'Really relaxed' geometry road/sportive bike

[Fab Foodie]

Audax style bikes 'should' be more relaxed that other 'road' orientated bikes with Touring designs the most relaxed of all.
As others state you need to get a bike set-up with the bars at the right height for you for a decent test-ride with spacers and steep stem/adjustable stem.
Interesting comments re 'Cross' bikes being more relaxed.
You'll also have your existing bike set-up as you need it so that can act as a guide too.
Drop bars also come in shallow-drop versions making the height difference between the tops and the drops smaller. .... bars such as the On-One Midge might work even better though they are a tad on the wide side at the drop part.
FIT however is going to be crucial so make sure the shop does all it can for you!

 

[Spoked Wheels]

Best way to tell what size you need is to sit on a bike and see how it feels. I'm 183cm or 6' and everybody says you need a 56cm frame but once I'm put on a 56 then they say maybe we should try a 58cm not all 6' tall are the same.

As for what bike, I went for a Ti, sportive, long rides type of thing. Also I have shallow drops and 4cm headset spacers. So I can ride with my hands on the hoods or on the drops and I can actually change riding positions. With the hands on the drops the riding position feels very good and I can do 10 - 20 minutes without any trouble. It doesn't feel like I have my bum up there and head by my ankles

 

[JMAG]

I have similar problems looking up. I'm 5'10" with quite long legs at 32.5". I currently ride a 56cm Specialized Allez with an adjustable 80mm stem. I have the stem tilted upwards, which effectively reduces the reach still further and compensates slightly for the somewhat aggressive geometry.

Some sportive bikes feel better in a 56cm and others in a 54cm. The Cannondale Synapse in particular fits me fine in a 54cm, but is too stretched out for me in a 56cm. I have to position the seat quite high on the 54cm, but it doesn't seem to push me into a head down position. The 56cm enables me to position the saddle more in the mid range and the reach could be addressed by fitting my shorter adjustable stem. However, using the shorter stem on the Allez makes the front end more "twitchy" and may produce similar results on a 56cm Synapse.

At Evans last week, they said that if I was ready to buy, they could put the bikes on a trainer and try out any adjustments including a shorter stem. I didn't take them up on the offer as the spec I would want is over my budget and I'm leaning towards a Planet X Pro Carbon. Only thing holding me back at the moment is being able to sit on one and that's what you should do.

I've setup an excel spreadsheet, crunched all the numbers and sat on a few bikes. The numbers sometimes say one thing though and the sitting says another. For example off the top of my head, the tip of my saddle is 510mm from the stem or handlebar (I don't have my notes to hand) and my saddle height is 760mm to the centre of the crank. Knowing the saddle height allows me to set a test bike up approximately although I should really measure pedal to saddle to take into account differing crank arm lengths. In some cases, I have found a bike more comfortable despite a slightly shorter head tube or a slightly longer top tube. In these cases there might be a slight variation in head tube or seat tube angle.

I get a headache from trying to work out all the geometry numbers whereas sitting on a bike should give you the answers. Our problem isn't just flexibility of the neck, but also that we are close to the transition from medium to large size frames. With neck issues we would definitely be on a large.

Good luck in finding the right bike/size.

 

[Milkfloat]

L4/L5 issues for me. I ride a Giant Defy, but crucially have had the stem flipped, which makes a huge difference. I spent a lot of time looking at geometry and trying to compare apples and oranges. Since my surgery I have been getting significantly better, so I have just flipped my stem back. First long ride will be this weekend, mutli tool will be coming with me just in case.

 

[John the Monkey]

Interesting comments re 'Cross' bikes being more relaxed.

Good spot!

To the op: Racing cross bikes are supposed to be ridden hard, for about an hour - they can have *very* unforgiving geometries! There's another class of Cross bike that you can think of as a manufacturer shorthand for "bikes intended to be one of, or a combination of Commuting bike/Light Tourer/Road bike with Fat wheels/Hybrid with drop bars". As I think has been said earlier, there's no substitute for checking the bike out in person, at a shop that will advise you honestly.

 

[Paulq]

If there's enough space on the steerer tube. You need to look at head tube height. What bike is it?

It's a Felt F75

 

[Cyclist33]

It's a Felt F75

Great bike, but not of the "relaxed geometry" ilk!

 

[Paulq]

Great bike, but not of the "relaxed geometry" ilk!

Ha - that's exactly what I was thinking. Shame, I love it.

 

[Globalti]

Did you ask the same question on UK Climbing?

 

[Paulq]

Did you ask the same question on UK Climbing?

Umm....nope?

 

[vickster]

Ha - that's exactly what I was thinking. Shame, I love it.

The Z models are the more relaxed options in the Felt range

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/felt-z75-2015
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/felt-z75-disc-2015/

 

[Globalti]

Sorry, not UKClimbing, it was Singletrack: http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/relaxed-geometry-road-bike-for-under-4k

 

[Paulq]

The Z models are the more relaxed options in the Felt range

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/felt-z75-2015
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/felt-z75-disc-2015/

Interesting - I do like the look of the Felt bikes and also the Cannondale Synapse.

A question - what's the standard of the Claris groupset?

 

[vickster]

Interesting - I do like the look of the Felt bikes and also the Cannondale Synapse.

A question - what's the standard of the Claris groupset?

Entry level, 16 speed (8x2 I think, or it might be 9 speed, but think that's Sora)

What's your budget?

 

[Paulq]

Entry level, 16 speed (8x2 I think, or it might be 9 speed, but think that's Sora)

What's your budget?

Umm ideally about £700. The Claris Cannondale is available at around £599 and looks really nice. However I have only ever used Tiagra and 105 in previous lives before my injury so if an extra £100 buys me something in 105 territory I'd look at that.