Bike 1. 700 TT + stem. So my original nice road bike I got from the bike shop they eyeballed the fit, and I just got on that size. Seemed to work pretty well, some shoulder pain; I put about 7,000 miles on it. Got pretty used to the position and after lots of riding the pain started to appear only after 2+ hours rather than an hour. Horizontal Top Tube was 580, stock stem was 120. So 700mm total.
Bike 2. 695 TT + stem. Got a second bike and figured I would emulate the position. 565 horizontal top tube (slightly smaller frame size, got a great deal), 130 stem. 695mm total. I feel stretched out and get pain in my shoulders after an hour or so, which is the same kind of pain I had on my original bike. Hadn’t rode a road bike in a while, so just figured this was something I needed to get used to again.
Bike 3. 680 TT + stem. Picked up an inexpensive winter training bike from a friend. 570 HTT, 110 stem, 680 total (15-20mm shorter than I was used to). I was planning on riding until I could get a longer stem, planning for a 130. I felt a little cramped on the bike, not stretched out, and I thought it would be a problem. Took the bike out for a ride, no problem. Took it out for an hour training ride, no problem. Took it out for a three hour training ride, zero pain and I felt like I could just keep going and going. But, I feel a little cramped.
Either I’m missing something, or my stem/bike has been too long in the past. They’re all race geometry road bikes. I feel cramped on Bike 3, but maybe that’s just me being used to being on longer bikes. 6’2", 34" inseam, if that helps. Should I get a 120mm stem on Bike 3 (690mm total) and see what happens? Maybe I won’t feel as cramped and also won’t have the same pain. If so, perhaps I should get a shorter stem on Bike 2 as well.
One important detail missing is the saddle setback (total setback from the BB) and height. Another is the total stack height of the frame + spacers.
It sounds like you need to get a professional fit, from someone clueful, on one bike.
Ride it, get all of the comfort issues worked out, then replicate the fit coordinates to the other bikes.
What was the seat tube angle on those bikes? A steeper seat tube will make the top tube longer, which is one of the main reasons that the top tube measurement is pretty useless. What was the stack and reach of each of the frames you are riding, that is a much better way to compare frames. Was your saddle positioned the same relative to the bottom bracket? Are the handlebars the same reach? Some handlebars have longer reach, so they are effectively like having a longer stem.
If you want to duplicate the fit between bikes, first you need to verify your saddle is positioned the same relative to the bottom bracket. Is it the same height? Is it the same distance behind/infront? You want to make sure your butt is the same position relative to the bottom bracket. Then look at the bars relative the bottom bracket.
What was the seat tube angle on those bikes?** A steeper seat tube will make the top tube longer**, which is one of the main reasons that the top tube measurement is pretty useless. What was the stack and reach of each of the frames you are riding, that is a much better way to compare frames. Was your saddle positioned the same relative to the bottom bracket? Are the handlebars the same reach? Some handlebars have longer reach, so they are effectively like having a longer stem.
If you want to duplicate the fit between bikes, first you need to verify your saddle is positioned the same relative to the bottom bracket. Is it the same height? Is it the same distance behind/infront? You want to make sure your butt is the same position relative to the bottom bracket. Then look at the bars relative the bottom bracket.
Okay, I’m no bike geometry nerd, but help me out here.
Assuming the same seatpost setback, a steeper seat tube should put you closer to the stem, shortening the top tube.
What was the seat tube angle on those bikes?** A steeper seat tube will make the top tube longer**, which is one of the main reasons that the top tube measurement is pretty useless. What was the stack and reach of each of the frames you are riding, that is a much better way to compare frames. Was your saddle positioned the same relative to the bottom bracket? Are the handlebars the same reach? Some handlebars have longer reach, so they are effectively like having a longer stem.
If you want to duplicate the fit between bikes, first you need to verify your saddle is positioned the same relative to the bottom bracket. Is it the same height? Is it the same distance behind/infront? You want to make sure your butt is the same position relative to the bottom bracket. Then look at the bars relative the bottom bracket.
Okay, I’m no bike geometry nerd, but help me out here.
Assuming the same seatpost setback, a steeper seat tube should put you closer to the stem, shortening the top tube.
Ok, I could have been more clear. For two bikes with the same length top tube, the one with a steeper seat tube has effectively a longer top tube, since it makes the frame have a larger reach. If the frames had the same reach, then yest the top tube would be shorter with the a steeper seat tube.
But to you second point, if you have two frames with the same stack and reach AND you put your saddle in the same position relative to the bottom bracket, a steeper seat tube does not put you closer to stem.
What was the seat tube angle on those bikes? A steeper seat tube will make the top tube longer, which is one of the main reasons that the top tube measurement is pretty useless. What was the stack and reach of each of the frames you are riding, that is a much better way to compare frames. Was your saddle positioned the same relative to the bottom bracket? Are the handlebars the same reach? Some handlebars have longer reach, so they are effectively like having a longer stem.
If you want to duplicate the fit between bikes, first you need to verify your saddle is positioned the same relative to the bottom bracket. Is it the same height? Is it the same distance behind/infront? You want to make sure your butt is the same position relative to the bottom bracket. Then look at the bars relative the bottom bracket.
How does a seat tube angle make the top tube longer? Isn’t the top tube measured horizontally from the seat tube to head tube?
Looking back, Bike 1 73 degree angle, Bike 2 and Bike 3 73.25 degree angles. Same saddle on them all, I found one I liked and moved it between bikes. All seatposts are/were 0 degree setback, and the saddle was pushed back as far as the measure. All are adjusted with the distance from BB center to top of saddle at 82cm, with the saddle front horizontal.
So between the very similar angles and the same saddle height/position, I would think that I would be sitting in pretty much exactly the same spot relative to the BB. But maybe I’m wrong. I could perhaps move the saddle back very slightly to account for the increased seat tube angle.
I put a 130 stem (versus the comfortable/cramped-feeling 110) on Bike 3 and pretty quickly started getting some shoulder pain. So I’m starting to think the optimal stem length might be 120. Unfortunately I only have 100/110/130 stems sitting around, no 120.
What size is your frame? I had this problem before. My bike was too small for me and the guy I bought it from eyeballed the fit. I had to get a longer stem (120, i can sell you it if you want since I do not use it anymore) but I had lower back problems and just needed the next frame up. Yeah it sucks but might be worth considering. I am also about your dimensions and if you are like me where your legs are long and have a shorter torso then I would recommend getting a bike fit. Some places even do it for free. Roll is in a few cities and they do a whole computer measurement for free. Super nice people and it was better than the fit I paid for…