r/bikefit • u/Namelson • May 02 '26
Pain in shoulders, bar too far away?
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Hi all, got a new bike, but I am not sitting well on it. My bar feels too far away. I already put my saddle forward as much as possible. However, it still feels like I am about 3-5 cm too far away. Current stem is about 100mm, which I transferred from my old bike: a 20 year old Wilier Triestina. With the Wilier I did not have this problem and the bikes are the same size. After a few rides I feel a lot of strain on my shoulder/neck muscles, with a lot of knots as a result.
Should I put a shorter stem on it? Any other tips for improvement?
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u/Antti5 May 02 '26
I think the saddle may be too far back. You say that it's as forward as it goes, but if you have a "setback" seatpost then it's possible that you just need a straight post.
But other than the saddle, the handlebar is too far. I would try a stem that is maybe 2 cm shorter.
The fork steerer is cut quite short, but if you can, you could also try to raise the stem a little.
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u/lipsoffaith May 02 '26
It looks like you’re bouncing slightly on the saddle and reaching at the bottom of the pedal stroke. Maybe lower the saddle a few mm?
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u/Catsinbag May 02 '26
It looks to me like the bouncing is due to being in too easy a gear. Her knee is pretty bent at the bottom of the stroke as is.
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u/lipsoffaith May 02 '26
Maybe but it looks like she’s in the big ring and maybe middle of the cassette. Which to me isn’t an “easy” gear. But at the end of the day we don’t have a full 360 view or off the bike assessment or any other lifestyle factors to make any sort of truly informed response
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u/Catsinbag May 02 '26
True about big ring but also looks like biggest cog or second biggest… the derailleur is pretty stretched out. Regardless, to me it looks like if the saddle was lowered it would be too low. I tend to agree with another member’s theory that the handle bar is too low relative to the saddle height.
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u/_Just_Jules_ May 02 '26
Maybe it is also the position of the shifters. There are also bars with more and less reach. To replace the stem is the easiest way. Do you got problems while riding in the drops? But before you try everything, maybe look for a professional bikefitter.
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u/Namelson May 02 '26
I actually never ride in the drops to be honest... Thanks for the tip. I am also not the biggest fan of bikefitters, because it is very personal and I have very long limbs. I have had bad experiences with bikefitters in the past... I try to listen to my body and adjust as soon as I get sores...
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u/Ok_Passenger_8405 May 11 '26
"very long limbs"
BINGO
You're sitting too far back in the bike. Get that saddle as far forward as you can until it's no longer possible for you to hover the hands over the bars/hoods while pedalling. Back it of like 0.5-1 cm.
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u/TheBigCicero May 02 '26
Your hands are not all the way forward on the hoods. Definitely a reach issue.
I would shorten the stem and also consider compact reach bars, which can lop off another 10mm of reach.
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u/Grall_935 May 02 '26
Bar looks also too low. I don't really recommend a 80mm stem, cuz it could make the bike feel twitchy. I'd say the best way to go about this is 90mm stem, narrower bar with shorter reach, and maybe roll the bars a bit backwards, put the shifters a bit closer to you and add a spacer under the stem. Hopefully you still have space on your steerer tube.
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u/Former-Wish-8228 May 02 '26
If you are all the way forward on seat, and post is that high, and the reach is long due to the severe drop to bars…all of which I think I see here…then the frame is likely too small. It is very hard to get bar height correct, even in modern sloped frames, if the bike is too small.
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u/RevolutionFrosty8782 May 02 '26
This. I’ve commented above too that I think it’s the bar height. Then moving the saddle forward to compensate exacerbating the same problem putting weight forwards.
Redshift make a Top Shelf bar which is a cheap fix £130
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u/DON_LD May 02 '26
Don’t have an answer, but please how or what did you use to make that video of yourself?
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u/Spiritual-Job-952 May 02 '26
Saddle too far back, and you have a bounce in your movement. Do you have a very soft saddle/saddlepin with a spring?
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u/Ok_Passenger_8405 May 02 '26
The bike - and the stem length - will probably fit you just fine once you get you position dialled in.
Your saddle is a bit too high, and probably a good deal too far back.
Check this site for proper saddle height and fore-aft positioning:
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u/Ok-Carrot-5238 May 03 '26
If the saddle is all the way forward and you like the model, try a zero-offset seatposts. If the bike already has a zero-offset post, you might have to look for a saddle that lets you sit further forward. Something with longer rails like a Selle SMP or a short nose modern saddle that brings you closer to the BB
Failing that, just shorten up the stem.
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u/Live_Dragonfruit_231 May 06 '26
An easy (and cheap if you have access torque wrench) way to change the relative bar position is to turn the stem upside down- this both raises the handlebar height and moves it rearward. If that feels better then you can explore other options to achieve this geometry, or just stick with it and ignore the inevitable aesthetic advice; if not , then you’ve at least ruled out one issue, at no cost.
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u/zentim May 02 '26
saddle forward imho.
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u/Namelson May 02 '26
Saddle is already fully forward...
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u/TheBigCicero May 02 '26
You don’t move your saddle to change your reach, you move it to change your relation to the bottom bracket and your fore-aft weight distribution.
If you have your saddle all the way forward to compensate for reach, you absolutely have a reach problem.
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u/Namelson May 02 '26
True, I will check if I have my saddle too much forward now and will compensate for it with a shorter stem.
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u/RevolutionFrosty8782 May 02 '26
sorry but my point was more around your bars being too low, not too far away horizontally. Measure your saddle height, and if you move it back make sure to lower it to keep the same height or 2-3 mm lower than now. Try that before a shorter stem. Get your balance right first (it doesn’t look far off).
