How To Make Your Road Bike More Comfortable

[@gregnixon1296]

To make my road bike more comfortable, I usually sit it in front of the television, turn the ceiling fan on medium, and open a few windows, but only if it isn't too chilly outside. This has been beneficial thus far...

[@HarleyBreakoutGuy]

my wife is only 5'9" she uses higher and shorter stems as well as compact handle bar and moved her seat forward by 1 inch she now has no problem with sore back and she does 100 km a day on her 2018 Giant Propel Advanced Pro Disc !

[@MySatora]

My missus just watched this with me and said she never saw a bike in it...

[@timothysuprapto6226]

She was trying to measure the dropbar but then she got distracted and measured something else

[@theromanceofwax]

@@timothysuprapto6226 hilarious

[@BeyondLumination]

@Makai Andrew you’re full of sh*&T

[@Maxmaxz]

Liking the new kit. And the new colour matched bike. And the new coloured matched tools. And the new prototype 'SRAM Orange' groupset.

[@jarretgosbee7717]

The best bike investment I ever made was a set of shallow bend handlebars. Making less of a transition from hoods to drops has allowed me to get lower without reaching too far in front.

[@DavidCulshawmer-r]

+Jarret Gosbee same here mate , i couldnt believe what a huge improvement shallow drop bars made , i can even reach the levers in the drops now :) ( i have small hands )

[@julienstercke]

I just gotta say thank you for making such high quality content.

[@gcn]

Our pleasure Julien.

[@propilot13]

Whos typing here? :D Simon? Matt? Dan? Lasty?

[@gcn]

Dan

[@lothburke2243]

Dan your the man 😎

[@dardobartoli]

As always, great advice After sciatica (2 weeks flat on back) some 6 years ago, I could not get comfortable on any bike. I still rode 15/20 miles but that was my limit! After recent career change, I started commuting (15 miles) and no matter what folk say, my road bike (TCR Advanced) just never felt safe or comfortable and after 3 days in a row (90 miles), I could hardly walk upright. So I bought the FastRoad Comax... what a difference. Both are carbon, M/L, geometry very similar, but 4 days in a row and NO back ache at all! I have altered the TCR to match the FastRoad pretty close, yet still back and pelvis ache on TCR after a short weekend ride. The only thing left to change is the saddle. I cant believe it will make such difference, but who knows. Will update once tried.

[@evoermine]

A video on how to measure your sit bones would be useful to help choose the correct width saddle.

[@GordonMoat]

Recently switched from a more padded gel saddle to a slightly flexible more race oriented saddle, and went significantly faster on my usual training course. I was expecting a bit less comfort, though instead I discovered I was able to cycle for a longer time than before.

[@Linkinbassist]

I can certainly vouch for a change in handlebar. I had trouble with compact 42cm c-c bars for about a year or so and decided to replace them with a set of Deda Elementi Newton bars (Narrower at 38cm c-c and traditional bend), which dropped my position in the hoods about 2cm. Seems counterintuitive, but the narrower bar profile combined with the drop in hood height has cured some shoulder and back aches I was getting previously, plus I feel better in the drops as I now have a flatter surface to grip while being able to reach the brakes. I can certainly see why a lot of pro riders still use the traditional bend!

[@somethought]

I love you wearing a kit for this!!! Don’t listen to the haters, love this, you look the part

[@fredmcgough748]

Thanks for the video Simon. It really help me. I never thought about changing my handle bars and type of bars.

[@edwardjohntaylor99]

Good video - I really like this kind of subtle mod to a bike. My top tips to add: 1. Seatpost thickness and or material: for any bike with a seatpost wider than 25.4mm you can go to a narrower seatpost with an adapter which are cheap and easy to buy. Also if it's not already carbon then get a carbon one as it's more flexible and shock damping than steel Al or probably Ti. 2. Silicon gel under a single layer of tape works like a charm to reduce vibration. Specialized sell this as bar phat, other brands are available.

[@llllouis1030]

I feel sorry for si's neighbour , seeing him in cycling kit alone in his garage talking to his bike all day long might feel strange...

[@liammcgough9969]

Thanks for the video! I am 5'8'' . And I am riding a 56 mm bike frame. It feels slightly to long for me. I am going to try making the changes you suggested. I never thought about changing my handle bars before. I always rode what ever came with my bike.

[@TheSuperDotcom]

That's really small. Does the bike fit in your pocket?

[@leedorney]

I used to ride a Ti seatpost and the ride was super smooth...really nice for BIG miles!

[@methunshow]

After four hours of riding my seat needs to be a sofa and my handlebars need to be a banister. My wheels will be two life preservers. Lol

[@CarlForde]

I replaced my old (cast?) aluminium seat post with a new one for lightness and appearance. I was pleasantly surprised at the dramatic improvement in road damping too.

