bike purchase

Question
QUESTION: I have been mountain biking......in Florida.......for roughly 8-9 months. I had an 5 year old TREK 100 Navigator. It was comfortable, fun, seemingly easy! I started LOVING the sport, and thought it time to invest in a new bike. I bought a Cannondale f4......2008 model about 3 weeks ago. I have NOW found it to be uncomfortable, intimadating and I have crashed and burned 3 times. I look sort of BEAT UP, and not just because I am in my 50's! ;-) (I had NEVER fallen off the TREK) The cannondale feels stiff.........like I am riding on a 2 x 4.
We have adjusted and readjusted and I am so very disappointed in the bike...in fact am sort of afraid of it..........Unfortunately have found that it is the opposite of what I was looking for. In the 'test drive'........(on the street and not on the trails), I loved it.
Any suggestions to make this a more comfortable ride?
Thanks in advance
carol

ANSWER: Hi Carol!

Ok so I just checked out your bike. Right away I see that the top tube is very slanted back! So you myst have your seatpost way up. If so...this will put you right away in an uncomfortable riding position.

2nd, what material is the bike frame. It SHOULD be aluminium but if its steel it will have a different feel and riding characteristics for sure.

3rd what size is the frame and how tall are you? (ps 50 isnt old) ; )

If you have any picks of you riding that you can send me or any of you on the bike that would be cool. Then I can see whats your riding position.

Another thing you can try is a shorter stem. This will put you more upright. What size stem do you have? I know many questions but trying to help you out as much as I can.

...Let me know! : )

George

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I will send a photo when available.......however, in the meantime.......The tubing is made from "T6061 aerospace grade heat treated aluminum."
It is a medium frame, and I am 5'6".
The shop did do measurements, however did them 3 days after I bought it, because I came back with it with 'comfort complaints'. Apparently to my naive ears, the salesperson was convincing but I discovered after the fact that he was not a 'mountain biker', so his knowledge etc may have been just a tiny notch above mine.....which, to say the least, is quite limited.......Nonetheless, in doing the measurements, it was determined that the stem was either to short (or too long?) by 1.1 cm only, and though not a huge difference I was told that it might make an impact on comfort, however the shorter (or longer) stem would not be available to them until October! (I started feeling quite doomed regarding my bike choice, though everything I read about this manufacturer and model is positive....!)
It was suggested that I 'try' buying new handlebars....carbon lightweight.....that would bring me to a more upright position.
One thing I did discover is that the TREK....my previous bike.....had a shock under the seat which the cannondale does not have.......I thought about a new saddle, but realized that with the stem, saddle, handlebars I would be heading for a second mortgage ...........so thought I would invite some feedback OUTSIDE the bike shop.
Thanks for your help George.......you have been quite prompt.
Carol


Answer
Hey again Carol,

I found this great article all on bike fitting
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fitting.htm

with lots of useful tips and this sight too

http://www.jimlangley.net/crank/bikefit.html

As for the inseam fit this is a bit legthy but it works very good!
measure your inseam. This is best done barefoot. Stand against the wall and put a book between you legs so it pressed right up against your pelvic bone. Make a mark with a pencil on the wall along the top of the book. Measure the distance from the floor to the mark in centimeters. Use your inseam measurement to get a rough idea of your road bike size. Multiply your inseam by .65 This will give you a good estimate of you road bike size for bikes measured center to center. Thus if your inseam is 86 cm, you will fit a 56cm road bike (86 x .65 = 55.9). Note that many road bikes are measured center to top. To determine how to fit these bikes, multiply your inseam by .67

Subtract an additional 10cm and convert this measurement to inches to get your mountain bike frame size, roughly. Thus, if you fit a 56cm road bike (c-c), you will fit a 46cm - or an 18" - mountain bike.

As for your bike dont feel doomed. That bike is actually very nice and the company is well known. You just need to "fine tune" it now to your body. When they come off the lot most of them have the same specs but not all people are made the same. We will get it fitting to you no problem then you will love your bike, you will see : )

Oh by the way you dont need carbon handlebars. Thats for racing and weight reduction (also $$$ for the shop) carbon is pricey! Just get riser bars.