Bicycle fitting nightmare

[Jameshow]

Look at some pro race cycling videos.

Someone like wolt van art, for a good position/ style.

 

[vickster]

Really?!

Yes, really. My knees are stuffed and rather sensitive to an over low saddle

 

[Spiderweb]

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.

As has been said before, you are very upright!
You need to ride your bike, ride with your hand on the hoods, forget the drops and ride upright if you like until you get more familiar with your bike.
As you get more practice in, try and bend your elbows and bring your head down, have a look at @cyberknight photo earlier in the thread, that position is spot on.
Some people don’t always get on with drop bar road bikes preferring to ride flat bar hybrids, you may be one of those but you won’t know until you get some miles in. Persevere and good luck👍

 

[TK421]

@Aluminium Falcon - just a thought - you are measuring your inside leg from floor to crotch in stockinged feet. aren't you?

Yes. Why? Enquiring minds would like to know...

 

[Juan Kog]

View attachment 670819

(Please forgive the pout - I have no idea why that was on my face when the photo was taken! )

Don’t be shy @ColinJ , admit your practicing your Les Dawson impression .

 

[Jameshow]

Yes, really. My knees are stuffed and rather sensitive to an over low saddle

Interesting my mate has to have perfect fit otherwise his knees protest. Cannot use clipless pedals - just flats.

He's probably done X10 the miles I have done, through commuting for past 25yrs Vs me the off / on weekend warrior!

 

[youngoldbloke]

Yes. Why? Enquiring minds would like to know...

- because if, for example, you were using your trouser inside leg measurement for any saddle height calculations, you would end up being way out.

 

[Alex321]

- because if, for example, you were using your trouser inside leg measurement for any saddle height calculations, you would end up being way out.

Well that is the same measurement you are supposed to use for determining your trouser inside leg measurement. It isn't the same as the actual seam length of the trousers.

 

[youngoldbloke]

Well that is the same measurement you are supposed to use for determining your trouser inside leg measurement. It isn't the same as the actual seam length of the trousers.

I don't understand. I measure 27" - 69cm from crotch to ankle bone, and therefore buy and wear trousers with a 27" inside leg. My crotch to floor measurement is 76.5 cm - 30"+1/8", so around 3" floor to ankle bone. Quite different measurements which give very different saddle to boitom bracket distances.
69 x 0.883 = 60.9 cm
76.5 x 0.883 = 67.5 cm - almost 3" difference - and as I said before I use saddle - BB measure of 68.5 cm.
So crotch to floor in stockinged feet is the accepted measure to use.
How do you do it?
- and, yes, I'd love to have longer legs

 

[TK421]

Just done the "book-to-wall" method to measure my inseam and with the book a "snug fit", I got a measurement of 75.7cm which calculates to a saddle height of 66.843cm rounding up to 67cm and then subtracting 2cm so that I don't have to worry about finding the centre of the BB gives me a seat height of 65cm. Considering that my last calculation was 63cm (with rounding and subtraction) wasn't far off this new figure at only 2cm, or 3/4" in old money, different.
OK, I know, 3/4" is actually 19mm
Will adjust accordingly when I get the chance.

 

[Alex321]

Just done the "book-to-wall" method to measure my inseam and with the book a "snug fit", I got a measurement of 75.7cm which calculates to a saddle height of 66.843cm rounding up to 67cm and then subtracting 2cm so that I don't have to worry about finding the centre of the BB gives me a seat height of 65cm. Considering that my last calculation was 63cm (with rounding and subtraction) wasn't far off this new figure at only 2cm, or 3/4" in old money, different.
OK, I know, 3/4" is actually 19mm
Will adjust accordingly when I get the chance.

It is surprising how much difference that 2cm actually makes in reality.

 

[TK421]

It is surprising how much difference that 2cm actually makes in reality.

I've heard SWMBO say something like that before......

 

[kingrollo]

Thanks for the response. I don't seem to be able to get off the hoods and into the drops, but that might be a lack of confidence/practice.

Have a look at specialized hover bars - they aren't expensive.
They will give you 15mm of rise - and have a shallow drop.

 

[Ronan1001]

As has been said before, you are very upright!
You need to ride your bike, ride with your hand on the hoods, forget the drops and ride upright if you like until you get more familiar with your bike.
As you get more practice in, try and bend your elbows and bring your head down, have a look at @cyberknight photo earlier in the thread, that position is spot on.
Some people don’t always get on with drop bar road bikes preferring to ride flat bar hybrids, you may be one of those but you won’t know until you get some miles in. Persevere and good luck👍

Oddly enough, I also prefer a flat bar. But I have an MTB, there are no other bars there

 

[PaulSB]

Just done the "book-to-wall" method to measure my inseam and with the book a "snug fit", I got a measurement of 75.7cm which calculates to a saddle height of 66.843cm rounding up to 67cm and then subtracting 2cm so that I don't have to worry about finding the centre of the BB gives me a seat height of 65cm. Considering that my last calculation was 63cm (with rounding and subtraction) wasn't far off this new figure at only 2cm, or 3/4" in old money, different.
OK, I know, 3/4" is actually 19mm
Will adjust accordingly when I get the chance.

I'm not sure I entirely follow this but 2cm is a significant difference in cycling terms and much more than "wasn't far off." Hope it works for you.

I still feel you're overthinking this. Consider this. Push the seat as far back as possible for your reach, set height at 67cm, foot on pedal in riding position with leg extended, roughly 6 o'clock position. Adjust height until you achieve a 10/15⁰ bend at the knee. This will be your correct saddle height. Make small - 1, 2, 3mm - adjustments to fine tune this.

Once you have the height correct start to look at reach and adjust the saddle as needed which may then mean a further height adjustment.

In my view trying to work from a host of different formulas won't give you the answer.

A friend once asked me for help with her riding. We went riding together, I rode behind and alongside her, we made adjustments purely by eye - no tape measures involved at any point. She also wanted a professional bike fit, something I encouraged. After the fit she told me I'd cost her £80!!! Her fit was already spot on and no adjustments had been needed.

There's no doubt the various techniques and formulas give a good starting point but the fine adjustment will always be by "feel." I also suggest once you're 90/95% happy go for a ride taking Allen keys with you, stop and make adjustments along the way.

One other tip. When the height is correct your hips should not rock and you shouldn't feel any stretch on the down stroke. If your hips rock your position is wrong.