[@andresbuitragomoreno]

What a great channel this is, very helpful indeed!

[@MrAcook1985]

I find road bike saddles EXCRUTIATING!!! Spesh for a new rider. Wish there was a saddle shop where u could test them all out

[@stefanospasaro7668]

Awesome information 🙏

[@qazibasit]

I like my stock giant OCR 2600 road bike. I dont feel any need to customize it. Yes i adjust the saddle height, but besides that i am competeting with people having a 5 time expensive bikes with additional customization.

[@jeffbell2458]

Great bike love it!

[@maxedvideo]

Very high qualizty production!

[@gcn]

Thanks!

[@alexflake7513]

Is it just me or does Si look like a young Bill Nye in this video...

[@johnkerr99]

Cross between Bill Nye and John Holmes.

[@TurkiyeCumhurbaskani]

I love my compact 3T bars 123mm drops are perfect

[@johngraboski]

...didn't know about handle bars having variables of reach and drop. Thanks GCN!

[@shifty277]

Sublime video from Simon... Has anyone from GCN ever thought he has a voice for commentating - it's very raspy in a positive way

[@MrFredx45]

GCN, I have recently been involved in a bike crash on a dodgy greasy road (I'm 13) and finding it hard to get back up to speed so I think many would like a video about how to be more confident after a crash

[@massspike]

+MrFredx45 You are not alone. I have a bad fall every 2-3 years (I don't race, I am just clumsy) it takes me a lot of riding (a few months) to get comfortable again.

[@100rogerduncan]

Thank you. Good advice!

[@bashconsole]

thanks dude!

[@HOBMACHINE]

dammit, I always learn something from these excellent videos: tyre pressure pertinence here is ably described. MAGIC !

[@tofuguru941]

I just ride a full suspension mountain bike with drop bars, no saddle, and 19c tires. Best of all worlds!!

Another GCN video that just convinced me I need to upgrade something on my bike that is totally fine but not 100% ergonomic for me....oh lord

[@JohnSmith-gb9wz]

you'll have someone's eye out with that if you're not careful !!

[@mongolacken5412]

Great video with some good tips. But one thing I found very important is the right saddle. There are different widths and trying them out made a HUGE difference in the ride quality. A 155mm saddle and all the numbness and discomfort vanished. And I have been cycling for 20 years before I found out of this. And do not think that the width of the saddle is only for people with an wide a**. It's about your sit bones.

[@Kievlar]

Love this!

[@MrCompdan]

What's with the colour correnction on this!? It's really off :c

[@koDiacc]

+Danny King (compdan) way too much yellow.. its ugly

[@grigorbrowning]

+Danny King (compdan) The last maintenance video was similar. I wonder if they've changed the lighting but haven't altered their settings for post-processing. Or perhaps Si has jaundice...?

[@earthstick]

+Danny King (compdan) GCN going for a retro sepia look?

[@fiddleronthebike]

+Danny King (compdan) guys, are you sure it's not a matter of setting on your computers? Here colors are really fine!

[@Patrick94GSR]

+fiddler on the bike nope, the colors look muted on both my work and home computers.

[@Nick-bs9pp]

Where is the mention of stretching? If you want to go slow and be comfortable, then change your position. If you want to go fast and be comfortable for a long time shouldn't stretching be the first priority? Anyway its helped me tremendously to be more comfortable and I feel far more capable to get aero in the process. Anyway great videos, you guys are very helpful and straightforward

[@jcsk8]

I´ll be 40 this August. So, my lower back claims some rest. I´ve shorten mine tem from 100 to 80 and I´ll change hanbdlebar or a Specialized hover. with 1,5 cm gain in height. If I nedd to go aero I´ll just fo to the drops, and I hope I still can cycle till my last days.

[@gmivisualsjason3729]

Brilliant

[@thatwolffe3802]

Si put that thing away, its scaring the women and children.........

[@thatwolffe3802]

***** haha

[@leedorney]

Never realised theirs soo many homosexuals in cycling...

[@anotherscandinavian]

+lee a dorney Or homophobes for that matter :)

[@leedorney]

CW SK Listen mate I'm not at all arsed about homosexuals or lesbians but come on, referring to a presenters penis size isnt the way to further your cause especially on an internet forum. What's next pulling Matts reaching into a bin slights the hardship of immigrants #getrealpal I KNOW if a female presenter starts do you want me to refer to her breasts and arse ?? #cynical - open your eyes mate and get a bloody life !

[@thatwolffe3802]

lee a dorney I am in fact bisexual

[@DAlexKablack]

def love having a soft flexible saddle like the one he's got there, kinda acts like a hammock for your .... self

[@dorothywoodhead9595]

thanks for the addvice ladd

[@keiferpadilla5165]

Thanks. I’m getting lower handlebars now, eventually

[@carlbyronrodgers]

Great,thank you.

