visited the LBS today: bike is too small :(

[withm]

http://www.raleighusa.com/archive/20...venture-40-11/

Go to the Raleigh website and look at the 3 different models of Venture they have. Figure out which one is yours, and let us know. It sounds like you have a 14" frame and may indeed need the next size up.

Bike fitting is an art, and a good fitting is well worth its price. But there is a lot you can do yourself to see if the bike is salvageable.

These comments apply mostly to road bikes with drop bars, and that's where all my experience is. But in general they are still applicable to a bike like yours. There is no exact science here. Following these guidelines should get your bike closer to a better fit. If that works, great. If it helps a little, but still have issues, then it's time to see a fitter and discuss if there is any point to spending more $ trying to make it fit, or starting over with a bike that is the right size in the first place. You'll still need to fit it to you, but the right size will be a lot easier to fit than the wrong size.

There is a lot that can be done to adjust the bike if it's just a little bit small, but there is a limit. You can raise the seat, move the seat forward or backward, and tilt it a bit (but you will want it to be nearly level). Generally if your knees hurt in front, the seat is too low. If they hurt in back, the seat is too high. The seat post should have a line etched into the tube; don't raise it any higher than that.

One of the rules of thumb to evaluate seat height is to place the bike in a doorway, or somewhere you can hold on to something to stay upright. With the pedal in the 6:00 position (all the way down), place your heel on the pedal. Your knee should be slightly bent, but not locked. You should be barely able to make contact with the pedal. This is not scientific, but will put you in the ball park for fine tuning later.

Once the seat height is good, you may need to adjust the fore & aft position of seat. Here you want your feet on the pedals at 3 & 9:00. If you drop a plumb bob from your forward knee to the pedal, it should land on the forward part of the pedal spindle. Again - this is a starting point. You can slide the seat forward/backward to get this effect. Note that you may have to adjust the seat height and fore/aft position a couple of times. Everytime you change one thing, it affects other dimensions.

For the handlebars you can raise them a little to change the height. It loooks like you may have an adjustable stem which you can use to change the angle, and reach. These things combined MAY or may not make your bike fit better.

A proper fitting can easily run over $200. This might approach the price you paid for your "used but like new bike" and any subsequent changing of components may make it cost prohibitive for you.

If you google bike fitting you'll find lots of websites and you-tube videos on how to do this. It's much easier with help though, and just riding a couple days with someone who is a little more experienced and willing to stop every few miles to help you tweak your fit a bit may do wonders.

Try making small (1/8" at a time) adjustments, one at a time, and riding the bike for a few miles to see what effect it has. When you are all done, and the bike feels more comfortable, you can mark the seat tube with a sharpie pen (either black or silver) so you can always get back to that point.

If after all this, you decide the bike is just too small, you could see if the person who you bought it from would take it back, sell it yourself on Craig's List or similar venues, or trade it in at your bike shop for something that fits better. It may not make sense to spend $$$ on a bike that is just too small.

[lovelygamer]

I'm back. Guess what? My bike is 16". BTW, I paid $125 for it. The lady had ridden it ONCE.

I don't know how the LBS and I miss communicated Saturday but I checked the bike labeling and it's a Venture WSM 16". I guess the lady that rode it before me was just shorter than me and had shorter legs than me. We made some adjustments in the shop. I'm tried it out again and it seems okay. I'll take a longer ride when I get a chance.

I must have a freakish body. I do have a ten year old hip replacement. One leg is a bit higher than the other. I had someone else measure my inseam today and they got 29".

I had a long discussion about my cycling goals and interest in a road bike. The LBS showed me a Trek Lexa as one that might be in my price range (less than $800). It was really pretty, I'll attach a picture. So, I like her idea and I'm going to start saving for a new bike. She said I could get the full fitting on a trainer, etc. with a new bike purchase. She quoted the same price many of you did $80-100 to do that type of fitting alone.

Oh, and I got my first jersey. I'm pretty chubby in it because I'm in between their sizes. I still want to get a Canary sleeveless from TE.

Thanks for everything, guys and gals. Sorry for the confusion! You are great. There is so much to take in with all of this for a newbie.

[goldfinch]

Thanks for the report! It sounds like with adjustments your bike will do for now while you save up for something else. I paid $85 to a bike shop for a fitting a month or so after I got my hybrid. It was money well spent because I was so uncomfortable on my bike. When I bought my road bike some months later a fitting was thrown in for free.

[lovelygamer]

This morning, I had to raise my seat to max in order to get proper leg extension but it does seem to help. Going to try it on a longer ride this afternoon!

[Megustalaplaya]

The LBS showed me a Trek Lexa as one that might be in my price range (less than $800). It was really pretty, I'll attach a picture. So, I like her idea and I'm going to start saving for a new bike. She said I could get the full fitting on a trainer, etc. with a new bike purchase. She quoted the same price many of you did $80-100 to do that type of fitting alone

Hey! That is the bike I have!

[ny biker]

When you're getting a fitting for that road bike, or if you decide to have a full fitting done for any other bike, make sure to mention the leg-length discrepancy. They should be able to make adjustments for it.

[Trek420]

..... make sure to mention the leg-length discrepancy. They should be able to make adjustments for it.

Those can include shims in a pedal, custom orthotics or Smartfeet. There are several on board here with LLD who use Brooks saddles. The models with a spring make the LLD practically a non-issue.

[lovelygamer]

NY and Trek. Thank you. I did not know they had such options for LLD.

[Trek420]

Well, you know we like Brooks in our stable. Now that I have one I think it's the way to go. But then I don't have any perceptible LLD. Knott does and the way it works for her is great. It might beat the cost of custom pedals, the other solutions etc.