Hey. Just want to say thank you for taking the effort and time to make these videos. You really help me in my fit analysis. Often confirm what I think but it’s great to hear it from an expert. Keep it up. Cheers.
I'm going through all those situations. I love my mountain bike. But i need some changes done to it. I'm having Saddle, my wrist, back pain, knee pain. Thank you for all this info.
Great video I watched this video yesterday and made some adjustment on my bike I felt much less lower back pain and was able to engage the glutes with wider working angle
Depends on the bike and person and terrain entirely. My bike has ample stack space and the stem was mounted at the top with spacers underneath. This was horrible for speed, efficiency and climbing. I needed get lower and thought i was supposed to keep the stem mounted at top. I had to get long stem with steep drop to do so, but the increased stem length affected steering too much. When i dropped it all the way down, it was incredible. It naturally provided the length and lowered me so i could go with a shorter stem with less drop and this improved steering and handling tremendously.
Maybe work on your upper body strength and flexibility to be able to ride in a lower position? I used to have numb hands riding, but after a while it went away as my muscles got used to the position.
Agreed, human are adjustable, the upper body won’t get stronger enough automatically without putting weight into that position... unless you are a pro with years of training, tried every here and there, so already know where the limits are... that’s when we should talk about “go for what suits you”.
I dropped my stem a centimeter, and my neck screamed NO WAY. Put it right back with 15mm of spacers. Feels perfect for me on that particular frame and headtube size.
Flexibility, just like everything else about the body, can be trained. So, as long as you have the right size bike, you should be able to ride in any configuration. The human body is not a god damn stone, it can adapt, change size and shape.
A really helpful technical analysis, thank you! I will take your advice about trying some changes on the stationary trainer. Great idea to focus on symptoms and look backwards.
Just bought my first drop bar bike in over 35 years and i have a couple of the symptoms you describe. i thought it was the saddle but you could be onto something. During my ride I kept hovering my hands a bout 1" above and 1" behind where they were meant to sit to relieve the pressure - I will try a shorter raised stem, thank you.
I strained my left shoulder & neck last March. PT hasn't helped much. I recently rode my bike 8.5 miles, which aggravated that pain. I think my handlebars are too low, because I have to bend my neck to lift my head to look up at where I am going.
One point he missed is the neck angle. When you are too low. Your neck has to create a bend to look upwards. Whicy is very unpractical way to ride it. Most importantly ride for atleast 20 kms to know for sure if bike fit is accurate. I thought my bar height is ok pedaling a few strokes but it was way to low when i went on a longer ride. Another thing i learned was avoiding spacers to reduce drag and getting a incline stem. My bar height was finally ok but my reach got too short because of the angle.
An alternative to bending the neck is to bend the upper back- to “puff out the chest” to raise eye level for seeing down the road. Thoracic vertebrae flexibility can be improved over time to facilitate this. It keeps the neck from getting strained as it can stay straighter.
Having all those spacers on top is dangerous. The stem is now squeezing below where the expander goes to. Cut the carbon steerer tube to the correct length and get rid of those spacers
Hi I have really enjoyed your series, I really like that your advice puts all the pro cycling trends (slammed handle bars, seat tilt etc) back in the correct place... the pro cycling pelaton! I have broad sholders, and was recently told that my handlebars were to narrow (also a current aero trend from producers). Can include in a future video some comment on handlebar width? Thanks, keep up the great work and I am looking forward to more advice and tips
Very clear, thanks! I guess if a symptom arises you could wait and see if more training could resolve issues? Slamming my stem definitely made a positive aero change in case of head winds. So far no major problems except neck pain because I have to tilt my head up more as my upper body has a lower position. I am planning for training several rides to see how it evolves before drawing conclusions.
I'm very flexible and have a strong core but if my bars are too low I get ischium bone pain whatever the saddle I use. By just getting my bar 10 mm higher all that pain disappear.
@Bike Fit Adviser, thank you for your explanation , i notice the scapula 's position changes with the swipe but doesn't it need more width to be comfortable ?
Would greatly appreciate any suggestions of how I should have my handlebars and grips set up for reliving elbow pain. I have 0 cartilage in both elbows. Very painful.
Mr Bike Fit. Have a problem that I need advise with. Been struggling with saddle sores for a few months, finally changed up handle bar and that sorted it out. Problem I have is when I go full gas I automatically go into a very aero position, knees touching chest ... even with the raised bar..dont really have any discomfort while doing it but saddle sores have returned. Mainly on the sides. How do I overcome this problem? You help would be greatly appreciated. Tnx
Just seen this video I think this is the problem that's been plaguing me for yers where my sit bone has been slipping off the saddle to the left. I'm too low at the front, but I'm already quite upright and I actually want to go lower. So what exercises can I do to improve my hip angle and back?
