admonisher

Hey guys,

recently I started cycling again, I use to have knee pain from the bike so now I adjusted my sit higher, which is good because Now my legs are at a good ankle, but I felt a lot of neck pain because I was looking up a lot during night time, to be able to see. ( I were glasses that are small) But If I ride with my head slightly down and look with my eyes a head, My neck feels fine then. But this way only work during the day, at night I could get neck pain.

I can say that since I started riding head down eyes up my neck pain mostly dissapeared. I can also get some pains sometime in my elbos. because most of my weight is on my hands, on the handle bar. Sometime I need to get one hand on the handle bar to relax one hand.

I havent been riding a lot yet, DO I need time to adjust or is my bike too small? I have asked bike shop if they can extend my stem to the same height as my sit but they said they can but they dont advice it. But hey maybe my bike is fitted right. I will show you guys a picture so that you can tell me if I am fitted. I am 1m80 5ft11

head down
https://imageshack.com/i/kpneVtJRj

heads up= neck pain
https://imageshack.com/i/p5W7P41yj


heads down other leg angle
https://imageshack.com/i/kpJotP78j

Drop bars( I dont use this often but I will post it for measurement purposes)
https://imageshack.com/i/p4oOLIrGj

Please let me know what do you think

oh and as an extra here are my glasses https://imageshack.com/i/ez600cb7j

if I ride head down obviously I cant see throught those glasses( I adjusted them recently so they dont fall of my nose they are just too narrow as a style) (the optometrist suggestion I get those big hipster glasses) https://thebestfashionblog.com/wp-con...nglasses-2.jpg because she said they fit closer to the face because of the plastic material and they go over the eyebrow

JimPz

As I do wear glasses, your glasses do look small & low & , I believe, is your main problem. Bigger (or contacts)
would help.
The bike looks pretty good size wise, although a god shop that will listen to you issues/problems while fitting you is the best.
But I do believe, from your description & the photos, the glasses are your major issue.

admonisher

I got the bike from a friend, getting a fit would cost money. but that repairs my bike said that it should be the good size and they dont advice me getting longer stem.

I guess investing on glasses would be my best bet.

The prescription glassed that got suggested to me on the cheap was 270$ but if I am getting ray bands its 310$ . I think I would go for the cheaper but 270 before taxes is still wow!!!! but it would help. maybe I will consider it for next summer I guess. I dont know if I will tought out 5 more months or invest in new glasses now. cause I had my glasses for 2 years now and they are still good, and I am a bit on a budget but could do this of course.

admonisher

and I did a test this year to check my eye sight and I still have the same eye sight, it did not get worst. so getting new glasses would only be for the bike and the fashion

I will wait and see what other thinks about the fit too. more opinion is always good.

thanks jimpz

admonisher

for a 3dimentional level of fitting here is a video of me cycling, a bit awkward because I am riding slow so that the camera can catch me

https://vimeo.com/101885157

Kopsis

The bike looks a little small for you. A classic style road bike is typically sized such that with your saddle at the correct height, you'd have no more than about 10cm of seatpost showing. You are making it work, but now your stem is basically at its height limit. If you really want to make this bike work for you, then you probably need to replace the stem with one that angles up so you can get the bars higher. The other option to raise the stem is to get an extender - but that is more difficult to set up and will cost almost as much as a new stem. Your shop should be able to help you find a new stem that will meet your needs.

admonisher

ok so so far, one person say I have right size one person say I dont have the righ size, I guess the video helps also hehe.

Just a comment I have, an observation I made

online and in real life I SEE a lot of people have their sitpost higher or way hire than their bicycle, I dont know the peoples height tought.
I am wondering if the reasons could be
1) their frame size works so its ok
2) there bike is most of the time badly fitted
3)its for looks and fashion purposes


I have seen some people with the handle bar and sit the same height

https://vomaxtechnical.files.wordpres...pster_bike.jpg
Instagram
https://www.singlespeed.at/singlespee...peed-at-27.jpg

and bike mechanic

https://labiciclettaproshop.com/merch...tack-reach.jpg


I an not discounting the opinion, I just want to verify if my observation means that these people like me have a badly nfitted bike and think its the norm and dont realise they should change the fit




SO if my bike is too small kopsis, I should get my bar the same height as my sit right?

