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Bar Drop For Longer Distance Riding

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Bar Drop For Longer Distance Riding

Old 06-15-21, 01:19 AM
  #1  
Fastfwd01
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Bar Drop For Longer Distance Riding

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?
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Old 06-15-21, 09:56 AM
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I only saw one question at the end. So I'm supposing the others are coming.
Please let me provide some background to my questions.....
.........
........

I'm curious if anyone might care to even try to read through all of that and provide any further insight or opinion?
You'll never know if you don't try the something you are worried about. Nairo Quintana is only about 5' 6" and finds bikes with plenty of drop. And I assume he's comfortable on them.

When I started back to riding when my career slowed down enough, I didn't like a low bar. But as I got fitter and faster and longer 2 to 3 hour rides as normal, I found I wanted to be lower. So I got the bike that will allow that and I have no regrets.

Last edited by Iride01; 06-15-21 at 10:00 AM.
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Old 06-15-21, 10:10 AM
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Originally Posted by Fastfwd01
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.
Who is sending that flak your way? If you aren't complaining abuot aches and pains or asking for advice, I think they should keep their opinions on what 'looks pro' to themselves.

If the bike is comfortable and you are starting to put in distance again , I think that you should just 'carry on'.

An independent bike fitter (not a shop employee trying to sell you a new bike) could be a possibility if you think your bike position is holding you back. But with all those miles under your belt, I think you must be doing a lot of things right already.

If you want opinions here, posting a pic of yourself on the bike would be a possibility. I guess.

I'm just getting back on the bikes after multi-year layoff, and I've been trying different stems ot see how the road bike (which I never did ride more than a few km before) feels for me. So I'm probably not 'looking too good' either!
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Old 06-15-21, 10:50 AM
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Fastfwd01, you haven't told us either how long your stem is or what angle, just the cms of spacers under it. If you are looking for handlebars lower relative to your seat you can do several things and all are easy.

First, take of the stem and spacers and replace with the spacers on top of the stem. (This will quickly tell you if you even want your bars lower and is easy to undo.) Second, look at stems with a lower angle of rise. -17 degrees is the equivalent to the old fashioned horizontal stem. You can take a stem that has a positive rise of more than 17 degrees and turn it upside down to go lower than a horizontal stem.

And last: if you are concerned about real fit more than "x" cms of bar drop to be properly hip - one way to get the effect of more bar drop is to go to a longer stem. For me, I can place the handlebars anywhere on an imaginary line that slopes up 1 cm of stem spacer by 2 cm of horizontal "reach" with no change in either my shoulder location or arm bend and within reason, no change in comfort.
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Old 06-15-21, 11:57 AM
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Originally Posted by 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.

<SNIP>

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?
What is your goal? are you racing, or simply riding? If you aren't racing, go for comfort, no need to have a lot of drop.
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Old 06-15-21, 02:14 PM
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Thanks for the replies. As stated, I've already logged probably over 15k miles (14.5k on Strava and some on Map My Ride before I discovered Strava). So, I haven't yet really had a problem with the almost flat setup in terms of physical issues that I see many others running into. I actually had a pretty surprisingly frank conversation back when I was shopping with a guy employed by one of the local bike shops. He was their fitment specialist who use to ride as a pro. He basically advised against having a really aggressive setup. He cited how the pros were put through abuse that others shouldn't try to emulate. It causes all kinds of physical problems.

In retrospect, I probably could have left myself more room to grow on this Cervelo if I ever did desire to have a more aggressive setup. I still haven't even gone as aggressive as it has to offer though.

Originally Posted by 79pmooney
Fastfwd01, you haven't told us either how long your stem is or what angle, just the cms of spacers under it. If you are looking for handlebars lower relative to your seat you can do several things and all are easy.

First, take of the stem and spacers and replace with the spacers on top of the stem. (This will quickly tell you if you even want your bars lower and is easy to undo.) Second, look at stems with a lower angle of rise. -17 degrees is the equivalent to the old fashioned horizontal stem. You can take a stem that has a positive rise of more than 17 degrees and turn it upside down to go lower than a horizontal stem.