Curious how this translates to downhill mtb where you stand most the time... should the bars be high or low, what will the pros and cons be in terms of function?
@@diegoeleazar9154 i never said lower the handlebars lower than the seatpost for DH lol i meant as in stack height of the spacers on the fork connecting to the stem...lowering it some can actually help extend a persons reach if they feel too cramped whilst sitting; and visa versa, raising the stack to shorten the reach for comfort ... I actually found this answer with my own research since i didn't get a response here lol It actually works out depending on needs.... and No, it will not be lower than your saddle lol...it really depends on the geometry of your frame. I dropped my stem and my saddle is still much lower than my stem due the my frames geometry; but my reach was improved for comfort which helped when/IF sitting......That's just how you can fix your reach if it's not too major of a pain, which in that case you might have the incorrect frame size👌sorry i wasn't more specific
I just bought a new bike and I had to add a steerer extension to it so I could get the dropbars to the position where their top is on the same level as my saddle. (shame that the steerer was precut...). I think that with time as my flexibility increases I may be able to get it lower again, but I wonder why I even feel that should be a goal for me ;-)
My bars are as high as they will go and I still get one sided sit bone pain....I’ve shortened the stem from 100mm to 90mm both have a -6 degree angle...would flipping the stem to make it +6 degrees be helpful?
Hi, tanks for your great content!! Can it result in kneepain on the outerside (glute related ) if your bar is to low? I recenlty lowered my bare by one spacer 10mm. Now after a 100k ride i noticed pain in the outside of my knee. Could this be the case? Thanks again.
How does this interact with extending the reach? I've really dialed in my seat position (thanks to your videos!) And what remains is adjusting my reach. My current setup feels like it is either too short and/or too high. Should I first try lowering the bars, then adjusting the length (longer stem), or vice versa?
jtday1028 Personally I’ve found that when I drop the bars I can decrease the reach by about 1/2 the amount of the drop to get what feels like an equivalent reach, i.e. bars down 1cm means I can decrease reach by roughly 0.5cm and reach will feel about the same.
Total insanity. Not everyone is a racer. I just want to relax and enjoy the view, not get home with neck pain. Also, riding down the breakdown lane, as that's all there is around here, I need to be able to look at more than the ground below me, such as the cars. They really need to give the customer an option. These days the lowest is the default, and not much room too raise it (or it's fixed/proprietary).
4:55 what the fuck??! is she pedalling with 180mm cranks or what?? she has knee extension at the bottom and very closed angle on the top. looks so off!
There is no correct position. I am a big boy with a belly , and I run my bars 5cm lower than my saddle, but I am flexible. Don’t worry about the look, let comfort drive your decision whether up or down.
Numb hands, shoulder pain, neck pain, difficulty looking up enough to see the road, back pain if you're very tall mean your bar is too low and you should raise it.
Nice video! But people should first carefully think about WHY they want to get lower. Aero sounds great until you realize it will only help when you are traveling through the wind at a good speed. Aero drag goes as the square of the air speed, so at lower air speeds (climbing, in a pace line or group, tailwind) it won't help as much. and helps more in flat-ish TT's, triathlons, or if you like me you have zero sprint so can win a road race only by a solo breakaway. Or training alone, depending on how fast you move along. The tradeoff is possibly reduced power due to less favorable body position, and increased fatigue. Everything in cycling is a tradeoff, you need to evaluate what compromise will work best for YOU. Something else worth thinking about is that you can always get lower just for the sections of a ride where it makes sense to do so simply by getting down on the drops, resting your forearms on the bars, or using TT bar extensions.
what helped me the most in my DIY bike fitting by researching a lot on this topic is totally modified my bike and I have the worst body frame for race bike, I'm 177 cm tall and have short arms and short torso but long legs especially femur bone so I replace ergo bar with compact cinelli vai compact bar with shorter drop and reach, I use 10 cm stem on a 56 cm frame, replace 172.5 mm cranks with 170, I would use 165 but they didn't have that option and I replace 20 mm offset seatpost with a zero mm offset that pushed my seat further forward, so in the end I reduced reach to my handlebars by 4 cm and have more hip angle by reducing crank length although 165 would be even more ideal, so that is ideal for my body type
Same body style, man, I'm just getting started here, legs have a lot of joint pain! Herniated discs, from weightlifting, irregular hip a!ignment, all legs, 8 knee surgeries down, but much more confident for my new 40's+ exercise, thanks to this dude's videos! God bless him!
