Bike fit : not exact science

[weisan]

Bike fit numbers Mar. 21, 2018

Cyfac
Saddle Height: 74
Setback: 5.2 (74-68.8)
Cockpit: 52.5 (to stem), 65 (to hood)
Bar drop: 4 (98.5-94.5)

Cervelo
Saddle Height: 74
Setback: 4.2 (73.5-69.3)
Cockpit: 51.3(to stem), 64 (to hood)
Bar drop: 3.0 (97.5-94.5)

Giant
Saddle Height: 74
Setback: 6.8 (79-72.2)
Cockpit: 52.5 (to stem), 65 (to hood)
Bar drop: 2 (97.5-95.5)

Richard Sachs
Saddle Height: 74
Setback: 5.7 (73.5-67.8)
Cockpit: 51.5 (to stem), 63.5(to hood)
Bar drop: 4.3 (96.8-92.5)

Merlin
Saddle Height: 74
Setback: 4.1 (73.8-69.7)
Cockpit: 51.3 (to stem), 64.2(to hood)
Bar drop:.0.3 (97.3-97)

Rivendell
Saddle Height: 74
Setback: 7.5 (75.5-68)
Cockpit: 52.5 (to stem), 65.5(to hood)
Bar drop:.0 (97-97)

Hampsten
Saddle Height: 74 cm
Setback: 7.3 (75.8-68.3)
Cockpit: 52 (to stem), 63(to hood)
Bar drop: 2.5 (98-95.5)

[Blown Reek]

Well, seeing how your saddle height is the same among all four bikes, I'd say that it's pretty exact.

However, if you have set it up to where you are "comfortable", you might not be in an ideal position (regarding saddle height and fore/aft). But since you're constant, that's what counts, because your saddle height and saddle fore/aft is the most important part of fitting. Everything else is personal preference.

Try adjusting your saddle height differently between each of your bikes. If you do that, your bioperformace will change, whereas reach and drop don't affect it (as much).

[Kontact]

Did you actually pay for 6 different fits?

[ultraman6970]

Don't know about him but some people does.

Originally Posted by Kontact

Did you actually pay for 6 different fits?

[David Tollefson]

Do you have the same saddle on each bike as well?

[ripvanrando]

Science?

[glepore]

Fit is like saddles, some people are sensitive to every mm, some folks adapt after a few minutes. I'm in the later group. I can tell the difference but unless I'm at an extreme it usually works after a bit.

Ask me after 70-80 miles, and I might feel differently, but I don't spend much of my riding time on rides of that distance.

[Kontact]

Originally Posted by ultraman6970

Don't know about him but some people does.

Yeah, I'm genuinely curious if all 6 are the result of professional fits, or if there wasn't even that much "science" involved.

But I don't understand why anyone would get a bunch of road bikes individually fit instead of transferring the position to all of them. (Which usually goes with some refinements due to different brake levers and that kind of thing, but not anything that would cause the same saddle to be positioned 3.5cm differently per bike.)

[Blown Reek]

Originally Posted by Kontact

...but not anything that would cause the same saddle to be positioned 3.5cm differently per bike.)

Originally Posted by David Tollefson

Do you have the same saddle on each bike as well?

Perhaps.

[Gummee]

Originally Posted by glepore

Fit is like saddles, some people are sensitive to every mm, some folks adapt after a few minutes. I'm in the later group. I can tell the difference but unless I'm at an extreme it usually works after a bit.

Ask me after 70-80 miles, and I might feel differently, but I don't spend much of my riding time on rides of that distance.

I'm the former. I jokingly refer to saddle position as 'I have a princess and the pea' butt/legs.

M

[Pegoready]

You have several bikes that fit differently. And your point is?

[fiamme red]

[ripvanrando]

Originally Posted by Pegoready

You have several bikes that fit differently. And your point is?

Maybe that there are large error bars around "fit"?? Lots of tolerance aside from saddle height??

3mm variance on saddle height is my limit

Reach is more related to balance and setback....an extra 10 mm won't kill me

I think this is what Weisan is saying.

[Mzilliox]

it doesnt bug you that one saddle is setback 3mm more than another? that kind of thing would drive my nuts nuts. reach all seems in order, i have a bit different reach and drop on different bikes, but saddle position relative to BB is not something my legs change lengths for.

to each their own i guess

[Kontact]

Originally Posted by Mzilliox

it doesnt bug you that one saddle is setback 3mm more than another? that kind of thing would drive my nuts nuts. reach all seems in order, i have a bit different reach and drop on different bikes, but saddle position relative to BB is not something my legs change lengths for.

to each their own i guess

Lot's of folks have their touring bikes set up with more set back than their racers. And I added set back to one casual racer I have to make up for a short stem I wanted to use - it just means my drop is going to be less.


But I wouldn't move the saddle forward of my race bike position - that changes things a lot more than moving it back.