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Bike too small?
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M<y wife is on a 52 (I think) Cervelo One. There is about 2-3inches of stem spacers and the seat, on a setback post, is pushed all the way back. In the aero position she rides completely on the saddle not on the front half or tip. Is the bike too small?

BTW, she was fitted on this bike by a reputable dude/shop.
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Re: Bike too small? [Navi] [ In reply to ]
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How tall is she?
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Re: Bike too small? [ajfranke] [ In reply to ]
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5'7" Thin, Very flexible. Long limbs.
Last edited by: Navi: Jun 30, 03 10:47
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Re: Bike too small? [Navi] [ In reply to ]
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I will hazard a few guesses here, but please no flames since I haven't seen her.

I am slightly taller than her. I ride a 51 cm P3. It is not too big. Possibly I would be better off on a 48, but the 51 is fine. I think there are only 51 and 54 cm Cervelo Ones. I am guessing she has a 51 with 650c wheels.

By pushing the seat so far back and raising the bars so high, it sounds like she is trying to take a steep angled tri bike and turn it into a road bike. If that is on target, why not just ride a road bike? They have been around for about 100 years, they work fine, and lots of good riders use them, especially for three weeks in France every summer.

Despite the fact she is flexible, she has her bars very high. That doesn't sound right. I am about as flexible as concrete, and my bars are lower. I need a steep seat angle to get lower without compressing the hip angle too much. I get ill when I see skinny kids on 73 degree seat angle bikes drop down on aerobars and effortless get a position I would kill to obtain, but I digress.
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Re: Bike too small? [Navi] [ In reply to ]
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I could offer some alternative suggestions, rather than the bike being too small. What is her saddle height in relation to the bars? Maybe her arms are just sitting too high. How long is her stem? If it is real long, then maybe the bike is too small, however, maybe she just needs a longer stem.

If she got a longer stem and lowered the handle bars, she would have to either sit farther forward, or move the seat forward.

To make a very loose comparison, I'm on a 54 cm cervelo One, and I'm 3-4 inches taller than your wife. However, I feel that if anything the 54 cm is a bit on the big side as far as top tube length is concerned. There are just tons of factors though that go into fit, it's hard for anyone to tell without seeing the position, knowing her exact measurments, and being able to measure the handle bar and seat positions.

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"What the mind can conceive and believe, the mind and body can achieve; and those who stay will be champions."
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Re: Bike too small? [Jack in Mi] [ In reply to ]
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I checked and she says she's 5'8". Anyway, the handle/aerobars are quite low on the bike in relation to the seat. I don't have the measurements right now, but will check when I get home. When I watch her, I don't see the 90 degree bend at the shoulders. She looks like she wants to move back and I obligeed her but now the seat is as far back as it can go.

I think that the smaller bike also affects her handling since she has gone down a few times due to various reasons. Technical decents, etc...It may be that she will be more comfortable on a road bike, but she only races tris. Plus she just loves her Cervelo.
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Re: Bike too small? [ajfranke] [ In reply to ]
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They do make the 2002 One in a 48. I've got one,and I'm slightly taller than Navi's wife. Also lots of spacers. But then I'm also in the 'all leg-no torso' group and that's the size it took to get a top tube short enough so I could comfortably reach the 'bars.
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Re: Bike too small? [FLA Jill] [ In reply to ]
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Yes, there is a 48 cm, but I had ruled that out since he guessed she had a 52. Good point though, if it is a 48 and she is 5' 8", the bike could be too small. I am just under 5' 8", all torso and no leg, so I went with the 51.
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Re: Bike too small? [ajfranke] [ In reply to ]
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Just came back from the shop with new pedals on her bike. Anyway, it is measured at 52. I'm gonna see if I can lower the stem or lengthen it to have her in a more tri position. With her seat all the way back, and using Dan's plumb line formula, her relative seat angle is <77 degress. Plumb line ran about 3cm behind BB.

The experiment begins.
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