And last: if you are concerned about real fit more than "x" cms of bar drop to be properly hip - one way to get the effect of more bar drop is to go to a longer stem. For me, I can place the handlebars anywhere on an imaginary line that slopes up 1 cm of stem spacer by 2 cm of horizontal "reach" with no change in either my shoulder location or arm bend and within reason, no change in comfort.
You raised a good point that I've forgotten about. I've seen a few videos on this topic on Youtube recently that touched on taking a smaller frame and making it fit better with a longer stem, etc. but I haven't really considered the option of making a larger frame more aggressive with similar tweaks. I have to admit that I can't recall my stem length and angle. It's the stock FSA carbon stem and handlebars. I want to say that it is a 110mm, but I'm just guessing on that spec. I really have no complaints about how it feels as it is.

I know I've got probably 1 1/2" of spacers (the measurement that I get) that I can remove if I so desire. It seems like my Cannondale specifically had information somewhere that you shouldn't try that on it. It had something to do with the design. I guess you basically have to cut the fork on it. I'm not sure the Cervelo has any such restriction from doing so. I see lots of R5's with their spacers moved. Usually they cut the fork because it doesn't look that great and I'm much more reserved about doing that than anything else. It would be an easy way to try it first though.

Originally Posted by phughes
What is your goal? are you racing, or simply riding? If you aren't racing, go for comfort, no need to have a lot of drop.
That's just it. I probably feel a little more sensitive about it because it is basically a superbike. Maybe I'm not as 'sensitive' about it as others who see it and are critical of it. Cycling can be such a nitpicky sport/hobby/activity to be involved in. For me at least. I have endured endless criticisms for this or that and this is just one more episode of it frankly.

I'm not 'racing' really. Even at my personal peak condition I was just riding timed events. I guess even though they don't like to call it a 'race' they do keep score of finish times. I do like 100 mile 'century' events as stated. Comfort plays a big role for those. I never got below a 6 hour century. I feel like if I were back running for my best condition and I was really pushing to get my time down that would be the time I would be looking at getting my setup more aggressive. If I were ever fortunate enough to get my conditioning to the point that I was chasing after a century in under 6 or even 5 hours then I probably earned myself a new bike that could be setup as aggressively as I needed to help achieve it. I'm nowhere near that point as of now.

This bike has served me for 6 years now at this point (purchased in 2015). I've kept it in pristine condition and it could serve me for many more years. Even my Cannondale purchased in 2014 has taken the miles I've thrown at it like a champ. There has been very little so far that I've even required to have a bike shop remedy for either of them.

I do like to see how the bikes have evolved now that I'm getting back into it. Some of that is to include wider tires I notice (the R5 and Synapse run 25mm already). I like those clean cockpits of the new bikes with no wires. I'm still pretty happy with what I have though. I will likely scrutinize the sizing of any future bikes more carefully to make sure they are setup not only for my current conditioning, but more future proof if I want to get much more aggressive with my setup.

Last edited by Fastfwd01; 06-16-21 at 02:16 PM.
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Old 06-15-21, 02:56 PM
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Originally Posted by Fastfwd01
Thanks for the replies. As stated, I've already logged probably over 15k miles (14.5k on Strava and some on Map My Ride before I discovered Strava).

<SNIP>
elp achieve it. I'm nowhere near that point as of now.

This bike has served me for 6 years now at this point (purchased in 2015). I've kept it in pristine condition and it could serve me for many more years. Even my Cannondale purchased in 2014 has taken the miles I've thrown at it like a champ. There has been very little so far that I've even required to have a bike shop remedy for either of them.

