Bike Fit Critique

Jan 11, 21 1:54

Post #1 of 17 (1684 views)

I'd be grateful for any input on my current position. Background - very much a hobby triathlete and haven't done anything on TT bike since Celtman in June 2019. I live in a very remote area and had a bike fit done by a mobile service which was fine on the trainer but horrible outdoors and the promised follow-up engagement never materialised, but the fit seemed to be predicated on a 'high hands' philosophy. I made several comfort adjustments and just got on with it. I won an entry to Swedeman for August 2021 and have also joined a local cycling club that run a 10mile TT series over summer, hopefully all these events go ahead with respect to Covid.

Specs: 2014 Felt B16 size 56; ISM PN 1.1 (pinched with a zip tie to narrow the end a bit); swapped out the Felt S bends for a set of long J bends; currently at highest setting at front ('unslammed'?); 170mm cranks.

I will try to pick up a secondhand aero helmet (maybe Kask Bambino or Giro Aerheohead). I'm 6 feet tall with 34inch inseam. Video is me riding at about 95% FTP. I haven't seen myself on the TT bike in so long, I feel I look dreadful in the video and angled so far upwards. I have also included a photo of the position of the saddle on the rails for reference. Due to family situation I try to do as much as possible on a budget (bike and race wheels both second hand) so would like to try to do as much as possible with what I have, although would consider small purchases. Thanks in advance!

Re: Bike Fit Critique [hiscotsg] [ In reply to ]

Jan 11, 21 8:02

Post #2 of 17 (1623 views)

I don' think it looks too bad.
I'd be curious to hear why you don't like it on the road. Give us more details.

I almost feel like you could raise your seat a little (I am NOT a fitter). Just looks like you have a little more room to play with. You do seem to be up high at the front. Can you handle going lower (by dropping stack a little)?

Re: Bike Fit Critique [hiscotsg] [ In reply to ]

Jan 11, 21 8:12

Post #3 of 17 (1609 views)

I'd pull the extensions back a bit (leave your pads where they are) and drape your hands atop the shifters. Get where you can shift without changing your grip.

I'll echo the other comment that you could probably raise your saddle some.

Re: Bike Fit Critique [ In reply to ]

Jan 11, 21 8:14

Post #4 of 17 (1601 views)

I don't see a lot of bad off hand. I just recommend getting some training hours in on the bike and doing some exercises off the bike that will allow you to lower the front end over time.

There's a bundle of watts hanging out in that front end height right now. But, they're not totally free in that you have to get flexible enough and make power enough down there to make it work.

Get some hours in and exercises in for a couple months, then bring it down some. Repeat. Repeat.

Re: Bike Fit Critique [hiscotsg] [ In reply to ]

Jan 11, 21 8:23

Post #5 of 17 (1590 views)

It looks like you aren't sitting on that saddle properly.

Re: Bike Fit Critique [jimatbeyond] [ In reply to ]

Jan 11, 21 8:47

Post #6 of 17 (1573 views)

Thanks for comments so far, I can certainly work on getting the front end down gradually.

jimatbeyond - can I just confirm you think I am sitting too far back on the saddle? Thanks.

Re: Bike Fit Critique [littlefoot] [ In reply to ]

Jan 11, 21 9:00

Post #7 of 17 (1561 views)

Littlefoot - When I had the original fit done the saddle felt far too high, despite doing hours and hours on the trainer the first time I went outside for a long ride I literally wore away the top layer of skin (not a saddle sore, it healed up fine quickly) between my perineum and top of the thigh. Subject to jimatbeyond confirming my assumption about his feedback, I'm wondering if this is related to me sitting too far back on the saddle.

mgreer - I'll experiment with that, having been off the TT bike so long I'm still fidgeting around with hand position a lot and it would be good to get settled on something practical.

burnthesheep - Will get working on that mobility, I'll be on the TT almost exclusively aside from some fun gravel rides until Swedeman in August (fingers crossed!)

Re: Bike Fit Critique [hiscotsg] [ In reply to ]

Jan 11, 21 9:02

Post #8 of 17 (1555 views)

Your saddle height is fine, and you're sitting on the saddle properly, so don't change saddle position. Since you're needing to narrow the nose by using a zip tie I'd recommend a PN 3.0, or a Cobb Delta 38. You could bring you position down in front but will need to lengthen reach to do so comfortably. If you do it correctly, you'll actually be more comfortable than you are now. Good starting point.

Jim Manton / ERO Sports

Re: Bike Fit Critique [jimatbeyond] [ In reply to ]

Jan 11, 21 13:35

Post #9 of 17 (1489 views)

I’d agree. Rotate a little more and that will make bringing the front end down more comfortable. Also may need to bring the saddle slightly forward and up.