Maybe consider you just have the wrong type of bike? It seems like going from a endurance based bike to a more aerodynamic/compact/TT like race bike with all the changes you have made. With the more “racier” bike, it has more of a vertical seat tube, shorter wheel base and you are more compact and have a more forward leaning position, that’s equivalent with your adjustments. If I were you maybe I would down size the frame a little bit, and choose a geometry of more forward leaning position. (more vertical seat tube, more horizontal top tube, like spin the endurance based frame clockwise a little bit) Because I just have the same type of the body... All the changes you have made are also the options I have made... The bikes are expensive these days so I can’t redo the purchase and anyway I do love the feature and the handling and feeling of my bike... Maybe next time I’ll just try a different geometry (though the handling maybe different or don’t like it). Just my thought.
I have a question. I have a cross bike with a low racy front and bars. I never get back pain. But with my sportive bike (higher) causes back pain. Eg lower. Can the higher bike be too high?
It just comes down to someones flexibility. Nothing wrong with putting your handlebar down, I am 58 and if one of my bikes got a race geometry it is intended to be used like that.
I had to put a longer seat post on a small vintage frame that i inherited from my grandpa to fit me and i was wondering if my handlebars were too low now. I have a 11.5cm drop. It seems like a lot to me, but a lot of people ride this kind of drop or even lower. It's a 54cm frame and i usually need 57cm frames.
FROM THE PHILIPPINES HERE! This video did address everything I experienced in terms of lowering the handle bar. Since "TOO LOW" can open up issues as said to your video. I started taking my time which is trial and error in rising the height of handle bar. THIS VIDEO REALLY HELPS! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
I have 2 bikes one has a 20cm saddle to bar drop my knees are skimming my chest on the pedal stroke I can hold that position on a 1 hour TT. on a longer ride I have a 14cm saddle to bar drop comfort is more important the longer your on your bike.
I’m enjoying the bike so far ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxMesz3KOGEmwmvyKQfLfrRSUXLFzfVHZA My only real complaints are the brakes and the pedals. I feel like a bike designed for bigger people should have much larger pedals and more heavy duty brakes. I’ve only gotten two really good rides out of it, minimal downhill action, and the brakes feel like they’re already going out. A larger person has more momentum, so I think this wasn’t thought through very well. Also, I wear size 13-14 wide shoes. My feet cramp up on these pedals that are clearly made for smaller feet. Since I’m not a pro rider (and I don’t think many are who purchase this bike) I don’t think that the straps on the pedal are necessary at all. None of this takes away from the enjoyment I get from riding, however. I’ll just head to a bike shop to improve on a few things.
Feel it > fix it. Your your own "fit expert", right? If you've learned to balance... YES you are! :-) YT-vids are dandy, but, really... who knows you & your bike better than you? Now...stop watching & do what your body is telling you. Btw...your body will change over time (68 here, ughh))), so you'll have to adjust again & again. Buona fortuna!
How can we choose the correct stem length and rise..? And what causes a rider to pedal bow legged..? (is the saddle too low..?) (are the crank arms too long..?)
my case is, if i slam the stem on my bike, i am a bit more powerful within 6~70km with no discomfort at all, but once over ~70km my shoulder start to feel tight and tired, and my hands start to numb. if i raise my bar by ~5mm, i just can't quite get the power out, and my lower back will feel tired very soon, especially on climbs, but no other discomfort at all, and i can happily(kind of) keep going for ~220km. my height is ~178-179cm, inseam ~82cm, bike is ridley helium size small, stem is zipp 120mm -17 degrees(have tried a 110mm -6 degrees stem but start having lower back pain very soon), and i move fwd and aft on the saddle quite a lot, on steady climbs i usually move a bit aft on the saddle, on steep climbs or on the flat with full gas i like to move fwd on the saddle. i did sit squarely on the saddle. any suggestions?
A few years ago I dropped my stem to the lowest level , from top to bottom and not in steps , what I got was neck and back pain, and hand numbness, so I got definitely faster , but the trade was shorter rides , till I got accustomed to it
That happened to me. I own a Cervelo S5 and the head tube stack or height is really low compared to other brands. So when I got my Retul Fit they fitted me twice, first with 2 small spacers below the stem and second all the way down. I was able to generate more power with 2 spacers. Note: the S5 with 2 spacer is still super low, just a comparison, the Cervelo S3 in the lower setting is exactly what I have now with 2 spacers lol.
