Touring Newbie: Stem length/angle query

[cozumel]

Hi,

Sorry for newbie question.

I bought a 2012 Dawes Super Galaxy last Saturday at Spa Cycles in Harrogate. Got a train from London to collect the bike and have quite a lot of miles since then. (Yorkshire is a beautiful area to cycle round). I've never had a touring bike before and am having a problem with my hands which I think (assume) is likely due to the stem. Some discomfort/mild pain when I'm on the hoods. I haven't owned a bike with drop handlebars for about 30 years. I plan to use the bike to tour in at two continents so it's important I'm comfortable. Since I am only doing relatively small distances at the moment (up to 40 miles/day) I know this needs to be addressed for when I am travelling in more challenging terrain and weather conditions.

The stock stem supplied and fitted on the Galaxy is the NVO F1 90mm

The handlebars feel too close to me. My hands naturally 'want' to be resting on the bars about an inch or two further forward than the current position. I haven't a clue what the correct angle for the stem should be. I have ZERO knowledge on components or tourers but have done a little research, but given that I started knowing nothing, my conclusions may all be wrong.

Everything else feels fine. Knees, ankles and back all good and no discomfort there.

I plan to return to Spa Cycles from London at the beginning of September for the standard 200 mile check (already done way more than this lol).

Questions:
Is Spa Cycles a good bike shop that will give me the correct advice to ensure the bike is comfortable and fits my body geometry? They do appear to be well thought of across various posts I have read but wanted feedback...
If not, can you recommend another touring specialist that will deal with honestly?
If the stem is the wrong fit for my body, would something like this SYSTEM EX Adjustable Stem be a potential solution?
Any other advice?

Thanks for reading and sorry for the post length!!!

[fossala]

I've never dealt with them, but they are supposed to be good but moody.

If all else fails, go get a bike fit.

[531colin]

I would play around a bit with the parts you have on the bike currently before thinking about buying more parts. Plenty of time between now and September!
Is it possible that your hands are complaining because you have too much weight on them? Its maybe counter-intuitive, but sliding the saddle back will take some weight off your hands, and also increase the reach to the bars. Mark the saddle position before you move it, eg. with some tape around the rails.
Also those NVO stems are easily adjustable for height. You might find that lowering the bars feels just about the same as having them further away.
Bike fit information here...http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=74985

[cozumel]

Thanks for the replies fossala and 531colin!

@531colin - I don't *think* I have too much weight on my hands as such. I can take my hands off the bars without feeling as though I will fall weight under the weight of my torso. I did consider lowering the height of the stem but wasn't sure what else it might throw off. I will give that a try. As for the saddle, I also considered moving it back like you said but then discounted that notion as I had set the position in accordance with guidance given on various sites including Peter White and Sheldon Brown. Concerned about my knee over the pedal thing, but seeing how that has been discussed in the thread to which you have l;inked it doesn't appear to be as precise as that. I shall give that a go too.

I'm assuming I should make these adjustments in small increments and focus on one component at a time to avoid coming to the wrong conclusions...

Thanks again for reply and the link (still have to read all the posts and make full sense of all contributions)

[Vorpal]

I'm assuming I should make these adjustments in small increments and focus on one component at a time to avoid coming to the wrong conclusions...

I would suggest either moving things in only one direction (if possible) or measuring & marking so that you can put it back if the new adjustment makes things worse rather than better.

[hexhome]

If the pain is on the palm at the base of the thumb, it may be that you just need to give it a little time. Padded gloves will help.

[cozumel]

Yup, pain/discomfort is on the palm at the base of the thumb but ONLY when on the hoods. No pain anywhere else on the bars, but hoods is the place I would prefer to be for much of the time but am currently avoiding.

I'll give it another week of cycling and see how it feels and then try adjustments if still no good. Thanks hexhome.


@ Vorpal - Thanks, I shall mark with tape original positions before making adjustments.

[simonhill]

My advice would be to give it a bit more time. You have only had the bike just over a week, also you don't say if you had been riding regularly before you got the new bike.

I got a new bike last year and sort of expected it to feel so much more comfoable than my old one. When it wasn't I kept tweaking things to get it feeling right. Not only was it a new bike, but I also had a new Brookes and so I was trying to break in a new saddle and a new bike riding position. The bit I forgot about was the 'breaking in' of me to the bike's feel. Eventually I stopped tweaking and expecting it to be like an old comfortable armchair and went on tour.

It not only feels fine now, but I am also able to do small tweaks (eg when I started to wear slightly larger shoes) and really feel the difference.

Maybe others can get on a new bike and have it feel perfect from the off, but not me. So my advice is set it up 'correctly' then ride it for a while.

[Wesh-Laurence]

A friend said he needed his bars raised. When I actually met him and he showed me his problem he actually needed the bars closer to him. I just moved his saddle forward a few cms. I had gone prepared to replace his stem or handlebars or fork to sort his bike out.

[Wesh-Laurence]

I meant to conclude have you tried simply moving your saddle backwards?

[LollyKat]

You could also try rotating the bars downwards so that the hoods are further away. Like everything else on a bike, small adjustments can feel very different.

[cozumel]

I'm just sticking with I've got for the moment and see how comfortable it feels after another week of riding then will make adjustments as listed above by everyone. Probably will be a combination of adjusting the saddle back, lowering bars and adjusting angle. Just waiting to see how it feels once my body/hands are used to the bike as suggested by someone above.

Thanks again everyone for replies.