I heard angle stems are bad, they get loose, is that true? even if I dont change the height all the time,

I heard changing the stem for a longer one would be expensive because i WOULD have to change the handle bar also because stem would be thicker etc.

admonisher

took some measurement on the bike

from crank to sit post measurement is : 21.5 inch or 180.34 cm
and frame wideness is 23inch

and I measure 5 foot 9

admonisher

actually I am 5foot 11 because I measure beetween 180-185cm

Leisesturm

I'm not metric but I know that that can't be correct. 21.5" cannot be more than 55 or so cm. And 5'9" or 5'11" is very different. Which is it? I also think it would be helpful to see the bicycle without a rider on it to be able to do more than just guess at things. Just off the top of my head though I don't think your bike is too small. You are young. You can handle the seat height/bar height drop. Could you handle a bigger frame, sure you could. But this is the frame you have and it is only a size or so smaller than your ideal so... call it good? I would. There is no extending that stem unless you get a Nitto Technomic. Serious $$$. Your glasses are the current fashion. Is your prescription very strong? Glasses get thicker as they get bigger. I have a very strong prescription. I get the smallest lenses I can and they are still 0.75" thick! If I were to bet bigger lenses they would be 1.0"thick! But I manage just fine with my lenses which are no bigger than yours top to bottom. Just get on the bike and ride. Don't worry about how you look. Worry about how well you can control the bike and whether or not you have any pain while riding. The rest will sort itself out.

H

admonisher

leisesturm its actually not the look but I do get neck pain at night because i have to crane my neck. and I do get a bit of elbow pain probly because i put lots of weight on the bar.

when i was 17 I measured at 180cm so ill take this as my height that is 5foot 9 and if I did grow cant be more than 5foot 10.

21.5 = 54.60cm i tried the thicker glasses they were pretty light but thick, the optometrist suggested them for cycling

admonisher

here is a picture of my bike without me on it

https://imageshack.com/i/ew3d097dj

I do have short torso long legs llong arms

I was like ... man!! maybe ill sell this bike and buy the perfect frame for me but that would be lots of $$$ and is it worth it? and ill always need a used bike because i dont want my bike stolen

jyl

OP, I think you have a relatively short torso and relatively long legs and arms. So the bike has an appropriate reach (saddle to bars, horizontal distance), even though the frame is a bit smaller than a 5' 11" man might typically ride. No problem, just extend that seat tube to get enough leg extension (make sure it isn't past the minimum insertion line) and either develop the flexibility needed for the saddle-to-bar vertical drop, or get an extra tall stem to raise the bars.

Personally, I think you look good on the bike and I'd work on the flexibility (neck, back) rather than raise the bars. The extra-tall Nitto stem is not cheap.

As for the vision issue, your glasses seem to ride low on your nose. Is there any way to hold them a little higher, by adjusting the nose pads or the temples (if applicable)? I know how expensive glasses can be, and it'd be a shame to spend $300 on new glasses that you don't otherwise want/need.

Oh, you asked about why some road bikes have bars and saddle level and others don't. Generally, bars below the saddle is a more "aggressive" position, allows the rider's torso to be leaned forward more, which has various benefits, primarily less aerodynamic drag which lets you go faster with less effort but requires more flexibility. Bars level with the saddle is a more "relaxed" position. Bars above the saddle are prohibited for a road bike unless and until you are a fat old man (just kidding!).

admonisher

Jyl,

How to get the flexibility needed? which is neck and hip right? I heard I got to get my core engage too, I dont understand how.

