Question

[sandra]

I'm still in the process of test riding a lot of bikes. I see a lot of posts about reach and most all of them are complaints about it being too long.

Has anyone ever ridden a bike that was a perfect fit otherwise with a reach that was too short?

I'm wanting a bike that is a little more upright. Sometimes it's hard to distinguish if the reach is short or if it's good and I'm just not accustomed to the position.

[F8th637]

Well, when I bought my bike she put a longer stem on it I'm guessing because the reach was too short. She is a well-know bike fitter so I trust her. I'm getting use to this new more aggressive position coming from a world of MTBs and hybrids so like you I question whether it's just something I had to get use to. If she left the shorter stem on I probably would have been more upright. Would I have been as comfortable? Who knows?

[VeloVT]

Yes, it is possible for reach to actually be too short. You know it when you feel it. You feel like you're hanging way out over the front hub, and your knees may hitting your chest even when you're not in a super low position.

I'm not an expert in this and other people may correct me, but I think what you might want is not so much a shorter reach, but higher bars, achieved through taller headtube, more stem rise, etc (although if what you had was really too long, it would still be too long even if you raised the bars). I think there's a range of reach lengths that are workable for each person, and you may find that you tend to be more comfortable on the shorter end of the range. But it definitely is possible to have a reach that's too short and it's not comfortable either.

[Eden]

my husband is tall, with most of his height being in his torso - when he was fit, the PT said he was the first person she'd ever seen that she recommended a longer stem to.... I can ask him how it feels different to be riding a longer bike when he comes home.

[chicago]

Has anyone ever ridden a bike that was a perfect fit otherwise with a reach that was too short?

um that would be me. At 5'4, I am short legged, long torso'd... sucks for things like one piece bathing suits, sexy one piece lingerie, and then of course bikes. but let me say I look awesome in low waisted jeans

Soooooooooo in the past I always bought a frame one size bigger than what was correct. I didn't care if I cleared the bar, I cared more that I was stretched out fully in the torso... that's what felt good.

... but with an $$$ road bike, I bought the frame that fit my inseam (small). My seat is all the way back, and my stem is turned around to offer the most length... and even with that, I sit on the end of my seat... but I like that feel. My boyfriend says I sit too far behind the crank, that I am not getting the most optimal riding position, etc, etc... but I tell him to hush, because I don't care... I don't race like he does... and I do fine riding century's in this position.... and most of all, it's comfortable

So yes most of the bikes that fit my inseam are often too short in the torso area, but I tweak it to make it work.

[Trekhawk]

Yep when I got my mountain bike. They did all the measurements and worked out what frame size to order and when I got on it just felt too cramped with the stem that came on the bike. They put a longer one on and it felt great.

Love my mountain bike.

[VeloVT]

Here's an example of reach that's TOO short (Athleta sends me print catalogs and this jumped off the page at me). Hope this link works, it's for a "zoom & more views" thing, so I'm not sure:

http://s7d3.scene7.com/s7ondemand/zo...26ztgRatio%3d2

Edit: OK. It takes you to the right place. You have to then click on the picture of the skirt on the model to enlarge it. In the print catalog you see a bit more of the frame & her legs, and it really looks like a difficult position to ride in.

[KnottedYet]

OH DEAR!!!!!!

(and where's the min insert line on that seat post, anyway? Look at that saddle height to handlebar relationship, and she's still got that upright angle to her torso, and oh my gawd I wanna find the full picture now)

Kids, don't do this at home. Considering where one's center of mass/weight distribution ends up on a bike that much too small, I'd be worried about one doing an endo; let alone all the body aches and pains.

Professional bike fit is a beautiful thing.

Edit to add: went through my Athleta catalog and it doesn't have that picture, doesn't even have that skort in it. pooh.

[sandra]

Wow. That reach looks too short and too long all at the same time! ouch.

[RoadRaven]

Has anyone ever ridden a bike that was a perfect fit otherwise with a reach that was too short?

Yup... hopped on my Giant TCR2 and it felt perfect... and then hopped on my EMC2 FemetapePro, and it felt even more perfect...

That was before minor tweaks to seat angle etc etc...