Am I too stretched out on my road bike?

[emily_in_nc]

My DH today mentioned that I looked very stretched out on my road bike. I've been riding my MTB a lot, so my road bike felt a bit stretched out since I'm not really used to it any more. But once I get used to it again, I don't feel too stretched out. He took a photo from the side, and I thought I'd get some opinions. Sorry for the blurry photo, but hopefully you can see enough to give an opinion. Thanks!

16730

[nuliajuk]

Maybe. Your back is fairly upright, though, so perhaps your arms are less stretched when you've ridden a while and leaning forward more? I'm wondering if you could tilt the handlebars up a bit as well.

[Owlie]

My DH today mentioned that I looked very stretched out on my road bike. I've been riding my MTB a lot, so my road bike felt a bit stretched out since I'm not really used to it any more. But once I get used to it again, I don't feel too stretched out. He took a photo from the side, and I thought I'd get some opinions. Sorry for the blurry photo, but hopefully you can see enough to give an opinion. Thanks!

16730

Maybe a little. Perhaps rotate the bars up a little?

[Hi Ho Silver]

You do look too stretched out in that picture. Your arms appear to be pretty straight (instead of moderately bent at the elbows so that you can use them to absorb jolts). If you accept the KOPS rule (the front of the knee directly above the pedal axle when the pedal is at the 3 o'clock position), you appear to be sitting too far back.

[Becky]

I agree with Hi Ho Silver's assessment. I would add that you appear to be bending forward at the low back, rather than hinging at the hip. IIRC, you've had some low back and pelvic issues due to an accident? Is it possible that your range of motion is reduced, contributing to some special considerations about fit?

[OakLeaf]

Everyone else already covered what I see. It does look to me like your low back is the main issue, whether that's because of your injury, being accustomed to sitting upright on your MTB, or whatever.

I would also bet that that waist pack is pulling your spine into flexion. If you must have it, try loosening the strap so the weight rests on your hipbones.

[pll]

The saddle looks like it might be too far back. I think the key question is whether you are comfortable? I can ride with my arms full stretched at points of my rides (or some days, depending on how I feel), so I, too, might look stretched then. However, the bike has been fit to me and I can ride comfortable with my elbows bent, hands in the drops, etc.

[spokewench]

To me and it may just be the picture, but it appears that your seat looks too far back. When you are in the position of pedalling where you are in the stroke front foot forward you should be able to drop a plumb bob from the bone at the bottom of your knee down to the pedal. The plumb bob should be very close to where the spindle of the pedal is. Yours does not appear to be anywhere close. I would check this. You can put a little weight on a string to check this.

Does your seatpost have an offset that goes backwards from the seatpost?

You don't look too far off on reach, but you should always have your elbows slightly bent when riding (which you do not). If your elbows are slightly bent, you will be much more steady on the bike as well as being more comfortable in your arms. This requires you to use your core to balance and hold yourself in position instead of locking your elbows to hold you on the bike.

[TigerMom]

My DH today mentioned that I looked very stretched out on my road bike. I've been riding my MTB a lot, so my road bike felt a bit stretched out since I'm not really used to it any more. But once I get used to it again, I don't feel too stretched out. He took a photo from the side, and I thought I'd get some opinions. Sorry for the blurry photo, but hopefully you can see enough to give an opinion. Thanks!

16730
As someone who rides both the mountain and road bike and previously had a hybrid, I also felt stretched out for a month when I first got on the road bike. But if you personally feel comfortable once you "get used to the road bike again", then I wouldn't worry about what your DH says.

[emily_in_nc]

Thanks for the feedback!

I will do the plumb bob test again -- I thought we had done it, but perhaps we skipped it as I was so excited to ride a road bike again this spring when we got back from Belize. I have long femurs and usually need my saddle back quite a bit, but if it is too far back, that would indeed bring me closer to the bars.

I am not crazy about the idea of rotating my bars as I do like using my drops when descending, and I like them to be pretty level. I am not crazy about how they angle with the bars rotated, though I know it is "fashionable" now -- I'm kinda old school that way.

And yes, I did fracture my pelvis in my 40s and I'm also no spring chicken at 52, so I don't know that I am going to be able to change the way I sit on a bike or where I 'hinge'. :D I'd rather dial the bike in to my own particular physiology.

I definitely don't have my elbows locked when I ride this bike, but probably not enough of a bend in them either.

Thank you again for looking!

[ny biker]

I wouldn't tilt the handlebars, but a shorter stem might be something to consider, if you still feel stretched out after addressing the saddle position.

[ny biker]

I just saw this. Might be useful.

http://www.womenscycling.ca/blog/bicycle-fit/cycling-can-be-a-pain-in-the-neck-part-2/

[Triskeliongirl]

I agree with the comments that your seat looks too far back, but it could be an optical illusion depending on photo angle. But, depending on the STA of the bike, you may need the saddle in a different place on different bikes. What I noticed looking at this pic, and remembering pics you posted previously of you on your friday and Aegis, is that you are definitely riding more upright now than then, and your elbows are now locked. I don't know if that is due to your accident shifting your position, or you are just used to riding mountain and city bikes in recent years. You do want a bit more bend in your elbows. the things you can do to get there, are to bend a bit lower (looks like your back is making a ~50 degree angle, try a ~45 like i think u used to have), use a shorter stem or shorter reach bars, push the saddle more forward (assuming that still gives u the KOP relationship you want). But I also noticed that you started the post by saying 'your husband noticed you are too stretched out' not that you are uncomfortable. So if you feel comfortable and powerful, then all is good. Just curious if you are still riding your friday? I thought u loved it as an all purpose road bike and it fit you like a glove.

