Tried some adjustments to make my road bike more comfortable

[Orange utopia]

I moved the stem up as far as it will go, it is a quill stem but has a 0 degree rise so it isn't upright but it isn't bent down either, just 90degrees straight out from the quill. I also turned the handlebars up a little bit so that the hoods were angled more upwards.

Then i made my husband hand over his new, low end 36 spoke wheels with 700x25 tires on them to replace my older 24 spoke racing wheels with 700x23 tires.

The wheels/tires were a huge improvement towards making me feel like the bike is more stable. The stem adjustment was better but I am still not happy with the handlebars. I prefer having my hands and arms spread wider like on my hybrid so I wonder if wider handlebars would help? I also had a lot of wrist pain with the hoods tilted up although i did feel like I had a better grasp on the brakes while on the hoods. Getting into the drops just doesn't work for me at all. Again, maybe different bars would work better but I don't know if I want to spend a bunch of money trying all a bunch of different bars.

At this point I am half tempted to convert the bike into a flat bar road bike. I really really want to ride a road bike in theory but when it comes down to it I don't know if drop style handlebars are for me.

I am supposed to do a 39 mile club ride tomorrow and my husband is insistent that I should take my road bike because my hybrid is going to be so slow but the thought of riding my road bike for that long makes me tense and nervous.

[tulip]

Have you considered getting a professional fitting? I recommend Proteus Bicycles in College Park. Jill does great fittings.

[westtexas]

One thing to consider is that you don't have to ride in the drops if you don't want to. I hardly ever am down in the drops on my bike unless I'm out with the boys and we're having some fun.

I also second having a professional fit done. They can make your road bike as aggressive or comfortable as you like.

[Orange utopia]

I did have a professional fitting but that was 12 years ago. Maybe I need to be re-fitted. I am going to play around with the brake placement and bar angle some more tonight and see if I can get it more comfortable. Just in case, I bought some thinner slick tires for the hybrid so I will be a bit swifter tomorrow if I decide to take that bike.

I also stopped and test rode a Ruby Elite this afternoon. What a sweet ride! I adjust not ready to give up on my Klein although I am not sure why.

[Kathi]

12 years ago? Bike fit has changed so much since then. Plus, your body has probably changed too.

When my niece had her fitting I couldn't believe how much knowledge my fitter has gained in the 5 yrs since my fitting for my custom bike.

Some bike fitters have a prototype bicycle that they can use to change the angles to help determine fit. Serotta fitters have these. This way they don't have to make changes on your bike to see how it feels. If it doesn't feel right they change angles until you feel good. Once the size cycle is set up to fit you the comparison between your bike and the size cycle adjustments are amazing.

So, get thee to a good bike fitter. It's well worth the money knowing exactly what your needs are.

[Orange utopia]

Ok, I really should make an appointment for a fitting but I think we have it good enough. My wonderful DH spent the better part of today tweaking and adjusting while I tested each adjustment with short test rides up and down our hill. I am still a bit nervous about the long ride on the drop bars but I should no by tomorrow afternoon if i am going to be comfortable on her or not.

[nscrbug]

I agree with Kathi...12 years is a long time! Heck, my body goes through subtle changes every year. I feel less flexible now than I did a year ago...my back and neck bother me more now than they did a year ago, etc. Definitely get another fitting done...you'll be glad you did. In regards to doing a long ride with drop bars...I rode 70 miles this morning and the only times I was down in my drops was to get a little more aero to fight off a headwind. I would estimate that out of a 5 hour ride, I probably spent about 30 minutes total in my drops.

[jessmarimba]

I like drops. Heck, I LOVE drops (except that I can't reach the brakes very well). I love that I can move around and stretch my back and shift my weight however I want. They don't work for everyone though.

But I would definitely suggest another fitting...from the best-recommended fitter you can find. Maybe you need wider bars or less of a drop or flared bars or who knows what, but a new fit is a much better option than expensive experiments on your bike with uncertain outcomes.

ETA - some physical therapists can do bike fits that are covered by insurance, if you're really having pain or discomfort. Worth checking out if it is a question of money.

[blue_angel]

Have you considered ergonomic bars (http://www.ritcheylogic.com/dyn_prodfamily.php?k=358517), rather than switching to flat? I haven't been fitted in 6 years (hardly any time compared to you!) and am going for a re-fitting next week because I'm having trouble positioning my saddle, and my hands go numb around mile 25. I'm seriously considering the ergo bars--you don't want to lose to possibility of going into drops, but flattening at the top definitely helps to relieve nerve pressure. You also might need to change your stem configuration--perhaps the 0 degree rise is part of your problem.