are my legs ok & am i pedaling ok

[jimboalee]

My best friend at school asked the LBS Meastro, "Why don't you just throw that pile of old magazines away".

Then came the explanation.

From getting my friend into the 'tuck' position while sat on the magazines, he calced the distance to the handlebar drops. It was a position below the toptube; making the handlebar 'tops' above the toptube ( where they HAVE to be, Duh! ) but well below the saddle.

For a Race bike, this is what matters.

 

[Randochap]

If your belly gets in the way, you're in serious trouble.

Which is why -- among other variables -- all the (literal!) navel-gazing theory goes out the window and we return to real-world fitting of bike to rider.

 

[peanut]

some people need a formula to take a pony n trap

 

[Mortiroloboy]

Run the video. Pause it after 1 second before the guy gets his bum on the seat. Now reverse the video to 0:00 to where the guy has his heel on the floor. Estimate the position of his crotch. Remember the bike is on the turbo and 1 1/2" higher than it should be.

Note 1/ The seat could slip under his crotch when his heel is on the ground.
Look on the Spesh website. Find the Allez Elite Double. Go to 'Geometry'.

Note 2/ Specialized dimension 'Standover height' for the 54cm frame is 777mm, that's 30.5" and the guy says he has a 29" inside leg. For a 5'8" chap, I expect his inside leg to be more like 32". (Confirmation please).

The bike still looks the right size.

One other thing to remember,,, It's a RACE BIKE !!

As for handlebar height and reach, we'll see where they are when the guy has raised the saddle and taken another video.

I was measured for my bike at AWCycles Caversham, using the www.bikefitting.com system, and I consider the bike fit to be pretty much spot on. with a 31"inside leg at 5'9", there is no way on Gods earth I am ever going to be able to achieve that.

The nose of the saddle makes contact right into my coxix (sp) The only time I can slip the saddle under my crotch would be from returning to the sitting positon from the standing postion on the pedals when climbing.

 

[Ant]

I was measured for my bike at AWCycles Caversham, using the www.bikefitting.com system, and I consider the bike fit to be pretty much spot on. with a 31"inside leg at 5'9", there is no way on Gods earth I am ever going to be able to achieve that.

The nose of the saddle makes contact right into my coxix (sp) The only time I can slip the saddle under my crotch would be from returning to the sitting positon from the standing postion on the pedals when climbing.

Ditto. My bike was custom built for me through the same system too, fits perfectly and is extremely comfortable, and I'm not seeing this 'sizing theory' applying to me and my bike either.

 

[MacB]

just looked at the vid and sections in slow motion, one thing that seems to jump out at me is the saddle v BB variable. Pausing the video at 41 seconds and the nose of the saddle looks directly above the centre of the BB. Looking at the pedalling and freezing the motion seems to bear this out. When the pedals are on the horizontal the left knee seems to be quite ahead of the pedal spindle point. Moving the saddle back, or using a seatpost with more layback would adress this.

 

[jimboalee]

Just been on bikefitting.com and entered my 838mm inside leg for a road bike.
Guess what it said, yes, 54cm.
At least that's right. and I didn't have to pay anything.

Tempussuk says his inside leg is 29" and he has a 54cm Spesh. Some posters have said the frame is TOO SMALL ???

Tempussuk now says he has tweeked the saddle and it feels OK after 20 miles riding.

Now he can try the 'tuck' position. Lower the back until your thoracic vertebrae are horizontal.
What he doesn't want is his knees clashing his elbows - (or his belly ) This is where a cycling coach or LBS Meastro comes in handy.
With the forearms horizontal, what he wants is an angle of less than 120 degs when he hooks his thumbs on the hoods. If the angle is greater than 120 degs, this means the handlebars are too high. Lower them until the angle is less than 120 degs.

It WILL feel weird at first. Ride a few powerful miles and then sit up and hold on the hoods, that WILL feel weird - like your sitting bolt upright.

Feel isn't everything. A decent experienced professional eye watching you ride round a velodrome is worth a thousand comments on a chatboard full of enthusiastic amatuers.

Strangely enough, the bike fitting knowledge I have in my head was given to me by a professional who watched me ride round a track.

Oh yes, I am an 'Enthusiastic Amatuer', so it's up to you to decide whether you believe what I say or not.

Tempussuk, go to your LBS and chat with the Maestro.

 

[jimboalee]

some people need a formula to take a pony n trap

What do you think bikefitting.com is?

Its a bunch of fricking formulas....

 

[peanut]

What do you think bikefitting.com is?

Its a bunch of fricking formulas....

give it a rest Jim you're beginning to sound like a stuck record mate

 

[jimboalee]

give it a rest Jim you're beginning to sound like a stuck record mate

That's what my Father-in-Law would say when he realised MY technical argument was superior.

 

[peanut]

That's what my Father-in-Law would say when he realised MY technical argument was superior.