sizing and adjusting

[craig kennedy]

lol, ok well I am not doing either of them, if I had to guestimate, Id say I'm reaching too far for starters, so I logically moved the seat a little forward, and this did feel a little better but then I found I had mild back ache, so looked at the possibility that that was a seat height related issue.

I will get home tomorrow night from work and try with help to work out the seat position. Height seems to have elided me, but I have read about using the weight on a string thing to get the seat position right so Ill start with that.

I never realised there were so many variables involved, as a kid I just got on and cycled. I tried turning the handlebars up a little to sort of raise them up a bit but this just felt wrong when I went to the lower part of the bar on a down hill, so put them back again, I cant raise them any higher as there is no more room to do that, nor do I have any spacers left.

Seat can go up a little more, so I think my issues are all in the seat height and position more than anything else.

 

[Globalti]

Seat height is the very first thing to get sorted, followed by position on the rails and angle.

For height, sit on the bike leaning against a wall and allow your leg to hang loose, not stretched. Your heel should juust be contacting the pedal at the bottom of its stroke.

For distance from the bars, my own best guide is that, seated on the bike with hands on the drops, you should be able to see the front wheel axle in front of the bars. Hands on hoods and the axle should be hidden behind the bars. Hands on flats (next to the stem) and you should be able to see the axle behind the bars.

For saddle angle, my own preference is for a saddle canted up at the nose by a couple of degrees but people vary. It shouldn't be throwing you forward onto the bars or putting pressure on the soft perineal tissue.

Once all that is sorted, start thinking about bar height and angle.

 

[craig kennedy]

ok, great thanks.

Next question for you clever lot. On my cycle to work, a mere 5.8 miles or something around that, I have a short 50 yard hill but very steep, then a gradual hill not as steep but for around 3-400 yards then it levels out for several miles, then a long fast down hill, all the way to the office, followed by another severe at least 30 degree hill for another 50 yards then 10 degree the rest of the way, around 200 yards.
May not seem like much to you guys but the first hill I come to, which is maybe 20-25 degrees, I can get up by sitting in 3rd gear and standing up on the bike, but once at the top I feel wiped out, though I do push myself to the top where I have a brief stop for the traffic lights. Although I am wiped out, I avoid stopping all the way up to the end of the hills where it levels out, so I dont give up, but my thighs feel terrible.
I am eating ok, drinking plenty fluid, so question is, is this just down to my level of fitness, what can be done to get over this and quickly.
Will going out every day for a few miles help?

 

[PhilDawson8270]

Do you have a video camera?

 

[craig kennedy]

I did have but have since taken it back off for the moment until I fix it (buying cheap not such a good plan) Why?

 

[PhilDawson8270]

I did have but have since taken it back off for the moment until I fix it (buying cheap not such a good plan) Why?

If you have a video camera, have a check through this thread.

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/diy-bike-fit-and-analysis.185928/

 

[vickster]

Why do you use third gear when it makes your leg hurts? Perhaps try a lower gear and sit and spin
Climbing out of the saddle can be horrible for knees

 

[craig kennedy]

I do have a clip of video done when I did my first more than 5 mile cycle in Maidstone. Am uploading it to you tube for you all to have a giggle at. Wobbling around is avoiding the multiple potholes and sunken drain covers there are. Why cycling lanes have to be where the bloody drains are I don't know, and its using my £20 cheap Chinese camera (though it is actually not that bad)

I use 3rd gear because I struggle to make the steep hill sitting down so have to either stand or walk (dont want to walk) but standing with it in 1st means it spins far to fast, 3rd makes it a little tougher but It seems to work a little easier for me, 2nd also seems to work

 

[craig kennedy]

I only have 16 gears, have been told a few more gears would probably help, and I expect I would be able to remain seated, but that means spending money on new front rear and chains (wifey wont have it)

 

[Cyclist33]

I only have 16 gears, have been told a few more gears would probably help, and I expect I would be able to remain seated, but that means spending money on new front rear and chains (wifey wont have it)

It wouldn't make any appreciable difference, except to your wallet. Just drop into a lower gear for heaven's sake!

 

[vickster]

I only have 16 gears, have been told a few more gears would probably help, and I expect I would be able to remain seated, but that means spending money on new front rear and chains (wifey wont have it)

It's the gear ratios/cog sizes that make the difference when wanting a low or high gear, not the numbers in between

 

[craig kennedy]

ok, I think perhaps my frame is too small. I found a site that calculates the right frame size based on my personal measurements. 6'2" tall and 33" inside leg equal 58CM bike frame size (22.5") and crank size of 170mm.

My crank size is indeed 170mm (Ooer dr.) but measuring from the centre of the crank (woohoo I know what the crank is!) to the point on the frame where the seat post enters is not quite 50cm, around 49cm, so it seems Im maybe 8cm short on the frame?
Does that sound right.

Can I swap out all the bits already on the bike and put them onto a larger frame or do I need to replace the lot? selling and buying another bike is out of the question, or am I fine with it as it is

 

[craig kennedy]

lol, my mum says that allot, for heavens sake, ok spin faster, got it

 

[craig kennedy]

http://www.ebicycles.com/bicycle-tools/frame-sizer