Drop bars with zero reach stem

I'm 6 foot 2ish with a 35in inside leg. My frame is 61cm ctc and 57cm tt.

I am finding it hard to reach the horizontal bar of my drop bars with an 80mm stem. I have my seat as forward as it goes but I still constantly have to hunch over and reach into a slightly uncomfortable position to hold the bars, usually ending up resting my fingertips on the bars for comfort so I can sit a little more upright.

I am about to buy a zero reach stem to hopefully fix this annoyance.

Am I doing it wrong? If so, what should I do instead?

move your stem higher/get compact drops.

But it's the horizontal part of the drop bar that Im having trouble with! It just isnt comfortable to hold them.

raise your stem/get a bike that fits.

stretch your back for more flexibility

I might actually have to buy a Nitto Technomic then. Stem is at max. insertion

Do you have an inline seatpost? I suggest you get one if you don't have one and also research into back flexibility. You should have seen Zdrenka's Moda before he started doing stretching and stuff and achieved this. http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6180/6184221631_cca90ed702_b.jpg

inline seatpost add extra problem though, pushing the saddle forward by too much can put a lots more weight on the handlebar.

best solution is to get a smaller frame, I have similar body proportion, 6" but needed a 54/53cm TT.

In fact, it's your only solution, that frame is way too big for you.

sounds like a flexibility issue. Im an inch taller, my last race bike had 59cm top tube with 100m stem, 70 degrees, bars with 180mm drop, 107mm reach. it was close to perfect. my everyday bike has a 58cm tt(62cm seat tube) with 110mm stem, current race bike has 57cm tt with 125mm stem.

an ultra short stem will make steering very sensitive

Sounds like your frame is too big. Maybe try some noodle bars (they'll bring the crossbar slightly closer) and a bit of basic yoga to improve flexibility (forward bend stuff), but these are probably more tweaks than a cure for a fundamental problem? Probably best to pop into a friendly LBS and ask them to look at you on your bike and measure you up for your correct frame size - at least that way you'll know if you're bashing your head against a brick wall?

noodle bar won't work, the reach is a lots longer on them than a compact drop bar whose reach tend to be quite short.

Get a smaller frame, do exactly what rab said, go to a (reputable) bicycle shop, try different sizes, see which one have the right feel, then measure the TT horizontally centre to centre.

Then get a frame in a similar size to the one you've tried.

Buy a recumbent.

Srsly.

Saddle too far forward and zero reach stem?

your bike does not fit you...

Reboot

sounds like a flexibility issue.Im an inch taller, my last race bike had 59cm top tube with 100m stem, 70 degrees, bars with 180mm drop, 107mm reach. it was close to perfect. my everyday bike has a 58cm tt(62cm seat tube) with 110mm stem, current race bike has 57cm tt with 125mm stem.

an ultra short stem will make steering very sensitive

Agreed. I'm in an inch shorter and run a 57.5cm tt with 120mm stem

@singspeed - Have you ridden a road bike with drops before ?

Yes I have. Thing is, my rat bike fits me perfectly so I chose similar dimensions for this build. It actually has a slightly longer top tube, so I don't get why this one feels too long!

Simple: seat tube and head tube angle.

Ah that's quite annoying! Thanks for your advice.

Well, I start working next august so maybe it will be a case of holding out and getting a custom frame made when I can afford it.

How desperately do you want drops? Risers with a nice back sweep or northroad bars could be quite comfy.
(and cheaper than a new frame)

+1 to north roads.

If you run them flipped with hood brakes then depending on the height you should have a fairly similar ride when you're on the hoods, but the ends of the bars will be a lot closer, albeit lower.