windhchaser

Is there a easy way to make it have more of a situp rideing positon?

Wildwood 

Biggest possible tire makes the ride more comfy.
Everything else (sweptback/uprising bars, extended stem, atb riser stem, sprung saddle, etc) is wonky on a race bike.

Sell it as C&V, ride a bike better suited for upright....and other features you may want.

windhchaser

I doubt i can get anything for it it is like 22 years old and has old durable rd 7700

Camilo

If your saddle and riding position are comfortable and you only want to raise the handlebars, get a steeper angled stem. There are online calculators that can compare different rises and lengths (i.e. your current stem length and angle vs. a new length and angle).

I need a +21 degree stem in addition to maximum spacers on one of my bikes that has an unusually short head tube. I used the online calculator to get an idea of what I needed and then bought a Specialized Multi stem which has shims to adjust the angle (looks like a normal stem when installed). I found that when I went with a higher angle, I also needed to add 10mm to the length to get the bar height and reach I wanted.

It doesn't look ridiculous to me and really improved my comfort. I'm very happy with the fit now. It seems I'm more and more riding with folks who need taller front ends on their bikes. If they're buying new bikes, they buy frames that are designed that way (see below). If they have a bike they like except for the front end, they simply use a higher angled stem or get one of those steer tube extenders.

I found recently that you can buy press-fit head tube extenders that actually increase the height of the head tube itself, as opposed to the devices that extend the steer tube.



I'm about to give one a try on the above bike because like I said, I'm at (actually 10 mm above) the maximum spacer stack for the fork I'm going to be using, and the head tube extender will allow me to reduce that spacer stack by 20mm and still have the same handlebar height. Several companies make them, I've seen Litespeed, 1/8 and Ticycles (just ordered one from them). These things are made for head tubes that take press fit headsets but I've also read (but not looked into) some that are made for integrated headset type tubes.

On my other bike which is a Felt Z with a much longer/taller head tube - it's part of its design. It is about 40 mm taller than the other bike. I can get by with a normal positive rise (something like 6 or 8 degrees).

One more thing I just thought of: you can convert your threadless headset system to a quill stem and then buy a tall height Nitto stem of the correct length and raise your bars up as high as you want. Quill-inator | SOMA Fabrications

You may or may not like the aesthetics of this option, but I don't think it looks bad, if one likes quill stems. It's called the qullinator. I was very tempted to give this a try but went with the high rise stem and now, the head tube press-fit extender.

canklecat

Yeah, those 1990s era Treks can feel stretched out. The saddle to handlebar drop isn't as extreme as current racing bikes, but they were more stretched out.

My approach for fitting my early '90s 5900 is physical therapy to improve my strength and flexibility. If that doesn't work in the long run, I'll try:

• Raising the bar a bit (spacers or upward angled stem).
• Shorter stem.
• Different handlebar -- short reach, short drop compact bar. Take a look at the Specialized Ruby for an example.
• Shorter hoods for brifters. Or old school aero brake-only hoods, with downtube or bar end shifters.

Keep in mind all of the above will affect handling. The bike may feel twitchy on curves and fast descents.

Also:

• Better bar tape. Most comfortable bar wrap I've tried so far is Arundel Synth Gecko. It's 100% silicone, very soft and grippy, reusable (no adhesive on back, it sticks to itself naturally), and comfortable on rough pavement. It really tames the chipseal and rough pavement.
• Better saddle or shorts. Przewalski shorts and bibs with their orange 3D padding is very comfortable.

Wider tires may not be an option. Even 700x25 is pushing it on my 5900. The later Treks may have room for 700x25, but 28s weren't commonly used back then.

Better tires in 700x23 can help. There are tires more suited to touring or cobbles (Specialized Roubaix or similar) that should be more comfortable. Probably more expensive too.

If all else fails, albatross or North Roads bars, and Selle Anatomica saddle. Ultimate lightweight hybrid.

Wildwood 

What else would you like to have besides a more upright ride?

Bigger tires for more comfort? Maybe a longer wheelbase for stability? Eyelets for a rack or fenders?

An old bike that doesn't fit or suit your needs is not a good bike. I've got a dozen vintage bikes, but they still make me smile on the road. Selling the race bike should allow you to buy something more appropriate, it might be 22 years old as well, but more fun to ride and a better fit for your current needs.

edit: in earlier post I used the word 'wonky', that's just not a term for aesthetics. The bike was not designed to be ridden in an upright position. With your body mass upright, you are not positioned correctly, so handling and steering are compromised. Ask Trek if a press fit extension in a 22 year old carbon headtube is safe, it may have a metal headtube inside that mass of carbon to make it mechanically acceptable.

Why compromise when a different bike solves many issues?

curbtender

22 years old would make it a quill stem. Origin8, Profile Designs or get a stem adapter to use the wide variety of 1 1/8 stems.

windhchaser

Ty for the input everyone

fietsbob

Probably Not , time for a recumbent.. old man..

I ride my Bike Friday with a Thudbuster seat post .. more ..

the old road bike, may be jealous ..

Wildwood 

@windhchaser - over at C&V someone pulled up a 6 yo thread. Fast Light and Upright or something like that = might be worth viewing. No OCLV, but ideas.

Wildwood 

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...o-s-ideas.html

windhchaser

I am even tonold for a recumbent lol and i feel 99 most days

Sceadu498

I have a 1999 Lemond and had the same issue as you as it had a long top tube that no longer worked for me as I get older. I replaced the quill stem with a threadless adapter so I could raise the bars as well as using a different stem that had more rise to it and a shorter reach as I raised it up. Note that in the picture my saddle is raised as I had just taken it off my work stand and not lowered it back to its normal position.