how anal are you



bryanquinn

New Member
Jan 19, 2004
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how anal are you about your bike fit? to what lengths have you gone to to assure that everything is where you want it? I've used levels, plumbs, mirrors, eyeballing, painted very inconspicuous small spots on seat raillings scratched my head and even walked away a few times. whats the longest you've ever obsessed over a certain hight or length?
 
Hahahahaha,

Not at all, give it 1000 miles, it'll feel normal then :).

Seriously, just somewhere close is good enough for me I get it in the general range and forget it. Seat height is the only thing I even half way pay attention to! :D
C-
 
Oh, my, I think you may take the prize here... ;-)

Originally posted by bryanquinn
how anal are you about your bike fit? to what lengths have you gone to to assure that everything is where you want it? I've used levels, plumbs, mirrors, eyeballing, painted very inconspicuous small spots on seat raillings scratched my head and even walked away a few times. whats the longest you've ever obsessed over a certain hight or length?
 
Originally posted by bryanquinn
how anal are you about your bike fit? to what lengths have you gone to to assure that everything is where you want it? I've used levels, plumbs, mirrors, eyeballing, painted very inconspicuous small spots on seat raillings scratched my head and even walked away a few times. whats the longest you've ever obsessed over a certain hight or length?

I'm every bit as bad (or worse) than you about being anal! I've raised and lowered the saddle; moved the saddle fore and aft; nose up and nose down; flipped the stem; moved the hoods up and down on the bar; you name it I've moved it.

What did I get for all this one may ask? Sore knees!

The worst was moving the saddle fore and aft. I moved it all the way forward and eveidently didn't tighten it enough and after a few rides it was all the way aft again. The sad part is that I did this twice before I realized that I haddn't tightened the saddle enough.

Scott Shields
 
Originally posted by ccorrick
Hahahahaha,

Not at all, give it 1000 miles, it'll feel normal then :).

Seriously, just somewhere close is good enough for me I get it in the general range and forget it. Seat height is the only thing I even half way pay attention to! :D
C-

Hi -

I must admit I do tend to fixate on adjustments just a tad but I was wondering if there is an optimal height to set your saddle to or is it really just a comfort thing?

Steve
 
There's an optimal height no doubt. They guy that writes my programs did my bike fit. He spends about an hour.

He has some high tech tools - a short spirit level (about 6 inches), a roofing square (like a big bevel gauge), a little plumb thing with a velcro strap to go around your knee. Thats about it.

He puts a mark on your shoe where the knuckle of your big toe is & measures the cleats up against that. Checks that its above the axle properly. He then puts some marks on your leg & uses the roofing square to measure the angle your knee makes when your at the bottom of the pedal stroke (with your foot horizontal). This gives him seat height.

Then he puts the plumb around your knee makes sure your knee is directly above the pedal axle when the cranks are horizontal. That gives him the seat set back.

Finally he mucks about with the handle bars.

Pedal a bit to check you're not rocking at the hips too much & away you go.

Cost me $60 & worth every cent. He gave me a written report so I can use it to set up my mountain bike (making a slight adjustment for seat height 'cos the cleats have a lower profile).

Not anal. Get it right once & leave it at that.

People who muck around with set-up to much never know when its right cos they've forgotten what right feels like.
 
agree with ccorick, get it 90% right and after 1000 miles it feels perfect. unless ofcourse there is something way wrong and you get unusual pains.

Also had a problem with me saddle not tightened properly. Had just got the bike, 90 km into a 100km race I stood up to sprint, sat down and the saddle was at the complete wrong angle, happened twice until I realised, I then thought the seat post was stuffed where it holds the sadlle (did not bother getting off to check or I would have lost the bunch). Anyway turns out it was just loose, but because I rode like that and the saddle kept moving it stuffed it up.
 
Originally posted by Stevedvg
Hi -

I must admit I do tend to fixate on adjustments just a tad but I was wondering if there is an optimal height to set your saddle to or is it really just a comfort thing?

Steve

There is, as Gumby stated. I know mine and make sure to measure it each time I do anything with the seat post, etc.

Have someone check it for you, or if you have absolutly no idea you can get a somewhat general idea by placing your heal on the pedal and your leg should be straight. But that could vary some depending on how your leg length is distributed and what is comfortable.
 
Originally posted by less'go
Oh, my, I think you may take the prize here... ;-)


AHHH! so you you see less'go, I would not be the only one who obsesses beyond the point of normal limits to see that comfort, and satisfaction, is well worth a little more quality time with one of ones' favorite frames!
Tis the pleasure of knowing that when I take position atop that which I have spent more than just a brief amount of time with, she is more than ready to work in unison with each downward stroke of my movment. This in turn brings deep pleasure and satiafaction... ;-) And yes, the prize is mine!
 
When I purchase my latest ride..I spent about an hour or so with the LBS "fitter" getting fit...got close.

Rode about 500 miles, went back and made some adjustments. Mainly the adjustments were for comforts but I needed to make sure I was not mucking up the functional fit.

Another 500 miles went in for another fit and fine adjustments. Since this time I have riding about 1500 and feel great!

