Several years ago I looked at several custom builders' websites. Tom Kellog of Spectrum Cycles was the only custom builder I found who asked the customer upfront to select his/her handlebars so that the handlebars' dimensions would be considered as part of the custom design. Although Tom Kellog's design philosophy might have a downside for some, his designs consider more than the usually asked question about center of saddle to center of stem. On the other hand, Grant Petersen's designs accommodate a wider range of fit options, even for the customs.
On Nov 30, 3:29 pm, Rene Sterental <orthie...@gmail.com> wrote: > That's just what I was thinking, as the Noodles have much longer ramps than > the FSA handlebars I was using before. Makes a lot of sense, and continues > to prove there are no fixed formulas when you talk about different frame > geometries. > > René > > On Mon, Nov 30, 2009 at 10:09 AM, Frederick, Steve < > > > > frede...@mail.lib.msu.edu> wrote: > > FWIW, it's not uncommon when one switches to Noodle bars that one needs a > > shorter stem--the long ramp extends the reach to the hoods by a cm or two... > > > Steve "8 or 9cm stems and Noodles on all my Rivs," Frederick, East Lansing, > > MI > > > -----Original Message----- > > *From:* Rene Sterental [mailto:orthie...@gmail.com] > > *Sent:* Sunday, November 29, 2009 10:16 PM > > *To:* rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com > > *Subject:* Re: [RBW] Re: Fitting adjustments - stems and the effect they > > have on fit and handling... > > > Yeah, I know what you mean... :-) > > > I'm riding a 60 Homer, that pretty much fits perfectly according to the > > folks at Rivendell. Mark fit me on my first visit there in September. I'm > > riding a B17 saddle with the post pretty much in the middle of the available > > rail space, give or take a few mm. I'm running the handlebars higher than > > the saddle, the exposed quill is 14cm. as it is. > > > I don't know if I have weird body dimensions, or just lack of flexibility > > especially in my neck and shoulders. For years, every time I rode my road > > bikes I would end up with neck and left shoulder pain, and I tried > > everything I could. Obviously I couldn't get the handlebars higher than the > > saddle, but managed to get them within a cm or so below saddle level. I > > would constantly be looking at the road in front of my wheel, as looking > > forward at the horizon would tire my neck very quickly. Always felt I was > > falling forward as well, so I tried pushing the saddle back, getting super > > setback seat posts, etc. All to no avail; if the super set back helped me > > with the pressure on my hands, then my knees hurt. Tried all sort of saddles > > and have quite a few I'll be selling shortly (non-leather). Tried longer and > > shorter stems, different handlebars, etc. I have long arms (based on how I > > need to shop for shirts) but don't know if my torso is shorter. My PBH is > > 90.5 and I'm 5'11". > > > I really enjoy the new posion that the Rivendell geometry allows me, and my > > only remnant of pain/discomfort was with my hands. Even the B17 feels great > > as I've played with its angle quite a bit and unless I'm riding on the > > drops, the nose high setup feels great and I'm no longer sliding forward on > > it as I used to when I started riding it. > > > After my last first and only video fit (before going Rivendell), the fitter > > put me on 9cm stems on my road bikes (still couldn't raise the handlebar) > > and while the neck and shoulders felt more relaxed, I was still having so > > much pressure on my hands (lower handlebars closer to the body) that I > > couldn't stand it. Now that the 8cm stem is higher and on a bike with a > > longer top tube by a couple of cms., it seems as if I've found the magic > > spot. I'll know more as I continue to ride it more and longer in the next > > few days and will report back. > > > If you want to see pictures of my AHH (with the Noodle bars and 9cm stem as > > it was originally, you can check them out here: > >http://www.flickr.com/photos/orthie251/sets/72157622508702300/ > > > I'll post more photos in a few days. > > > René > > > On Sun, Nov 29, 2009 at 5:26 PM, eflayer <eddie.fla...@att.net> wrote: > > >> you are having an interesting experience. it is hard to comment, even > >> though I am commenting. too many variables to be able to provide much > >> feedback. > > >> you don't say size of bike, bar drop below saddle or not, a Brooks > >> saddle with short rails can screw up all mm adjustments. > > >> i just replaced a modern saddle with a brooks and went from a 9 cm > >> stem to a 12...on three bikes. i am also moving forward as, after > >> many years sitting back, i am finding a better pedal stroke further > >> forward on the bike. > > >> i ride big bikes to get more headtube, get the bars a couple of cm's > >> above saddle height. > > >> i might guess, if you are using drop bars and an 8 cm stem, it either > >> is a good fit for you body dimensions, or you frame is too "long". > > >> just a guess. > > >> if you are smiling while you are riding...most of the time...it's all > >> working correctly. > > >> nothing like like hand or butt ache to wreck looking at the scenery. > > >> On Nov 29, 2:13 pm, Rene Sterental <orthie...