Too much weight on my hands?

Recently I had a new bike built specially for me. All my measurements were
taken, and the bike was adjusted completely according to the data from the
measurements. After having ridden it for about 1500km now, I'm still under
the impression that I have too much pressure (weight) on my hands. My legs
and arms are relatively long, so the frame is bigger then someone of my
length would usually need. My feeling is that the distance between the
saddle and the handle bars is too big. Supposing that this is indeed the
case, should I think of moving the saddle forward, or use a shorter stem for
the handle bars? Unfortunately the saddle is already near the end of forward
travel, so if it must go furter forward I will probabloy need another post.

"Ron Engels" wrote:
Recently I had a new bike built specially for me. All my measurements were
taken, and the bike was adjusted completely according to the data from the
measurements. After having ridden it for about 1500km now, I'm still under
the impression that I have too much pressure (weight) on my hands.

The one potential risk of buying a custom made bike is that you don't get to
test ride it before you buy it. Ideally, the frame builder should discuss
your preferences and type of riding with you, and not just base his design
on body measurements. Normally, people buy a custom frame after being
dissatified with their standard frame. The conversation with the custom
builder should start with the bike you're unhappy with, and result in a
frame design that improves your fit.

My legs and arms are relatively long, so the frame is bigger then someone
of my length would usually need. My feeling is that the distance between
the saddle and the handle bars is too big.

That sounds like a bad fit. I assume we're talking about a road bike. Did
you have another road bike before this? How long have you been riding a road
bike? If you're new to road bikes, it may take a while to get used to the
correct position.

Supposing that this is indeed the case, should I think of moving the
saddle forward, or use a shorter stem for the handle bars? Unfortunately
the saddle is already near the end of forward travel, so if it must go
furter forward I will probabloy need another post.

No! Don't move the saddle to correct a "reach" problem. The saddle fore/aft
position should be adjusted to position you relative to the bottom bracket.
Change the stem to one that has less forward extention, and possibly more
vertical rise.

Art Harris

Thanks for the answer. Sorry for not being completely accurate, English is
not my first language.
The frame is standard. The rest of the bike was assembled and adjusted to
fit me. This is my second road bike, and it feels a lot better then the
first. As a matter of fact, everything below the waist feels perfect. It's
just that I think I need to reach too far when riding with my hands on top
of the brake handles.I can ride quite comfortably with my hands on top of
the handle bar, and also with my hands down in the drops (I think that's
what you call 'em) if I move them as far back wards as possible. So I guess
the best option would be to try a shorter stem. The vertical position is
fine I think, I'm not looking for a more upright position.

Ron

Ron Engels wrote:
Recently I had a new bike built specially for me. All my measurements were
taken, and the bike was adjusted completely according to the data from the
measurements. After having ridden it for about 1500km now, I'm still under
the impression that I have too much pressure (weight) on my hands. My legs
and arms are relatively long, so the frame is bigger then someone of my
length would usually need. My feeling is that the distance between the
saddle and the handle bars is too big. Supposing that this is indeed the
case, should I think of moving the saddle forward, or use a shorter stem for
the handle bars? Unfortunately the saddle is already near the end of forward
travel, so if it must go furter forward I will probabloy need another post.

Too much pressure on the hands suggests that the bars might be too
close, or too low, or that the nose of the saddle is pitched down too
much. Try raising the bars, lowering the saddle slightly, pushing the
saddle back and/or tipping the nose up a bit to shift your weight
rearward.

"Ron Engels" wrote:
I think I need to reach too far when riding with my hands on top of the
brake handles. I can ride quite comfortably with my hands on top of the
handle bar, and also with my hands down in the drops (I think that's what
you call 'em) if I move them as far back wards as possible.

OK, that clears things up. There are a few _slight_ adjustments you can make
when positioning the levers on the bars, and adjusting the tilt of the bars.
Moving the brake levers slightly higher up on the bar, and/or tilting the
bar slightly upward (so that the bottom part of the bar points toward the
rear hub) might help. You might want to experiment with that, but I think a
shorter stem is the real answer.

Good luck
Art Harris

"Ron Engels" wrote in message
. ..
Recently I had a new bike built specially for me. All my measurements were
taken, and the bike was adjusted completely according to the data from the
measurements. After having ridden it for about 1500km now, I'm still under
the impression that I have too much pressure (weight) on my hands. My legs
and arms are relatively long, so the frame is bigger then someone of my
length would usually need. My feeling is that the distance between the
saddle and the handle bars is too big. Supposing that this is indeed the
case, should I think of moving the saddle forward, or use a shorter stem
for the handle bars? Unfortunately the saddle is already near the end of
forward travel, so if it must go furter forward I will probabloy need
another post.


