Looking for some help. I’ve never had a professional fit, so this is the end result of a self-selected evolution. Forgot to measure pad x/y, but can add later tonight if it’s useful.
Some specs:
2012 Cervelo P2, Size 56.
Profile Designs Sonic Bracket w/ Ski-bend extensions
Effectively slammed in the front including a -17deg stem and Cobb 5mm dust cap.
170 cranks (quarq so don’t really want to change due to cost)
Saddle is Fizik Mistica
5’10" (178cm)
160-165 lbs (73-75 kg)
either not the right saddle or not sitting on the right saddle right, but probably the former.
also, i think the way you are “holding” your extensions is incorrect. slide your elbow into the cup (not your forearm) and rest your hands on top of the shifters. when you “grip” the extensions, as you are, you tend to create tension in your front quadrant that is then translated backwards. sometimes this is a visible thing, and i think it is with you.
either not the right saddle or not sitting on the right saddle right, but probably the former.
I feel like I’m sitting on this one as correctly as possible. The frank&beans are hanging off the front and most of the weight is on pubic ramis and not further back, so quite possibly the former. I’ve tried a number of ISMs, but could never get comfortable. It felt like all of the pressure was on a single nose of the saddle. Open to trying other saddles, but it’s just a crap shoot
Is it possible that a lack or reach is preventing my hips from rotating more?
also, i think the way you are “holding” your extensions is incorrect. slide your elbow into the cup (not your forearm) and rest your hands on top of the shifters. when you “grip” the extensions, as you are, you tend to create tension in your front quadrant that is then translated backwards. sometimes this is a visible thing, and i think it is with you.
I’ll try this on my next ride. Would you recommend moving the cups to match my elbows (keeping reach the same) or moving my elbows to match the cups (more effective reach)?
Not sure I know anything about anything, but you look a little jammed up. Meaning your torso could flatten out and stretch out, but I would get an experts opinion.
James is right, that’s not what a Mistica is supposed to look like, and you’re not doing yourself any favors the way you’re holding the extensions. Make the bike work for you, not the other way around.
Also, with a proper fit I think that bike would end up being a size too small.
Thanks for the feedback.
either not the right saddle or not sitting on the right saddle right, but probably the former.
I feel like I’m sitting on this one as correctly as possible. The frank&beans are hanging off the front and most of the weight is on pubic ramis and not further back, so quite possibly the former. I’ve tried a number of ISMs, but could never get comfortable. It felt like all of the pressure was on a single nose of the saddle. Open to trying other saddles, but it’s just a crap shoot
Is it possible that a lack or reach is preventing my hips from rotating more?
also, i think the way you are “holding” your extensions is incorrect. slide your elbow into the cup (not your forearm) and rest your hands on top of the shifters. when you “grip” the extensions, as you are, you tend to create tension in your front quadrant that is then translated backwards. sometimes this is a visible thing, and i think it is with you.
I’ll try this on my next ride. Would you recommend moving the cups to match my elbows (keeping reach the same) or moving my elbows to match the cups (more effective reach)?
you should be able to roll without necessary reach, just for practice sake. i would move your body at this point, don’t worry about the contact points.
with a proper fit I think that bike would end up being a size too small.
Not disagreeing, just trying to learn, but I’m curious why you say that. Is it that you think that once the hip rotation is resolved via saddle selection/fit, that this bike won’t have enough reach?
with a proper fit I think that bike would end up being a size too small.
Not disagreeing, just trying to learn, but I’m curious why you say that. Is it that you think that once the hip rotation is resolved via saddle selection/fit, that this bike won’t have enough reach?
I’m going to disagree with Eric regarding the bike being too small, but the other comments make sense. That bike isn’t “short” especially for someone 5’10". I think you’d do better with a good deal more reach, but a longer stem would fix that.
See how it feels to relax your lower back and stomach and take the bend out of your back. It will probably feel weird at first to pedal like that, but you’ll get used to it. Then you should be able to stretch out better and level your back. I’d also advise scrunching down (reduce the distance from your face to your elbows) rather than reaching for the pads with your arms. Moving the saddle back a little might also be advised.
I’ve probably got an inch or so I could move the pads and extensions right now without moving to a longer stem as well.
Last night I moved the extensions out a touch since it’s really easy to do on this bracket. Also moved the saddle up about 5 mm since I would looking at a knee angle measurement of about 140deg vs Dan’s orthodox 150ish degs (https://www.slowtwitch.com/.../Seat_height_21.html). I might move the saddle back some as you suggested next.
Will try things out tomorrow AM and see how things feel with trying to put my elbows into the pads and more hip rotation.
Curious how saddle selection process usually goes for others. Is it get the body mostly in the “right” position and then swap saddles until the undercarriage is comfortable? I would assume there’s some fine-tuning iterations in fit once a saddle is selected? Wondering if the ISMs I tried earlier weren’t comfortable because of how I had the front end set-up or how I’ve been holding the extensions.
Saddle could have been too wide or too narrow, not tilted properly, not sitting on it properly (pelvis angle, or not right fore-aft). Or maybe you have my issue where decades of riding with a short leg means I don’t sit in the middle of the saddle, and the split nose hits me in a really bad spot? The Tgale with no cutout seems to work pretty well for me.
I wouldn’t have raised your saddle unless you had restriction at the top of the stroke. You are already toes-down quite a bit and dropping the heels a little is another way to get more leg extension.
But… don’t worry about that now. I think the most important thing is to get your torso flat and head down with a comfortable reach, then see if adjustments need to be made to the saddle.
Does your bar have stack adjustment? Stems are so cheap (used ones for $15 or so) it’s easy to have a range of sizes.
Saddle could have been too wide or too narrow, not tilted properly, not sitting on it properly (pelvis angle, or not right fore-aft). Or maybe you have my issue where decades of riding with a short leg means I don’t sit in the middle of the saddle, and the split nose hits me in a really bad spot? The Tgale with no cutout seems to work pretty well for me.
It felt like I was sitting on a single side of the split nose saddle.
Does your bar have stack adjustment?
I could get a riser kit for it, but don’t have anything for it right now. I could add some spacers under the stem to get more stack.
Baseline, elbows off the back, holding the bottom of the extension.Middle, elbows in the back half of the pads, shifters between the pointer and middle fingersForward, elbows at the front of the pads, hands on top of the shifters
.
Tried to make a conscious effort to roll my hips. Left is “normal” and right is trying to “push” my back/gut down.
Obviously you don’t want to introduce strain in the core at all… rather the opposite. Keep the core relaxed (let the belly hang) and engage the pedals in a way that allows your back and stomach to stay relaxed. Don’t try to pedal with force; go very easy at first until you get the hang of it. You may need to relearn how to pedal.
Hips rotated back a little and some bend in the back isn’t necessarily a problem. Pro road TTers usually have a lot and it doesn’t slow them down. But most tri fitting experts recommend rotating forward and a flat back, and because you have less restriction on position it’s easy enough to do.
I’m assuming you want to go fast rather than just finish, and you are sitting too high currently for optimal aero. I wouldn’t advise lowering the bars, but increase the reach and change your posture. The guy below illustrates the “scrunching” I was talking about. The small distance between his chin and elbows is not due to having short upper arms, but because his shoulders are up, forward, and in… and his neck is pivoted down at the torso.
