As suggested, here are pictures of me on the new set up. I took the pics myself using the timer while actually pedaling, these are the best shots of almost full leg extension.
Any suggestions on positioning and seat hight are welcome. This roadie stuff is a different kind of ride. In the top picture, it looks like my heal is lifted up, but I think that is due to the camera angle.
I rode for an hour, my wrist and shoulder felt better, hands MUCH better with this set up than the previous.
12 comments:
This is what I read recently... With your shoe off, sit on the seat and put your heel on the pedal. The cranks should be parallel to the seat tube. Adjust your seat so your leg is fully extended in this position. Now when you put your shoe back on and clip in, your leg extension should be in the proper position...a slight bend in the knee.
I think an hour is pretty good -- If your arms and knees don't hurt that's a good sign. On the hoods like you are -- you should be very comfortable.
I think you might want to put your seat back a 1/2 inch or less -- so that when you are down in the bars your line of sight of you axle is obscured by you cross member of your bars. This of course is relative to the placement of your hands when down -- I put mine on a line between the center of my hands -- and it same as is the line of the top of your bars -- and the line obsuring your view of the axle. Being too far forward could turn out bad if you bury the front end into a pothole.
I am using the standard of high school comfort here. it's cool to ride with no hands -- and comfy too. Ask the OB who can eat with a spoon while riding.
And you want to be able to bust into a sprint on flat ground and blow everyone off, even some young kid -- even if just for a moment. When you feel your sitbone sliding side to side across the saddle when you peddle -- you are definately too high. Short of that -- the further you can extend your legs the harder you can climb.
Once you break your soft places into the saddle -- you can ride a hundred miles.
It is hard to tell from the picture, but to me your saddle looks just a tad too high.
I think I will lower the seat down about 1/4 inch.
Are there other benefits to moving the seat back besides preventing an endo (that is enough of a benefit on it's own)? I don't see the hub when I am on the bar tops, see it a little when I'm on the hoods, depending on my back posture, and I do see more of it when I'm in the drops. I didn't see it with the initial bar set up, but that was just too much weight on the wrists/shoulder.
As the roads are still covered with ice here, I have only ridden the bike on the trainer. I am sure when I get it on the road, more fine tuning will be needed.
I did the heel measurement, but with the pedals at 12 and 6 o'clock rather than parallel to the seatpost, so I will remeasure. The cleats with these pedals are really thick compared to another pedal/cleat set I had. these are gray Look cleats/Look Keo Classic pedals. The back end of the cleat is a full 1/4 inch. The front of the cleat is less, so the pedal sits at an angle when my foot is parallel to the floor. I think that may make my heel look lifted up in the top picture, the 2nd is a more accurate picture of leg extention with the cranks lined up with the seat tube.
I can't wait to get out on the road!!
I can hardly wait to get out too.
That is a cool shade of blue:-)
Nice legs!
It's a BEAUTIFUL blue, glad you like it, George.
Thanks Snakebite, right back at ya, but replace legs with chest, arms....oh here I go again. I will stop now :)
I'm with Snakebite...took me three times to notice there was a bike in the picture :-)
I don't know the exact details -- when you start moving -- as opposed to the trainer -- you may want to sit back a little further -- you will begin to know as soon as you hit the brakes.
Since you have been talking about set-up I have been thinking all about how often I get slammed in the upper body by the road. so I have mved my seat around a bit and trying to keep my arms bent when I hit bumps in the road --
And guess what. My back hasn't been bothering me as much.
You guys are goofy...3 times before noticing the bike?? You need you eyes checked - ha! :)
ALL bike guys are hot, in their unique bicycle way.
Hey Shawn, I moved my seat back about 1/4 inch, it DID feel a bit better. I think I will move it back another 1/4 inch tonight and see how it feels. That will probably be enough.
Your seat setback is about right when you have no falling forward sensation. I was thinking you might like it a tad back, and now you have and noticed the improvement.
The idea is that the falling forward (and not because of seat tilted front down) that will occur will be offset by your pushing motion from legs. So if you actually coast a lot or spin perfect circles, seat may be further back. There will be a point though at which it doesn't help.
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