[@fredhubbard7210]

Is there a GCN video on tire pressure? How low is too low? It comes up often, then seems glossed over. I assume that heavier riders need more pressure.

[@EmeraldMack992]

Get Si out of Lycra for these, never seen the mechs in a LBS in Lycra

[@wbunny4ut]

btw, this is a useful one Si! keep it up

[@redpizza32]

What I like to do is shorten my layback. It saves you money so you don't have to buy a new stem which can be expensive. So by shortening your layback, you will be able to adopt a less aggressive/more comfortable position on your bike. Try it. It works

[@MGVELO]

I've got 25s on mine and always fill upto 120psi and (touchwood) I've never had a puncture and I'm 85kg!! Yes the ride feels a little solid but I prefer it that way. Though having said that I feel I can get away with it as I'm convinced there's too much flex in my frame (giant defy composite) great for all day comfort but too flexible when giving it full beans on a sprint!

[@francescopavan1782]

Great

[@brianmoore1164]

Nice job Si

[@hugobrown2516]

Simon. What angle do you have from tip of seat to center of stem?

[@HelloHello-hk4sx]

Do a video on short people with short arms, legs & small hands? Should they even be riding a bike?! Can they go professional? Do bike companies make bike frames/drop handlebars that are really short? Is it possible to adjust your bike so it'll work for the short uneven parts of your body without messing up the rest of the bike? Can you shorten the foot pedal bars? Can you put the stem back instead of up? (I need it more than 6 inches back but not taller).

[@RomansFiveDotEight]

Either Si is fighting a serious case of the flu AND has washed his GCN kit well beyond it's useful life; or the color is a smidge off in this video.

[@carledin]

Si, were you rearranging your sock drawer that day or was there another reason for bringing them to work and putting all of them in the bibs?

[@pilotscott1204]

Because I got a bit fat in middle age, I couldn't get any bend in my elbows and still reach the bar, or my belly would hit my thighs and I couldn't pedal. Gaining 30 lbs will do that! So I had to raise my bar 6 inches - which really meant I needed to give up the race bike for an endurance bike with an uncut steer tube. Long term, the goal is to lose those 30 lbs, but I've got to actually be able to ride to be able to do that.

[@mendejakimoski6950]

Could You make a video abut seatpost and their setback (exp : 25mm,16mm or zero setback) and how seatpost setback impact comfort ????????

[@briancartoscelli8029]

simon is a great mechanic

[@DavidJohnson-du1yy]

3.48 nice info, never considered the rails.

[@AHMADAHMAD-oq5is]

Good video, but do shortening a stem going to effect the handling?

[@MAX_KOMAKO]

An excellent channel, clearly shown and filmed beautifully)))

[@mikestrutter3596]

I'm colourblind and have just watched several minutes of a grey screen. Nice voice over, Si.

[@HelloHello-hk4sx]

Talk about the hight of the saddle more. That's the most important for being comfortable & posture.

[@factsabouturmum9250]

Use triple-thick rubber tubes one size wider than your tire. Run pressure at 80%-90% your normal. (I usually run 85psi or so in 23c tires.) No pinch flats and a smooth ride. Also, steel = comfort over other materials. End of.

[@GKel77]

Si you should have given us general guidelines for the reach, which it is assumed to b the prime element of comfort. E.g: "when you r 1,80m reach should be about..." And then how to achieve that. But anyway still some tips on it.

[@micahmonaghan9794]

Si is simply highlighting his choice of Arione saddle by displaying his snake.

[@yellowfit8071]

More video about bike fit please

[@nickathos7428]

What bars are those with the 70mm reach and 122 drop?

[@ethansloss6854]

What about 20 cm saddle to stem drop and aluminium long drop anatomical shaped bars and 23c tyres at 8 bar?

[@tusharsahu1467]

I would really appreciate if you could suggest me hacks for a straighter and wider handlebars.....

[@HelloHello-hk4sx]

You should be able to balance a straight stiff board on your back, that's how you know you have the right posture. Tie it on you, get on the bike & ride a little to test it. If you can't ride like a normal cyclist & it's extremely uncomfortable, then you need to work on your posture (exercises, surgery, stretches, etc).

[@Martin-xb2rz]

Can I use your drop bar videos too when I want to build a drop bar on my MTB. Are wide gravel bars a good thing for stable and comfortable rides?

[@williammurray9999]

Does simon have a really old jersey or is your colour balance just off?

[@sergeyshorokhov2167]

I have compact aluminum handlebar and I'd like to change it to carbon. But. After that I also want to mount aerobars on it. Is it possible for carbon handlebars?

[@ArminFejzic]

Hi my frame is 56 cm, but for me the best would be 54 cm. I have lower back pain. Should I remove all spacers or put them all under the stem?

