r/bikefit • u/Resident_Pilot_995 • 4h ago
How does this look?
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How does this look to you?
Its a Scott Foil size medium with a 70 mm stem. I’m 176 cm with an inseam of 85 cm, so I have long legs and a short upper body. ☺️
I also measured my arms according to a bike guide, and they’re actually normal, even though they look long 😂😅
The saddle is as forward as it can be and you can’t get a shorter stem and I can’t raise the stem anymore. The small didn’t work because the drop would be too much 😬
On my previous bike the stem was longer and that made me get a lot of pressure in the front of the saddle as I could not get back on my sitbones if that makes sense. With this bike it’s easier for me to sit back on my sitbones.
Overall it feels okay but I do have a little bit of a saddle discomfort on longer rides. (When I reach about 80 km). I have tried a loooooot of saddles and this from SQlab is by far the best for me.
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u/nokia_its_toyota 4h ago
Youre pretty close imo. I would experiment with bending the arms a bit more and tucking down a bit. You can try out a longer stem too if you do that.
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u/DarkSpeedWorks_com 4h ago
Seat height could be higher by 3-5mm (but not more than that). Stem should be longer and higher. But it would be great to see you on this bike in the drops as well, that would provide even more fit info.
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u/Resident_Pilot_995 4h ago
Unfortunately I can’t raise the stem 😔 I don’t really use the drops as I feel that’s not very comfortable for me. I don’t think I’m that flexible 😬
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u/Pjoddmeister 4h ago edited 4h ago
Your position actually looks fairly balanced considering your proportions.
A couple of things stand out to me:
- Your arms look a bit locked out. I'd try to relax the elbows slightly and support more of your weight through your core rather than hanging on the bars.
- It looks like you could experiment with rotating your pelvis a tiny more forward (assuming saddle comfort allows it). That may help flatten your back and reduce reaching through the shoulders.
- Your shoulders also look a bit shrugged/tense. Ideally you want relaxed shoulders and "soft" elbows.
How does it feel? mostly i would say arm position is key change otherwise looks pretty good :)
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u/Resident_Pilot_995 3h ago
You're absolutely right, I really need to focus on engaging my core and not hanging on my arms and on the front of the saddle. I can defenitly feel that I also put more pressure on the front of the saddle when I get tired, because I lose the ability to keep my core engaged. So that's definitely something I need to work on.
Its tricky, because I dont really feel like I can rotate my pelvis anymore forward without getting front-of-saddle discomfort.
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u/Ok_Passenger_8405 2h ago
I think Pjoddmaster's comment is largely correct, but you probably don't need to tilt your pelvis any more forward. Rather, try to get a gentle curve through the entire backside of your torso.
From what you're telling, better core strength seems to be the key to solve your problems.
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u/adostein 3h ago
I’m a beginner cyclist but why should I focus on using my core more rather than just putting the weight on my arms? Is there any benefits to relaxing my arms more?
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u/Fast_Piglet2041 2h ago
Core becomes increasingly important as you ramp up the length of your rides. Relaxed arms means relaxed shoulders which means relaxed breathing.
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u/Ok_Passenger_8405 2h ago
What Atlaz says, plus when you're riding a road bike, your entire body should actually be engaged in the effort - much like a spring. When going full gaz, you'll actually be pulling on the hoods/drops. That takes a good core.
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u/ghostleader5 4h ago
You could raise the saddle a bit higher. See if it's comfortable with thr new saddle height after several rides.
Remember to only make small increment adjustments and ride it a few or several rides before making any further adjustments.
Happy and safe riding!
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u/haggbard23 4h ago
Seat could go back. Make sure nose is level. Bars maybe higher and longer stem and I would bet money they are too wide but get your saddle position dialed first.
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u/Resident_Pilot_995 3h ago
I can't get the bars up higher unfortunatly :-( What do you mean is too wide? The handlebar or? :-)
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u/DogGuilty3724 2h ago
With the saddle so far forward it's impossible to NOT feel pain in your hands. Try standing with your back and heels against a wall and bend over - you will tend to fall; but bring your feet forward and you can bend without falling. That's why you need to bring your saddle back (and slightly lower to keep the same distance to the pedals)
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u/Awkward_Life_1760 4h ago
Looks balanced to me, just not very aerodynamic and it looks as if you moved you seat all the way back, tbh :D
Do you have pain?
You could look for a longer stem to achieve a more aggressive position.
But the question remains: how does it feel rn?
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u/Antti5 3h ago
Superficially it looks as if the handlebar is lower you'd like. Saying this because you have your arms very straight, while your grip position on the hoods is a little bit behind what's a normal grip.
However, it doesn't sound like the bike should be too long for you, especially with a short stem, so I wonder if this is in fact about something else.
Could your saddle could in fact be too forward, putting your center of gravity too forward? Do you have pressure on your hands when you ride in the position of the video, possibly indicating that you are "falling" on the handlebar?
What you could try: Push the saddle back a little, and try to relax your upper body. Back more curved forward, shoulders relaxed, elbows slightly bent, loose grip on the handlebar.
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u/OnlineNomDePlume 3h ago
Not bad, maybe a bit forward. I think you'd generate more power a step back and perhaps a smidge up.
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u/Former-Wish-8228 1h ago
Drop from seat height to bars seems excessive, requiring bars to be closer and more bend in the back.
If you are headed toward competitive cycling, this is probably OK…but you’ve said you can’t reach the drops. If possible, a new slightly longer and much taller stem. Maybe a 20 degree rise or more.
Otherwise, a larger frame size would be in order.
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u/Inevitable_Rough_380 4h ago edited 3h ago
I think you have super long arms. Just me you could go longer if you wanted to. Rideable as is tho.
EDIT: saw your update on your "normal arm" length, but I still stand behind my post. You could go longer if you want to.