would have to come-up to be equivalent.

 

[drkash]

Thanks for the advice both.

Would the first one fit and be better as the part that attaches to the steerer is higher? Or will there not be enough space to attach this to the steerer?

 

[fossyant]

That's a fairly aggressive riding position so If you're not used to road bike and drops then yes, you will ache.
You can buy an adjustable stem like this, it will help by raising the bars and bringing them closer to you.
View attachment 691155

My eyes, my eyes.

 

[Peter Salt]

I suggest you visit https://www.bikegeocalc.com/, and put in the measurements for both bikes to understand the differences. The seat to handlebar drop seems like an obvious one, but may not be the source of your problem at all.

[EDIT]: Or at least not all of them ;-)

 

[richardfm]

Have a look at this http://wheel-easy.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/bike-set-up-2017a.pdf it might help you to get the bike set up to suit you

 

[biggs682]

I can never understand why anyone would buy a bike that has had the stem chopped that much

 

[chris667]

That bike hasn't been used much at all. And looking at the bars I understand why.

 

[slowmotion]

I felt hopelessly stretched out on my first road bike which had a 110mm stem. I replaced it with a 90mm stem with a more upright angle and that felt a lot better. A couple of years later I was back with the 110mm stem having got used to the a drop bar bike riding geometry.

 

[Sharky]

improved speed and performance.

If this is the aim, you've got to appreciate the differences between a hybrid and a road bike. The road bike is likely to have lighter wheels and tyres and may have higher gearing. The geometry might give you a steeper headset and more lively handling. But the biggest gain is the improvements you can achieve with a more aero position. That means more stretched out, lower and more horizontal back and on drops, a lower centre of gravity.

Attempting to emulate the same position as you had on the hybrid, will result in similar speeds as you did on the hybrid.

You might need a different stem etc to help you evolve to a road position, but it will come in time and practice.

Good luck

 

[figbat]

A couple of things I would try:

• Flip the stem - it looks like it has a small downwards angle so you could try it upwards and see if that helps.
• A shorter stem - as @slowmotion above I also went from a longish stem to a shorter one and it immediately made the bike more comfortable for me.

There is also something of a body training to go through too - if you're in an unaccustomed position you will ache in places. You may get better with time or you may need intervention to fit the bike better. Is the bike the right size for you?

 

[T4tomo]

Those adjuster stems may (or may not) be overkill, they certainly look ugly.

what is current one a 100mm 7^ ? as above you can flip it so its 7^ rise not fall.

something like a 30^ 80mm in riser position might do the trick. some of it is body getting used to the different position.

 

[cyberknight]

what about a stem riser ? assuming its an alloy steerer would it be ok ?

 

[vickster]

I can never understand why anyone would buy a bike that has had the stem chopped that much

He probably didn’t realise, being perhaps the only bike he’s bought used?