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!

I have a new pair of shoes with new cleats. I am getting a numb big toe on my left foot. Tried adjusting cleat position but without success. Any ideas.

Hi everyone, I’m trying to find a good starting point for the tilt of a Specialized Power Saddle, but I’m a bit confused about how the tilt should actually be measured. Different people seem to measure it in different ways: - along the entire length of the saddle (tail to nose) - only on the rear flat platform where the sit bones rest - on the first third of the saddle - on the first two-thirds - or even using the rails as a reference Because the Power has a short nose and a curved profile, these methods give very different angles. So my questions are: 1. What tilt range do you usually use as a starting point for the Power? 2. Where exactly do you place the level when measuring the angle? 3. Do you measure tail-to-nose, or only the rear support platform? Then is the Power with Mirror similar ?

Hi everyone, I’d like to share my experience with a recent bike fitting and get some technical input. Background: • Height: 169 cm • Inseam: 79.2 cm • FTP: ~260 W • Mostly endurance / threshold riding • Hip flexion ROM measured at 80° (right) and 75° (left) • Limited hamstring flexibility (can’t touch toes cold) The fitter identified limited hip flexion as the main constraint and aimed to “open the hip angle at peak flexion.” Changes made during the session: • Saddle moved forward by 10 mm• Saddle tilted down by 9° (measured on saddle plane) The rationale was that advancing the saddle would reduce hip closure at TDC given my ROM limitation. Important detail:During the session there was no meaningful load testing. No sustained Z3/Z4 effort. No reassessment after proper warm-up. Everything was evaluated at relatively low intensity. Interestingly, despite showing anterior hip block in clinical flexion testing, I never experience hip pain under load. The only symptom triggered by the forward position was quad overload. This makes me question whether static hip ROM alone should dictate saddle fore-aft decisions. After riding outdoors with this setup, I experienced: • Early quad fatigue already in mid Z3 • Burning in upper quadriceps near the knee • Clear anterior chain dominance • No real improvement in comfort The fitter maintained that adaptation was required and that, biomechanically, this was the correct approach given my limited hip ROM. After several rides, I reverted and experimented myself: • Saddle moved back 15 mm from the “fit” position• Saddle raised 5 mm • Cranks shortened from 165 mm to 160 mm • Handlebar changed to a model with shorter reach (reducing cockpit reach without changing stem length) With this configuration: • Quad burning shifted from mid Z3 to high Z4 • Pedaling feels more balanced • I feel more “planted” and stable on the saddle • Pelvic support feels more secure and centered • My left leg (previously less perceptible) now feels more engaged and symmetrical

Sitting in the centre of the saddle is something I've struggled with for some time. I think that I'm someone who doesn't naturally sit on their sit bones and more often than not I'm sat on a leg or at least with one crossed. Probably as a result of this, I find myself sat to one side of the saddle, unaware I'm doing so. Does anyone have any advice for finding the centre of the saddle? Dan leant me an essax shark saddle some years ago. I'm tempted to try and find another one but there aren't many around (I did find one on eBay but it disintegrated after a couple of rides). Are there any other options or tricks? Cheers