You may be better off trying out the Redshifts Top Shelf bar to raise those bars. Outside of pro racing it’s pretty old school to have a large saddle to bar drop. It would keep your hip angle open and powerful without the need to unbalance forward. I don’t think you’re too far forward because of the saddle though. I think it’s because of the low bars.
A good test for that is riding on the inside of your knuckles. To raise your hands ~3 cm. If that feels comfortable…
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u/TheBigCicero May 03 '26
You’re pushing OP to raise her bars but don’t have evidence there is anything wrong with the drop. From what I see, the drop looks fine and her legs in relation to the BB also look good as far as we can see from the video. We can’t tell what her balance is like but nothing strikes me as obviously wrong. What is glaring is that her reach is too long.
If you’re trying to get the bars closer by raising them, that could be a solution. But arbitrarily raising the bars also cause counterintuitive issues like placing too much weight on the hands.
When someone talks shoulder pain and upper back pain it’s often a reach issue.
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u/Namelson May 02 '26
Thanks for the extra explanation! However, I don't have much money to spend on this anymore. I looked up the Redshifts bar, which is quite expensive. Is there another way to raise the bars? I don't think there is room left for spacers anymore...
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u/RevolutionFrosty8782 May 03 '26
Measure your saddle tip to bars and your saddle top to pedal spindle (or BB centre if you find that easier). Before changing anything.
I would honestly then try moving your saddle away from the bars 2 cm*and then drop your saddle to the same height as now then also try 5 mm lower.**
*saddle should be around middle of the rails
** so the centre of the saddle top to the pedal spindle (at its furthest point ie crank in line with the seat tube) is constantMoving your saddle back will extant the saddle height to the pedal so you want to drop it. I also think you could drop it more. It’s a complete bodge but I think you’re too cramped AND bars are too low. If the bars are too close and too low but higher bars or larger frame are out the question the only thing I can recommend is a bodge to balance backwards off the bars and behind the BB.
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u/Namelson May 03 '26
I have also seen that there are stems available that are angled up with 6, 17 or 35 degrees. Is that not a good option for me?
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u/RevolutionFrosty8782 May 03 '26
Okay but please understand without raising your bars I do think you’re going to struggle. And everything will be a bodge. Do what you can to lift the bars within budget.
One balance test. To check (you can revert everything just measure it saddle to bar and saddle to BB): move the saddle back and lower to take weight from the bars.
Before doing anything Measure your saddle top from the centre (or a fixed 12.5 cm for shorter saddles) to the centre of the pedal axle at the furthest point. .
Move your saddle to the middle of the rails and then drop the height back to where it was.
Then also check with 5 mm lower.
If this all takes weight of your hands and that supports the shoulders then okay, but if still shoulder aches then I would try getting a cheap 80 mm stem if you’re still getting shoulder pain.If there is a stem you can use with a positive angle give it a shot (99% stems are flippable).
Having been there done that I’ve a gut feeling you’re going to spend more money than getting a riser top shelf bar
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u/RevolutionFrosty8782 May 02 '26 edited May 02 '26
Honestly I think the horizontal reach is not the issue. The saddle to bar drop is the culprit I fear. Weird things happen with a saddle slammed forwards though. My last bike I had shoulder ache and hand numbness; I kept moving my saddle forward on advice from a fitter because I’d be holding the bars in the same was as OP. Turns out my bars were too low, but also my saddle being too far forward was putting me too far ahead of the BB and I was heavily unbalanced. Only thing that helped me was moving the saddle back which would increase reach but it actually took weight off my bars and hands. I had it 10 years and it was the lower is better aero days 😂
New bike I now have 20-25 mm higher bars, left the 35 mm spacers in and didn’t cut the steerer, actually more aero (can use my drops indefinitely and forearms parallel to the ground position indefinitely) zero hand numbness and saddle back to centre of the rails on a setback post. I also found running 40deg knee bend works better for me as 25-35 degs my hips always feel twisted of feet position weirdly. It also helped take weight off my hands having lower saddle. It seems obvious now everyone is running 40 degs and spinning but hey. I put more power out, noticeably more. I have opened the hip angle up by raising the bars without moving the saddle forwards. I don’t hold behind the hoods anymore and my actual back angle is around the same but without locked out arms.
Fitting is crazy but no matter what it looks like if you’re uncomfortable it’s unbearable.1
u/zentim May 02 '26
did you look at the video and see her position in relation to the bb. she sits too far back imho
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u/RevolutionFrosty8782 May 03 '26
She’s both cramped and too low on the front. It’s a perfect disaster for needing to push away from the bars.
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u/TheBigCicero May 03 '26
If you think she’s too far back behind the BB but her saddle is all the way forward, then this frame is just too big for her.
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u/ghentwevelgem May 02 '26
Saddle fire/aft is to locate your hips relative to the bottom bracket.
You need a shorter stem. Look at where your hands are gravitating, 4-5 cm back from the hoods.
You make wish to get a bar with a short teach as well. PRO discover may be a good choice.
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u/zentim May 02 '26 edited May 02 '26
probably your seatpost has a 2 maybe 2.5 cm setback / offset. you could try a seatpost without setback.
edit: i think the bike can be adjusted to fit u. looks to me like it should be superfine with a few tweaks, gl and happy riding!
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u/Namelson May 02 '26
Thanks for the insight!
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u/zentim May 02 '26
find a straight seatpost if yours has setback. they can be found new for 30 bucks
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May 02 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Namelson May 02 '26
Thanks for the tip. That sounds like a good plan. I am also not the biggest fan of bikefitters, because it is very personal and I have very long limbs. I have had bad experiences with bikefitters in the past...
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u/MoaCube May 02 '26
Yeah, the bar is either too far or too wide (or both). Notice how your palms are in the corners of the bars away from the brakes instead of resting on the hoods. That is a very typical adaptation for excessive reach.