Michael: What may be happening is your body protesting a change that may not appear to be too radical but is a major change anyway.
Assuming you had no pain problems on your old race bike set-up, I suggest taking one of your Rivendells and replicating that same set-up as closely as possible. That's your baseline and what your body is used to. You mention wanting to be a bit more upright. Once you are back to where you started, gradually raise the bars, perhaps only 1/8" or so at a time. It's amazing how our bodies protest radical changes, so take your time on this one. As to aging, I started gradually raising my bars somewhere in my 40s. I finally ended up with a MTB stem on my last race bike, with the bars about even with the seat. That process took a few years. When I got my Atlantis, I just set it up about like my old bike and have only made a few minor adjustments in the last 10 years. dougP On Sunday, April 28, 2013 8:02:15 PM UTC-7, Michael wrote: > > Wanted your thoughts and experience on this issue I have been having with > my Riv's. I know this sounds rediculous, but: > *I am wondering if you had any trouble adapting from race geometry fit > bikes you were used to riding, to the more upright-like rivendell bikes and > how you got through it.* > > Here is what I mean: > I started on a race geometry bike and rode it for 3.5 years. I was only > about 1.5cm below saddle height with the drop bars. So it was nothing > extreme. > Always comfy, but wished I could sit more upright for better view > sometimes. I wanted to sit higher, have more stable wider tires, and > fenderability. I like the traditional steel type frame looks and > appointments, too. > > Now: > Got a Bleriot last August, and a new Sam in Feb. 2013. > They are great rides, and comfy during the rides, but since last September > I pay for it later in the day with low back pain, etc, that can last into > the next day. > No matter what set up I try, I seem to have problems. Noodle drop versions > of the bikes. > I am puzzled by this really wierd and frustrating experience. Am I just > getting old (44 now)? Medically I seem to be fine, and doc seems to think > my back is fine. More upright is supposed to be better for the back and > neck. Maybe sitting bolt upright, or sitting low is good for the back, but > anything between 40-80 degrees isn't for some? > > *I can only imagine that my problem is that, for whatever reason, my body > just doesn't like to sit upright.* Seems like anything above saddle > height for the bars causes pain. But I am happy to have the wider tires and > fenderability features. Now if I could just dial in the fit. > I guess I will try to replicate my race fit onto the Rivs and see how it > goes. > > Any thoughts, experiences? Just losing my sanity? > > > ** > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en-US. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
