What is the general rule for stem length…i’ve heard your handlebars should line up with your hub while you are in the hoods of your road bike…but maybe it was while in the drops…anyways. I’ve never had a bike fitting nor could I afford one at this point, but maybe someone could give me a good rule of thumb. Any advice is greatly appreciated.
-Justin
Align your ears, shoulders, elbows and aerobar arm pads on a vertical plane. Your forearms and upper arm should be close to a 90 degree angle. If you’re riding in a aggressive forward position you are usually sitting closer to the bottom bracket than in a regular road position. This may require a shorter than normal stem for you. Fitting is as much an art as it is a formula since we are all unique in our bodies, fitness and flexibility. Hope this helps.
For a road bike, the “handlebars should obscure front hub when on the hoods” method is hard to beat.
For aerobars, I’ve heard several methods. The first is to have a 90 degree angle between your elbow, shoulder, and torso. This is the most popular method. The second method is to have the center of your ear directly over your elbow. This will usually result in a slightly less than 90 degree elbow-shoulder-torso angle. The third method is to have your upper arm (elbow-shoulder line) vertical. I think I read about method three in a magazine, but I’ve never read about anyone actually using this method.
For a self-fitting, I would suggest starting with the “90 degree elbow-shoulder-torso angle” setting. From all I’ve read, this settup will be close to optimal for most people, both in terms of power output and comfort.
Thanks for the advice. I might be able to borrow some time on a wattage measuring device. Is there a systematical way to determine the position for optimal wattage? (rather than a estimate and try method). Is there a certain exertion level you should be spinning at? Keep in mind I’ve never used a computrainer or the like.