Recommended size?

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Paul_Smith SRCC

www.plsmith.co.uk
Location
Surrey UK
Wow !
Interesting, confirms (?) what i thought as i feel my small tbh is on the upper comfortable size for me , in fact the boardman site say really an XS would probably be a better fit but you cant get them on C2W which is my only option for buying .
With regards the reach of the bars is another factor as the above bike has a really compact bar so i needed a longer stem compared to my old team comp with the same geometry which has a longer reach bar so a shorter stem to give me the same fit.
Obviously thelemond method is based on 175 mm cranks so you need to adjust your saddle height around that, my lemond formula gives me 68.5 .... so i added 5 mm which sits nicely with heel on pedal .MTB has 175 mm cranks and is set at 68.5 to BB.

To be fair i always felt i could do with a proper bike fit , just to confirm if i am even right on my set up.
However it's achieved then yes "a proper bike fit" is always a plus cyberknight.

Looking at the picture of your bike and referencing that geometry chart with a 73 degree seat tube then normally I'd expect to see the saddle further back on the rails; potentially this would be something that is at least worth further investigating. With a steep seat tube we struggle to get the rider back behind the bottom bracket, when it's further forward our 'core' is not engaged, something we call "Body mass representation" or "BMR".
Body mass representation.jpg

In effect when we are to far forward our core does not support us in the same way, so we actually end up having to support ourselves by holding onto the handlebars. One good way to see if 'BMR' is correct is to set your bike up on a trainer, hold the bars in your normal cycling position then simply place move your hands behind your back like that picture of Colin from Spa Cycles below, to quote Colin "Holding your position without touching the bars doesn’t require any gymnastic ability."
BMR.jpg

You will be amazed how many fits I've done where the drive behind having the fitting in the first place is a bad back. Often the rider has concluded that they must be over reaching, to reduce the reach the logical thing to do is move the saddle forward. They will often initially look at me in horror as I move the saddle back, a look that often morphs into a smile when it instantly feels better.

The same can apply when the drive behind having a fitting is purely that they know they have got a good bike, it's not damaged in any way yet somehow it just doesn't feel as good or handle as good as it should do. When we are more in balance with the bike, which is what we are referencing here with 'BMR', it not only aids comfort, but how the bike responds when we are on it; win win really.
 
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cyberknight

As long as I breathe, I attack.
I know KOPs is a myth, my current set up is 4 cm behind BB which gives me KOPs as far as i can tell.Trouble is convincing swmbo that £100 is a good price for a fit .LBS wasnt interested, club members i have asked seem to think im not far out .
I was going to buy a la vie claire jersey for my birthday but thats been shelved as i have to take the extended family for a meal instead at my expense.
I tend to ride arms bent on the hoods a bit like this
terpstra-roubaix-620x412.jpg
 

vickster

Legendary Member
I know KOPs is a myth, my current set up is 4 cm behind BB which gives me KOPs as far as i can tell.Trouble is convincing swmbo that £100 is a good price for a fit .LBS wasnt interested, club members i have asked seem to think im not far out .
I was going to buy a la vie claire jersey for my birthday but thats been shelved as i have to take the extended family for a meal instead at my expense.
I tend to ride arms bent on the hoods a bit like this
View attachment 399027
For your birthday? :wacko: Tell them you don’t want to go out!
 
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