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> > Hi all, > > >> > I just spent a couple of hours this morning putting back the Noodle bars > >> > after trying the Randonneur 45cm handlebar and not liking it as it's too > >> > narrow. I first tried the 48cm Noodoe with the 10cm stem I already had; > >> I'd > >> > been riding the Noodles with a 9cm stem and feeling a lot of hand pain > >> and > >> > discomfort since I got the AHH. Going on a short test ride, I could feel > >> my > >> > hands hurting right away and my back strained. The actual position > >> didn't > >> > feel too weird, but I could tell that if this is how I was feeling after > >> 10 > >> > - 15 minutes of riding, after an hour it would be much worse. > > >> > I then came back home and decided to go straight for the 8cm stem I had > >> > gotten last week to see if it improved my problems. By this point, I'm > >> > getting to be an expert at just removing the right shifter without > >> having to > >> > remove the cable (just pull the cable all the way, and then without > >> pedaling > >> > push it back all the way in so there will be extra cable that allows you > >> to > >> > remove the shifter but leave it hanging), although to remove the > >> handlebar > >> > from the stem I have to remove the stem first in order not to have to > >> undo > >> > the front brake. I've been testing it without cabling the rear brake. > > >> > Everything in my head tells me that the 8cm stem should be too short, > >> but as > >> > soon as I start riding, the magic clicks in! It is totally > >> unbelievable... > >> > the shoulders relax, the back relaxes, the hands feel significantly less > >> > pressure, it all just falls right into its proper place. I don't know > >> about > >> > you, but once you have experienced that feeling, you know you've nailed > >> the > >> > position. There might still be a small bit of adjustment here and there, > >> > minute handlebar rotation, minute stem height adjustments, but you know > >> > you've got it. > > >> > That is exactly how I felt, and you can bet that's how I'm going to be > >> > running it now and see what happens on longer rides. I'm still waiting > >> for > >> > the Surly rear cable hanger I ordered from VO, so the Racer brakes will > >> > replace the Silvers when the hanger arrives, hopefully by next weekend. > > >> > Now, besides feeling that position magic, I did detect a "difference" in > >> how > >> > the 10 vs 8cm stems feel when turning the bicycle. I'm not sure I can > >> > explain it properly, and I certainly didn't have the option to try the > >> same > >> > turns with two identical bikes with different stems, but it somehow felt > >> > that with the 8cm stem, I had to "work" the bike more if I wanted to > >> take an > >> > aggressive turn. With the 10cm stem, it seemed like it was easier (less > >> > effort) to take the turns. This was a bit surprising to me, since I know > >> > from mountain biking that a shorter stem makes the handling more > >> responsive > >> > and nervous, but then again, the handling of the AHH is completely > >> different > >> > from what I was used to riding. I can't say I don't like how the bike > >> turns > >> > with the 8cm stem, in fact, after the 15 minute test ride I had > >> completely > >> > adjusted to how it handled, and that feeling of comfort was just so > >> > amazing... :-) > > >> > So, does my experience in terms on how shorter vs. longer stems match > >> yours? > >> > I know fit is very personal, and I think the 8cm is going to be the > >> right > >> > one for me on the AHH, but I wonder if I've missed anything. I have yet > >> to > >> > test how lowering the shorter stem a bit does to the handling and the > >> > comfort, but I'm sure many others will have additional feedback or can > >> > benefit from these "experiments". > > >> > I now need to drive my daughter back to Berkeley, but when I come back > >> I'll > >> > install the cables and tape up the handlebars to go on a longer ride. > > >> > Can't believe tomorrow is Monday again... :-( > > >> > René > > >> -- > > >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > >> "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > >> To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bu...@googlegroups.com. > >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > >> rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com<rbw-owners-bunch%2bunsubscrib...@googlegroups.com> > >> . > >> For more options, visit this group at > >>http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en. > > > -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > > To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bu...@googlegroups.com. > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com<rbw-owners-bunch%2bunsubscrib...@googlegroups.com> > > . > > For more options, visit this group at > >http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en. > > > -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > > To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bu...@googlegroups.com. > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com<rbw-owners-bunch%2bunsubscrib...@googlegroups.com> > > . > > For more options, visit this group at > >http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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