You need to get as "prefect" of a fit as you can, then ride and forget about it. I do keep all the measurements (stem, saddle location, height, etc) on file for future adjustment reference...I think my bike is as a good a fit as can be for me (I have pretty much "off the rack" body). All-in-all, I would say the angst and time I put into thinking about the right adjustments and getting them made has been a worth while endeavor.
 
I must concede that you have solid reasoning, and obviously have a passion, nay, a love of precision and thoroughness. A purist, a perfectionist.

Whereas I am more of a wash and wear, unlock it and go kind of gal. Perhaps it is I who am in the minority here, and I shall now take leave of this thread, my head bowed in shame... ;-)
S






Originally posted by bryanquinn
AHHH! so you you see less'go, I would not be the only one who obsesses beyond the point of normal limits to see that comfort, and satisfaction, is well worth a little more quality time with one of ones' favorite frames!
Tis the pleasure of knowing that when I take position atop that which I have spent more than just a brief amount of time with, she is more than ready to work in unison with each downward stroke of my movment. This in turn brings deep pleasure and satiafaction... ;-) And yes, the prize is mine!
 
Originally posted by bryanquinn
how anal are you about your bike fit? to what lengths have you gone to to assure that everything is where you want it? I've used levels, plumbs, mirrors, eyeballing, painted very inconspicuous small spots on seat raillings scratched my head and even walked away a few times. whats the longest you've ever obsessed over a certain hight or length?
I'm with you... only I'm anal about tyre presure as well!

If it was good enough for Merkx its good enough for me.
 
Originally posted by bryanquinn
how anal are you about your bike fit? to what lengths have you gone to to assure that everything is where you want it? I've used levels, plumbs, mirrors, eyeballing, painted very inconspicuous small spots on seat raillings scratched my head and even walked away a few times. whats the longest you've ever obsessed over a certain hight or length?

Hours, days, weeks on a drop handlebar for my road bike. My bike shop sold me a wider handlebar because I have wide shoulders. They said it would improve my breathing. I am short and appear more like a powder keg on a bike rather than slim and aerodynamic. I think that my physical makeup was the start of this problem. After attaching the larger handlebar, I coud not get my grips positioned properly. I either had a good angle for a good grip, and couldn't grab the brake levers (Dura Ace), or I could get the braking, but be way out in front of the bike while my wrists were supinated in a God awful position. I got the dreaded hand numbness shortly after buying the bar. I must have wrapped and unwrapped this thing fifty times as I played with the grip positioning. Meantime, I marked the bar and tried clocking it at different angles too. I put on over 1500 miles trying to make this bar geometry work. This past spring, I put my smaller bar back on. Damn Nice! I was back at home. Funny, the more I rode, the more my breathing improved and the less I needed the fancy stuff.
 
Should probably spend more time adjusting everything but I usually can't be arsed!! It's much more fun just to get on the damn thing and ride it. The only thing I care about is saddle height and as long as my knees aren't around my ears and I'm not being given a ball-crushing wedgie then I'm happy.

The problem is I spend time thinking about setup and worrying about how it could be better, but I can never bring myself to actually do anything about it. Those precious hours of freedom need to be used for riding, not fiddling!
 
Originally posted by bryanquinn
how anal are you about your bike fit? to what lengths have you gone to to assure that everything is where you want it? I've used levels, plumbs, mirrors, eyeballing, painted very inconspicuous small spots on seat raillings scratched my head and even walked away a few times. whats the longest you've ever obsessed over a certain hight or length?

I say life is too short to obsess about much of anything--unless you enjoy it. Every kid knows the secret. Have fun on your bike!
 
Originally posted by ccorrick
Hahahahaha,

Not at all, give it 1000 miles, it'll feel normal then :).

Seriously, just somewhere close is good enough for me I get it in the general range and forget it. Seat height is the only thing I even half way pay attention to! :D
C-

I agree w/ ccorrick. Take your time and get it right the first time and then make MINOR adjustments as your body tells you. Just make sure you record your measurements on the bike so when you get a new bike, you can set it up pretty close to your optimal set up quickly.;)
 
Man, your talking holy grail stuff here!!!!!!!

Try riding 2 different bikes regularly to really do your head in?

Different distances will affect the way the bike feels to you too

Beach road cruising means I raise and forward a few millimetres and then down and lower for stuff like the alpine classic
 
Depends upon the seat.
This is actually very important if you are going to be serious about riding. Flyingdutch said holy grail of stuff here. There seems to be a reoccurring theme for me coming across the holy grail. Mind, body, and soul. There only seems to be one aspect left to complete.
 
I am so anal that I respond to 12 year old threads

I have no problem trying new saddles, shoes, bibs before a double century.....how else do you know if new stuff will work on a truly long ride. Within a couple mm is close enough for me....more than 3 mm is a problem especially on the high side of any saddle adjustment....the knees and "the boys" have to stay happy.
 
Mr. Millimeter doesn't live here.

I use the heel-on-pedal method for saddle height, the slide-off method for saddle angle, and I adjust bar height/angle by steering feedback.

Conversely, one click of the dial on my BB7's is important, as is 1/4-1/2-turn on the barrel adjusters on my X.9 triggers.