BikingViking793 

So I'm pretty new with vintage bikes and trying to figure out if I have my 1974 Raleigh Sports fit ok. I have the nose of the Brooks saddle very slightly higher than the back of the saddle. Seems like I am sliding forward if I don't have it like this. Is that correct? I do still feel a little like maybe I'm putting too much weigh on the bars with my hands. It's still seems pretty ok, but should my bars be raised? Mine are a little higher than the seat. What about the angle of the bars? Mine are sort of angled down which I've seen in pictures, but I've also seen them angled up. The picture I have from the Raleigh catalog makes them look parallel with the ground.

BFisher

Nose up on the saddle seems most common with these, and it's how I set mine up. You could maybe nudge it a little more.

clubman 

Nose up is just fine if it's comfy. All my bikes are nose up. Don't sweat the small stuff, comfort and performance are all that counts, in that order.

cudak888 

If you're feeling any pressure from the rear cantle plate of the saddle, you could tilt it up one more notch. Ideally, when you're sitting on the saddle, you'll want the rear of it parallel with the ground.

However, before that, I'd definitely raise the handlebar stem. It looks slammed. This type of bike always does better with the stem raised as high as it safely can be raised (I'd leave at least 2.5" installed in the steerer - there's no max line on these). It'll put you more upright on the bike and will definitely affect where you'll want the saddle. Chances are, you'll definitely want to tilt it some more after said adjustment.

Here's how I have my B.66 (1951 Sports) and B.67 (1980 Sports) set up. The '80 has a super long stem installed, so don't use it as reference for where your bars should be with the short factory stem.









-Kurt

browngw 

The stem looks like it can be raised which helps immensely with these bikes I prefer the handle bars parallel with the ground. Most of my Brooks saddles tilt up at the nose with the exception of some drop bar modern bikes.

72 Root Beer Sports with mattress style Brooks

71 Robin Hood Sports with B17

79 DL1 with B66

Most of the bikes in my stable have Brooks saddles.

nlerner

Your seat clamp is on backwards, which puts you closer to the bars than you probably want to be. Plus your saddle is sagging a bit, which calls for tensioning and/or nose up. I would opt for what feels most comfortable, not what looks best.

cudak888 

Depends on the rider; I tend to consider the backwards clamp OK if it provides the correct fit. The way this particular 21" frame is set up, it looks OK. Rider may have been better suited with one of the camelback 19" frames.

-Kurt

BikingViking793 

Thanks, I fixed it.

Tilted the nose up a little more and have the bars up about another inch and it feels better.

ascherer 

As to the angle of the bars, follow what feels right. I had mine at about the same downward angle, my wrists felt like they were most neutral with that setup.