I have the same bike (S5) with two spacers under the stem but my stem is in a negative setup. I am super aero without beng uncomfortable. I love how it rides
New Subaru Guy that’s awesome to hear! The rage is to slam the stem because it looks really cool. What most fail to take into consideration is that the pros are able to get in these very aggressive positions because they have all the tools necessary to. Meaning, they spend numerous hours each week in the saddle, get daily massages, have trainers they work with etc. their body has plenty of time to adapt to these positions that make most people’s eyes pop open. On the other side for the weekend warrior, they see pros doing it but these Rex cyclists have desk jobs. Sit down all day and have very tight hamstrings and hip flexors as well as chest. Then, they may spend 4-8 hours total per week in the saddle so their bodies don’t have time to adjust. They will think they just need to stretch more. When yes, that would certainly help, but putting 10 or 20 or even 30 mm of spacers in would allow them to be more comfortable on the bike (sit properly on the saddle, relax elbows, etc). In turn, they are able to breathe better and generate more power. So glad you listened to your bike fitter and now you can enjoy that beauty of a bike.
Hello. Regarding "perineal pressure," I believe that this is something that should be accepted or dealt with by getting a suitable saddle. In particular, a typical road cyclist who does not have perineal pressure problems would certainly have them if he stopped riding for a year. So pretty much all road cyclists have adjusted to what non cyclists would consider a very uncomfortable saddle. So if the cyclist's goal is to get more aerodynamic and he's only having perineal issues, he should get a cutout saddle, noseless tri-saddle, or any saddle which alleviates discomfort.
Ilan Vardi I’ll disagree and say that the rider is not properly sitting on the saddle. You can still have that pressure with a cutout saddle if you are sitting more on the nose than the back. It’s not something a rider should have to adjust to.
So would lowering the seat post be a good way to combat a bar that’s too low? If I’m the case you cut your steer tube already and you can’t really raise the bars?
No, there's an optimal seat post length for you, which you should set and keep before you adjust your bars. Having the wrong seat height can cause serious pain over a long ride. You want a stem with a positive sloping angle to in effect raise your bars. They also make things to extend your steerer tube. Neither option looks great aesthetically in my opinion, but ultimately comfort is the most important thing.
yeah, I tend to not get any weird knee pain even when adjusting the seat post down by as much as even 4 or 5 inches... And yeah all my stems are flipped up anyway.. to give me some relief... I'm beginning to think the 120-130 length on them might be an issue... will NEVER use the steerer tube extension things.. I don't trust the one's made for carbon bikes anyway, and that's what I have...
No dealer and no consultant at the bike manufacturers has ever explained the connections so well. Thank you!
Hey. Just want to say thank you for taking the effort and time to make these videos. You really help me in my fit analysis. Often confirm what I think but it’s great to hear it from an expert. Keep it up. Cheers.
instablaster
I'm going through all those situations. I love my mountain bike. But i need some changes done to it. I'm having Saddle, my wrist, back pain, knee pain. Thank you for all this info.
This video is FANTASTIC. Thank you for all this clarity!
Oh this explains my symptoms when lowering the bar to quick. Thanks for a great explanation.
Great video
I watched this video yesterday and made some adjustment on my bike
I felt much less lower back pain and was able to engage the glutes with wider working angle
Depends on the bike and person and terrain entirely. My bike has ample stack space and the stem was mounted at the top with spacers underneath. This was horrible for speed, efficiency and climbing. I needed get lower and thought i was supposed to keep the stem mounted at top. I had to get long stem with steep drop to do so, but the increased stem length affected steering too much. When i dropped it all the way down, it was incredible. It naturally provided the length and lowered me so i could go with a shorter stem with less drop and this improved steering and handling tremendously.
That was really helpful as my bar height has been a challenge but now you’ve raised other issues that I need to address too.
Now, I know the reason of having numbness in my both little fingers. My bar is really low and giving more weight to my arms. Thanks alot!
Google Cubital Tunnel syndrome, and remedial exercises for it....
However, if you change your handlebar height, you also must change your brake cable lengths. That is... if you are looking to RAISE the handle bars.
moved all spacers to top, dropped the angle of the handlebar to 0 degrees => left hand couldn't grab things for days. bringing it up
Your scissor holder is triggering me
mindciller me too! It doesn’t seem worth it.
Lol
dude, your just jealous, you wish you had one too.
LoL I was developing a twitch looking at that.
Glad I'm not alone.
interesting i had the reverse issue. i had lower back pain i decided to LOWER the stem and presto no back pain .
your subject at 5:00 needs significantly shorter cranks!
Maybe work on your upper body strength and flexibility to be able to ride in a lower position? I used to have numb hands riding, but after a while it went away as my muscles got used to the position.
