There won’t be a webinar this week, I’ve been offered a last-minute entry into the Dirty Reiver 200km this weekend, so I’ll be away! We’ll pick things back up on May 1st, and the next session will be a Free Bike Fit Masterclass. We’ll be moving into a new area as well, starting with: 👉 Why Saddle Problems Are Rarely About the Saddle This one’s a big topic and tends to clear up a lot of confusion around comfort, saddle issues, and what’s actually driving those issues. See you on May 1st 👍 4pm BST

Recently switched to 165 cranks, from 175. I know the saddle needs to be adjusted for that. I assumed it would be both 10mm higher and aft, to stay in the same relative position. But, I just saw a video where a fitter says the shorter cranks allow you to get further forward for more power. (It sounded like he meant the saddle position, not a longer reach.) So, how does the fore/aft change with shorter cranks? (Or, is this just another one of those highly individual things?)

I am aware that I have one foot about 6mm longer than the other. As a result, should my cleats be moved to accommodate this difference to some degree? The other factor I thought of is the relative positions of the metatarsal joint typically used when working out cleat position. Discuss! or perhaps Dan could cover in one the webinars.

I hesitate to post this, as I may get a bit of a scolding, but here it goes . . . I'm not exactly the brightest tool in the refrigerator, so it may just be that there is something obvious that I'm overlooking. I have this OCD thing about constantly adjusting my bike fit. (This seems to get worse as the years go by. Past few years it's pretty much every ride I'm changing things. YES, I know I shouldn't be doing that, but . . . ) No matter how I adjust it, it always feels like something is not right. I DON'T mean that it causes pain, it's more that a lot of the effort my legs are putting out isn't making it to the pedals. Sometimes the fit feels so far off, it's physically impossible for me to do more than a Z1 effort, even if I had the fitness of Pogacar! (And I know it's not fatigue, because there've been times when adjusting the saddle 5 mm doubled my speed going up a 12% grade, without an increase in perceived effort. Maybe I'm just hyper-sensitive to fit changes?) Often, my pedal stroke is very jerky/choppy. Occasionally, my legs do weird things, like bowing out 20-30 cm from the TT on the upstroke, but, as soon as the down-stroke starts, they violently swing in, nearly hitting the TT. I don't dare mention the number of fit changes I made since I began detailed records in 2008! I've had 5 "pro" bike fittings, every one left me LESS comfortable, and slower. The measurements from them were so different, you'd swear they were for 5 different cyclists! For example, one had a saddle-to-bar reach of 52 cm, another 59 cm. One had the saddle setback 6 cm behind BB, another had it 12 cm. So, I know I won't find an answer by getting another pro fit. (Apparently, the fitters here in the USA are nowhere near the caliber of those in the UK.) The main issue seems to be that I need to keep changing my position . . . in order to stay in the same (relative) position. What I mean is, the most efficient (and comfortable) saddle position is pretty much HOP for height, and KOPS for setback, give or take a few mm. The thing is, some days HOP is 77 cm saddle height, other days it's 80 cm. Some days KOPS is 6 cm setback, other days it's 10 cm. If I didn't know better, I'd think my legs randomly grow and shrink at will, or something! (And, yes, I'm using the same bike, pedals, saddle, etc.) Often, soon after I start a ride, I'm like, "WHAT THE &@%*!?!?!?!", because the position feels so screwed up, it's like I'm on someone else's bike! (Even though at the end of the last ride, the fit felt perfect.) So, I spend most of the ride adjusting things 1 -- or 3 -- dozen times, then — usually a couple hundred meters before the end — I finally get it just right . . . or so I think. Then, on the next ride, once again it's "WHAT THE @^#*?!?!?!?!" So, the whole process starts again. (Similarly, immediately after doing a DIY indoor fit, that fit that felt just right feels horrible riding on the road. Again, I DON'T mean pain-wise, but efficiency/power.) Could such big differences in height and fore/aft on a daily basis indicate something physical is going on? Is it possible that I just need different positions on different days?

Hi everyone, I’m looking for some collective wisdom on my next bike purchase. I’ve realized the hard way that my current setup is a biomechanical mismatch, and I’m ready to move on to something that actually fits my proportions. The Body Stats: • Height: 177 cm • Inseam: 85.5 cm • Proportions: Classic "Long Legs / Short Torso" (LLST). The Current Problem: I’m currently riding a Specialized Tarmac SL7 in size 56 (Reach: 398 mm, Stack: 555 mm). While it’s a beautiful machine, it’s become a "stretch-fest" nightmare for me. To find a proper center of gravity and take the weight off my hands, I’ve had to push my saddle back on a 20 mm offset post (nearly maxing out the rails). This fixes the balance but makes the Reach to the bars absolutely massive for my short torso. The Symptoms: • Persistent lower back pain (specifically on the right side). • Hand numbness and excessive pressure on the hoods. • Feeling like I’m in a "Superman" position just to reach the controls. What I’ve Learned: A race-geo size 56 is simply too long, and a size 54 often has a Stack so low that the "saddle-to-bar drop" becomes too aggressive for my back. I need a frame that favors a High Stack-to-Reach ratio. The Ask: I’m looking for recommendations for a "fast but comfortable" frame that suits a short-torso rider. I’m leaning towards "All-Road" or "Endurance-Plus" geometries, but I still want something responsive. Current candidates on my radar: 1. Superior RR (Looking at the size 54/M - the Stack seems promising). 2. Canyon Endurace (The CF SLX/CFR line). 3. Giant Defy Advanced SL. Are there any other "Unicorn" frames I should look at that offer a short Reach without a slammed front end? If you are a fellow LLST rider, what are you riding that finally stopped your back pain? Thanks in advance for the help!