I do like to see how the bikes have evolved now that I'm getting back into it. Some of that is to include wider tires I notice (the R5 and Synapse run 28mm already). I like those clean cockpits of the new bikes with no wires. I'm still pretty happy with what I have though. I will likely scrutinize the sizing of any future bikes more carefully to make sure they are setup not only for my current conditioning, but more future proof if I want to get much more aggressive with my setup.
Okay, in all those words, I did see, "I'm not 'racing' really." Go for comfort, forget looking like a pro, or needing to have a certain drop because it is a "superbike." Oh, and quite caring about what others say about your bike, or the way it is set up. You are almost 50, it's time to stop caring what others think. Set the bike up so you are comfortable, and so it performs the way you want. That's it.
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Old 06-15-21, 06:00 PM
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Originally Posted by phughes
You are almost 50, it's time to stop caring what others think.
If you only knew.
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Old 06-15-21, 06:15 PM
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Originally Posted by phughes
Okay, in all those words, I did see, "I'm not 'racing' really." Go for comfort, forget looking like a pro, or needing to have a certain drop because it is a "superbike." Oh, and quit caring about what others say about your bike, or the way it is set up. You are almost 50, it's time to stop caring what others think. Set the bike up so you are comfortable, and so it performs the way you want. That's it.
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Old 06-15-21, 08:39 PM
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Originally Posted by Fastfwd01
If you only knew.
Well, I'm 56, so I do know. Of course I stopped caring what people thought about 40 yeas ago.
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Old 06-16-21, 08:58 AM
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I'm still confused as I always am.

If you are happy with your bikes and how you ride and fit on them then what's the issue? If you find at some point there is a goal that you can't achieve that other your age and health are doing then that might indicate a fit issue or wrong bike for the purpose.

But if comfortable on your bike doing what you want to, then what's to worry? But you can be comfortable on the wrong bike not achieving the performance goals you might have.
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Old 06-16-21, 11:01 AM
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That r5 is a bike you are always gonna love. You'll get the most out of it if you're comfortable. Bar drop is best for those that really need a more aero position, maybe a bit more power. I think the suggestions you're getting to slam it are well intentioned but misguided.
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Old 06-16-21, 11:14 AM
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Originally Posted by blacknbluebikes
I think the suggestions you're getting to slam it are well intentioned but misguided.

Off topic:I think the bike manufacturers are missing some sales by always showing 'slammed' steerer tubes/stems. I was looking at Canyon bikes - even their 'gravel' bikes are shown with the steerer tube chopped right down to the minimum. Having some options for bar height is a plus IMO - it's nice to be able to just shuffle some spacers to change bar height.
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Old 06-16-21, 02:39 PM
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Originally Posted by Iride01
I'm still confused as I always am.

If you are happy with your bikes and how you ride and fit on them then what's the issue? If you find at some point there is a goal that you can't achieve that other your age and health are doing then that might indicate a fit issue or wrong bike for the purpose.

But if comfortable on your bike doing what you want to, then what's to worry? But you can be comfortable on the wrong bike not achieving the performance goals you might have.
Well, obviously I was venting a little, but I suppose the question or request for advice would pertain to what others might be doing with their fitment/setup related to bar drop if you ride longer distances. I'm sure you'll get a dozen different answers from a dozen different people on that kind of question.

Right now, I'm just trying to get back into shape after a pretty bad slide of gaining weight and sitting around. So, I'm not that concerned with my average speeds as much. Nor am I participating in any events yet. So, comfort is working for me.

Originally Posted by blacknbluebikes
That r5 is a bike you are always gonna love. You'll get the most out of it if you're comfortable. Bar drop is best for those that really need a more aero position, maybe a bit more power. I think the suggestions you're getting to slam it are well intentioned but misguided.
I do love the R5. I probably wouldn't understand what the reviewers say about how direct the power transfer is and the stiffness during climbs without experiencing it first hand. It just feels like so much more of what you put into it is put straight to the ground. Yet, even the high stiffness carbon fiber of the R5 soaks up way more vibration than the aluminum of the Synapse. The Synapse isn't 'bad' but I can understand the reputation of aluminum being rather harsh. The new Synapse models get a carbon fiber fork I notice. That has to help. 100 miles of tar and chip asphalt during an event like Hotter Than Hell in Texas will absolutely start to wear on you.