Agreed, human are adjustable, the upper body won’t get stronger enough automatically without putting weight into that position... unless you are a pro with years of training, tried every here and there, so already know where the limits are... that’s when we should talk about “go for what suits you”.
I dropped my stem a centimeter, and my neck screamed NO WAY. Put it right back with 15mm of spacers. Feels perfect for me on that particular frame and headtube size.
6’5” guy here. Just got my first bike(Titus Oseo) yesterday and I really appreciate the info.
Flexibility, just like everything else about the body, can be trained. So, as long as you have the right size bike, you should be able to ride in any configuration. The human body is not a god damn stone, it can adapt, change size and shape.
I have all the symptoms you mentioned. God!!!! Subscribed!!!!!
Lol
A really helpful technical analysis, thank you! I will take your advice about trying some changes on the stationary trainer. Great idea to focus on symptoms and look backwards.
Thank you for a great Video, and timing is perfect as I am in the process of slamming and extending that stem.
Just bought my first drop bar bike in over 35 years and i have a couple of the symptoms you describe. i thought it was the saddle but you could be onto something. During my ride I kept hovering my hands a bout 1" above and 1" behind where they were meant to sit to relieve the pressure - I will try a shorter raised stem, thank you.
I strained my left shoulder & neck last March. PT hasn't helped much. I recently rode my bike 8.5 miles, which aggravated that pain. I think my handlebars are too low, because I have to bend my neck to lift my head to look up at where I am going.
One point he missed is the neck angle. When you are too low. Your neck has to create a bend to look upwards. Whicy is very unpractical way to ride it. Most importantly ride for atleast 20 kms to know for sure if bike fit is accurate. I thought my bar height is ok pedaling a few strokes but it was way to low when i went on a longer ride. Another thing i learned was avoiding spacers to reduce drag and getting a incline stem. My bar height was finally ok but my reach got too short because of the angle.
An alternative to bending the neck is to bend the upper back- to “puff out the chest” to raise eye level for seeing down the road. Thoracic vertebrae flexibility can be improved over time to facilitate this. It keeps the neck from getting strained as it can stay straighter.
4:40 damn, i checked my phone
Great explanations. Well done.
Having all those spacers on top is dangerous. The stem is now squeezing below where the expander goes to. Cut the carbon steerer tube to the correct length and get rid of those spacers
Steve King it has nothing got to do with the look you idiot. Read my comment again and then be quiet
Yes
Hi
I have really enjoyed your series, I really like that your advice puts all the pro cycling trends (slammed handle bars, seat tilt etc) back in the correct place... the pro cycling pelaton!
I have broad sholders, and was recently told that my handlebars were to narrow (also a current aero trend from producers). Can include in a future video some comment on handlebar width? Thanks, keep up the great work and I am looking forward to more advice and tips
Can you make more mountain bike related bike fitting?
I don't think mountain biking has fitting as mutch as road biking
@@micsokoli4207 I'm talking about XC and XCM. It would really help some people.
Very clear, thanks!
I guess if a symptom arises you could wait and see if more training could resolve issues?
Slamming my stem definitely made a positive aero change in case of head winds.
So far no major problems except neck pain because I have to tilt my head up more as my upper body has a lower position.
I am planning for training several rides to see how it evolves before drawing conclusions.
I'm very flexible and have a strong core but if my bars are too low I get ischium bone pain whatever the saddle I use. By just getting my bar 10 mm higher all that pain disappear.
Awesome, awesome video. Thanks
What do you recommend as a starting point between height of saddle and height of bar drop measurement
@Bike Fit Adviser, thank you for your explanation , i notice the scapula 's position changes with the swipe but doesn't it need more width to be comfortable ?
Would greatly appreciate any suggestions of how I should have my handlebars and grips set up for reliving elbow pain. I have 0 cartilage in both elbows. Very painful.
excellent, thanks!
Mr Bike Fit.
Have a problem that I need advise with.
Been struggling with saddle sores for a few months, finally changed up handle bar and that sorted it out.
Problem I have is when I go full gas I automatically go into a very aero position, knees touching chest ... even with the raised bar..dont really have any discomfort while doing it but saddle sores have returned.
Mainly on the sides.
How do I overcome this problem?
You help would be greatly appreciated.
Tnx
people lower their handlebar and increase crank length so they end up with too much hip flexion which can obstruct breading
They Live We See - Good point, the last thing anyone wants is to obstruct breeding. Breeding ftw!!
😂
You nailed it
thank u ... very helpful
my sister gave me a hand me down bike but my knees almost hit the handle bars
Extensor Prolongador Alongador bike good?
