Position in the drops - new stem?

SWL

Guys,
I have a query about my bike position in the drops, I feel comfortable no pains etc. my arms are not fully locked etc., but my vision is a little restricted; its fine if I have an open road and can use the lines on the highway to guide me but when I need to look further up the road my neck feels strained, couldn’t ride safely in that position for too long, I presume I should flip the stem?

Also I have noticed during descents I feel as if I am over the bars a little too much and my balance feels off, never feel confident when the speed starts to pick up again I am unsure if this is related to the above.

Running a 100mm stem and thought about getting a 120mm and flipping it but not sure it what will solve the problems.

Had a bike fit done and was told the bike is a perfect and in every other way it is, except for the above.

Any advice

browsing

sounds like you're a bit stretched out so increasing the stem length will just make it worse. If anything, it sounds like you need a shorter stem! you could rearrange the spacers so the current stem is a bit higher. might help. I'm no expert though. Sounds like you should go back to the person who did the fit perhaps.

mamax

I flipped my stem for winter riding and it helped a lot, it's worth a try

smacl

I changed to compact drops which solved a similar problem. Prior to this I tried an adjustable stem when first moving from flat to drop bars but have since moved back to a six degree stem.

niceonetom

It's almost impossible to comment sensibly on someone's position without seeing them ride in it but it sounds like, fit aside, you could do with working on your mobility in the upper back and neck.

Upward facing dog.

Joff

QUOTE[ when I need to look further up the road my neck feels strained, couldn’t ride safely in that position for too long, I presume I should flip the stem?]QUOTE

If you're not comfortable you won't enjoy it......so either raise the bars by flipping the stem or, if it applies, swap the spacers from above to below the bars.

As NICEONETOM posts, flexibility may also be an issue, poss try yoga or pilates.

Good luck.

SWL

Thanks for the advice guys,

I am doing pilates so see how that goes, the bike is a Canyon so I can't use any more spacers ( biggest disadvantage with Canyon). When I got the bike fit done I was between a 100 - 120mm stem, on the hoods its a perfect fit, I rode my brothers bike over the Christmas holidays and descending it more comfortable and felt safer when the speed picked up, he has a different set up, I will flip the stem and see how that goes, but I do a lot of riding on the hoods and don't want to be too high.

quozl

How big is the hoods to drops drop on your bars?
If you don't already have compact bars then a set of compact bars like Smacl mentioned could let you keep your hoods exactly where they are but move your drops up a cm or two.

SWL

quozl wrote: »

How big is the hoods to drops drop on your bars?
If you don't already have compact bars then a set of compact bars like Smacl mentioned could let you keep your hoods exactly where they are but move your drops up a cm or two.

I am going to measure them tonight and see what is out there as per Smacl post, all I need is half an inch and its perfect, so may give that a go

smacl

SWL wrote: »

I am going to measure them tonight and see what is out there as per Smacl post, all I need is half an inch and its perfect, so may give that a go

I went for FSA omega compacts which are cheap enough and do the job nicely.

quozl

Another option is http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/deda-elementi-rhm01-road-handlebar-black/rp-prod84200
22e delivered. I have them and like them.

Andy Magic

What width are the bars and on your brothers biek you rode over the holidays? I used to get a pain in my lower neck because I was using 44cm bars, so I changed to 42cm and it fixed everything, also I felt more in control on technical descents. Hope that helps!

SWL

Andy Magic wrote: »

What width are the bars and on your brothers biek you rode over the holidays? I used to get a pain in my lower neck because I was using 44cm bars, so I changed to 42cm and it fixed everything, also I felt more in control on technical descents. Hope that helps!

Ya I am using 44cm but my brother is the same build and height so he using the same, but his bike is set up for a more relaxed riding position as he rides a lot less than I do, I don't get a pain in my neck but it feels the angle of my head is too severe and to look ahead while in the drops this could be unsafe to see what is happening further up the road.

My centre of gravity I think is off especially descending, I feel I am over the bars too much, so maybe a longer stem might do the trick, if the bike was not a Canyon I would buy a longer stem and if it didn't work I could re-sell it, I just don't want to waste the money so getting poster advice.

