Hey everyone, new here and in a bit of a panic. I'm 5'5" (166cm) and somehow ended up with a size L gravel bike. It's my first time with non-hydraulic disc brakes, and honestly, I feel super unstable on it.
I use it for my daily commute, which involves a very long and steep downhill section, and it's making me really nervous. Any tips for a total beginner on how to handle a bike that feels too big and how to get more confident with these kinds of brakes, especially on descents? Any advice would be appreciated!
by Dianacrush2
5 Comments
You need a smaller bike. Theres no way around it
accept you might need to take a bit off a loss to get something in the right size.
Sorry, but like the others had said, nothing is gonna work.
Shorter stem, moving seat forward, even getting shorter cranks might make it feel slightly better, but the size is so far off it’s never going to be good. You might be able to finagle a medium to be comfy, but a large is too far.
Problem is that you’re riding it upside down (funny me).
But , Why exactly is it too big? If you rode mountain bikes, then the frames are made smaller and hydraulic brakes are standard. Part of the brakes seeming weak may be due to the drop style bars and brake levers.i noticed how much easier the brake was with flat bars and brake levers when I changed a touring bike to flat bars and brake levers. Brakes were the same, but flat bars and levers were easier to apply pressure. Practice on flat roads until you understand how to brake safely.
Are you braking with your hands in the drops? That makes it feel much safer and makes it much easier to apply a lot of brake pressure. It also lets you shift your weight slightly further back, which is a little counterintuitive and takes some practice.