[emily_in_nc]

I agree with the comments that your seat looks too far back, but it could be an optical illusion depending on photo angle. But, depending on the STA of the bike, you may need the saddle in a different place on different bikes. What I noticed looking at this pic, and remembering pics you posted previously of you on your friday and Aegis, is that you are definitely riding more upright now than then, and your elbows are now locked. I don't know if that is due to your accident shifting your position, or you are just used to riding mountain and city bikes in recent years. You do want a bit more bend in your elbows. the things you can do to get there, are to bend a bit lower (looks like your back is making a ~50 degree angle, try a ~45 like i think u used to have), use a shorter stem or shorter reach bars, push the saddle more forward (assuming that still gives u the KOP relationship you want). But I also noticed that you started the post by saying 'your husband noticed you are too stretched out' not that you are uncomfortable. So if you feel comfortable and powerful, then all is good. Just curious if you are still riding your friday? I thought u loved it as an all purpose road bike and it fit you like a glove.

I do love it, but with the small (20") wheels, it can be a little harsh and chattery for the type of riding we do here in KC. The urban and suburban roads are a mess -- lots of cracks and ruts, and we ride lots of bike paths as well, which are anything but smooth. I usually ride my MTB as that is the most comfortable option I have, but it has been in the shop this week for some brake work, so that got me back onto the Trek. My Bike Friday is at my mother's in NC so is not an option right now. We were packed to the roof driving out here with four bikes, so there was no way to get yet another bike here. I bought this Trek for a great price on ebay early this year and have been very happy with it, though I haven't ridden it much.

I know the photo (which is a bit blurry) makes it look like my elbows are locked, but they actually are not. They are not bent significantly, I agree, but there is a small bend in them that doesn't show on the picture. I know better than to lock my elbows as that is terribly jolting to the joints.

I am probably riding more upright now after years of riding mostly mountain bikes and beach cruisers, you're right. I have gotten out of the habit of riding road bikes, though I did ride my Bike Friday quite a bit in Chapel Hill in 2010 and 2011 before we moved to Belize, and I also maintained a more upright position on that bike since I'd gotten used to riding my MTB. I spent more time on the tops of the bars than I used to, I noticed. It's very possible that some of my position change is due to my accident, as I've noticed I have more hip pain when I ride at more of an angle for longer periods of time. So, sitting more upright is one way of protecting myself from the ache that I never seem to get on a MTB or other upright bike.

I actually feel quite comfortable on this bike (Trek Pilot) and enjoy riding it. It's light and has a ton of acceleration power compared to the Jamis. My position on it feels very similar to my Bike Friday to me, though it may not be. But as I said (and as you point out), it was my DH who thought I looked too stretched out, not anything I really felt. I thought he was wrong, but the comments I've received here make me realize he was probably onto something.

I haven't had a chance to try the KOPS test yet but will definitely do that. I hate to change to a shorter stem since that can affect handling, but I will consider it if it turns out my KOPS is in the right place after all. I am hoping I can move my saddle forward just a bit to get more of a bend in the elbows.

Thanks everyone -- I'll report back!

[Triskeliongirl]

Emily, this sentence sums it up: " I actually feel quite comfortable on this bike (Trek Pilot) and enjoy riding it." Even if you measure and find out your KOPs is further back than you intended, given your accident maybe that position just works better for you. I would not recommend changing it unless u feel uncomfortable. If I recall, weren't you uncomfortable on your Aegis post-accident, and if I remember correctly, that bike had a steep seat tube angle, so u weren't sitting as far back as on your friday which had a shallower one. And just like your elbows look locked in the picture, maybe the impression that your saddle is too far back is also an optical illusion. I would go by comfort, an not how others think your position looks.

[emily_in_nc]

Emily, this sentence sums it up: " I actually feel quite comfortable on this bike (Trek Pilot) and enjoy riding it." Even if you measure and find out your KOPs is further back than you intended, given your accident maybe that position just works better for you. I would not recommend changing it unless u feel uncomfortable. If I recall, weren't you uncomfortable on your Aegis post-accident, and if I remember correctly, that bike had a steep seat tube angle, so u weren't sitting as far back as on your friday which had a shallower one. And just like your elbows look locked in the picture, maybe the impression that your saddle is too far back is also an optical illusion. I would go by comfort, an not how others think your position looks.

Thanks, Trisk. As it turns out I have perfect Knee over Pedal Spindle (KOPS) position on the Trek -- we just checked it. It looks otherwise on the photo because the crankarms aren't totally parallel to the ground. I think we had set it up in the spring when I first got the bike, but we had so much going on right then with moving that I honestly couldn't remember if we had or if we'd just meant to. I have the same body type as you with long femurs for my height, so I always need to have my saddles back as far as possible on the rails AND a setback seatpost.

I measured the stem, and it's already only a 70 or 75mm one, so I certainly wouldn't want to go any shorter. I will probably just keep things as is since I am comfortable for the amount I ride on this bike. If I were to get into some longer mileages, then problems might start showing up, but I ride my MTB a lot more these days anyway. The effective top tube length of the Trek is just 19.5", so in theory it should be a good fit for me. It was also the smallest size this model came in back when it was made.