Next new question - shortening a bike

[Kajjal]

Adjusting the saddle position is fine for a short while. I read the OP as looking for a temporary solution.

If the problem is too stretched and too much pressure on the hands i would agree with not adjusting the saddle to adjust reach as it will make the bike fit less accurate and can cause injuries. The saddle height and position is purely to get the legs in the right position. Look at KOPS to help with saddle fore / aft position.

Once the saddle is sorted then look at the bar height and reach. Adjusting spacers and flipping the stem will reduce reach and adjust height as needed. The position you are looking for is slightly bent arms when leaning into the bike but at the same time no great hand pressure on the bars. This can be an upright or head down position as prefered. To reduce reach further try a cheap shorter than stem. Anything down to 80mm will be fine.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Often easier to do with the saddle upside down on a table, before fitting the seatpin to the bike.

Doing it this way makes getting the angle between seat post and saddle right to have the saddle horizontal (ie when fitted to the bike) a challenge, so allow for a tweak (with a spirit level or by eye) once the seat post is reinserted, at the correct height.

@Citius 's immediate answer has it, though (frame too big for both of you). And the female make up tends to proportionately shorter torso and longer leg, which is probably why it feels even longer for her. For a 5'6" lady on a 54cm/54 frame, a shorter stem and sliding the saddle right forward with an inline seat post are for the short term only.

an immediate free thing to try - flip the stem, this should have the effect of raising the bars and bringing them in slightly.

I do not see that this will 'bring them in slightly'; the handlebars will stay in the same vertical plane.

 

[LewisLondon]

Thanks all for your brilliant advice!

It is sounding more like this is too big If i can get her out a couple of times a month on it then down the line I'll have to look for a cheap second hand 51cm model (any recommendations?)! So glad I got my new bike in a "small" size, and ignored the advice from Cycle Surgery who were adamant I was a medium!

In the mean time then, I'll get the saddle forward and get a shorter stem, to make it as comfortable as I can.

Thanks all. I'm sure it wont be long before I have more questions (any continued advice on this always appreciated)

 

[Broadside]

I put a 60mm stem on my sisters roadbike because the frame she bought was too big - the original stem was 100mm or 110mm. It did make the steering a bit twitchier but not dramatically and she got used to it straight away.

The more important thing was that it made the bike rideable! I would say don't be shy with how short you go and also follow the advice to rotate the bars up a little too as it makes quite a big difference.

 

[vickster]

A narrower bar may help to reduce pressure on her hands and upper body

However if the bike is too big it may never be right.

I'm 5'10 ride 54cm bikes with 100mm stems and 38cm bar (I am by no means petite). I also have SRAM not Shimano as the latter hood shape doesn't suit me and I can't brake comfortably from the hoods

I'm very wary of bikes that are too big, one gave me chronic tennis elbow which needed two operations (one to repair, one to remove scar tissue)

 

[Ajax Bay]

advice to rotate the bars up a little too as it makes quite a big difference

To make the bike seem slightly shorter you can do what @Broadside says and rotate the bars a few degrees, lifting the hoods up (but infinitessimally closer to the rider's shoulders). You can also move the shifters up a bit (max 10mm) on the drops themselves. Again this seems to make the reach slightly shorter or as @User terms it 'bring them in slightly'. Flipping the stem and the above mentioned options raise the hand/hood contact point, offering the rider a more upright position, but have minimal effect on shortening the reach: as @User responded:

but sometimes more upright makes it feel closer.

May make using the drops problematic (they'll feel too far away).

The above are tinkering: shorter stem and slide the saddle forward offer the largest adjustments, as a temporary solution, pending a 51ish frame. By the way this offers you the opportunity to determine what reach you'd ideally want on the 'new to you/her' bike. Agree with @vickster 's counsel above.

 

[themosquitoking]

If the frame is too big buying an inline seatpost is the first thing i would suggest, the rider will likely be too far behind the bottom bracket with an offset one. Once that is sorted then you can assess stem length.

 

[andrew_s]

You don't mention it but I assume you've slid the saddle forward as far as it will safely go. And if the bike has a set back seatpost, a straight one will help. Of course, these will slightly alter the angle between seat and pedals so may not be ideal in the long run but if it helps for now....

If there's too much weight on the hands, surely the saddle wants to go back?

 

[Ajax Bay]

If there's too much weight on the hands, surely the saddle wants to go back?

No. Sliding the seat back forces the rider to take more weight on their hands while riding as they're having to over-reach. Think about it.

 

[LewisLondon]

Something like this (though check the diameter and two bolt saddles can be easier to adjust) - http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/crank-brothers-cobalt-2-straight-seatpost/rp-prod53280 (single bolt)
- will put the rider a little bit further forward. Search under ''inline seat posts'', though the linked one uses the simpler ''straight'' name. The only fiddly bit from my experience, is fitting the saddle back on.

DM, if my seatpost is 29.8mm, would the seat post that is 27.2mm be waaaayy too small? Annoyingly I can't find any "cheap" in line seat posts at 29.8mm. (unless this one from decathlon works? I can't tell...http://www.decathlon.co.uk/298-mm-seat-post-id_8026721.html)

 

[Citius]

DM, if my seatpost is 29.8mm, would the seat post that is 27.2mm be waaaayy too small?

You can buy shims for this purpose. Lots on ebay..

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

DM, if my seatpost is 29.8mm, would the seat post that is 27.2mm be waaaayy too small? Annoyingly I can't find any "cheap" in line seat posts at 29.8mm. (unless this one from decathlon works? I can't tell...http://www.decathlon.co.uk/298-mm-seat-post-id_8026721.html)

If that's your diameter, then that will work fine.

 

[LewisLondon]

If that's your diameter, then that will work fine.

Cheers for that. The only review mentioned MTB, and it seemed to look a bit different from the other one you mentioned so I wasn't sure if it was appropriate/straight enough! At least it's the right diameter.

Thanks again all!! HOpefully a couple of months of this bodge to get the bug, then investing in a new/second hand one for her!

 

[Milkfloat]

Before spending money on seatposts - try flipping the stem. A saddle in the wrong position will not do the rider any favours.

Take a look at: http://bikedynamics.co.uk/fit02.htm

Moving the saddle forwards can increase the weight on the hands.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Before spending money on seatposts - try flipping the stem.

Think we've established that flipping the stem will bring the hoods no closer to the rider. Replace stem with a shorter one.

Moving the saddle forwards can increase the weight on the hands.

Only if you deliberately put your weight on your hands. Moving the saddle forwards allows the rider to bear more weight with the saddle and commensurately less through the arms/wrists/hands. Think about where the one plus two points of contact (PoC) are and how the movement of the saddle/rider's 'seat' moves the rider's CoG relative to those PoC.
This is the complement to what I said yesterday:

Sliding the seat back forces the rider to take more weight on their hands while riding as they're having to over-reach.