Newbie Questions

Hello,

I know I am going to come across a complete berk with this but here goes

Please bear in mind I have never ever even sat on a road bike before this!!!

My main query is body position, The bike didnt come with a stem so I have trying various stems to find what fits best, But with the whole position being so alien to me I dont really know what is right or wrong??

I have posted some pics, not the best angle but hopefully might show something to help advise?

Thanks

Dave

Bike fit can be subjective - but I'd say it's at least one size too small for you.

Going by eye - saddle up 3-4 inches and forward by 1.

That will make your bars too low (especially if you're new to road bikes) - so they've got to get up and possibly forwards. It looks like you don't have much steerer to play with so you'll need a reasonably long and hight stem.

Do a google on bike fit and there's stuff online that can help - but I think the size is going to limit what you can do.

Good luck!

Ooh, first road bike! These are great, that one will be like having a pair of wings for your feet.

If you want, I have an adjustable stem, which would get your bars up. Yours for the price of postage. The top tube will still be a bit short though.

Doesn't look like a bad starting point,saddle could do with raising a bit and in time you'll probably want a longer lower stem.The good thing with road bikes is that if they're a little bit small it don't matter,just stick a 140mm stem on,like the pros do

Hello again

Thanks for the input

Size wise I dont think the camera angle helps but if I went any higher frame wise the TT bar would be right into my groin

Ok here we are again with advise taken apart from I am guessing length of stem but have taken the seat up about 2" and the stem has massive rise on it?

Thank you for the offer Chris bit its got a 1"18th adaptor on it instead of running the original 1" quill so stems can be tried with bolt off fronts to save striiping the bars

What do you think now? This felt more comfortable for me... I think maybe a longer stem would shift even more weight onto my wrists which feels loads as it is in low position?

I'm a hood rider - it feels thge most comfortable for me.

I look like a gorrilla on any bike though....

Looks ok but your bars look way too high,when on the drops you should be trying to have your back parallel with the ground.It will feel really low to begin with but is the most efficiant height and you won't be that low on the hoods and tops,coming from a mountain bike the bars on a roadie always feel too low especially if your switching from a modern mtb with long forks and risers.
Also never use a stem with such rise on a road bike,its just wrong
Only kidding,I'd ride it for a while as it is and you'll find where it wants adjusting from 'feel'

hmmm problem I have is I cant really "try" anything as all the stems I am playing with to try and get it somewhere right in feel are standard 25.2 and the bars are 26mm so all I can do is try and get a feel then go and buy one similar thats the correct 26mm fitting

If back needs to be parallel with floor I would of thought the original stem with the new seat hight will create that ... But blimey must feel like the whole of your body weight on your wrists!!

Like I said,it takes some getting used to.There will be more weight on your wrists but this takes some off your backside cutting down saddle/pressure sores.If theres too much weight on your wrists a longer stem will stretch you out a bit.

To repeat the advice of other folk it will seem like all the weight is on your wrists at first. When I first rode a road bike I had the bars much too high as well. Taking them down gradually if you can whilst you get used to it is the key so an adjustable stem might be the answer.

On a modern road bike I had spacers that I took out from under the stem one at a time and then had the steerer cut by the LBS when I was happy with it.

There's nothing like getting a nice low position on the road though - does wonders for your speed, particularly into a headwind!