Fastfwd01

Please let me provide some background to my questions. I got really into cycling about 2014/15 and started doing a few century events - metrics, gran fondos, etc. I was doing a pretty decent number of miles those first years. I got into the best condition I had been in for many years. I haven't been riding as much the last few years and I've started trying to get back into it this year.

When I was getting really obsessive about my cycling in those initial years I ended up purchasing a new Cervelo R5 Dura Ace that I found as a leftover from the previous model year with a 20% discount off MSRP. So, still a very pricey bike. I was drawn to the slightly more relaxed geometry of the Cervelo R series (previous generation) for a bike of that caliber. I have taken it to several events and actually love how it feels. I've also got a Cannondale Synapse 105 aluminum that was my bike prior to this that I still ride as my primary 'training' miles bike. I've got probably close to 15k miles total between the two bikes since 2014.

There's no question that I can appreciate the benefits of the stiffness with power transfer the Cervelo affords me. The events that I usually enjoy going to almost always have elevation gains as an element of the course and the Cervelo just kills it on the climbs for those. Yet, it soaks up the rough asphalt vibrations exceptionally well compared to the aluminum bike even if it that is not its best attribute compared to other carbon bikes. It helps fatigue over longer distances. I think there's probably just a psychological boost that goes along with riding a nicer bike that doesn't hurt when hitting those higher miles and trying to push yourself.

I had been to several bike shops when shopping initially and had been sized by what was formerly one of the more reputable shops locally before I even bought the Cannondale. I don't recollect specifically now, but they basically gave me a small range of sizes that would likely work for me - up to a 52cm or slightly higher. Maybe some of what their sizing advice they give you is hoping that they have something on the sales floor that they can sell you in retrospect idk.

I'm 49 and 5'6" with a 29" inseam. I probably have a longer torso than normal for my height. My arms and legs are possibly shorter idk. I suppose I am fairly flexible. I can touch my palms to the floor. The issue is that the bike I found for 20% off that tempted me is in a size 51cm. Cervelo only made one smaller size of this bike - a 48cm. I do see many general guides that would indicate that for my height a 51cm bike is well within my range of a correct fit. I also see a few online calculators that indicate something more like 47/48cm is my size.

The primary issue is with these bikes setup for me my bar drop is less than an inch with the spacers still in place. I'm only getting probably a half inch on the Cervelo and it's got maybe 1.5" of spacers that might allow possibly 2" of drop for me maximum. At my height I don't imagine anyone is getting really huge bar drop for that matter.

Honestly, I don't even feel compelled to drop the bars the additional 1.5" that might be available to me. As I am just getting back out there this year I don't really even find myself going for the drops very much. Yes, I'm going agonizingly slow, but I'm just trying to get my health back currently. I'm losing weight and getting back in shape somewhat. I'm not really concerned with my average speeds. I'm starting to get my miles back up to metric century distance and I've logged multiple 50 mile rides.

As I'm getting back out riding again I've been catching a lot of flak recently over how my Cervelo is just WAY too big for me. How they sold me a bike that was too big for me. I can't say that I disagree completely that the 48cm bike would more likely look much better setup for me. It would have the extra seat post height that may help absorb some road vibrations and look more 'Pro' with probably much more bar drop once setup to fit me. I'm frankly not sure exactly how much more bar drop that would work out to be.

It's somewhat of a case of I don't know what I don't know when it comes to how it would actually feel to me to have more bar drop. I just don't really feel like my lack of bar drop is making me slower at this point and I'm actually concerned that as my distances increase I might prefer to have it more like it is for comfort, but again, I don't know that it wouldn't be better either. I'm sure that if I forced myself to get accustomed to it my speed would increase accordingly. I currently don't experience any fit issues like numbness in my hands for instance either. However, I do wonder how well my weight is distributed with almost no bar drop too.

I've tried to do a search on this topic and found a forum where I noted some advice that seemed pretty level headed on the topic regarding this being a matter of personal preference. That particular forum discussion really didn't involve distance riding. I'm curious if anyone might care to even try to read through all of that and provide any further insight or opinion?