filipw1990

Hey,

I am new here so: Hello

2 months ago I bought road bike, unfortunately frame is too big. I am around 5'8 ( 174cm) with 82cm inseam + 2cm in road shoes with cleats. Bike I bought it is Kross Vento 2.0 L, it means 574mm Top Tube ( Yes, I know...), 391mm Reach and 195mm Headtube. I did not have any experience and in shop bike felt quite nice, so I decide to buy it, especially that price was good. I do not want to buy new bike/ frame, maybe at end of next season to be 100% sure that I know what I need.

Current setup in link below. Sorry, it is neccessary but I cannot add attachment.

image.ibb.co/cASjKz/Position.png

- Seatpost without offset; -15mm, knee in line with pedal axle
- Stem; PRO LT 80mm -17 Degree, without spacers
- Handlebar; PRO LT 70mm Reach and 123mm drop

I tried also 60mm -6 degree stem, it was quite OK but I felt that little "too short". 80mm -6 degree was also nice, but I decided to went little lower, so I bought -17 degree version.

I like current position, but there is one issue, I feel some kind of "tension" in arm and forearm, so my muscles get weak after ~30 km. Is this matter of training?

What do you think about my position? Any sugesstions? What can I change?

As I wrote above, I do not have any experience in Road Bikes ( 4 years on MTB) so it is hard for me to judge my position.

PS: If I made mistakes, sorry, I am still learning

Carbonfiberboy 

Looks like you're not stretched out enough. If you were, there'd a ~90° angle between your upper arm and torso.

Watch this video: You can skip thorough the early pedaling instructions to where she's riding.

Especially notice the parts where she takes her hands of the bars and then puts them behind her. We should all be able to do that if our balance on the bike is correct. Note that she is pedaling fairly strongly when she moves her hands. See how her back is almost straight from her shorts line to neck. Note that her upper arms maintain that 90° no matter where her hands are.

Measure your saddle height. OK, so move your saddle (probably back) until you can do what she does on the road or trainer. On the road, one only need lift one's hands briefly and, seeing that one does not slide forward on the saddle, replace them. If one slides forward, saddle goes further back. That's the start. Recheck your saddle height.

Then reach: See if you can tell what stem length will produce that flat back/90° angle thing at the same stem height you're using now. That height looks good now. That may take a few photos.

This is what one does. Then one or more new photos.

filipw1990

Thanks, I heard about this method, even tried it but I was not sure how to do it properly. Right now it is clear.

What about back angle? I heard it should be around 45 degree, right now it is around 41. When I put saddle back it will be +/- 39/40 degree I believe. Is this is not an issue?

philbob57

One way of testing balance I've heard of is going as 25-30 kph on a flat or slight uphill and taking your hands off the bars. If you don't fall forward, you're balanced.

IDK about that. When I go close to all out, my hands are very light, but when I go at my cruising speed, which is the vast majority of the time, my hands are pretty heavy, and I'd fall over if I took my hands off the bars.

Carbonfiberboy 

It's only an issue if it's an issue for you. There's not one right answer. Not everyone is flexible enough to bend forward far enough to tie their shoes. I do a series of stretches every morning, more for my knee health than anything, but that's a good idea anyway. About the arm strength/endurance: I do upper body weight work in the gym and have for years. Not a lot, maybe an hour total a week. I also do a bit of back work with that. Helps support my cycling habit so to speak. If you want details on the gym work, look for my posts in this thread: https://www.bikeforums.net/training-...e-athlete.html

wphamilton

Most people moving their saddle back also stretch their arms out more and sit up (instead of leaning down more). That's the main reason why they feel less weight on their hands with seat moved back. So it may be the same angle or larger angle.