Bike set-up......is joune reg???

[Sammajoor]

 

Rode today for the 1st time with the new setup. Wow' date=' what a dirrerence, not unstable at all and much more power on the hills.

 

Thanks Arran

 

This is my real bike

 

[/quote']

 

That's my boy a Specialized is way to specialized for a couch

 

Go one up and put it on the bed

 

Evan  do yourself a favour and test a Specialized saddle as well,  your willy does not go "dead" after a while and you don't get that numbness in your nether regions.

 

OH and I LOVE your ride

[evanr4]

Thanks Sammajoor, she really is very special, I dont ever ride my Trek anymore, just gathering dust. Boss lady says dogs and bikes are not allowed on the bed

I am way ahead of you, switched the Fizik for a Spesh Toupe some months back along with the Look pedals for some Speedplays. You are right about the Spech saddles, 160 grams and ultra comfortable, amazing.

 

 

[GoLefty!!]

I doubt a few mm here and there makes a huge difference to your riding, except maybe in your head.

The big difference only comes after anatomical adaptation which takes a few rides.

 

I find the most useful thing about a proper bike fit is that it takes a professional to tell a rider that he or she looks like a dork on the bike with that silly superman position. Thisafter hois friends have been telling him the same thing for years.

 

I see so many funriders out on the rad with bikes that are way to long for them and whats with the trend of moving the saddle further and further back??!!

 

I wish everyone would visit a bikefit professional first time, just to prevent silly habits or Pro imitation from taking hold.

[GIRR]

I doubt a few mm here and there makes a huge difference to your riding' date=' except maybe in your head.

The big difference only comes after anatomical adaptation which takes a few rides.

 

I find the most useful thing about a proper bike fit is that it takes a professional to tell a rider that he or she looks like a dork on the bike with that silly superman position. Thisafter hois friends have been telling him the same thing for years.

 

I see so many funriders out on the rad with bikes that are way to long for them and whats with the trend of moving the saddle further and further back??!!

 

I wish everyone would visit a bikefit professional first time, just to prevent silly habits or Pro imitation from taking hold.

[/quote']

 

It may depend on how much you ride your bike but I can tell immediately if something is out with my bike setup.  When I changed bikes I got my bike setup to within 1mm of the old setup by just feel.  The main thing is adapting the bike to your body, not the other way around.  Moving your saddle a few mm forward works your muscles differently as to if it were further back.  Also adjusting your saddle a degree up or down can mean the difference between a really sore ass after the ride or being comfortable.  These aren't just things in my head.

[GoLefty!!]

there are three key dimensions:

 

Saddle height

reach

Handle bar drop.

 

These numbers need to be consistent.

 

Saddle height can actually change over the course of 2 months. As you get fitter you become more flexible and therefore you can raise the saddle height.

The bar height should therefore also be raised to keep your hips aligned to the best power  producing angle for you.

the only constant is the difference between saddle and barheight.

 

A decent bike fit specialist will concern themself with focusing on your power output, not the 1mm difference over your last set up.

 

Thats why I use Dr Jeroen Swart.

[splat]

GoLefty.

 

How do I get hold of the good Doctor?

I found an email adress on the web (google), but I got no reply.

[GoLefty!!]

I don't have his direct number anylonger, but you can call the Sports Science Institute and they will provide his contact details

[splat]

Thanks, will try that.

[GIRR]

Maybe I should've worded my post better.  The assumption made was that my old bike setup was at the optimum in terms of power or whatever for riding as it had been done properly and checked over afterwards by my coach.  So when I got my new bike I could feel a difference in my riding in terms of effort (perceived, heart rate and power) for the speed I was going if it was just a little out, meaning that a small difference was noticeable.

[cycleq]

Merckx was known to adjust his own saddle height while riding (terrifyingly, even on steep alpine descents) - didn't seem to affect him much except insofar as it settled his mind. Then he just cranked it up again...

Bike fit is good to establish a point of departure for dialling in position - then, really, nothing is going to beat careful application of experience by a rider fiddling with his own setup. We develop as riders over time - hence positioning must alter to cater to this development.

[The Doctor]

there are three key dimensions:

 

Saddle height

reach

Handle bar drop.

 

These numbers need to be consistent.

 

Saddle height can actually change over the course of 2 months. As you get fitter you become more flexible and therefore you can raise the saddle height.

The bar height should therefore also be raised to keep your hips aligned to the best power  producing angle for you.

the only constant is the difference between saddle and barheight.

 

A decent bike fit specialist will concern themself with focusing on your power output' date=' not the 1mm difference over your last set up.

 

Thats why I use Dr Jeroen Swart.

[/quote']

 

Thanks GoLefty. I see you were listening!

[The Doctor]

GoLefty.

 

How do I get hold of the good Doctor?

I found an email adress on the web (google)' date=' but I got no reply.

[/quote']

 

You can get hold of me at jeroen.swart@uct.ac.za

 

I am booked out about 6 weeks in advance at present so there is a bit of a wait. Sorry about that.

[splat]

Hey Dr

 

You did reply to my mail, thanks for that.

 

My bike budget is a bit blown at the moment after having had some maintenance done, so I will have to get back to you in a while about an appointment.

 

Thanks,

Splat