The drop from the saddle to the bars is 7.5 (from memory) so hardly hard core.

Plastik

7.5 cm or inches?

Cee-Jay-Cee

SWL wrote: »

My centre of gravity I think is off especially descending, I feel I am over the bars too much, so maybe a longer stem might do the trick, if the bike was not a Canyon I would buy a longer stem and if it didn't work I could re-sell it, I just don't want to waste the money so getting poster advice.

The drop from the saddle to the bars is 7.5 (from memory) so hardly hard core.

A longer stem means that your hands are further away which will leave you even further out over the bars, you need a shorter stem, if anything. I changed the bars on my bike from deep drop to shallow drop/short reach bars (3T ergonova) and the difference is huge. Beforehand I felt stretched even on the hoods, but a shorter stem (100mm to 90mm) and the new bars has given me a whole lot more comfort in all riding positions. Before hand i couldnt ride in the drops at all as i was too low and uncomfortable but now i can easily ride for a considerable time in the drops.

SWL

Plastik wrote: »

7.5 cm or inches?

Pretty sure its inches - I will have to check the bike fit sheet again, is that a big drop?

SWL

CJC999 wrote: »

A longer stem means that your hands are further away which will leave you even further out over the bars, you need a shorter stem, if anything. I changed the bars on my bike from deep drop to shallow drop/short reach bars (3T ergonova) and the difference is huge. Beforehand I felt stretched even on the hoods, but a shorter stem (100mm to 90mm) and the new bars has given me a whole lot more comfort in all riding positions. Before hand i couldnt ride in the drops at all as i was too low and uncomfortable but now i can easily ride for a considerable time in the drops.

Sorry I don't think I am explaining myself properly, riding on the flat, hands on the hoods everything is 100% perfect, the fit and bike feel made for me, descending it feels like the bars are under my chest as opposed to in front of me, during the bike fit the guy said I could go for a longer stem 110 -120mm but it was ok at 100mm and he commented that the bike was a perfect fit - I think shallow drop bars might be the solution.

Plastik

A 7.5 inch drop would be a very aggressive fit. Fit is both right and wrong, and it's a very personal thing too - but it's hard to understand how a fit can be right with 100, 110 & 120mm stems.

I was recently fit and moved from a 110 stem to a 130. I was very comfortable at the original reach, but after a few weeks I wouldn't go back. The analysis showed how much more hunched I was with the 110 on, the bars a little too close, a lot of elbow and knee overlap at the top of the stroke. Moving the bars out brought it into the "optimum" range of the upper body angles. Who decided what's optimum, I don't know. I've a 6.5 inch drop.

If you need a 7.5 inch drop and up to a 120mm stem I would hazard a guess that the frame is too small for you. Did you have the fit done in the same place that sold you the bike? Post a picture of the setup.

SWL

Plastik wrote: »

A 7.5 inch drop would be a very aggressive fit. Fit is both right and wrong, and it's a very personal thing too - but it's hard to understand how a fit can be right with 100, 110 & 120mm stems.

I was recently fit and moved from a 110 stem to a 130. I was very comfortable at the original reach, but after a few weeks I wouldn't go back. The analysis showed how much more hunched I was with the 110 on, the bars a little too close, a lot of elbow and knee overlap at the top of the stroke. Moving the bars out brought it into the "optimum" range of the upper body angles. Who decided what's optimum, I don't know. I've a 6.5 inch drop.

If you need a 7.5 inch drop and up to a 120mm stem I would hazard a guess that the frame is too small for you. Did you have the fit done in the same place that sold you the bike? Post a picture of the setup.

Thanks for the feedback, got the fit done by a bike fitting expert, after he gave me the result I then went and purchased the new bike using the downtube and top bar lengths, e.g. I am approx. 6'4'' and the toptube is a 58.3cm plus a 110mm stem, I feel I could use a longer stem no problem, but I am unsure if that's the problem I think it would solve the very slow descending speeds, I might post up some pictures while riding and get poster opinion.