Just seen this video I think this is the problem that's been plaguing me for yers where my sit bone has been slipping off the saddle to the left. I'm too low at the front, but I'm already quite upright and I actually want to go lower. So what exercises can I do to improve my hip angle and back?
Curious how this translates to downhill mtb where you stand most the time... should the bars be high or low, what will the pros and cons be in terms of function?
You're crazy to put your handlebar lower than your seatpost on a DOWNHILL mtb!
@@diegoeleazar9154 i never said lower the handlebars lower than the seatpost for DH lol i meant as in stack height of the spacers on the fork connecting to the stem...lowering it some can actually help extend a persons reach if they feel too cramped whilst sitting; and visa versa, raising the stack to shorten the reach for comfort ... I actually found this answer with my own research since i didn't get a response here lol It actually works out depending on needs.... and No, it will not be lower than your saddle lol...it really depends on the geometry of your frame. I dropped my stem and my saddle is still much lower than my stem due the my frames geometry; but my reach was improved for comfort which helped when/IF sitting......That's just how you can fix your reach if it's not too major of a pain, which in that case you might have the incorrect frame size👌sorry i wasn't more specific
Thanks
I just bought a new bike and I had to add a steerer extension to it so I could get the dropbars to the position where their top is on the same level as my saddle. (shame that the steerer was precut...). I think that with time as my flexibility increases I may be able to get it lower again, but I wonder why I even feel that should be a goal for me ;-)
Innocentius Lacrim I hate to say it, but you probably purchased a bike that was too small for you.
My bars are as high as they will go and I still get one sided sit bone pain....I’ve shortened the stem from 100mm to 90mm both have a -6 degree angle...would flipping the stem to make it +6 degrees be helpful?
Just try it!
Hi, tanks for your great content!! Can it result in kneepain on the outerside (glute related ) if your bar is to low? I recenlty lowered my bare by one spacer 10mm. Now after a 100k ride i noticed pain in the outside of my knee. Could this be the case? Thanks again.
How does this interact with extending the reach? I've really dialed in my seat position (thanks to your videos!) And what remains is adjusting my reach. My current setup feels like it is either too short and/or too high. Should I first try lowering the bars, then adjusting the length (longer stem), or vice versa?
jtday1028 Personally I’ve found that when I drop the bars I can decrease the reach by about 1/2 the amount of the drop to get what feels like an equivalent reach, i.e. bars down 1cm means I can decrease reach by roughly 0.5cm and reach will feel about the same.
Sorry to say , you are not showing anything here talking about something and showing what to do is 2 different thing
Also get the right frame size for your height if its too small dont even think of lowering the bars lmao
what if i have no legs? any suggestions?
Skateboard
Total insanity. Not everyone is a racer. I just want to relax and enjoy the view, not get home with neck pain. Also, riding down the breakdown lane, as that's all there is around here, I need to be able to look at more than the ground below me, such as the cars. They really need to give the customer an option. These days the lowest is the default, and not much room too raise it (or it's fixed/proprietary).
To low ----> when your but is above your shoulders.
lol
4:55 what the fuck??! is she pedalling with 180mm cranks or what?? she has knee extension at the bottom and very closed angle on the top. looks so off!
Should the handle bar be even hight with the saddle? And dose it effect on the handling .
There is no correct position. I am a big boy with a belly , and I run my bars 5cm lower than my saddle, but I am flexible. Don’t worry about the look, let comfort drive your decision whether up or down.
I know why my wife moves her butt to either side of the saddle, it has nothing to do with ergonomics............... Pfttttttt
Too much talking
Talk too much
Just say it! “If your a cat 5 or 55 your bars can be higher
there is no „too low“. Now go back to that Madone you ruined and put the original integrated steam/bar backmon and slam it! Thank you... ;-)
Just tell us how to agjust. We don't need a 1 hour lecture.
This isn't "HOW to adjust your handlebar height"...
Numb hands, shoulder pain, neck pain, difficulty looking up enough to see the road, back pain if you're very tall mean your bar is too low and you should raise it.
Sounds like my bars are too low lol
@@fhowland Get a more angled stem it's an easy fix. Depending on the angle it might have to be longer or shorter so consult your local bike shop.
Nice video! But people should first carefully think about WHY they want to get lower. Aero sounds great until you realize it will only help when you are traveling through the wind at a good speed. Aero drag goes as the square of the air speed, so at lower air speeds (climbing, in a pace line or group, tailwind) it won't help as much. and helps more in flat-ish TT's, triathlons, or if you like me you have zero sprint so can win a road race only by a solo breakaway. Or training alone, depending on how fast you move along. The tradeoff is possibly reduced power due to less favorable body position, and increased fatigue. Everything in cycling is a tradeoff, you need to evaluate what compromise will work best for YOU.
