Jameshow
Veteran
Matching socks!👍👍👍
Pain on riding my first road bike...
- Thread starter drkash
- Start date
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Matching socks!👍👍👍
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
This. Takes a while to get used to a road bike.
Jameshow
Veteran
44% tops 44% hoods 2% drops.
I should use drops more for braking tbh.
I find a variation of tops /hoods suits me.
I do need to more to hoods sometimes to do the subtle roadie wave!🤣🤣🤣
I like Skol
A Minging Manc...
- Location
- Sunny Ashton-under-Lyne
Fredo76
Über Member
- Location
- Española, NM
Your hand position went from maybe 5" behind the front axle, to maybe 5" in front of it (measuring at the hoods). That's way stretched out, in comparison. I'd have bought an adjustable stem rather than a riser. Between it and bar rotation/lever placement, you should be able to get a comfortable fit. Then afterwards buy the right fixed stem if the looks bother you.
biggs682
Itching to get back on my bike's
- Location
- Northamptonshire
Jameshow
Veteran
I won't ask what you are doing with your hands for the other 10% of the time
Look mummy no hands!!
I meant 49%!!!🤣🤣🤣
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
Anyone would think it was planned....
presta
Guru
Then you end up with a sharp corner and a clamp instead of a smooth bend that's comfortable enough to hold.
figbat
Slippery scientist
- Location
- South Oxfordshire, UK
Bullhorn bars? Might be issues with getting brakes/shifter that match the geartrain.
Flat bars are not a substitute for always-on-the-hoods because your hand position is 90° different. On flats you're holding the bars perpendicular to the bike where with hoods you're holding in-line with the bike. Bar ends or bullhorn bars offer a similar hand position without the need for redundant curly bits.
Flat bars are not a substitute for always-on-the-hoods because your hand position is 90° different. On flats you're holding the bars perpendicular to the bike where with hoods you're holding in-line with the bike. Bar ends or bullhorn bars offer a similar hand position without the need for redundant curly bits.
DRM
Guru
- Location
- West Yorks
As a cost free thing, loosen the handle bars and adjust them so that the drops are at the same angle as the downtube, rather than parallel to the floor, that will bring the brifters closer to you, so less of a stretch, give it a whirl and see what it's like
FrothNinja
Veteran
Apologies if this has been mentioned before (I looked but couldn't see it) but there is another very important factor to consider, especially if you aren't as flexible as you once were. This is the bar width.
When I got my CX bike a year or so ago I found I was almost passing out when I had been in the saddle for a bit. I got (& have in a box now) and adjustable stem which helped me sort out the reach & let me know which gooseneck to get.
This enabled to ride further before feeling dizzy but didn't solve it. The answer was wider bars. The CX came with 42cm wide bars which is about 10cm narrower than my shoulders which was causing pressure on the nerves etc in my neck.
These were replaced with new flared bars that are 52cm at the hoods and 63cm at the bar ends. There was an instant improvement followed by the usual more gradual improvement as my body adjusted to the new position. Now the limiting factor is my knees and my lard.
For the previous few decades I had only been riding flat bar or off road type bikes. I still have two drop bar bikes from a few decades ago (with quite narrow bars) & I can ride them for longer distances now but I have to stretch regularly to do so.
I still tend to tour on flat bar bikes though I am hoping to bike pack the CX this summer.
I reckon you should take on board what folks have been saying but avoid throwing wads of money at solutions until you have tested them enough to know they work. The adjustable neck should be quite cheap and once you have found your perfect position, by a decent fixed neck with the same angle and length. I also agree that you should build up to linger rides rather than rushing straight at them
Good luck, hope you get there soon.
When I got my CX bike a year or so ago I found I was almost passing out when I had been in the saddle for a bit. I got (& have in a box now) and adjustable stem which helped me sort out the reach & let me know which gooseneck to get.
This enabled to ride further before feeling dizzy but didn't solve it. The answer was wider bars. The CX came with 42cm wide bars which is about 10cm narrower than my shoulders which was causing pressure on the nerves etc in my neck.
These were replaced with new flared bars that are 52cm at the hoods and 63cm at the bar ends. There was an instant improvement followed by the usual more gradual improvement as my body adjusted to the new position. Now the limiting factor is my knees and my lard.
For the previous few decades I had only been riding flat bar or off road type bikes. I still have two drop bar bikes from a few decades ago (with quite narrow bars) & I can ride them for longer distances now but I have to stretch regularly to do so.
I still tend to tour on flat bar bikes though I am hoping to bike pack the CX this summer.
I reckon you should take on board what folks have been saying but avoid throwing wads of money at solutions until you have tested them enough to know they work. The adjustable neck should be quite cheap and once you have found your perfect position, by a decent fixed neck with the same angle and length. I also agree that you should build up to linger rides rather than rushing straight at them
Good luck, hope you get there soon.
Jameshow
Veteran
I agree the modern trend for narrow bars isn't helpful for bike fit, breathing or bike control! Much prefer my 44cm to my mates 38cm bars!
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
I agree bar width is an important factor too. I'm at the other end of the spectrum and too wide a bar would stretch me out and I'd have to lift my neck too much to see. 40cm fits me best but my commuter bike was made with donated bars and they were 44cm so I shortened the stem slightly; 8 years or so later it seems to have worked.
