Can anybody talk me down from buying a bicycle?

[megabyteme]

I thought you knew what local bike shops were for- getting them to size you up on one of their bikes before ordering online. What kind of return policy does the online store have? It might be worth the cost to get the proper size.

[Snee]

Just to put some emphasis on the butterfly bar part (and the switching fork part, I guess):

We built up a hybrid for my younger brother a while ago. Only, while the frame was marketed as a hybrid frame, it's got compact road bike geometry and sizing. And as you might know, the size in inches (or cm) for a road bike can be more than two inches off compared to mtb (or hybrid sizing. If it's not somewhere in the middle) for the same size person.

So what he's got is essentially a small road bike with mtb gearing. What makes it work, and work well at that, is the fact that he kept a couple of inches of steerer tube, stuck some spacers on, and put butterfly bars on top (he never wanted drop bars to begin with). I think his stem is about level with the saddle, or slightly higher.

He toured with me last summer, and rode as far as me. Afaik, the bike is just right for him.



Idle does have a good point, however - you only just started, so it might well also be an issue of not being used to it. I would assume, however, that your lbs guy isn't completely full of shit, so it probably is too small, as you say. I'd get a second opinion, though.

And for what it's worth, I'd rather have a too small, than a too large bike. You've got lots more options to adjust how it fits you, that way. Spacers under the stem, seat post with offset (how you get the saddle to go further back), wide range of possible stems etc etc.


Could you run your measurements through one of those fitting tools and tell us how the results compare to the size of the bike?


edit: Oh, and as far as riding erect? Yeah, I don't do that on my cyclocross bike, either. Just had a really quick look, and I put the bars at around two inches below saddle height, when last I changed it around. I do use an offroad drop bar, so it's shallower, and somewhat flared.

[Snee]

Conan O'Brien's Serrotta, built to fit him, apropos of nothing:

Attachment 115481

[IdolEyes787]

Snee's right,except for extreme cases the smaller the frame the better.Lighter stiffer and so more responsive. Giant actually builds there bikes that way with extended seat and sloping top tubes allowing for proper height and drop.
Actually they didn't even use to slope the top tube and used spacers and stems with rise to make up the difference.
Like Snee also says though do the calculations and see just how far (if any) you are off in fit. If it's less than a couple inches it's a pretty easy fix.

[IdolEyes787]

Conan O'Brien's Serrotta, built to fit him, apropos of nothing:

Attachment 115481

I didn't even realize that they still made Serrottas.

Seven foot six NBAer Shawn Bradley making a very large bike look very small.

654786.jpg

[IdolEyes787]

Hall of Famer Bill Walton was quite a cyclist actually.

1.jpg

Wonder if they still make Holland's?

[mjmacky]

Seriously, that's a lot of info and I am really appreciative of all the feedback. I'm sorting through it all now, so just some quick notes.

• I have two spacers under the stem and if I put any more, I'd have no stem left clamp the bars to. I'm looking at those stem extenders right now to see if it will work.
• I ordered the only size they had available, and I did recognize the numbers as being on the smaller end. I just checked and I have about 5" between my taint and the frame with no shoes on. I had the same thought process of thinking I could easily make something smaller fit than something too large to fit. Since I am such a pneub I didn't really have a sense with the numbers. So with that, I'm going to keep the bike because I still think it's awesome and I'm going to tweak it to fit.
• I know I have the saddle height right, but I'm going to try tilting it back a little.
• After my long rest, I don't feel all that sore (just some very mild butt bruising), so it can't be all bad, right?

[IdolEyes787]

Do you have erectile dysfunction?

[megabyteme]

Seriously, that's a lot of info and I am really appreciative of all the feedback. I'm sorting through it all now, so just some quick notes.

• I have two spacers under the stem and if I put any more, I'd have no stem left clamp the bars to. I'm looking at those stem extenders right now to see if it will work.
• I ordered the only size they had available, and I did recognize the numbers as being on the smaller end. I just checked and I have about 5" between my taint and the frame with no shoes on. I had the same thought process of thinking I could easily make something smaller fit than something too large to fit. Since I am such a pneub I didn't really have a sense with the numbers. So with that, I'm going to keep the bike because I still think it's awesome and I'm going to tweak it to fit.
• I know I have the saddle height right, but I'm going to try tilting it back a little.
• After my long rest, I don't feel all that sore (just some very mild butt bruising), so it can't be all bad, right?

Perhaps it would help if you posted some pics of yourself with the bike in positions where the experts here could see how far off you are on sizing. Maybe hold a ruler near your legs to indicate spacing.

I imagine as my kids get bikes and begin to outgrow them, this info will be valuable for me as well.

[Snee]

After my long rest, I don't feel all that sore (just some very mild butt bruising), so it can't be all bad, right?

Might just be due to you not being used to the saddle. But if it keeps being that way for weeks or months after long rides, it's probably too narrow. Could be too broad, but I doubt it considering what generally ships with road bikes.

The stem you've got on now, does it have a downward tilt? If so, flip it.


What idol is refering to is this.





How to figure out saddle width.