I may start to tinker with dropping the stem down halfway first and see how it works for me over distance. I haven't really felt compelled to do so as of yet, but it might not hurt to try it.


Originally Posted by VicBC_Biker

Off topic:I think the bike manufacturers are missing some sales by always showing 'slammed' steerer tubes/stems. I was looking at Canyon bikes - even their 'gravel' bikes are shown with the steerer tube chopped right down to the minimum. Having some options for bar height is a plus IMO - it's nice to be able to just shuffle some spacers to change bar height.
I've caught this Youtube channel from a bike fitter that says that bikes are designed not to have spacers. I'm not trying to contradict you, but I thought that was interesting. It also just so happens to be on a topic that I was considering about how pro cyclists have very little upper body mass. I, on the other hand, am pretty short and I have pretty broad shoulders. I'm not at all the natural cyclist build. So, it made me think how much weight balance I could really handle when my upper body has so much more mass than the average person or pro cyclist. I may not even be able to tolerate too much more weight shifted to the bars before I start getting numb hands.

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Old 06-16-21, 04:53 PM
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Just remember, the vast, vast majority of cyclist that ride, even the ones that have been riding 20 years or more, have absolutely no clue about bike sizing. They look at how pros set up their bikes and think that someone 50yrs old that just likes to get in the miles should have the same set up. That's just crazy. Pros are almost all under 30 and forsake comfort and longevity in order to go 1 second faster over 100 miles. Also the amount of power they produce changes the kind of set up they can tolerate over a long period of time. They also get massages daily and have a team chiropractor.
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Old 06-16-21, 08:35 PM
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With your hands on the hoods and your forearms horizontal, when you pedal do your quads hit your chest or stomach? If not, you could go a little bit lower, but really there's no need. Smaller bikes have less reach and you really don't want to be cramped on long rides. And rather than get a smaller bike, take out the spacers. I'm about your dimensions. On a 52, I have a slammed -6° stem. Until I was 70, it was -17°. A fitter said my hip angle was too small and raised me up a bit. I don't know - it's fine either way. I can only put my knuckles on the floor.

I'd say, take your stem all the way down and ride it that way for a couple months, then see if you still like it lower like that. Lower is faster as long as you're not so low it affects your breathing. I rode a couple fairly fast 400s before I raised my bars, didn't seem to slow me down to be low.

All that said, many randonneurs prefer bars level with saddle. But not all. And bike fit is much more about top tube length than it is seat tube length.
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Old 06-17-21, 06:50 PM
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Thank you everyone for your input. I dove pretty deep into the cycling thing possibly too quickly. I bought that Cannondale Synapse in about September 2014 after riding my old Cannondale Mountain bike with street tires most of 2014 and getting into much better shape. I was out crushing top ten Strava segments all over town once I got that Cannondale Synapse. Maybe there weren't as many people here even on Strava in 2015, but nevertheless. I went on to tackle metrics and century events in 2015 and totally crushed my goal of just getting a century completed in under 7 hours at the Hotter than Hell in 2015. Something like 6 hours 20 minutes maybe.

Cycling was whipping me into the best shape I had been in since I was a teenager. That's why I was so hot to buy an even nicer bike when I bought the Cervelo toward the end of the 2015 season. I would never have dreamed of going for a $300 bike fitting BEFORE even buying a bike at that stage in the game. I just trusted the general advice I got from salesman. The place I bought the Cervelo from did not say one word to discourage me from purchasing the 51 and sent me out the door with it 'fitted' to me having only the 1/2" of drop.

I just checked my Synapse. It might be a 52cm I can't remember. It actually had a slight rise from seat to bar. So, I did finally move the stem on it all the way down giving it about an inch of drop now. We'll see how that goes. I only moved about half of the Cervelo spacers giving it just over 1" of drop. I think it still has another 1" to give. I'm eager to see how it feels to me now that I've lost some of the weight I gained over the last few years.

