positional madness- where is perfect ?

[Johnfforbes]

possible leg length issue

For the fellow who can't find his ideal position. I agree with all the advice given in the thread but wonder if he has a leg length issue. That twisting fall he mentioned very well could cause a functional leg length discrepancy. If so he possibly sits obliquely on the saddle which causes all sorts of upper body problems.
I'll repeat the advice given by another poster, get a professional bike fit from a reputable fitter who has experience dealing with such physical issues.

 

[Laszlo]

165 mm cranks

+1

Yep. 165mm seems to have done the trick. I got an affordable set off ebay, I
actually had to machine the splines a few mm on the inside of the left crank to remove some lateral play ( minor unforeseen incompatibility with my BB)- a test on my home trainer to check my seat height and 2 road sessions with them this week( 6+ hrs total) . First thing I noticed was that I was able to power across the top and bottom of the pedal stroke. My rpms are a bit higher. My seated climbs slightly slower- but then again I am recovering from 4 weeks off due to muscle strain injury so I am trying to keep things light. My heart rate seems lower by about 5-10 bpm while hammering, and it should even be higher considering the time off the bike. Beyond that, my bike feels a lot like the bikes I was used to- those with 170mm cranks- I don't know, same make of shoes and pedal systems, so I might conclude I have shrunk over the years ( brings to mind a seinfeld episode...).

 

[Rock7586]

Everything mentioned sounds on right on the money.

Try looking at your RPM/Cadence. I wonder if your need to fuss with your position could have more to do with your level of fatigue throughout the ride. If you pushed a bigger gear your muscles would tire out sooner, causing your to use different muscles in different less effective ways.

Try upping your cadence, and keeping fresher legs over the longer duration. I seem to ride at about 100+ RPM

Past that all great bike fits start at the shoe. And leg length and foot discrepancies

 

[Rock7586]

http://sheldonbrown.com/kops.html

Keith Bontrager has a great article about bike fit which is great a great place to start. Or revisit.

 

[Laszlo]

that is a good link-I've always felt that the feel one had while riding was far more important a guide to bike-setup than any chart or rule.

 

[marrykonta]

Hi Laszlo,

Well dude,All that plus a note I made on the Cadence thread that applies: your saddle is long enough for different positions. Good climbers vary their position. If you're jambed at the back of your saddle in a Pro crit you are probably off the back.Perfectness is not possible in any extreme cases.I want suggestion form others.

Thanks

 

[Oldman]

Hi Laszlo,

Well dude,All that plus a note I made on the Cadence thread that applies: your saddle is long enough for different positions. Good climbers vary their position. If you're jambed at the back of your saddle in a Pro crit you are probably off the back.Perfectness is not possible in any extreme cases.I want suggestion form others.

Thanks

All that plus a note I made on the Cadence thread that applies: your saddle is long enough for different positions. Good climbers vary their position. If you're jambed at the back of your saddle in a Pro crit you are probably off the back. Don't assume the "correct" position assumes you'll never move forward or back or need to get out of the saddle. The best position seems to be the least stressful at high cadence.

You missed the most important part of the quote.

 

[evaadrain]

Hi buddy,

I observed regular stretching throughout the week; when I set out the bike felt a bit small for me, but I didn't adjust anything. Went up a short steep climb ( my polar shows me 21% at one point ) seated in 42x23; and continued a hilly 125kms overall- coming back my stoplight sprints got 122 cadence, which is about 10 rpm more than I have been reciently seeing, and I felt a heck of a lot more lively. Once home I did some post ride stretches in the shower. I don't know if I can attribute the ride positives to the stretching regime- but at this point I don't see why not.