Something else worth thinking about is that you can always get lower just for the sections of a ride where it makes sense to do so simply by getting down on the drops, resting your forearms on the bars, or using TT bar extensions.
what helped me the most in my DIY bike fitting by researching a lot on this topic is totally modified my bike and I have the worst body frame for race bike, I'm 177 cm tall and have short arms and short torso but long legs especially femur bone so I replace ergo bar with compact cinelli vai compact bar with shorter drop and reach, I use 10 cm stem on a 56 cm frame, replace 172.5 mm cranks with 170, I would use 165 but they didn't have that option and I replace 20 mm offset seatpost with a zero mm offset that pushed my seat further forward, so in the end I reduced reach to my handlebars by 4 cm and have more hip angle by reducing crank length although 165 would be even more ideal, so that is ideal for my body type
They Live We See That sounds a lot like my build and also the way my bike is fitted.
Same body style, man, I'm just getting started here, legs have a lot of joint pain! Herniated discs, from weightlifting, irregular hip a!ignment, all legs, 8 knee surgeries down, but much more confident for my new 40's+ exercise, thanks to this dude's videos! God bless him!
Maybe consider you just have the wrong type of bike? It seems like going from a endurance based bike to a more aerodynamic/compact/TT like race bike with all the changes you have made. With the more “racier” bike, it has more of a vertical seat tube, shorter wheel base and you are more compact and have a more forward leaning position, that’s equivalent with your adjustments. If I were you maybe I would down size the frame a little bit, and choose a geometry of more forward leaning position. (more vertical seat tube, more horizontal top tube, like spin the endurance based frame clockwise a little bit) Because I just have the same type of the body... All the changes you have made are also the options I have made... The bikes are expensive these days so I can’t redo the purchase and anyway I do love the feature and the handling and feeling of my bike... Maybe next time I’ll just try a different geometry (though the handling maybe different or don’t like it). Just my thought.
Could you do something like this for stem length? Cheers.
I have a question. I have a cross bike with a low racy front and bars. I never get back pain. But with my sportive bike (higher) causes back pain. Eg lower. Can the higher bike be too high?
Lol, we have to be honest about why everyone is really inclined to slam their stem these days, i.e. looking “pro” 😄😄😄
cycling can be one of the most pathetic disciplines where we see human nature. it's quite amazing.
It just comes down to someones flexibility. Nothing wrong with putting your handlebar down, I am 58 and if one of my bikes got a race geometry it is intended to be used like that.
I had to put a longer seat post on a small vintage frame that i inherited from my grandpa to fit me and i was wondering if my handlebars were too low now. I have a 11.5cm drop. It seems like a lot to me, but a lot of people ride this kind of drop or even lower. It's a 54cm frame and i usually need 57cm frames.
I have the exact same problem
No dealer and no consultant at the bike manufacturers has ever explained the connections so well. Thank you!
FROM THE PHILIPPINES HERE!
This video did address everything I experienced in terms of lowering the handle bar. Since "TOO LOW" can open up issues as said to your video. I started taking my time which is trial and error in rising the height of handle bar. THIS VIDEO REALLY HELPS! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
I have 2 bikes one has a 20cm saddle to bar drop my knees are skimming my chest on the pedal stroke I can hold that position on a 1 hour TT. on a longer ride I have a 14cm saddle to bar drop comfort is more important the longer your on your bike.
This sounds like me totally. Damn. I need to stretch more!!
I’m enjoying the bike so far ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxMesz3KOGEmwmvyKQfLfrRSUXLFzfVHZA My only real complaints are the brakes and the pedals. I feel like a bike designed for bigger people should have much larger pedals and more heavy duty brakes. I’ve only gotten two really good rides out of it, minimal downhill action, and the brakes feel like they’re already going out. A larger person has more momentum, so I think this wasn’t thought through very well. Also, I wear size 13-14 wide shoes. My feet cramp up on these pedals that are clearly made for smaller feet. Since I’m not a pro rider (and I don’t think many are who purchase this bike) I don’t think that the straps on the pedal are necessary at all. None of this takes away from the enjoyment I get from riding, however. I’ll just head to a bike shop to improve on a few things.
Lose the belly = better hip flexion
slammed stem, 60% of the time, it works every time
Thanks very much for the video, very useful info.