First... having had a custom-made road bike, I feel that there are no
measurements that guarantee a comfortable fit, only actual experience on the
bike - your own that is. The measurement-based fit is only a reasonable
starting point.

Second... You mention too much weight on the hands, and at the same time,
feeling too stretched to the handlebars. Too stretched can be just a matter
of a body not being adapted to the position on a road bike, but, too much
weight, paradoxically, may be because your seat is too far forward rather
than too far back. This can seriously unbalance a road bike, adversely
affect handling, and put too much of the weight on the hands instead of on
the butt. Try moving it back a little (and since it will be further back, it
will be that much farther to the pedals, so you may have to lower it a
little). With the saddle a little further back, your handling and stability
will improve, and it will relieve the weight on your hands by more evenly
distributing your weight. Now, if you ARE too stretched out, you may also
need a shorter stem.

First try the seat a little lower and a little further back. Then, work on
the distance to the handlebars. You can always get a shorter stem. Unless
you're racing for short distances, you have to give up a bit of pedalling
efficiency for the increased comfort you need to ride longer distances. If
it turns out that you most comfortable seat position is too far back to
comfortably ride in the drops, get a saddle with a nice, flat shape, which
allows you to move back and forth on it - forward for riding in the drops,
and back for when riding sitting up. Too many saddles these days are
designed for just one fixed seating position. I like some of the Selle San
Marcos for that.

Pete

Pete

Ron Engels wrote:
Recently I had a new bike built specially for me. All my measurements were
taken, and the bike was adjusted completely according to the data from the
measurements. After having ridden it for about 1500km now, I'm still under
the impression that I have too much pressure (weight) on my hands. My legs
and arms are relatively long, so the frame is bigger then someone of my
length would usually need. My feeling is that the distance between the
saddle and the handle bars is too big. Supposing that this is indeed the
case, should I think of moving the saddle forward, or use a shorter stem for
the handle bars? Unfortunately the saddle is already near the end of forward
travel, so if it must go furter forward I will probabloy need another post.

Put your knee over the pedal spndle with the cranks forward...knee over
pedal spindle. Altho a small 'c' constant, the place to start. Then see
if the top tube and stem are too long. Perhaps a no setback seat post
but look at saddle weight and fore-aft.

'Built specially for you' as in custom? Sounds like not too hot of a
job. Shorter and perhaps rise stem after KOPS??

Ron Engels wrote:
Recently I had a new bike built specially for me. All my measurements were
taken, and the bike was adjusted completely according to the data from the
measurements. After having ridden it for about 1500km now, I'm still under
the impression that I have too much pressure (weight) on my hands. My legs
and arms are relatively long, so the frame is bigger then someone of my
length would usually need. My feeling is that the distance between the
saddle and the handle bars is too big. Supposing that this is indeed the
case, should I think of moving the saddle forward, or use a shorter stem for
the handle bars? Unfortunately the saddle is already near the end of forward
travel, so if it must go furter forward I will probabloy need another post.




Get the saddle back where it belongs and that'll relieve pressure from
your hands. I use the squatting analogy: if you squatted to the floor
and your butt wasn't behind you (in other words, if you squatted in such
a way as to drop your butt vertically), you'd fall forward, flat on your
face. Same goes for bike positioning. If you're to far forward, your
center of gravity is too far forward.

If the reach is still to great, get a shorter stem.


Robin Hubert

In article ,
Arthur Harris wrote:
No! Don't move the saddle to correct a "reach" problem. The saddle fore/aft
position should be adjusted to position you relative to the bottom bracket.
Change the stem to one that has less forward extention, and possibly more
vertical rise.

I agree. Moving your saddle forward will put even more weight on your hands.
If anything, you need to move your saddle backwards to fix your balance
problem. And get a shorter stem to adjust your reach.

Arthur Harris wrote:
"Ron Engels" wrote:
I think I need to reach too far when riding with my hands on top of the
brake handles. I can ride quite comfortably with my hands on top of the
handle bar, and also with my hands down in the drops (I think that's what
you call 'em) if I move them as far back wards as possible.

OK, that clears things up. There are a few _slight_ adjustments you can make
when positioning the levers on the bars, and adjusting the tilt of the bars.
Moving the brake levers slightly higher up on the bar, and/or tilting the
bar slightly upward (so that the bottom part of the bar points toward the
rear hub) might help. You might want to experiment with that, but I think a
shorter stem is the real answer.

I think this is good advice. Since he is comfortable on the tops of the
handlebars and the drops, the problem with being comfortable on the
brake hoods may be the tilt of the bars and/or the position of the
levers, especially if he is able to ride comfortably on the drops with
his hands in the forward position. If the levers are too far down on
the bars, they will not feel good even if the fit is perfect for
everything else.