Hi Marcel- First off, I'm looing forward to hearing Cerveloguy's analysis and comments. He seems to have an aptitude for this type of thing. So, I'll take a shot: First off: Good job on bike, frame and size selection. I think you nailed it from what I can see. Second, I put a protractor on your leg extension- based on my limited photo analysis skills I am getting 148 degrees of leg extension. Looks good. Pretty far forward in the other photo, but generally just fine from the looks of things. Your posture on the bike appears as though you need to lift your butt off the saddle, roll your hips forward and arch your lower back, then settle back onto the saddle. For this position you don't look like your pelvis is rolled far enough forward. Were these photos dynamic (actually pedalling?) or static (strike a pose)? You do "look" uncomfortable or unrelaxed. No worries though- remember, you have to meet the position half way. If you are pleased with this fit then you will need to work on posture and actually riding in this position. It doesn't happen overnight. You have a lot of spacers on the steer tube. Maybe you could put some of the Profile spacers under the elbow pads of the Carbon Xs to bring you up for a while. If that is a big stack of poker chip 5mm spacers on your steer tube at least get rid of those and buy one continuous spacer the correct dimension. We make custom titanium ones here cut for us by Ancotech titanium right down the road. Slick. Overall, I think you're on the right track. Let's see what cerveloguy has to say...

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

Agree with Tom on alot of points. The first one seems more like what you are actually ridning like, while the second one, although seemingly a better position in terms of upper body angles and a flatter back, seem like you're holding yourself off of the saddle slightly, without your weight on your taint.

I would flatten out your back by sitting correctly on the saddle. The first picture shows an upper arm angle that is a little too clost to the body. This might explain why you're so cramped on the bike. Alson looks like your neck is slightly strained. Again, reaching out a little further on the bars would help. A longer stem would also be good, but since you're using the Carbon X, that isn't an option. You could acchieve almost the same results by lowering the aerobars slightly, but this might make you uncomfortable is you have flexability issues.

tommy

I don't know if I can add much more than what Tom says, but I do agree that you appear to be sitting a little too far forward. There could be a reason for this. I'm guessing that you're probably set up for a 78/79 degree in the photo.

If you look at your elbow you should be forming anything from a 90-110 degree angle with forearm/arm according from what I have read on a few bike fit sites. You're at about a 90 degree or so. However, according to one of the web sites, a plumbine from the ear should dissect the elbow joint. I did that on your photo and noted in both pictures a plumbline falls in front of the elbow joint indicating that you are sitting a bit forward. I think the reason for this is because that you might be a long femur person. Hard to judge from the photo but I measured your lower limb (trying to compensate for the shoes) to the mid line of the knee and then measured from the mid line of the knee to the approx head of the femur. It appears that your femur is a bit longer than your lower leg. With a longer femur it would possibly be to your biomechanical advantage to slide your seat back slightly.

Try this. Take a few more photos with your seat back on the rails a cm or two. This should increase your elbow angle slightly but well within the acceptable theoretical range. More important it should put your ear plumblined directly over the elbow joint by moving you back slightly. If this works then you should be in a near "textbook" perfect position other than working on your low back flexibility/hip rolling as described on John Cobb's website.

Give it a shot and let us know how it goes.

Thanks so much for all of your help. I'm down in Miami, but I wonder if you could hear my sigh of relief when I read "First off: Good job on bike, frame and size selection. I think you nailed it from what I can see." I had sent my measurements to a few of the shops that do mail order and one had suggested a 55, another a 58 or 61. I came a cross a deal on this one that's a 58 and it felt like the right size so I went for it, after the fitter also said it was the right size.

The pictures were static.

I had thought about the profile raisers but wanted to stay as aero as possible. Of course it isn't very aero when I have to ride with my hands on the bars because I'm uncomfortable aero. I'd like to find out about the continous spacer. I think right now there are three spacers.

During the fitting, I kept moving forward on the saddle without even noticing. He had the plumbine from the ear should dissect the elbow joint, but naturally I just kept moving forward on the saddle throwing it off. I'll try sliding the saddle back.

Again thanks a lot for all of your help. I really appreciate the time everyone spent on it.

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Marcel

Another Cervelo! It's a conspiracy.

Marcel - I just bought a Cervelo (H34 - it is a conspiracy) One 2002 model and am doing the home fit thing. I share the concern that I have the correct size and not simply what was in stock. I am 6'2" with a long leg to torso ratio with a 57cm bike. It seems fine and comfortable to me but I am not an expert bike fitter by any measure. After hearing what TD and Cerveloguy said about your fit, I am encouraged that I may have the right size for me since I think you may be approx. my height. Approx. how tall are you?

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put the mettle to the pedal

I'm about 6'2" with a inseam of about 92-92.5 cm.

Thanks for taking a look and commenting. Good luck with the fitting.

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Marcel