Hey everyone, I’m looking for some bike fit advice.
I’m currently riding a 2022 Specialized Stumpjumper Expert (link below) size S3, I'm about 5'9. I absolutely love how the bike rides. It's snappy, lightweight, and still very capable for the flatter east coast trails I ride most often.
However, since owning the bike I’ve consistently felt like the top tube or reach is longer than what I’m used to, especially while seated pedaling. This results in what feels like a lot of pressure in my hands throughout the ride which gets worse as the ride goes on.
What I've tried so far:
– Switched to a shorter 35mm stem
– Added spacers under the stem
– Cut the bars down to 760mm
– Lowered my saddle to the correct height (it was previously too high)
I’ve also had a professional bike fit from a reputable fitter, which definitely helped, especially with saddle height, but I’m still noticing more hand pressure than I ever did on other MTBs I’ve owned.
I’d prefer to keep the bike, as I really enjoy how it handles and rides. Are there any other adjustments I could try that won’t negatively affect the geometry too much? I’m open to any and all suggestions, including fitness-related things like core strength.
Thanks in advance for any insight!
by 57b8jftygb9
6 Comments
Brake lever angle can help, bring them closer to parallel.
Maybe scoot the saddle forwards a little if you can?
As a starting point, how tall are you and what size frame is it? There’s a lot of other possible suggestions:
Saddle and position, grips, carbon bars, riser bars.
People often overlook how much your saddle can affect pressure on your hands. Saddle fore/aft, tilt, wrong saddle for your position on the bike.
ESI silicone bike grips. Like pillows for your hands.
Grip size can even matter. My hands get sore faster with large grips. This is counter to much of the general advice out in the world, maybe I like gripping in the fingers more than the palm.
Free options:
– slide your seat as forward on the rails as possible.
– experiment with bar rotation and brake angle. If my brakes are too flat my wrists hurt on the down hill.
$$ options:
– different bars. Oneup carbon bars reduce vibration supposedly, could try their high rise bars
-different grips. Ergon makes some grips that could help by giving you more of a platform for your palm instead of a straight cylinder.