[@scottnglsh]

NO SUCH THING AS COMFORT ON A BIKE. IT ALWAYS HURTS. NO MATTER WHAT. CYCLING SUCKS AND THATS WHY WE LOVE IT.

[@dvieitez]

TRUE

[@scottnglsh]

+Diego Vieitez Cardoso WEOOW

[@saferider1094]

No it's not true , your muscles should hurt, not your joints/ bones. You should be able to sit on your bike comfortably for 4 to 6 hours at least otherwise there is a problem with your fit or your bike. comfort is not a dirty word.

[@scottnglsh]

I know bro I was kidding.

[@lubicalackova5444]

very nice wonderfull cycling man have very nice bycikle unsere hay Lubka

[@Maxmaxz]

+Lubica Lackova Simon is a wonderful cycling man. Very nice indeed.

[@user-qp6vg9ho8u]

I swapped my saddle out for a sofa. Bike is comfy AF now

[@johnd1466]

Obi Wan Hello there

[@kanwilson1310]

do you have any of your video in English or Chinese subtitle so that my friend in China could watch and understand your great video better

[@gcn]

Some of our videos do. Viewers can submit their own subtitles so if you know anyone that might be willing to translate them to Chinese, that would be fantastic!

[@tameemjamal5676]

Wheres the video like this for flat bars I do miles and after my elbows hurt I think its from not being loose enough bur a visual would be nice

[@infinati]

Classic GCN has great informative content. Modern GCN is like product placement commercials by comparison 😑

[@emilianodominguez9340]

Try a recumbent bike. My advice as recumbent rider.

[@mino73T11]

Now this is talking 👍🏻

[@FLMKane]

I know this is an old vid but what is Simon's shoulder width and what size stem does he run?

[@Cowboy_Roboy]

I ride a 23 tire continental s2 4000 I weigh 180lbs, is 90psi to low for me or should I bring it up to 115psi? Still trying to find my sweet spot, I'm in Orlando fl. Thanks guys!

[@williamblades6552]

Got any tips for how to reduce shoulder muscle tension/aching during long twisting downhill routes where the break is required a lot?

[@gcn]

+William Blades that's a tough one. Relaxing on descents is important, but it can be really difficult, especially when you're off and on the brakes. We have a few descending how to videos that might help: kzbin.info/aero/PLUdAMlZtaV11PAS8eKZwjUI17fMncbyQE

[@liamm8992]

Any thoughts on handlebar width; both from comfort and aerodynamics/handling perspective. It seemed from the frontal shot that Si's bars were quite a bit wider than his shoulders - is this a deliberate decision?

[@gareth2933]

I've had now pain or discomfort on my bike until try and get low on clip on aero bars, I think it's my hip flexors/ top of my thighs get tight immediately. What would you recommend adjusting?

[@DavidJohnson-du1yy]

5.31 nice suit, is this a summer gcn edition?

[@curtisdeanmusic]

Color balance is off in the video. I thought the same at first. Black with bronze and slate grey.. Actually looks good.

[@691deadsilence]

what about integrated handle bars i use have you ever tried them

[@marioenriquepinillaquiroga6881]

I like so much your channel, but I have a problem because i'm from Colombia so I speak spanish and I learn a littlebit of English, when I see your videos I understand almost everything but sometimes I get lost, so I want ask you guys if u can put subtitles at least in english so if I missunderstand a word you say I be able to know what did u said. Thanks

[@glock907]

Just curious, to shorten the reach to the handle bars has anyone tried reversing the quill?

[@DCassidy42]

If your bike came with 23c tires, is it possible to mount 25c tire or even a 28c?

[@rezaulmunir8422]

I am 5'-11" and i am riding Specialized Tarmac Comp 2006 model. My road bike's stock stem is 110 mm and i am no comfortable. I feel pain on my backbone and my neck while riding. I want to change my stem. Which size will be better for me.

[@Driftwood93]

So one thing I have noticed is that even with my bars slightly rotated up, my wrists are still somewhat angled down when on the hoods which causes an uncomfortable position for my wrists. Some bikes seem to have taller knobs...or rather taller hoods. The lever height on the hoods looks taller on some of these bikes than mine. I feel if these were taller I could get more comfortable. Is that a thing?

[@romeoaguilon3323]

do you have any frre bike?

[@facundoortega4745]

I need and advice, how many spacers are safe on a carbon fork can i use, i mean after the headset how many centimiters to the stem is safe? im using a 56 frame but if i use 2 cm of spacers i dont feel confortable so i want to go to 3cm or 3.5 but idk if its to high the risk of damage.

[@tungstenkid2271]

I'm 5ft 8" tall, with average leg length and want to buy a mens mountain bike or hybrid bike, i've looked at adverts and their sizes are listed as 17", 18", 20", and 21", so which should I get?

[@gregson99]

what psi you runnin in your jockies?