Is there a Fit thread?

How bigs the stem? Can you get shorter reach bars

Well, there’s certainly nothing wrong with having a mile of seatpost (exhibit A), but what a smaller frame giveth in shorter TT it taketh in a shorter HTA and if you’re happy with your existing saddle to bar drop you might need a rivendell-style stem to bring the bars up to the height you prefer.

If I was in your shoes, I’d zero-offset the chairpost if you’ve not done it, use a shorter but not embarrassingly so stem, and humor your inner retrogrouch by trying a swept-back handlebar like the Nitto Noodle. And if that didn’t work, buy the smaller frame and embrace your rivbro doom by putting 6 inches of spacers under the stem.

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@anon71759125 @Orc thanks for the info. Here’s the current setup.

The (integrated) seatpost is straight and the saddle is nearly slammed all the way forward (might have a couple more mm before hitting the max line). The stem is 100mm +8 degrees.

Maybe if I fully slammed the saddle to the max line and got a 90mm we could get there? What’s the bottom line for non-embarrassing stem length?

Hmmm, you find yourself to stretched out when on the hods or just riding the bike in general? I’d look for a slightly less “deep” bar, like from the tops to where you smang your shakes at. I hope that makes sense?

Personally? 70mm, though from the picture it looks like you’ve squashed your cockpit about as much as possible on that thing and all that stem would give you is the opportunity to whack your knees against the handlebar in a sprint.

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Oh yeah that’s then a frame that doesn’t fit.

You shouldn’t move the seat forward to make the bike fit. If you are, it’s too long.

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That’s KOPS level nonsense. Moving the saddle fore/aft is perfectly valid way to adjust fit to a specific bike, for a large population of cyclists.

That said, for the Giant I’d start with moving the seat back, down and going to a -17 stem. They’re cheap from China so I’d try a 70/80/90mm and I bet one works best.

I think you’re too high and too far forward. My experience is that unintentional t-rex fit is almost always caused by making adjustments that attempt to fix things but end up furthering the issue with each incremental change. Starting with thinking too stretched out when the issue is not stretched properly.

Does anyone have the skeleton graphic? It’s like that but different.

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Hmmmm. Interesting.

Keep chiming in. I’m still leaning towards selling, but still curious to hear opinions on it.

I’d consider the body that goes on the bike. How’s your hip / core flexibility and strength? I’m like a broken record about this in this thread, but yoga yoga yoga if you’re not already doing it.

Just an uniformed opinion here, but I used to be a “reach is always too long” person, and I would cheat by reducing setback. It took me a long time to figure out that I needed to do the opposite.

Increasing setback (by quite a bit!) took a ton of weight off my hands and allowed me to reach further towards the bars, because I wasn’t trying to hold myself up with my arms so I didn’t need to have my arms in a strong (push-up) position. Now i’m more stretched out, which feels nice, with a slightly longer stem and lower bars.

This also coincided with starting to ride more and further, so it’s hard to separate the variables.

Try a smaller bike, and get those bars down. You will be fine with a longer stem if needed, which I don’t think you will need. More seatpost is not your enemy on this frame style. Everyone is right, but I think you don’t have enough seatpost for your needed bar height.

This morning I’m still leaning towards replacing it… but I’m definitely not buying anything else until I’ve sold it.

I’ve preemptively put it up for sale and in the meantime will try a few different options with it, including the “stretchier” ones.

Anyone want a TCR? Lol.

Is the mtb fitting thing where you put your elbow on the nose of your saddle and hope that your fingers land on the center of your stem an actually useful general guideline, or is it some KOPS bullshit? I’m assuming the latter, but hoping it’s the former, because I have no idea how an mtb is supposed to fit, reach-wise.

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I really have no answer with “data” to back it up, but most fit guides feel very static were as mtb riding is much more dynamic and fluid. And so varying with what type of riding/fitness level you are at. Sure in the time of :sadgrant: and Hite-Rite’s that KOPS thing maybe worked but now when we are growing longer/lower/slacker in every discipline of mtb riding I’m not sure? Be it WC XC racing, regular ol trail riding to enduro the fit tends to differ from stretched out and low with max VO2 intake and W/Kg body output to more upright and stable for better view/handling/moving bodyweight around.

I haven’t really based my mtb fit on any data or school and rather more what feels good riding when I’m out doing the type of riding I want (and of course taking in consideration the geometry of my slack and long enduro rig sure as fuck wouldn’t handle good with a 150mm boner stem from the 90’s).

Maybe some one else more versed in the modern bike-fit world can throw some numbers at you.

If this is regarding your “IT US :tarckbear:” I’d say:

  • Bars wide, like between 800-760mm.
  • Stem short with no rise, like 35-50mm.
  • Saddle positioned so you are “on top of your BB” (maybe even a little forward mounted if your SA is at a slack angle) and not far back over your back wheel. Legs not fully extended at lowest point of pedal stroke like: Saddle up, put your heel on your pedal (at the bottom of your pedal stroke) and if your leg is stretched out fully then you are at the right height.

It’s worked for me, but I’m flexible/suffer from slight hyper mobility.

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Like centered between the steerer and handlebars as “center of the stem”?

Or Dave Moulton style?

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I recently figured out that I am generally comfortable in the 3cm above saddle or 3cm below saddle. In between there is going to be hard on my wrists. Makes sense.

this is great info, and I have saved it for future reference. Unfortunately, i"m trying to get myself fit onto a 1990 stumpjumper, so there are some limits to where I can go on the thing.

I’m thinking wider bars (currently 620) or alt bars of some kind? I suspect the bike wants some Cowchippers and a big basket rather than some 810mm modern bars…

I think I suggested this bar to someone in the dithering thread, but I think it’s rad so here:

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Cruisers and 120ish stem is fun on old mtbs.
Dirt drop stem and wide drops isn’t my thing but people seem to dig it.

I have some random dirt drop kalloy stem and https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Mountain-Bike-3-1-2-Riser-Handlebar-27-5-Wide-25-4-Clamp-Black/382183612203 on my old fat chance and its fucking fun, great for bombing town, great climbing in low gears, and great ripping through the woods.

Only uncomfortable for 30+ mile rides when its a little too upright, but I have other bikes for that shit.

Oh, those bars look good. I’m curious about super weird bars, but maybe some big risers are more what I need

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