[robulous8]

Hi, thank you in advance for all of your input. I've been riding for about five years and have never been able to get dialed in with a well fitted bike. I finally said screw it and got measured.

My specs:

I'm 6 foot 2-1/2 inches tall with a 36.6 inseam. :mad2: I Do Not Have a Torso. I ride about thirty miles four days a week and will try to get 50 miles in the last day of the week. In the winter I do one hour spin classes five days a week. I need help finding a bike that will work with my odd geometry.

My goal is to find a carbon / ultegra bike (don't care about price, only fit) and I have the following choices. PLEASE LET ME KNOW OTHER BRANDS I'M MISSING.

1. Giant (58 cm), I cannot find a Giant with a headtube longer than 180 mm's.
2. Cannondale (58 cm), I cannot find a Cannondale with a headtube longer than 180 mm's.
3. Trek Madone (58 cm), the "performance" madone has a 190 mm head tube with a 57.2 cm Top Tube.
4. Cervelo RS (58 cm), 200 mm head tube with a 58 cm top tube.
5. Specialized Roubaiz (58 cm), 215 mm head tube and a 58.2 Top tube.
6. Specialized Tarmac (58 cm), 205 mm head tube and a 58.2 Top Tube.
7. Orbea, I can't find an orbea with a headtube longer than 180 mm's.
8. Pinerello paris (57.5 cm) has a 58 Top Tube and a 195 mm headtube.

My Thoughts:
Giant, Cannondale and Orbea are out, too small of head tube.

Madone- this has the shortest TT 57.2 cm's but only a 190 Head tube. I tried the 60 cm but that was way too big.

Cervelo RS- this has a decent 200 mm head tube and a 58 cm TT. I like this bike but is it too much for me? I'm not planning on racing but want to find something to carry me over a century. My longest current rides are 55 miles, alone.

Roubaiz (spelling?) this has a monster head tube at 215 and I actually think it might be too much. Plus I wasn't impressed with the carbon on the one I road.

Tamarac - This has a good 205 head tube and a good 58 cm TT. I thought the bike was okay, not as stiff as the madone or Cervelo. What do you all think?

Questions?????
Is the Cervelo too much bike for me? DO YOU KNOW OF ANY OTHER BRANDS I SHOULD BE LOOKING AT?

 

[PJ352]

Hi, thank you in advance for all of your input. I've been riding for about five years and have never been able to get dialed in with a well fitted bike. I finally said screw it and got measured.

My specs:

I'm 6 foot 2-1/2 inches tall with a 36.6 inseam. :mad2: I Do Not Have a Torso. I ride about thirty miles four days a week and will try to get 50 miles in the last day of the week. In the winter I do one hour spin classes five days a week. I need help finding a bike that will work with my odd geometry.

My goal is to find a carbon / ultegra bike (don't care about price, only fit) and I have the following choices. PLEASE LET ME KNOW OTHER BRANDS I'M MISSING.

1. Giant (58 cm), I cannot find a Giant with a headtube longer than 180 mm's.
2. Cannondale (58 cm), I cannot find a Cannondale with a headtube longer than 180 mm's.
3. Trek Madone (58 cm), the "performance" madone has a 190 mm head tube with a 57.2 cm Top Tube.
4. Cervelo RS (58 cm), 200 mm head tube with a 58 cm top tube.
5. Specialized Roubaiz (58 cm), 215 mm head tube and a 58.2 Top tube.
6. Specialized Tarmac (58 cm), 205 mm head tube and a 58.2 Top Tube.
7. Orbea, I can't find an orbea with a headtube longer than 180 mm's.
8. Pinerello paris (57.5 cm) has a 58 Top Tube and a 195 mm headtube.

My Thoughts:
Giant, Cannondale and Orbea are out, too small of head tube.

Madone- this has the shortest TT 57.2 cm's but only a 190 Head tube. I tried the 60 cm but that was way too big.

Cervelo RS- this has a decent 200 mm head tube and a 58 cm TT. I like this bike but is it too much for me? I'm not planning on racing but want to find something to carry me over a century. My longest current rides are 55 miles, alone.

Roubaiz (spelling?) this has a monster head tube at 215 and I actually think it might be too much. Plus I wasn't impressed with the carbon on the one I road.

Tamarac - This has a good 205 head tube and a good 58 cm TT. I thought the bike was okay, not as stiff as the madone or Cervelo. What do you all think?

Questions?????
Is the Cervelo too much bike for me? DO YOU KNOW OF ANY OTHER BRANDS I SHOULD BE LOOKING AT?

If by measured you mean you had a bike fit, that's good, but you don't share those measurements beyond height and inseam. If by measured you mean measured, then IMO you need to get a bike fit.

