Crankset change--advice appreciated!

[Ana]

Just to clarify, I have to move my seat back in order to have a bearable weight distribution between my saddle and my handlebars

I'm seriously considering going in for a professional fit as an early Christmas gift to myself...I just feel wimpy because my endurance has been so low. I think that if I eliminate the pain and discomfort from my ride, I will be more apt to hop on my bike

[OakLeaf]

Wait, wait, wait. After reading that I just re-read your original post.

"The longest part of your leg extension is not at the bottom of your stroke?" Your saddle was probably already too far back. Adjust your weight distribution with the stem (length, rise, height if you have room for more spacers) and possibly the TILT of the saddle. Depending on your preferred riding position, different handlebars might help too. Set your fore/aft saddle position to set your knee in the correct position over the pedal spindle.

You should be able to get a professional fitting done for about the same price as a new crankset...

[Ana]

You should be able to get a professional fitting done for about the same price as a new crankset...

I know, I'm just dreading the possibility of having the expense of both the fitting and a new crankset...

And I'm generally intimidated by fitters...I don't like someone telling me about things that are beyond the scope of my knowledge. I don't like to be misinformed and/or manipulated by sales people I guess they've already sold me on the fitting but I feel somewhat undeserving since I do not race or ride a gazillion miles

I will readjust my saddle... Thanks, Oakleaf! Back to square one I guess. Oh, I wish the pain would go away.

[VeloVT]

So you don't deserve a bike that fits unless you race ?

Take someone you trust with you, and don't feel obligated to buy anything that day. Then you can discuss what the fitter said with your friend and have a second opinion. I had two fittings (and I don't race, though I'd kind of like to try), and took my bf to the first one. He has no intention of ever racing but he has also had at least one fitting (he was having some hand pain issues), and I went with him. Even if you like your fitter it's always helpful to have a second set of eyes and ears.

Sorry. My bf tells me I have a habit of pressing my point a little too hard sometimes. . Suffice to say, I think you deserve a fitting . You may learn that you have the option to spend money on new components, or make smaller modifications with what you have until you feel comfortable spending more... Alright, I'm done!

[OakLeaf]

Where are you having pain?

I think all of us just assumed you were having knee pain because of your wanting shorter cranks... but even if that's the case, there are a lot of kinds of knee pain. Some call for shorter crankarms and some don't. As you've found, cranks are about the most expensive component that you would replace for fit reasons alone, and it definitely isn't the first thing I'd try if I wasn't sure where my problems were coming from.

Have you read through the threads about fitting in the Health section? I personally haven't read Andy Pruitt's Complete Medical Guide for Cyclists, but a lot of people here swear by that book. It would probably be a good place to start with fit questions.

And honestly... if your LBS was telling you to replace your chain every 500 miles without measuring it... OR if it really was worn to the point of needing replacement after 500 miles and they never helped you investigate why... I don't know if they'd be the ones I'd trust with fitting, either. Unless possibly you misunderstood their advice and they were telling you to take it off for cleaning??? (I don't do that either but some do...)

[Ana]

So you don't deserve a bike that fits unless you race ?

Yes, you are right I do deserve a proper fitting. Thank you for supporting me Sometimes it's clearer when someone clarifies the situation

Well, the place I'm considering getting fit is not where I've ever had any service before but they guarantee their fit and they are down the street from me I e-mailed the fitter there and he fits up to 6 fits a week during peak season (Jan-March) and about 30% of his clients are women Which is very promising

I have since stopped going to the LBS where I bought my bike that told me to change my chain every 500 miles. I measure my own chain now

I guess I'm a bit traumatized by my initial experience of buying my bike and feeling like they are less than helpful. They did not really do even an informal fitting and I had insist on a fitting 8 months later when I had persistent neck/back pain (the pain I'm having trouble getting rid of. I'm also having some weird knee pain but it's difficult to pinpoint since I haven't been riding a lot).

When I went in for that fitting, I felt like they were using me as an opportunity to sell things I did walk out with a new saddle (which I probably needed) but I didn't feel that the person helping me get fit was very engaged. I was largely unimpressed. The only perk is that since I got my bike there, the maintenance is free so I try to bring it in annually to get it tuned up. Whenever I go there, though, I feel like they're not taking me seriously because I do not have a really nice bicycle and I do not race

I do have another LBS that I really like because they are so helpful but I am kind of meticulous and their fits are a little informal for me I love them for everything else but they are far away and I want a more experienced fitter.

I guess I have to mentally prepare myself to go It's off season though and I keep going back and forth whether I should wait until the spring But I'm realizing more and more that I should probably just do it

[aicabsolut]

ohhh... I assumed that you were having knee pain too.

Don't buy new crankarms. Get to the bottom of the cause of your neck and back pain first. That's unlikely to be the cause of the upper body pain. If, when you are in the proper position to fix that (by moving your saddle or whatever), you start developing pain in other areas or lost a lot of power or get dead spots in your pedal stroke, then maybe it's time to investigate crank length.

If you're sitting really far back, then I'm thinking not only does your saddle need to move but so do your bars. Your bars may in fact be too high or too close to you, because by moving your saddle back, you have 1) put your feet in front of you, which helps with your balance, but 2) increased your reach to the bars by a lot. Maybe you're more hunched up than you think when your saddle is in the right place so that you're putting too much weight on your hands rather than being in a position where you are actually going to fall on your face without the bars.

So, maybe it's time for a lower or longer stem. I don't know, but your fitter should be able to help. The best part is that they are going to guarantee their work so you can go back there if you keep having problems instead of being back to square 1 and out the cash.

[VeloVT]

Just to clarify, I have to move my seat back in order to have a bearable weight distribution between my saddle and my handlebars

I'm seriously considering going in for a professional fit as an early Christmas gift to myself...I just feel wimpy because my endurance has been so low. I think that if I eliminate the pain and discomfort from my ride, I will be more apt to hop on my bike

Don't be intimidated by your fitter... you're paying them.

Otherwise, I think Oakleaf has the right take on this.