Feel it > fix it. Your your own "fit expert", right? If you've learned to balance... YES you are! :-) YT-vids are dandy, but, really... who knows you & your bike better than you? Now...stop watching & do what your body is telling you. Btw...your body will change over time (68 here, ughh))), so you'll have to adjust again & again. Buona fortuna!
How can we choose the correct stem length and rise..? And what causes a rider to pedal bow legged..? (is the saddle too low..?) (are the crank arms too long..?)
my case is, if i slam the stem on my bike, i am a bit more powerful within 6~70km with no discomfort at all, but once over ~70km my shoulder start to feel tight and tired, and my hands start to numb. if i raise my bar by ~5mm, i just can't quite get the power out, and my lower back will feel tired very soon, especially on climbs, but no other discomfort at all, and i can happily(kind of) keep going for ~220km. my height is ~178-179cm, inseam ~82cm, bike is ridley helium size small, stem is zipp 120mm -17 degrees(have tried a 110mm -6 degrees stem but start having lower back pain very soon), and i move fwd and aft on the saddle quite a lot, on steady climbs i usually move a bit aft on the saddle, on steep climbs or on the flat with full gas i like to move fwd on the saddle. i did sit squarely on the saddle. any suggestions?
Get a recumbent
A few years ago I dropped my stem to the lowest level , from top to bottom and not in steps , what I got was neck and back pain, and hand numbness, so I got definitely faster , but the trade was shorter rides , till I got accustomed to it
That happened to me. I own a Cervelo S5 and the head tube stack or height is really low compared to other brands. So when I got my Retul Fit they fitted me twice, first with 2 small spacers below the stem and second all the way down. I was able to generate more power with 2 spacers. Note: the S5 with 2 spacer is still super low, just a comparison, the Cervelo S3 in the lower setting is exactly what I have now with 2 spacers lol.
I have the same bike (S5) with two spacers under the stem but my stem is in a negative setup. I am super aero without beng uncomfortable. I love how it rides
New Subaru Guy that’s awesome to hear! The rage is to slam the stem because it looks really cool. What most fail to take into consideration is that the pros are able to get in these very aggressive positions because they have all the tools necessary to.
Meaning, they spend numerous hours each week in the saddle, get daily massages, have trainers they work with etc. their body has plenty of time to adapt to these positions that make most people’s eyes pop open.
On the other side for the weekend warrior, they see pros doing it but these Rex cyclists have desk jobs. Sit down all day and have very tight hamstrings and hip flexors as well as chest. Then, they may spend 4-8 hours total per week in the saddle so their bodies don’t have time to adjust. They will think they just need to stretch more. When yes, that would certainly help, but putting 10 or 20 or even 30 mm of spacers in would allow them to be more comfortable on the bike (sit properly on the saddle, relax elbows, etc). In turn, they are able to breathe better and generate more power.
So glad you listened to your bike fitter and now you can enjoy that beauty of a bike.
Well put thanks 🙏
Thank you sir
❤️
Hello,
Hello,
Hello,
How low?
Kurt
Hello. Regarding "perineal pressure," I believe that this is something that should be accepted or dealt with by getting a suitable saddle. In particular, a typical road cyclist who does not have perineal pressure problems would certainly have them if he stopped riding for a year. So pretty much all road cyclists have adjusted to what non cyclists would consider a very uncomfortable saddle.
So if the cyclist's goal is to get more aerodynamic and he's only having perineal issues, he should get a cutout saddle, noseless tri-saddle, or any saddle which alleviates discomfort.
Ilan Vardi I’ll disagree and say that the rider is not properly sitting on the saddle. You can still have that pressure with a cutout saddle if you are sitting more on the nose than the back. It’s not something a rider should have to adjust to.
So would lowering the seat post be a good way to combat a bar that’s too low? If I’m the case you cut your steer tube already and you can’t really raise the bars?
No, there's an optimal seat post length for you, which you should set and keep before you adjust your bars. Having the wrong seat height can cause serious pain over a long ride. You want a stem with a positive sloping angle to in effect raise your bars. They also make things to extend your steerer tube. Neither option looks great aesthetically in my opinion, but ultimately comfort is the most important thing.
yeah, I tend to not get any weird knee pain even when adjusting the seat post down by as much as even 4 or 5 inches... And yeah all my stems are flipped up anyway.. to give me some relief... I'm beginning to think the 120-130 length on them might be an issue... will NEVER use the steerer tube extension things.. I don't trust the one's made for carbon bikes anyway, and that's what I have...
If you've already cut your steerer tube then either turn the stem up again or buy one that points upwards more than the one you have got.
If you want to go as low as you can, buy a vintage track bike