Bicycle fitting nightmare

[Jameshow]

My bike is a CAAD5 - I am not familiar with the CAAD4. Even though it is about 20 years old, I still think it is a great bike. It is a little heavier than top bikes are these days (around 8.5 kg vs, say, 7.0 kg) but that extra weight is tiny compared to the extra weight on my body!

The CAAD5 uses old-fashioned square taper bottom brackets, which I am perfectly happy with.

I wasn't quite so happy carting my bulk over the local hills with a 53/39 chainset though! I converted it to a triple chainset from Spa Cycles, so I now use 48/36/28. I also fitted a 12-36 cassette so my bottom gear is a hill-friendly 28/30. I lost out a bit at the top end but I can pedal 48/12 to 51 kph (32 mph) at 100 rpm and freewheel if I want to go faster, since that would only be downhill.

View attachment 670143

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/19544828...tixoXeJTeO&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Interested in this one but n+1=n-1 esp as have brought Christmas present!

 

[Jameshow]

Sorry for thread drift!

 

[ColinJ]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/19544828...tixoXeJTeO&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Interested in this one but n+1=n-1 esp as have brought Christmas present!

I just searched for info and I think that the headset is the biggest difference from the 4 to the 5.

I can see a few paint defects on the CAAD4 that you are interested in but if they don't bother you then as long as their isn't any real damage that could be a nice buy.

 

[TK421]

Sorry for thread drift

It's OK. We'll let you off, this time

 

[KnittyNorah]

it would seem that I have been a victim of the urban myth that I should be able to be in the saddle and touch the floor with the balls of both my feet.

Is that old story still going the rounds? I wonder how many people it's put off cycling when they found they could not cycle either comfortably or efficiently, and - knowing no better - believed the problem was in themselves rather than in a piece of long-standing, and incorrect, advice.

I am an old lady and the only time I've been able to touch the floor with my feet while upright and on the saddle, was when I got a bike after decades of not cycling, and had to treat it like a kiddy's balance bike for my first ride ... lowered seat, pedals folded in, sit on the saddle and push off with my feet. What a berk I felt, but no-one was around to laugh and I soon found that I could balance OK!

 

[ColinJ]

Is that old story still going the rounds? I wonder how many people it's put off cycling when they found they could not cycle either comfortably or efficiently, and - knowing no better - believed the problem was in themselves rather than in a piece of long-standing, and incorrect, advice.

I cycled up to one rider whose saddle was virtually sat on the top tube. His knees were sticking way out and he was struggling to do 10 mph on a flat road on a wind-free day. I cheerfully gave him the 'correct' advice, along the lines of...

"Excuse me sir - your saddle is way too low. If you raised it by a few inches you would find riding the bike much easier and more comfortable!"

His response...?

"F*** off and mind you own f***ing business, you ****!!!"

Charming fellow! I left him behind, struggling, and destroying his knees.

I don't offer unsolicited advice now!

 

[davidphilips]

Hi Colin, Know the feeling made the same sort of mistake a few years ago when cycling early morning in the dark along a main road from Newtownards to Comber.
Theres a bit of the road thats unlit just before it turns into a duel carriageway and i came up behind two young guys with no lights, a few cyclist have been killed a few miles away on a lit carriageway from Newtownards to bangor and i said that they would be safer cycling on the pavement if they had not got any or good lighting.
Perhaps they had been drinking but tbh just wished them a good day and left them shouting abuse after me, not a good start to the day.
Sorry for the thread drift.

 

[TK421]

Sorry for the thread drift

Not a problem. It just highlights how many people are not interested in making the most of their bicycle and arrogantly suffer at their own detriment because of their willful ignorance. Thankfully I am not one of them and I am enjoying the company and benefitting from the collective CC wisdom.

 

[All uphill]

I know someone who is insistent that you should be able to place both feet flat on the ground when on the bike. I tried to explain that it's better for your knees etc etc. His reply?

"So why don't they make bike where you can do both? "Put feet flat on the floor and get straight legs while pedalling.

I think he just invented the recumbent!

 

[TK421]

I can get the same Road Sport frame in a 53cm medium for £40 at the moment which would stretch the reach 10mm

Before you buy another frame try raising the saddle using the heel-on-pedal straight leg method as a starting point. You'll soon get used to sliding forward off the saddle when you stop. You could also look at the LeMond method, and the109% method.

got myself a 53cm frame on the way, just in case. (before you plant your face in your palm, I've got scars on my frontal lobes! that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!) I've done the Le Mond method and will double check with the heel-on-pedal method and KOPS tomorrow and see if i can get a couple of pictures. in the mean time been doing a lot of reading on the physics of bicycle fitting, quite fascinating.

 

[TK421]

So like @cyberknight , i am in a land of confusion (anybody dare mention Genesis or Phil Collins can go to the back of the class!)
Firstly, a chart plagiarised from BikeDynamics to show where I and the Aluminum Falcon sit.

and then one I prepared earier from Geometry Geeks

This is just a guide to show how varied the dimensions are. In the middle are the dimensions for CyberKnight's and my frame (identical), on the left are the stats for the 53cm frame and on the right is my late brother's old cycle which has been used as a donor for my cycle. On paper there is not much difference and it shows how easy it is to end up on the "wrong" bicycle either too big or too small.

 

[Spiderweb]

You really are overthinking this when you should be out getting some miles in, making fine adjustments if necessary and actually getting used to the bike.
Apart from mentioning that you find riding on the drops awkward, you’ve not really said what issues you have with fit?
How many miles have you ridden with your current set up?

 

[cyberknight]

i would say get your fit dialled in on the current frame , you didnt look to far out that a few tweaks in your fit wouldn't fix ,I have ridden 56 TT bikes but i just needed a shorter stem ,
As @Spiderweb says if your not used to drops they will feel odd and most people me included hardely ride on the drops anymore but tend to ride on the hoods .

 

[TK421]

Apart from mentioning that you find riding on the drops awkward, you’ve not really said what issues you have with fit?

The problem is that I can't get off the hoods. I seem to have a lot of weight on the little finger/ring finger part of my palms and an ache in my lower neck and between my shoulders. It's like my hands are glued to the hoods. While I can lift my fingers and thumbs off the hoods, I don't seem to be able to move my hands without becoming unstable.
I'm trying to figure out what is a lack of core strength, what is bad fit and what is me overthinking things.

 

[cyberknight]

if your saddle height/ setback is wrong it can put to much weight on your arms