I know how to engage my core when dead lifting, when squating and when doing chin ups. I know how to bend at the hips when stretching in a pika, face to toe or nose to knee( I cant reach nose to toe yet heheeh)

I see a physical therapist once every three month of course I could probly ask him quick questionon that, but until then

Jyl are you saying, dont change anything, on the bike but develop the flexibility. But until I get the flexibility which can take minimum 3-6months do I get a longer stem?

For glasses, I just got them adjjusted one week ago and she specifically added some special pads on the nose so that they can sit as eye as possible. this is the best possibility for my type of glasses. In the day I can ride with no eye glasses and s omewhat see, I just cant read adresses. But at night I need the glasses for sure.


so

1) how to ge tthe flexibility and what do I need to get flexible? which exercises which stretches
2) how to engage my core, and should I engage my core, I guess I should ride flat back not convexe not concaves
3) I do feel a lot of pressure and weight on my arms, will my arms because stronger and more resistant with time or is the stem really too low or lack of flexibility?

admonisher

Is my sit not high an off, should I make it higher? I have an extra long sit post so I can go an extra inch. but that would probly hurt my back no?

What is saddle to bar vertical drop position?

admonisher

I putted my bicycyle asside now because I was able to buy a bus pass. My pains went away. I guess its the fit or its the flexibility, I would really like to know how to develop the flexibility now that I am not on my bike. I also need to continue the exercises and stretch my physio therapist gave me, I have a not very best knee and a shoulder that needs some work.

admonisher

i remesured my sefl thise morning on the wall with a ruller bare foot. I measure 71 and a half inch which converst to 5 foot 11 and a half which is 5 foot 11 rounded up because if I was exactly 72 inch then I would be 6 ft so I am going to round that I am 5 foot 11 or 5 foot 11 and a half.

if this helps, How to measure leg lenght, is it from the hip bone line or crouch? from the illia crest bone my legs would be 43 inches long from crest to feet

jyl

The Colorado Cyclist :: Bicycle Parts and Accessories

Take a look at this.

Caliper

Your leg length is from crotch to ground. Stand against a wall with a book or something between your legs, pushed up against you like your bike seat would be and measure from there to the ground.

Your elbow pain could be from keeping your elbows straight, trying to get your head higher up to see. Your elbows should be bent slightly so they can absorb bumps.

Don't always take other peoples bikes as a guide, there are a lot of variables involved. They may be long time riders, active racers, more flexible, not wear glasses, etc.

ofgit

Your position on the bike in video looks pretty good to me. You probably just need to get used to riding again. After all it is a new physical activity and your body needs time to acclimate to this new posture. Also try to position your foot on the pedals so the spindle is more toward the front 1/3 of your foot. Those toe clips might help there. Just don't use any straps on them. Might try moving the saddle back some too and raise the stem up to its minimum insertion line.


Oh yeah, and take anybody's advice on bike fit with a grain of salt. A bike racer will advise a different fit than a tourist. A young rider will probably advise a different fit than an old fart like me.

admonisher

right now my stem is at the limit it means I cant go higher.

what do you mean by raise the stem up. do you mean make the stem go lower(which equal more horizontal body) or the opposite?

and of course I could push my sit down. I think I can develop the flexibility I just dont know which exercise and how.

but like u said ofgit, I am showing the sign of flexibility already right?

countludwig

Hi,
just a quick personal opinion on this matter. it looks to me like your bike is a bit small.
The seat could be lowered maybe a half inch and then slid back on the rails about a quarter inch or so to
try and make up for it.
next, get one of these handlebar stems,
XLC Adjustable Stem, 120mm, Silver
because the handlebars need to be a bit closer to you and a bit higher, this will give you the
adjustment you need without going out and buying a new bike. (I've used them, they are good quality and work. )
essentially because you need to sit more upright to be more comfortable. ( old guys need this too... )
you'll want your hands to be close to level with your seat.
if you're not handy with tools, your local lbs can install this for a reasonable fee.

- hope you get it sorted out.