bike fit question

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by zaskar
just got a new rd bike and was wondering when im in the hoods
sitting looking down on the bars should i see the front hub?
seems the strectch is a bit much, when i scoot up a little i cant see
the hub, i read somewhere if bike fits and you look down on
bars the bars should line up with the hub. if this is true and i can correct this by moving seat forward does that change my pedal
postition? thanks.

Tim.

😕 45 views not even a yes or no,
did i post in wrong section?

as you can see, I'm new to this site also....but, I went a few months ago to a local shop that is huge on racing, half it's employees are team members, etc...and the guy had me try out a bike. He had me sit up on the seat, and put my hands on the top bars, with my thumb and index finger stradling the brake "butt" is what I call it. He said I shouldn't be able to see the front hub then.
That is all the info I can help you out with. As far as the seat movement goes, I could only assume, if you are moving it to make something else better, you are only affecting something else. Badly or goodly, I wouldn't know as I am just learning too.
Good luck.
Eric

The shop should have set you up correctly on the bike when you bought it. Seat position is adjusted according to a combination of leg length and knee position relative to the bottom bracket. Once it's set correctly your reach needs to be set up by adjusting the stem length.

I do this in 3 stages; it's easiest with the bike set up on a trainer:

1. Seat height (center of bottom bracket to top of saddle measured along the seat tube) should be somewhere close to 0.883 of your inseam measurement measured barefoot floor to crotch with your feet about 6" apart. Add 5 mm if you use clipless pedals. You can set it a little bit higher if you wish, but make sure you're not rocking or bouncing at higher pedal cadences. You should have a 25 to 35 degree bend in your knee with the pedal at the 6 o'clock position.

2. Seat fore/aft position should be (at least at first) set up so that, with your pedal at the 3 o'clock position viewed from the side, the little bony lump just under your kneecap is directly over the pedal spindle. Use a plumbline to adjust this. Set the seat parallel to the ground using a carpenter's level to start with and adjust this as needed to achieve maximum comfort.

3. Now you're ready to set up the reach. You really do need a trainer for this part! Sit on the bike, feet clipped into the pedals and spin lightly for a minute or two with your hands on the brake hoods, elbows slightly bent. You should feel comfortable, balanced and have no sensation of stretching or straining to reach the hoods. If you feel you're stretching, the stem is probably too long and needs to be replaced with a shorter one. If the stem is way behind the hub it may be too short. The "can't see the hub" test is a really rough rule of thumb and doesn't apply to every rider.

The best bet? Go back to the shop where you bought the bike and have them check your position, or find a local licensed bike coach who will help you get set up, usually for a modest charge.

Positioning on the bike is really important to avoid injury and discomfort so it's important to get it right!

I would add that in the beginning, when you aren't comfy on the bike, you will be tempted to think that being more upright is better. But as you spend more time on the bike and your flexibility and stamina increase, you'll likely prefer a lower position. Ultimately, for longer distances, you'll want to feel like your weight is evenly distributed between hands and rear, regardless of where you see the front hub.

Bottom line: your 'right' position may/will change some over time.

thanks for the info guys was very helpful!!

Dear zaskar

Paul Swift can help you to fit perfectly on the bike.

http://www.lemondfitness.com/bf/index.html

The best to you www.webtrainer.nl

with the help of you guysi need a shorter stem, i have a 110 mm on it now but cant
decide wich to buy for correct size, 90mm or a 100mm.
the local bs here didnt have what i wanted they have
stems with a rise and are cheap stems, i want a thomson
-10 but what size to order?? anyone have any suggestions?

by the way the local bs wants alot more for stem if i order
from them, and since i didnt purchase bike @ there shop
there not to helpful with fitting.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by zaskar
with the help of you guysi need a shorter stem, i have a 110 mm on it now but cant
decide wich to buy for correct size, 90mm or a 100mm.
the local bs here didnt have what i wanted they have
stems with a rise and are cheap stems, i want a thomson
-10 but what size to order?? anyone have any suggestions?

by the way the local bs wants alot more for stem if i order
from them, and since i didnt purchase bike @ there shop
there not to helpful with fitting.

I would recommend you find a better bike shop. I recently bought a road bike because I wanted to get back into cycling after a few years off. I'm 50 years old. I did some web research on bikes and chose one that I liked based on price and components.

I rode it a bit but was not comfortable on it. I then researched some more and found a shop recommended for doing a proper fit for customers, for a fee. It cost me $65 US and I am very glad for paying it.

The excercise physiologist showed me his credentials first. He went through measuring me up. He used a protractor to measure my leg angle after he measured my leg length and torso length. He replaced my stem with the proper size (sorry ,I don't remember what length but it's a short one that suits me). He also measured my feet angle and adjusted my shoe clips. I feel much more comfortable on the bike now.

I had been riding bikes on and off for most of my life. This was the first time I ever had a bike proffesionally fitted to me. I am a firm believer, now, of anyone getting a good fitting. It's well worth the money.

Bottom line I spent $170 which included the new stem and post.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Insight Driver
I would recommend you find a better bike shop. I recently bought a road bike because I wanted to get back into cycling after a few years off. I'm 50 years old. I did some web research on bikes and chose one that I liked based on price and components.

I rode it a bit but was not comfortable on it. I then researched some more and found a shop recommended for doing a proper fit for customers, for a fee. It cost me $65 US and I am very glad for paying it.

The excercise physiologist showed me his credentials first. He went through measuring me up. He used a protractor to measure my leg angle after he measured my leg length and torso length. He replaced my stem with the proper size (sorry ,I don't remember what length but it's a short one that suits me). He also measured my feet angle and adjusted my shoe clips. I feel much more comfortable on the bike now.

I had been riding bikes on and off for most of my life. This was the first time I ever had a bike proffesionally fitted to me. I am a firm believer, now, of anyone getting a good fitting. It's well worth the money.

Bottom line I spent $170 which included the new stem and post.

i found a bike shop today that fit me, a shorter stem is what i did need, he checked my pedaling, knee to pedal and raised my seat
and also tilted my hanlebars up a little this made a big differance
when i stand im not leanong over front wheel, and when i sit
i have a bend in my elbows and feel more centered over bike
im all set thanks again for the help guys

Zaskar, I am glad you got the bike fitted to you. Let everyone know how much more comfortable riding is with a properly fit bike. Although there are a lot of much more highly experienced riders on this forum I am sure newer riders such as myself appreciate learning things such as proper fit.