I talked to some of the bike shops around town today about one of those computerized fittings. One shop is like $300 for their fitting. It's the Retul machine. The guy working there certainly seemed like he knew what he was talking about. He cited that there is a certain angle that would be different for every rider that isn't just about getting low for aerodynamics, but that you are at your peak power capacity when you are in that peak angle. I didn't pry further as to how that angle might vary between the hoods and the drops, but I assume the answer would be that their fit attempts to put you in the range that accommodates both. I would be curious if I can't find more information online to confirm what he was telling me regarding that.

There's also an independent guy that has a Guru machine and I haven't talked to him about it. Another shop has a different machine, but it isn't even working. They were like $225. I think I would want to be in my ideal condition before being serious about getting a fitting that cost several hundred dollars. I'm a pretty long way in terms of my fitness level from a few hundred dollars worth of bike fitting making the biggest difference in my speed imo. I did get a little advice while inquiring about it that might be helpful.

Thanks again to everyone for your encouragement and advice.

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Old 06-18-21, 06:20 PM
  #18  
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Originally Posted by Fastfwd01
Thank you everyone for your input. I dove pretty deep into the cycling thing possibly too quickly. I bought that Cannondale Synapse in about September 2014 after riding my old Cannondale Mountain bike with street tires most of 2014 and getting into much better shape. I was out crushing top ten Strava segments all over town once I got that Cannondale Synapse. Maybe there weren't as many people here even on Strava in 2015, but nevertheless. I went on to tackle metrics and century events in 2015 and totally crushed my goal of just getting a century completed in under 7 hours at the Hotter than Hell in 2015. Something like 6 hours 20 minutes maybe.

Cycling was whipping me into the best shape I had been in since I was a teenager. That's why I was so hot to buy an even nicer bike when I bought the Cervelo toward the end of the 2015 season. I would never have dreamed of going for a $300 bike fitting BEFORE even buying a bike at that stage in the game. I just trusted the general advice I got from salesman. The place I bought the Cervelo from did not say one word to discourage me from purchasing the 51 and sent me out the door with it 'fitted' to me having only the 1/2" of drop.

I just checked my Synapse. It might be a 52cm I can't remember. It actually had a slight rise from seat to bar. So, I did finally move the stem on it all the way down giving it about an inch of drop now. We'll see how that goes. I only moved about half of the Cervelo spacers giving it just over 1" of drop. I think it still has another 1" to give. I'm eager to see how it feels to me now that I've lost some of the weight I gained over the last few years.

I talked to some of the bike shops around town today about one of those computerized fittings. One shop is like $300 for their fitting. It's the Retul machine. The guy working there certainly seemed like he knew what he was talking about. He cited that there is a certain angle that would be different for every rider that isn't just about getting low for aerodynamics, but that you are at your peak power capacity when you are in that peak angle. I didn't pry further as to how that angle might vary between the hoods and the drops, but I assume the answer would be that their fit attempts to put you in the range that accommodates both. I would be curious if I can't find more information online to confirm what he was telling me regarding that.

There's also an independent guy that has a Guru machine and I haven't talked to him about it. Another shop has a different machine, but it isn't even working. They were like $225. I think I would want to be in my ideal condition before being serious about getting a fitting that cost several hundred dollars. I'm a pretty long way in terms of my fitness level from a few hundred dollars worth of bike fitting making the biggest difference in my speed imo. I did get a little advice while inquiring about it that might be helpful.

Thanks again to everyone for your encouragement and advice.
the thing about that peak power angle is that it will vary with training at various angles. You can change! Sure you can find out what it is now, but that's not an end point.
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Old 06-19-21, 01:39 PM
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Originally Posted by Carbonfiberboy
the thing about that peak power angle is that it will vary with training at various angles. You can change! Sure you can find out what it is now, but that's not an end point.
Thanks. My weight got crazy out of control after mostly giving up cycling the last couple years. I've dropped probably 35lbs and I might have another 20lbs to go before I would consider investing in getting a pro fit done. I just think it would be a waste to spend that kind of money before I start to really get into better shape.

