sizing and adjusting

[craig kennedy]

Hey all. ok so I have been riding for about a month, longest is 19 miles, still love it, and my bum no longer hurts, however I keep making small adjustments to the saddle, moving it forward a touch, up, down etc, and I just cant seem to get it perfect.

I either end up with a mild sore back (very mild) or I think too much weight on the front (finger tips go tingly) and sore neck.

What I dont think I can do is go and get sized for a bike, since I already have the biek, so Im stuck with what I have, so assuming lets say that its not as big a bike as I should have (I am 6'2" and 12 stone), what if anything can be done, should be done.

Also, I am thinking of taking it to Evans to have them give it a basic service, mainly the gears adjustments, anyone suggest better than evans?

 

[MichaelW2]

What length cranks do you have?

 

[craig kennedy]

ooer, To be honest I dont know, though now that I looked it up I at least know what they are ;-)

I was not even aware you changed those pieces?

 

[craig kennedy]

I have found some reviews that provide specs, as follows.

52-38 standard front cassette
12-26 rear cassette
RD-2300 with ST2300 Levers
700x23c tyres (need to learn how to tune these)
Brakes by Tekro?

now I dont know how much of this is true, and the bikes not here, its at home, so some of it may be wrong. Ill do some measuring tonight and make notes of everything.

Ideally I think it might be sooner rather than later to give myself some easier gears for hills, I am finding it is easier for me to put it into 3rd or 4th and then stand to get up the hills, but I expect experts will say thats wrong.

 

[helston90]

What size bike do you have at the moment?
The fact that you own the bike doesn't make too much odds to whether or not it can be fitted to you so long as you fall within the parameters of the bike.
have you Youtubed the fitting process already to try to eliminate the need to pay for a proper fitting?

 

[craig kennedy]

I would really like some help on the gearing, if I have to change the rear and/or the fronts, if someone can tell me exactly what is needed to buy (not the high end stuff) It would help

 

[craig kennedy]

Ive tried some of the videos, that help get things right but to be honest its pretty difficult to do some of them, and others just make no sense.

 

[helston90]

but I expect experts will say thats wrong.

It's not the experts who're having to get up the hill- it's you.
Depends on the terrain, if it's undulating you can get away with just standing and stamping to get you up and over, if you have longer climbs then sitting and spinning are more friendly on you and your bike.

 

[Cyclist33]

Precisely which bike is it, and what size is it?

 

[craig kennedy]

its a carrera tdf purchased in 2013 at Halfrauds.

 

[Globalti]

This is becoming a bit of a habit for me but.... why don't you post a pic on here of the bike, sideways-on and another with you on the bike, sideways-on? There are lots of experienced cyclists on here and if something is badly wrong they'll tell you.

 

[Crandoggler]

This is becoming a bit of a habit for me but.... why don't you post a pic on here of the bike, sideways-on and another with you on the bike, sideways-on? There are lots of experienced cyclists on here and if something is badly wrong they'll tell you.

It's quite obvious though isn't it. Even from someone who does 20 miles a day! There's a right and wrong position, fettling thereafter is the riders responsibility. But we(maybe not me) can get them into a semi comfortable position.

 

[Cyclist33]

It's quite obvious though isn't it. Even from someone who does 20 miles a day! There's a right and wrong position, fettling thereafter is the riders responsibility. But we(maybe not me) can get them into a semi comfortable position.

There are oodles of variations on what constitutes right and wrong position. If there weren't then you wouldn't be able to choose different geometries, time trial bikes would be the same as road racing bikes, and fizik would have one rider type in their saddle fitting ploy instead of three.

It is sheer folly to think you can set someone else's bike up for them according to some fixed sense of right or wrong.

 

[Cyclist33]

its a carrera tdf purchased in 2013 at Halfrauds.

... And the size?

 

[Crandoggler]

There are oodles of variations on what constitutes right and wrong position. If there weren't then you wouldn't be able to choose different geometries, time trial bikes would be the same as road racing bikes, and fizik would have one rider type in their saddle fitting ploy instead of three.

It is sheer folly to think you can set someone else's bike up for them according to some fixed sense of right or wrong.

Absolutely. But if they're kneeing themselves in the chest and stretched out like superman, it's fairly obvious.