tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8908461644259659419.post2936193749501904822..comments2024-03-27T19:12:49.609-07:00Comments on Midlife Cycling: Hello Helene!Justine Valinottihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10852069587181432102noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8908461644259659419.post-52288756369225018892010-09-04T22:31:28.029-07:002010-09-04T22:31:28.029-07:00True, Janice. The "fistful of seatpost"...True, Janice. The "fistful of seatpost" notion really is not doable if the bike has a sloping seat tube.Justine Valinottihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10852069587181432102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8908461644259659419.post-4716443533853441342010-09-04T07:14:35.862-07:002010-09-04T07:14:35.862-07:00Stand over height and "fistful of seat post&q...Stand over height and "fistful of seat post" fit have more to do with horizontal top tubes rather than the sloping tubes that we see more these days, don't they?Janice in GAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05642298460152468319noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8908461644259659419.post-83826996991868583672010-09-03T22:59:24.102-07:002010-09-03T22:59:24.102-07:00Velouria: I don't know of a single source whe...Velouria: I don't know of a single source where you can read about old school vs. new school. To learn more about old school fitting, look at some of the bicycle guides and books that were published before the late 1980's. They include "Effecive Cycling" by John Forester, the C.O.N.I (Italian cycling federation) guide, and John Allen's "The Custom Bicycle." Newer methods of frame fitting are easy to find on the internet.<br /><br />I misled you a bit by saying "old school" vs. "new school." Old-school fitting emphasized the standover height of the bike, but there are variations (such as the "fistful of seatpost" axiom) within it, while newer methods put more emphasis on top tube lengths. As with old school, there are a number of variations on new school fit.<br /><br />I lean toward old school, partly because I rode a lot of bikes fitted that way, and because it seems to work for me because I have more leg than torso--and rather short arms. Not to steer you toward one way or another, but I think you and I are similar in that sense.<br /><br />If your bike allows you to ride the way you want in the level of comfort you like, ride it and don't worry about what is recommended by one method or another!Justine Valinottihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10852069587181432102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8908461644259659419.post-9881777987175105422010-09-03T12:57:55.842-07:002010-09-03T12:57:55.842-07:00Any suggestions of where can I read up more about ...Any suggestions of where can I read up more about the old school vs new school fit? I have heard lectures about this from several people now, including a retired professional racer. <br /><br />And I also have long legs with a short torso and shorter-than average arms, which makes fitting interesting!Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8908461644259659419.post-6001107655348672262010-09-01T15:04:59.717-07:002010-09-01T15:04:59.717-07:00Velouria: I like longish stems on my bike. A lon...Velouria: I like longish stems on my bike. A longer stem makes for more sensitive steering, and thus more control over the bike. Consequently, that means I have my bikes built with short top tubes. <br /><br />The reason why I like this arrangement is that it allows me to ride an "old school" fit (which I find more comfortable), in which the seat tube and frame size are determined by height and leg length. I have rather long legs (Whenever I'm fitted for a bike, the person fitting always comments on that.) and short arms for someone my height.Justine Valinottihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10852069587181432102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8908461644259659419.post-31387111790895707012010-09-01T13:59:41.219-07:002010-09-01T13:59:41.219-07:00I'm in a suburb just north of Atlanta.
I...I'm in a suburb just north of Atlanta. <br /><br />I'd never seen guidonnet brake levers before. Right after I saw yours I saw them again in a couple of places. :)<br /><br />I just ordered some city levers to play with converting an old Cannondale touring bike into more of a city bike. We'll see how that goes.Janice in GAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05642298460152468319noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8908461644259659419.post-6775369515551646322010-09-01T13:17:26.410-07:002010-09-01T13:17:26.410-07:00Janice and Velouria: Thank you! It's always ...Janice and Velouria: Thank you! It's always exhilarating to get a new bike. It's especially so for me now, because Helene is the first really nice mixte I've had and she's the first new bike in my new life.<br /><br />Velouria: I still need to ride a bit more before I decide. I had thought about using bar-end brake levers. But that would have precluded using bar-end shifters. I agree with what you said in your post about shifters mounted to the bar. To that I would add that I find most of them a bit awkward to use. I don't like stem shifters, either, and I don't think I could use them on this bike anyway. If I get rid of the guidonnets, I guess I could use a downtube shifter with the bar-end brake levers. Or I could use regular city levers. But either of those options would give me fewer usable handlebar positions than I have now, which is what I like about the guidonnets.<br /><br />Janice: Where in GA are you? I was born in Albany. But I was there for only the first seven months of my life. My father was stationed there with the Air Force, and when his tour of duty finished, we moved to NY, which is where my mother and father had spent all of their lives prior to my father's military service.Justine Valinottihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10852069587181432102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8908461644259659419.post-39126062207519868362010-08-31T12:34:49.415-07:002010-08-31T12:34:49.415-07:00Oh wow, nice! I love the way the top tube connects...Oh wow, nice! I love the way the top tube connects to the seat tube, especially the white outlining. <br /><br />Your stem must be super long given where the ends of the bars end up. Mine is 10mm and the bars sweep back further. To my surprise, my mixte handles better with a 10mm stem than it did with the 6mm I initially tried. Now I wonder whether I should have gone with 12mm! <br /><br />Have you decided yet whether you are keeping the Guidonnets? If not, I am curious which set up you are considering instead.Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8908461644259659419.post-57101420282571011742010-08-30T07:20:40.425-07:002010-08-30T07:20:40.425-07:00Awesome looking bike. I do love the color too.
W...Awesome looking bike. I do love the color too.<br /><br />What kind of brake levers and handlebars are those, if you don't mind me asking? I know just enough about equipment and components to be dangerouse. :)Janice in GAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05642298460152468319noreply@blogger.com