"Tom Purvis" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Fred Fragger" <
[email protected]> wrote:
> > First thing to point out that my inside leg, wearing shoes, is 31" not
32"
> > (I got it wrong) so either my nickname is stumpy or yours is giraffe's
legs
> >
we need some other reader's measurements to decide which one of us
is
> > "normal" !
>
> In all seriousness, "normal" is BS, there's lots of variation that can still be called normal. But
> what isn't BS is that your torso is as long as lots of 6-footers' torsos. I wouldn't call you
> stumpy, but with a long torso like that, you have to expect to fit onto a larger frame size than
> someone your height who has a short torso. Contrary to popular belief, the way to fit a frame to a
> person is to fit the length of the frame to the length of your torso, not the height to the length
> of your legs.
>
> > My saddle looked perfectly level but I checked it with a spirit level
and
> > it's 1/2 an inch up at the front which I'm guessing won't be helping.
>
> Do you know how to adjust that? I would advise perfectly level as a starting place. I know people
> who like a saddle tipped slightly back, but if your boys are talking to you, I'd guess it ain't
> right for you. If you don't know how to adjust it, take it to a shop. (Or mess with it, they
> aren't too hard to figure out).
>
> If you find that your *can't* adjust it to tip any farther forward, it's likely that your post was
> installed backwards. I've seen that before. If so, remove the saddle from the clamp, turn the post
> around to face the other way, and put the saddle back on. You should be able to make the saddle
> slant as much as 10 degrees forward if it's on the post the right way.
>
> > My saddle (when levelled) and bars are at exactly the same height.
>
> That's a damn fine place to start. Let's assume for now that rise is OK and some other thing is
> causing trouble.
>
> > I checked my frame size and, measuring from the centre of the crank(?)
to
> > the top of the seat tube, I got 20" which I was expecting
>
> Find out what your seat height is, center of crank bolt to top of saddle just over the seat
> post clamp.
>
> > Measuring (horizontally because the top tube slopes) from the centre of
the
> > seat tube to the centre of the head tube I get 22.5" You're right, I
don't
> > know how to measure the "effective" top tube length - perhaps you could enlighten me? I like to
> > learn something new every day!
>
> It's a little subjective. Here's word definition: "The horizontal measure from the center of the
> headset to the center of the seatpost. The most important measurement when buying a bike, because
> it cannot be changed."
>
> First, find a spot that looks like the center of the head tube just where the headset is on the
> top. Take your spirit level, and find horizontal back from there. Measure the distance along that
> level to your seat post.
>
> This is subjective at least because a taller fork will make your frame seem to have a longer
> effective top tube.
>
> > The stem, measured from the centre of the head tube to the centre of the bars is 4"
>
> If that measurement is correct, you have a 100mm stem. That's short for a bike your bike's size.
>
> Get effective top tube and also get distance from point of saddle to center of handlebar at the
> stem clamp. I'm curious about both those.
>
> It may very well be that the only thing you need to do is level out your saddle or tip it
> "slightly" forward (if you have to tip it too far forward to keep your package happy, it suggests
> that your bars are too low or forward, and it can make your hands go to sleep).
> --
> Tom Purvis -
http://www.arkansasvalley.net/tpurvis/ Salida, CO
Tom
Thanks for taking the time & trouble thus far, I've been up country for a family funeral and only
got back late tonight so I'll do a bit more measuring tomorrow and get back to you.
Regards,
Fred