Also, if you 'have no torso', I'm not sure why you're focusing on HT lengths. In general, longer HT's are going to shorten reach by only a few mm's, while a shorter effective TT and stem can shorten reach by cm's, depending on the measurements, which I'd think is more on track with what you need.

I'm not a fan of Cervelo's, but I'd be curious what model Madone, Tarmac and Roubaix's you tested.

 

[Peanya]

I agree 100% here. If a bike store has you focusing on these, then they are not pros at fitting. Get fit for a bike, and test ride it. Don't just let someone sell you what they want to -have someone find the right ride and fit.

 

[robulous8]

I'm concerned with the Head Tube height because my inseam is so long I have to put the saddle extremely high and I can't reach the handlebars.

My pre-fitting evaluation is

Inseam: 93
ST: 61
SH 82
Shoulder Width: 43
Spinal S curve is exaggerated
Seat tube length is 61
Seat Tube angle is set to 73.5
Top Tube Length = 58
Crank length is 175
seat top center to center BB is 83
seat top center to HB / Grip -5.2
seat tip to center bb offset is 6.8
seat tip to center hb is 53
stem center to TT is 16
crown race to top hs is ideally set at 22.5
handle bar reach c-c is 9.5

does that help???? this is confusing to me.

 

[PJ352]

I'm concerned with the Head Tube height because my inseam is so long I have to put the saddle extremely high and I can't reach the handlebars.

My pre-fitting evaluation is

Inseam: 93
ST: 61
SH 82
Shoulder Width: 43
Spinal S curve is exaggerated
Seat tube length is 61
Seat Tube angle is set to 73.5
Top Tube Length = 58
Crank length is 175
seat top center to center BB is 83
seat top center to HB / Grip -5.2
seat tip to center bb offset is 6.8
seat tip to center hb is 53
stem center to TT is 16
crown race to top hs is ideally set at 22.5
handle bar reach c-c is 9.5

does that help???? this is confusing to me.

Given the numbers that you provide, I was focusing on the Specialized Roubaix. It closely matches your pre fit evaluation and the HT length would add some height to the bar position. But then I read your initial post mentioning that you didn't care for the carbon on that bike. The Tarmac seems to be the second closest to your numbers and you mentioned preferring it (I do as well), so that is a possibility. As a plus, all Tarmacs come with a four way adjustable stem, so as you get some time and miles on the bike, you can make small adjustments as needed.

As an alternative, I did notice that the Giant OCR's have a HT length of 200 and TT of 57.4 in a Large, which is recommended for your height. Obviously a test ride would be in order, but it's an option.

What model Tarmac and Madones did you ride?

 

[robulous8]

Given the numbers that you provide, I was focusing on the Specialized Roubaix. It closely matches your pre fit evaluation and the HT length would add some height to the bar position. But then I read your initial post mentioning that you didn't care for the carbon on that bike. The Tarmac seems to be the second closest to your numbers and you mentioned preferring it (I do as well), so that is a possibility. As a plus, all Tarmacs come with a four way adjustable stem, so as you get some time and miles on the bike, you can make small adjustments as needed.

As an alternative, I did notice that the Giant OCR's have a HT length of 200 and TT of 57.4 in a Large, which is recommended for your height. Obviously a test ride would be in order, but it's an option.

What model Tarmac and Madones did you ride?

I rode the Tarmac elite, It was the only bike they had in stock. Do you know what the difference between a Tarmac Expert and a Tarmac Expert Comp is?

I rode the Madone 5.2 in a 58 cm frame. I liked that bike, I have an 07 Madone 5.2 for sale, it's too spread out. the 08 has a short TT, I might be able to fit that???

 

[function]

58 sounds tiny for your size, i'm 6'0 with a 36" inseam on a 61cm (200mm HT) Cervelo which ends up with 14cm of saddle-bar drop. My other bike is a 62cm! Specialized Allez, Have you tried setting up a 58 bike yet?

 

[PJ352]

I rode the Tarmac elite, It was the only bike they had in stock. Do you know what the difference between a Tarmac Expert and a Tarmac Expert Comp is?

I rode the Madone 5.2 in a 58 cm frame. I liked that bike, I have an 07 Madone 5.2 for sale, it's too spread out. the 08 has a short TT, I might be able to fit that???

If your '07 Madone is too spread out, you may as well forget the new Madones as well because they share the same geometry, except for the additional 3cm's HT length of the performance fit. If you're skeptical of that, here's a quote from Trek Road - (Scott Daubert - road bike brand manager):
All of the 2008 Madones have the same proven, stable, predicatable geometry - the same seat and head angles, the same length reach in the toptube and the same length chainstays. The reason you see shorter toptube lengths between the Pro and Performance fit bikes is due to the longer headtubes.

To answer your questions regarding the Tarmac models, there is no Expert Comp. There is an Elite, Comp, Expert and above that, I'm not sure you care.

