I want to set up my fixed gear bike to feel the same as my road bike. The fixie has totally different geometries, but I want to set it up the same as my road bike. I have measured my road bike and tried to set up the fixie according to these measurements, but I’m not even close.
Is there some type of formula, or spreadsheet that I could plug in the dimensions of my road bike and it will tell me how to set up my fixie? (Like what size stem, etc.)
If not, any ideas on how EXACTLY I should do this? I sort of assume I start with putting both saddles the same distance behind the bottom brackets, then measure to the handlebars from there. This is what I’ve tried to do, but haven’t had any luck.
I’ve got the same problem and I’m on the verge of giving up. The main problem is my fixie has 165 cranks and my other bikes have 172.5 and 175 cranks and I can tell the difference. I’m loath to change any of the cranks as the fixie needs 165’s and I read so much that longer cranks are best that I’m afraid to change the road bikes. What size are your cranks?
I’ve got a fit stick you can use if you’re in the SF North Bay (Santa Rosa) area.
All it does is give you a vertical from your bottom bracket to reference seat and handlebar measurements off of. It’s definitely not a perfect measurement tool, but it does let you get pretty close to matching the position between two bicycles. If you’re careful you might be able to make the same kind of measurements from a plumb line hung from the ceiling to intersect the bottom bracket center line. the fitstick website http://www.cyclemetrics.com/ has some demo videos, etc. of how it works.
As far as different crank lengths, your seat needs to be raised by the amount of difference between the crank lengths (ignoring small angular differences). keep the handlebar position relative to the seat identical between the two bikes.
Maybe I’m wrong, but isn’t this the whole purpose of the F.I.S.T. system; to be able to use the same common terminology to translate a person’s “fit” from one bike to another, dissimilar bike?
Maybe you should read the slowtwitch article on F.I.S.T.(ing) or talk to a F.I.S.T. certified shop (or person).
Hello, Not sure what you are not able o do. I would start with the angle of the seat and then its height. next get the distance and height of the HB correct.
Thsi will get you body in the same position. However, depending on the design of the bikes, when riding they may feel and handle completely differently.