Road handlebar angst

[elk]

No volpe yet....but he's open until 7 this evening so maybe within the next hour???? oh well....it's too darn hot to even go outside!!

I love having your observations....all of them.... it's a matter of SEEING clearly and understanding how all the parts work as a whole....

I 'm not averse to getting a fitting...I just feel SO close to fine on the bike that I want to try and monkey a bit with it (yes, lisa, s l o w l y) ...while i'm looking for someone i would want to go to.

I have become quite mindful of my posture on the bike, remembering the conversations about the pelvis as a bowl...and making myself aware of the 3 pts of contact as I ride... i really DO listen...

My leg is bent a little on the downstroke and there is no rocking of the hips...I originally fixed the height to where my straight down leg was straight with my HEEL on the pedal...and I don't think I need to lower the seat...but I'll check it again as i revisit the fore/aft.

My saddle is actually pretty much in the middle of the post...maybe a little more rail showing behind.

SO...I do want to try a ride with the bars lowered that one spacer...it puts them level with the saddle.
I examined the level of the saddle closely and I think it's tilted maybe a cm or 2 nose down...so when I lift that I could also bring it forward a bit....although I DID bring it forward a little a few weeks ago and also rotated my bar down a little
SORRY the chronology of the pictures is just wacky....

I should just look for someone to do a mini fitting....just not a 2 hour dissection.
I'll post a call out for a recommendation here in PDX.

thanks!

[mayanorange]

Mini fitting sounds like it'd help- that's what I ended up with. I also felt super close, but couldn't figure out the nuance of which way to go. LBS offered seat and handlebar fitting for $50- he did seat height, fore/aft, then hooked me up with the wing pro narrower handlebar and worked on stem fitting. Still waiting for a new stem to get me just right, but it has made a huge difference. I also asked him all the angles he was setting things at and why, then went home and fit my hubby on our trainer a lot closer than he was. The LBS guy can just eyeball the handlebars a lot easier- I think I put DH in a better position, but maybe not 100% perfect.

[TxDoc]

I should just look for someone to do a mini fitting....just not a 2 hour dissection.

Hey the "2 hour dissection" is actually a lot of fun, and if you have a pro fitter you can learn a whole lot!!!
Good luck!

[elk]

I SENT IN A QUERY TO (sorry capslock) Michael Sylvester...so I'm on my way...

as far as handlebars go...would I be crazy to put my Ritchey Biomax bars BACK on? Now that i have the shims I bet they'd be great...and I miss that backsweep on the top that gave me more room...

And then I might sell the Cinellis which would be great for small hands and no interrupter brakes.

My Brooks tape !!!!...o jeez....i hope it's good for another wrap or 2!!!

I'd love to get the FSA wing compacts...but i'd need a new stem (mine is a 26.)
and I should wait until I get fit so if I need a longer or shorter one I'll know what to get!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

as far as handlebars go...would I be crazy to put my Ritchey Biomax bars BACK on? Now that i have the shims I bet they'd be great...and I miss that backsweep on the top that gave me more room...

Why would you be crazy to put back bars that were comfortable for you to begin with?

I think if you are careful, the Brooks leather tape should be ok- it's leather, after all. Just be gentle and don't stretch it too hard. If you get rid of the gel padding it should give you an inch or two more tape to work with.

I agree with you in thinking to wait until after a fitting before buying any new stem. You never know what they might recommend.

[elk]

hey Lisa i was just looking a your new Luna pictures...are your bars wrapped with grey leather? what are you using at the ends (on the top)? Twine?

your seat looks higher than your bars...was that a gradual shift for you?
(I love yr saddle...looks well loved.)

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

hey Lisa i was just looking a your new Luna pictures...are your bars wrapped with grey leather? what are you using at the ends (on the top)? Twine?

your seat looks higher than your bars...was that a gradual shift for you?
(I love yr saddle...looks well loved.)

Hi Elk,
I actually painted my handlebar tape to match my saddlebag. (Like you, I am a visual artist and am handy at paint/color stuff).
I started a whole thread about it here, since I thought it might be of interest to others:
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=25700
I have ridden about 100 miles on them and they seem very durable.
Thanks for asking- I'm quite proud of how it turned out! I too think it looks like gray leather. Margo at Luna said it looked sweet.

As to seat height- my seat is the height it needs to be for my leg length. (remember, you shouldn't set your saddle height according to anything to do with your bars. Saddle height is either right or not right, pretty much based on your leg length)
As to the handlebar/stem height- Margo, the builder, set my stem and bars at that height based on my body measurements, my lack of back/neck problems with my other bike, and my riding style and goals. I vowed to myself that I wouldn't change anything about how she set it for the first two months til my body adapted to the new bike, and it seems now after 600 miles that I am quite comfortable on it exactly the way she set it up.

I'm still quite upright compared to racing bikes.
It's funny, you ride along feeling just as though you are bent way down like Lance Armstrong or something....then you catch a glimpse of yourself in a store window reflection and it looks like you're sitting bolt upright!
I have learned to relax and curl my lower back and keep my pelvis tipped with my tailbone down more. For me it's not arching the whole back, just curling the lower back and stomach region that is good. The curled lower back thing really helps me keep my weight floating evenly between my feet, butt and hands...and that keeps me comfortable.

[elk]

I did lower my bars one spacer re TxDoc's suggestion..and although today was a rather short ride (under 10miles all up hill and then all down) I noticed that my hands didn't hurt...and in fact, I felt the pressure on them was much relieved...

I still have my fitting next week...but I do like the bar lowered a bit...who woulda thunk it!!!!! thanks Doc!