Assuming you're asking the differences between the Tarmac Comp and Expert, they are many. The Comp uses what Spec refers to as 6r triple monocoque construction, while the Expert uses 8r AZ1 monocoque. You can see the differences in construction at the rear dropouts in that AZ1 results in a smoother joint at the read dropouts, as one example. The Comp is spec'd with Shimano 105 with an Ultegra rear der, the Expert uses Ultegra with DA read der. Comp comes with Shimano RS-10 wheels, while the Expert uses Fulcrum's. Those are the major differences, but IMO on the road you'll feel less of a difference between the two than the framesets and components would suggest. Also, if your LBS doesn't already have or can get either of these '08 bikes, chances are you'll have to wait for the '09's because all indications are Spec's inventory is depleted. The really bad news is that rumors are the Expert will go from 3K to $3,600 in '09.

I hope this info helps, but keep in mind what got you to needing a new ride to begin with - poor fit. So try to avoid this with the next purchase, no matter the brand.

 

[robulous8]

14 cm seatpost to handlebar drop is 5.5 inches.... way too much drop for me.

My drop is about 5 inches currently and my wee wee goes numb because I pinch all of my nerves and blood vessels in my groin. My neck and back hurt too.

 

[robulous8]

My 07 5.2 madone has a 71 degree seat angle while the new ones have a 73.1 degree seat angle, I watched him measure it.

Plus my top tube is a 58 while the 08's have a 57.2... I'll have to do a little more digging.

 

[PJ352]

I have not tried a 60 yet, although when I sit on one I immediately get way too uncomfortable. on a 58 I'm just uncomfortable. I have a 58 now where my back and neck die after 30 minutes.

This is the first you've mentioned back and neck pain. You might do well to focus on bringing the bars back and up to relieve that pain. All things considered, I'm not sure the Tarmac or some others you've mentioned are the best choices. The Specialized Sequoia comes to mind, but there are others.

 

[PJ352]

My 07 5.2 madone has a 71 degree seat angle while the new ones have a 73.1 degree seat angle, I watched him measure it.

Plus my top tube is a 58 while the 08's have a 57.2... I'll have to do a little more digging.

Someone at a LBS measured your seat angle? I'd like to know how. I'm thinking the discrepancies are with how the bikes are being measured, not differences in geo.

 

[C-40]

several problems...

Your proportions are not that odd. I'm much smaller, but proportionately, we're about the same.

The saddle setback is quite small for your saddle height. I'd say you're too far forward because someone set your knee over the pedal rather than balancing your body over the saddle.

The tip of saddle to center of handlebar dimension of only 53cm would be ridiculously short. I'm 21cm shorter, with a short torso myself (168/83cm height to inseam) and my bike measures 53.5cm from saddle tip to center of bars with normal 80-85cm reaach handlears and 54.5cm with short reach bars. The recommend handlebar reach of 9.5cm is stupid. If you't got a short torso, look at bars like the Easton EC90 SLX3 with only 75mm of reach or any of the standard bars with 80-85mm of reach.

I don't see a stem length or stem angle, but you may need to use a higher rise stem to help get the bars to the height you need.

The last ting I need to mention is that you should not just compare the TT lengths. The seat tube angle also affects the reach, although in the largest size most STAs will either be 73 or 72.5 degree. The 72.5 shortens the reach by about 5mm, compared to the 73.

The stem center to TT is an odd dimension, I've never seen anyone list that. Usually the dimension would be the top of the saddle to the top of the bars. It appears that the real problem is a perceived need to the handlebar to be quite high. If the seat top to HB grip of 5.2cm is the saddle top to top of bars, then that is most of your problem. You've been setup in a very conservative, recreational position. As small as I am, I currently have a 10.5cm drop to the bars.

 

[function]

I agree, the bikes you mentioned are race oriented geometry which doesn't lend itself well to getting a really relaxed position. Your decision will depend on whether you intend on adjusting to the bike (e.g. if you plan on racing) or adjusting the bike to you (primarily recreational riding).

 

[orthobiker]

New bike

If price is not a great issue, have you considered a custom made. I also have unusual leg to torso dimensions and had Kent Eriksen design and build a Ti bike. Could not be happier. A good friend who rides about 800 miles a month also had one made with the same thoughts.

The built up bike was around the same price a nice carbon and we got to choose the components separately. Being custom they can also tailor the stiffness and ride quality to your requirements.

 

[Dinosaur]

Colnago....they have short top tubes and fit well for long legged/short torso folks such as you. I have long legs and a short torso and fit well with the nago geometry. There are other brands, but Colnago is just one that I am familiar with.

I would do more research on your sizing. A big factor is preference and how you like to position yourself on your bike. Some frame builders will ride with you to check your style of riding.

All those bikes you have listed seem way too small for a guy your size. Who did the fitting?