Re: Bike Fit Critique [Jim@EROsports] [ In reply to ]

Jan 11, 21 15:25

Post #10 of 17 (1445 views)

Jim@EROsports wrote:

Your saddle height is fine, and you're sitting on the saddle properly, so don't change saddle position. Since you're needing to narrow the nose by using a zip tie I'd recommend a PN 3.0, or a Cobb Delta 38. You could bring you position down in front but will need to lengthen reach to do so comfortably. If you do it correctly, you'll actually be more comfortable than you are now. Good starting point.

Jim, love to get your thoughts on this for my own learning. The OP has a knee angle of ~136^ by my measurement, which seems a bit low (outside the typical 140-150 range), so I'd typically recommend the saddle go up a bit.

The back is flat and the shoulder/elbow angles look good. I'd recommend he rotate around the hips to get his back closer to parallel to the ground (along with the slight saddle height increase). What I'd have him avoid is just lowering the front end and trying to curve his back to get down to the pads.

ECMGN Therapy Silicon Valley:
Depression, Neurocognitive problems, Dementias (Testing and Evaluation), Trauma and PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Re: Bike Fit Critique [Titanflexr] [ In reply to ]

Jan 11, 21 16:18

Post #11 of 17 (1422 views)

150 would be crazy high depending on which boney landmarks you use. Greater Trochanter, to Center of Knee Joint, to Lateral Malleolus is 142 by my measurement, though I couldn't possibly be sure since I can't palpate the hip. My range is 137-143. I have the OP at 142.

If he did go lower in front his anterior hip rotation would cause further extension of the knee as the hip joint rotates and the greater trochanter is raised from the supportive musculature. He'd need more reach to go lower, and even more to create some more tilt in those bars.

Jim Manton / ERO Sports

Re: Bike Fit Critique [Jim@EROsports] [ In reply to ]

Jan 11, 21 16:29

Post #12 of 17 (1413 views)

Thanks Jim. I had him marked a bit lower on the hip (actually more to the back)...to your point, hard to tell without the dot/ball. I'm guessing your eye is a bit better than mine on this.

ECMGN Therapy Silicon Valley:
Depression, Neurocognitive problems, Dementias (Testing and Evaluation), Trauma and PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Last edited by: Titanflexr: Jan 11, 21 16:30

Re: Bike Fit Critique [Jim@EROsports] [ In reply to ]

Jan 12, 21 4:01

Post #13 of 17 (1307 views)

Thanks Jim, and also to H2OWings and Titanflexr for subsequent interesting comments.

My main takeaways here are:
- I have a solid enough basis to build from
- Be patient, work on the position on and off the bike consistently
- Consider ISM PN3.0 or Cobb Delta 38
- Rotate hips forward with eventual aim of lowering front end whilst retaining positive aspects of my position (e.g. shoulder/elbow angle and flat back)
- Lowering of front end will require lengthening of reach

Jim, excuse my ignorance but can I achieve effective reach lengthening by using a longer stem? Currently using stock 90mm Felt Superlite +/-7. Or am I bumping up against a limitation of the frame size? Thanks

Last edited by: hiscotsg: Jan 12, 21 4:03

Re: Bike Fit Critique [hiscotsg] [ In reply to ]

Jan 12, 21 8:48

Post #14 of 17 (1239 views)

A longer stem will give you more reach.

Re: Bike Fit Critique [jimatbeyond] [ In reply to ]

Jan 12, 21 11:53

Post #15 of 17 (1177 views)

Appreciate your input and responses, thanks.

Re: Bike Fit Critique [hiscotsg] [ In reply to ]

Jan 12, 21 12:49

Post #16 of 17 (1153 views)

You'll be fine. Pushing it? Yep, a bit (as I see you're already max'ing out the pad reach). I'd throw a 110 on there, tilt your arm pads and extensions to 15 degrees (measure the angle at the arm pad), and lower it down 1cm at a time and see how you feel. Trust what you feel...you're doing great.

Jim Manton / ERO Sports

Re: Bike Fit Critique [hiscotsg] [ In reply to ]

Jan 12, 21 17:30

Post #17 of 17 (1077 views)

hiscotsg wrote:

Littlefoot - When I had the original fit done the saddle felt far too high, despite doing hours and hours on the trainer the first time I went outside for a long ride I literally wore away the top layer of skin (not a saddle sore, it healed up fine quickly) between my perineum and top of the thigh. Subject to jimatbeyond confirming my assumption about his feedback, I'm wondering if this is related to me sitting too far back on the saddle.

mgreer - I'll experiment with that, having been off the TT bike so long I'm still fidgeting around with hand position a lot and it would be good to get settled on something practical.

burnthesheep - Will get working on that mobility, I'll be on the TT almost exclusively aside from some fun gravel rides until Swedeman in August (fingers crossed!)

Finding the right saddle is definitely a challenge. You probably are using too wide a saddle. I had to bounce around for a while before settling. Hopefully you find something that works. You might want to check out the cobb saddle lines, as well as the bontrager hilo (new saddle-comp), as well as some others. Good luck!

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