Bike fit

[black'n'yellow]

since riding with pedal clips, which makes you feel like your riding in high heels, your up on your toes all the time (my calf muscles will get used to it no matter how much it hurtsand my bum keeps falling off the back of the seat - hence all this re-evaluating my riding position after 14years of no problems.

by the sounds of it - you have either been pedalling incorrectly for 14 years, or you have your new cleats set up incorrectly. The pedal axle should be under the ball of your foot, or just behind it. If you are pedalling on tip toes, then you've got them set up wrongly.

Re your bar position - as I indicated before, it's all about what is comfortable for you - it's not about what google tells you.

 

[Licramite]

I,ve probably been pedalling wrong for the past 14 years, I kind of knew I should be on the balls of my feet not my instep. (on normal pedals)
Probably explains why my view of other cyclists is of thier bum as they disappear into the distance.
most of my riding has been off road so it never seamed to important.

but with my new found need for speed (as I,m increasing my ride range to about 30miles normal) and doing more on road, Ive pimped my bike, bigger chainring, semi drops and toe clips has completely changed my seat position geometery. hell I,ve even got into Lycra ! (much to the hilarity of my wife)

i,m still looking for longer legs on ebay

 

[Richard1537]

Well getting back to my original problem of feeling like i was reaching for the bars!!!! I ordered an 80mm stem and what a difference it has made, went out for for a good run last night after work and felt so much better on the bike, when i'm on the hoods the bars perfectly block the view of the front axle and for some reason i also feel better on the drops now as well, i spent a good 30minutes of a 1.5 hour cycle on them last night.

Fitness is starting to come up a bit now too after 400-500miles in the saddle. Getting up to and average of 17-18mph now so i guess i'll just have to keep on putting in the miles!!!

 

[Cringles]

I can see my front hub in any position yet I'm comfortable on the bike, but I do have a Felt Z85 which is a bit more relaxed than most road bikes. Some of these theories just seem mad at times. When I was getting fitted for my bike. I was basically made to sit in the cycling position, on the bike while he had a look at me, then he made me stand over the bike & asked me was there enough clearance between the bar & my manhood, which there was haha.

I'm 5.7, & my bike frame size is 51cm with 27 inch wheels. The guy at the LBS is well known within the local cycling clubs & racing events, so I think each cyclist has their own ''special'' way of setting up bikes.
I did adjust the seat & lower the stem slightly after a few weeks.

 

[Licramite]

are your handlebars lower than your seat ? - other posts have said its not important (and they probably right)
but I look at other bikes and it does seam to be the norm on road bikes.

 

[black'n'yellow]

are your handlebars lower than your seat ? - other posts have said its not important (and they probably right)
but I look at other bikes and it does seam to be the norm on road bikes.

for a decent racing position, it is useful to have your bars lower than your saddle - and you may naturally move towards this type of position as you get fitter/faster/more flexible on the bike. But it's not necessarily the 'norm' and it shouldn't be viewed as 'essential' - especially if you are just starting out...