In answer to a previous question - after dropping those spacers I took the Cervelo out on a 70 mile ride today to see how it worked for me. My quads do hit my stomach in the drops, but not on the hoods. I just really need to drop more weight, but that should be coming with increased miles per week.

I do squirm around on my saddle quite a bit and I'm sure a fitting could help that even now. I did get fitted when I bought the Cervelo, but my Cannondale is just a pretty cowboy job I did totally myself with some help of the internet. I'm sure both of them could use a fresh fit after six years.
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Old 06-23-21, 07:12 AM
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Seems I forgot what my goals were in 2015.... Apparently, it was to get my century time under 6 hours and I must have clocked something like 5:20 ish. I should probably also note that the Cannondale Synapse 105 aluminum has been a fantastic bike for me. It has taken everything I've thrown at it and I never worry about damaging it. I feel like I have to be super careful with the Cervelo in contrast. Even if I am needlessly overly protective of it. It feels delicate to me. The Synapse has been great for fitness and 'training' miles.

Here's that Hotter Than Hell Strava ride in 2015. I'm just starting to get back into the mindset of actually getting my mph averages up over distance. I've got a long way to go to get back to that level. Dropping my bars a bit shouldn't hurt. I rode that Hotter Than Hell event with my Synapse having basically a higher bar than the seat though. Maybe I would have been under 5 hours if I were in a more aggressive position idk.


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Old 06-29-21, 02:57 PM
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Originally Posted by Fastfwd01
>>>>


>>>>>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?
I'd be interested in taking a shot at it, but can you provide the links?

One writer I like is Steve Hogg, an Aussie who makes a lot of sense. Another is Andy Pruitt. For general high level guidance, I'm probably more rusty than you are, so the important point for me on a long-distance ride is to finish without beating up my body, not to show that I can exercise the most aggressive position possible. I have a position I have used for that long distance in the past, and that's where I plan to start when I get back on the bike.

But I think those guys I pointed you to make a lot of sense, at the general level and in the details.

Send my your links please!
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Old 07-01-21, 12:43 AM
  #22  
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Originally Posted by Road Fan
I'd be interested in taking a shot at it, but can you provide the links?

Send my your links please!
Oh, it was just a random forum discussion that I found while searching on this topic. I don't even remember which forum that was. Sorry.

Thank you for the suggested reading on the topic though.
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Old 07-01-21, 01:01 AM
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Originally Posted by Fastfwd01
Seems I forgot what my goals were in 2015.... Apparently, it was to get my century time under 6 hours and I must have clocked something like 5:20 ish. I should probably also note that the Cannondale Synapse 105 aluminum has been a fantastic bike for me. It has taken everything I've thrown at it and I never worry about damaging it. I feel like I have to be super careful with the Cervelo in contrast. Even if I am needlessly overly protective of it. It feels delicate to me. The Synapse has been great for fitness and 'training' miles.

Here's that Hotter Than Hell Strava ride in 2015. I'm just starting to get back into the mindset of actually getting my mph averages up over distance. I've got a long way to go to get back to that level. Dropping my bars a bit shouldn't hurt. I rode that Hotter Than Hell event with my Synapse having basically a higher bar than the seat though. Maybe I would have been under 5 hours if I were in a more aggressive position idk.


30kph on a century is pretty damn decent 👌
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Old 07-01-21, 01:09 AM
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Originally Posted by SapInMyBlood
30kph on a century is pretty damn decent 👌
Thanks! Yeah, that was my first full year of owning a road bike and attending events. I was very pleased.

On the topic of bar drop - this was with my Cannondale that had basically no bar drop at all at the time. I've just now dropped it to give it about an inch. I'm not sure I am really noticing much improvement. It feels good though.
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