I’m not sure whether it is too soon to be really excited about this, but I thought I would share my most recent bike fit story. I went in last week to see a guy who has quite a bit of bike fitting experience, told him my story and explained the problem I am currently having (pain in the right arm that over time has spread to shoulder and ribs) and that I am sure I am pushing with my right upper body to balance my stronger left leg, which is structurally longer. He listened and didn’t even need to do any measuring to suggest going to a shorter crank length. I am 5’4" (164cm) and have a 50cm frame, but had 170 cranks… He installed 155s and raised the seat and lowered the stack height (is that what the stem sits on?) one spacer.
I can’t believe the difference. It is really huge. And I confess I do not understand it at all. I have been suspicious for a long time that I probably needed shorter cranks… My husband said, wow, I didn’t even know they made them that short. I never would have thought that raising the seat and lowering the handlebars would make things more comfortable, but it does.
And one of the most exciting things is that I think I am going to actually be able to ride out of the saddle. The shorter cranks make an incredible difference in my balance on the bike. I had thought I was just getting older and that was why I was having trouble. The bike fitter chuckled and said no, ma’am, it’s not you, it’s your bike. I gave him the sidelong look that said I recognized that he was just being gallant, and he got serious and said, no, really, it is the bike and we can fix this.
And it appears to be true… I think it’s going to take a while for my arm/shoulder/rib thing to quiet down, but the new fit doesn’t appear so far to be making anything worse and it has made several things much better. I also have terrible ankle dorsiflexion on my right, shorter side and the shorter cranks allow me to pedal without having my knee track all over the place. When I look down now, both legs pretty much piston up and down like I think they are supposed to.
So if anyone is on the fence about getting a professional fit, I say go for it. I had previously had 2 local-shop fits from minimally trained folks and two fits from someone who had taken several courses, but didn’t have a huge amount of experience yet. So do find someone with a good amount of experience, it’s worth it!
Yeah, 5’4” and 170’s really isn’t a great combo. Going to 155 is a bit of a jump, but it sounds like you are seeing instant improvement, so roll with it!
Once you can get your saddle / crank sorted, people are shocked to learn how much more comfortable it is to have a lower HB. Added bonus, you just got more aero, too. Win win!!!
Keep us updated as things progress!
You got a quality fitter, those are hard to come by. I spent a total of about $700 on 3 well-regarded fitters, the first 2 told me my bike was too big and offered me a smaller stem and shoe inserts (which I bought, unfortunately). The last one told me my bike was too big and offered to sell me a new bike (which I did not buy, thankfully).
After a lot of researching I realized my bike wasn’t too big, rather my cranks were too long. I found a pair of 155mm cranks and went to my LBS to get them installed after I had trouble with them. It was the best decision I ever made with my bike, aside from riding it.
I should qualify that I’m a 5’11" / 180cm male so the first thought probably isn’t shorter cranks, but it goes to show how it’s important to not be stuck in preconceived ideas of what “normal” is.
Yeah, I’m the same height and benefited hugely from shorter cranks- I had no issues with pain beforehand but it definitely showed in my power production and comfort over longer distances. I’ve heard that echoed by a lot of shorter women so i’m surprised that it doesn’t seem to be a more common approach amongst fitters. (Or bike manufacturers for that matter- I ride an XS or S in women’s-specific models and most of them seem to come with 170’s which doesn’t make a ton of sense in my opinion.)
Happy to hear you’re feeling more comfortable on the bike- hopefully the arm settles soon!
One fitter I didn’t use measured up my last bike in a shop and said it was too big for me. I suspect he was trying to sell me a new bike. I had done something like 30,000 miles on the bike and had the Mallorca 312 coming up there was no way I was changing it. To put my mind to rest I started googling and my bike by a sporting fit was indeed about 0.5cm too big for me. However, going by ‘comfort’ fits its was about 2cm too small. I subsequently did the 312 in comfort and another 11,000 miles before the bike got retired.
The eventual replacement is custom fitted and the fitter has done a great job.
Also 5’4” and when I moved over to a Canyon from Trek they suggested a size smaller with shorter cranks. I wasn’t sure but gave it a go and love the fit so much! At first the shorter cranks made me feel like a hamster on a wheel but I got used to it quickly and now I love them. I can put more consistent power throughout each stroke, and overall the bike is so much more comfortable. I can ride for 5+ hours while on the larger bike it was 3 tops before my back would start hurting even after a professional fit.