J
Jay Beattie
Guest
"Steve Sr." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I am in the market for a new high-end road bike so I decided it
would
> be a good idea to get a professional fit done first to figure
out what
> bikes would fit and which wouldn't. See, I have been listening
to you
> folks all these years!
>
> The best local fitting service that I could find was one
offered by a
> local shop that sold Serotta and used the Serotta Fit Cycle.
Before
> the fitting I told the shop that Serotta was on my list of
possible
> candidates along with several other manufacturers and that I
would
> need results that would be applicable to makes other than
Serotta. I
> was told that this would not be a problem.
>
> The basic results of the fitting is that I have the loss of
> flexibility related to aging (I'm 48 and 160 Lbs.) and that I
needed a
> bike with a higher front end and slightly shorter top tube.
This
> information ruled out the Litespeed Tuscany as a problem in
both of
> these areas.
>
> After the fitting the shop suggested a Serotta Fierte and a
full
> carbon Trek Pilot. I also mentioned that Litespeed was on my
list of
> possible makes and asked what Litespeed other than Tuscany
would fit.
>
> Here is where the issue begins. The fitter said that the
Litespeed
> Siena would probably fit but couldn't provide specifics since
he
> didn't have data from Litespeed in the same for as Serotta to
input
> into his computer program.
>
> So do I need a PhD in bike fitting to interpret the numbers
from the
> Fit Cycle or is there a straight forward procedure to determine
how
> close a certain manufacturers bike will match the fit data.
>
> The questions that need answered are:
>
> 1. Which frame size is needed (53 or 55cm)? A 53cm gives the
shorter
> top tube but with a taller seat post effectively lowers the
front of
> the bike. A 55cm does just the opposite.
>
> 2. Will the seat post need to be straight or setback? This also
will
> play into the correct stem length.
>
> 3. What is the correct angle and length of the stem?
>
> Can anyone enlighten me?
Man, you make my head a-splode! All the data you need (seat
angle and top tube length) is available at the Litespeed
web-site.
http://www.litespeed.com/bikes/2005/2005geometry.aspx?b=siena .
You paid for the professional fitting, just get the data, take it
back to your fit guru and re-run the numbers. Assuming you are
not built like E.T. -- and assuming you do not buy a bike with a
notoriously top tube (e.g. LeMond), everything is about the same
these days. Most fit changes are accomplished with stems and
seatposts. As for me, I would go with the larger frame to avoid
the leggy seat post and unsightly stem rise, but then again, I am
a conventional frame kind of guy. I hate compacts. I don't
think the 20mm difference in top-tube between the 53 and 55cm
frames is going to make much of a difference.
Also, you do not want to buy a short top-tube bike just because
you are inflexible (as opposed to having a short upper body).
Flexibility changes, especially if you actually ride this bike --
which you should, since it looks like you are going to dump a lot
of money on it. Get an appropriate stem that deals with your
current inflexibility and then change it when you get more
flexible. I am your age and ride a bike with a longer top
tube/stem than the one I raced 25 years ago. I know I am not
more flexible now, but I seem to like being stretched out
ore. -- Jay Beattie.
news:[email protected]...
> I am in the market for a new high-end road bike so I decided it
would
> be a good idea to get a professional fit done first to figure
out what
> bikes would fit and which wouldn't. See, I have been listening
to you
> folks all these years!
>
> The best local fitting service that I could find was one
offered by a
> local shop that sold Serotta and used the Serotta Fit Cycle.
Before
> the fitting I told the shop that Serotta was on my list of
possible
> candidates along with several other manufacturers and that I
would
> need results that would be applicable to makes other than
Serotta. I
> was told that this would not be a problem.
>
> The basic results of the fitting is that I have the loss of
> flexibility related to aging (I'm 48 and 160 Lbs.) and that I
needed a
> bike with a higher front end and slightly shorter top tube.
This
> information ruled out the Litespeed Tuscany as a problem in
both of
> these areas.
>
> After the fitting the shop suggested a Serotta Fierte and a
full
> carbon Trek Pilot. I also mentioned that Litespeed was on my
list of
> possible makes and asked what Litespeed other than Tuscany
would fit.
>
> Here is where the issue begins. The fitter said that the
Litespeed
> Siena would probably fit but couldn't provide specifics since
he
> didn't have data from Litespeed in the same for as Serotta to
input
> into his computer program.
>
> So do I need a PhD in bike fitting to interpret the numbers
from the
> Fit Cycle or is there a straight forward procedure to determine
how
> close a certain manufacturers bike will match the fit data.
>
> The questions that need answered are:
>
> 1. Which frame size is needed (53 or 55cm)? A 53cm gives the
shorter
> top tube but with a taller seat post effectively lowers the
front of
> the bike. A 55cm does just the opposite.
>
> 2. Will the seat post need to be straight or setback? This also
will
> play into the correct stem length.
>
> 3. What is the correct angle and length of the stem?
>
> Can anyone enlighten me?
Man, you make my head a-splode! All the data you need (seat
angle and top tube length) is available at the Litespeed
web-site.
http://www.litespeed.com/bikes/2005/2005geometry.aspx?b=siena .
You paid for the professional fitting, just get the data, take it
back to your fit guru and re-run the numbers. Assuming you are
not built like E.T. -- and assuming you do not buy a bike with a
notoriously top tube (e.g. LeMond), everything is about the same
these days. Most fit changes are accomplished with stems and
seatposts. As for me, I would go with the larger frame to avoid
the leggy seat post and unsightly stem rise, but then again, I am
a conventional frame kind of guy. I hate compacts. I don't
think the 20mm difference in top-tube between the 53 and 55cm
frames is going to make much of a difference.
Also, you do not want to buy a short top-tube bike just because
you are inflexible (as opposed to having a short upper body).
Flexibility changes, especially if you actually ride this bike --
which you should, since it looks like you are going to dump a lot
of money on it. Get an appropriate stem that deals with your
current inflexibility and then change it when you get more
flexible. I am your age and ride a bike with a longer top
tube/stem than the one I raced 25 years ago. I know I am not
more flexible now, but I seem to like being stretched out
ore. -- Jay Beattie.
